ward and smith P.A

Four Ward and Smith attorneys are being recognized for having a measurable impact on the legal profession in North Carolina in the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Legal 250. This inaugural list honors 250 lawyers across 40 practice areas. Its purpose is to highlight attorneys whose work, leadership, and influence are advancing the profession.

Ward and Smith is proud to sponsor an unforgettable evening of Cuban music with The Buena Vista Orchestra on Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium in Brevard, NC.

A strong brand is one of your business’s most valuable assets. But too often, business owners invest in names, logos, product lines, websites, and marketing materials before confirming whether their brand can be protected, or whether it may already belong to someone else. Ward and Smith’s IP Summer School continues on July 30, 2026, with a practical, business-focused session on trademarks.

Ward and Smith is proud to sponsor the upcoming Wilmington Business Journal Power Breakfast: Vital Signs, a timely discussion focused on the future of health care in the Wilmington region. The event will take place on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Wilmington Convention Center. Breakfast and networking will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the program from 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. Health care in southeastern North Carolina is entering a period of major change.

Brad Evans, Co-Managing Director of Ward and Smith, has been elected president-elect of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA). The election took place during the NCBA’s Annual Meeting, held June 25–27 in Charlotte.

Ward and Smith’s Cody Worrells was recently featured on the NCBarBlog in a profile titled “From Airborne to Litigation: How Cody Worrells Learned to Love the Work.” The article follows Cody’s path from the U.S. Army to Ward and Smith, where he now manages litigation staff across multiple offices while also teaching aspiring paralegals at Cape Fear Community College. Cody’s legal career began in an unexpected way.

This summer, Ward and Smith is proud to sponsor one of Asheville’s most beloved traditions and a joyful celebration of Southern Appalachian music, dance, and storytelling, the 60th Season of Shindig on the Green Produced by the Folk Heritage Committee, Shindig on the Green has drawn locals and visitors to downtown Asheville since 1967.

Ward and Smith is pleased to announce the addition of Stefan Maletic as an attorney in its Asheville office. He focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, representing purchasers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and developers in a range of matters, including purchase agreements, commercial leases, easements, restrictive covenants, and title work.

For new dentists in North Carolina, understanding the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners isn’t optional; it’s essential. Ward and Smith professional licensing attorney Amy Fitzhugh made that clear in a recent presentation to ECU dental graduates, offering a practical overview of what the Board does, what it expects, and what to do if a complaint comes your way.

Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that Cortney Vamvakias, Technical Training and Support Specialist, has earned the Certified Legal Trainer (CLT) designation from Traveling Coaches, a legal industry talent development firm with nearly three decades of experience. Designed exclusively for legal industry trainers, the Certified Legal Trainer Program is an eight-week curriculum focused on adult learning principles and best practices within a law firm environment.