John Noor is a litigation and appellate attorney who represents businesses, developers, property owners, and local governments in complex commercial, antitrust, land use and zoning, and real property disputes throughout North Carolina. John joined the firm in 2013, after clerking for the Honorable Calvin E. Murphy on the North Carolina Business Court, where he worked on complex commercial disputes involving corporate governance, fiduciary duties, shareholder litigation, and contract claims. Prior to his clerkship, John was a summer clerk to the Honorable Robert C. Hunter, Jr. on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and, was a Presidential Scholar for UNC President Erskine Bowles.
John has represented clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies and national financial institutions to closely-held businesses and local governments. His commercial litigation practice includes shareholder disputes, mergers and acquisition disputes, fiduciary duty claims, non-compete enforcement, unfair and deceptive trade practice claims, antitrust matters, and complex contract disputes. John regularly represents developers, landowners, HOAs/POAs, and community organizations in easement disputes, restrictive covenant challenges, complex development permit applications, zoning disputes, and land use appeals. John’s environmental practice includes brownfield redevelopment, permitting under the Clean Water and Endangered Species Act, and nuisance litigation. John also represents local governments across Western North Carolina on a range of issues. John’s practice spans every state stage of litigation from emergency injunctions to trial and appeal. He regularly appears before the North Carolina Business Court, state and federal trial courts, as well as North Carolina’s appellate courts, and local governing board/administrative agencies.
A North Carolina native, John serves the Asheville community as a volunteer domestic violence attorney with Pisgah Legal Services, is a board member for the Conservation Trust of North Carolina, and serves on the Board of Governors for the North Carolina Bar Association. John and his wife, Caroline, currently reside in Asheville with their two children and rescue dog Lucy.
Professional Leadership
- Adjunct Professor of Law, UNC Asheville
- North Carolina Bar Association, Board of Governors, 2024-Present
- Federal Bar Association, Western District of North Carolina, Treasurer 2026-Present
- 28th Judicial District Bar Association, 2013-Present
Awards and Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation, 2021-present; Environmental Law, 2025, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2024-Present
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite: Environmental, 2017, 2026; Litigation, 2017, 2021; Antitrust, 2017, 2024, 2025; Young Guns, 2017, 2021, 2023
- North Carolina Super Lawyers: Rising Stars, 2019-present
- United Family Services Victim Legal Representation Project, Commitment to Justice Award, 2012-2013
- UNC Asheville, Thomas D. Reynolds Alumni Award, 2016
- North Carolina Bar Association, Young Lawyer Public Service Award, 2021
- UNC School of Law, Pro Bono Publico Award, 2021
- Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout, 2002
Presentations
- Presenter, “The NC Business Court and the 2014 Modernization Act” at the 28th Judicial Bar District’s CLE, 2015
- Presenter, “An Attorney’s Guide to the North Carolina Business Court: Navigating North Carolina’s Specialized Forum for Complex Civil Litigation,” Mecklenburg County Bar Association, 2013.
- Panelist, “Cutting Edge Litigation Topics” at American Bar Association 2020 Just Regional CLE Program, Aspen Colorado, 2020
Publications Include
- John Noor, North Carolina’s Natural Gas Reserves: Are We Ready For The Boom? Independent Study, 2010.
- John Noor, Herding Cats: What To Do When States Get In The Way Of National Energy Policy, 11 N.C. J.L. & TECH. 145, 2009.
- John Noor, North Carolina’s New Water Quality Law: Improvements in the Stormwater Management of North Carolina’s Coastal Counties, UNC Environmental Law Symposium, 2009.
- Norma Houston & John Noor, Excuse Me, I’m Looking for My Client: Who’s Your Client When You Are the Public’s Lawyer? Public Law For The Public’s Lawyer N.C. State Bar CLE Program, 2009.
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Accomplishments
- Special Counsel to the United States Judiciary Committee, Professor Michael Gerhardt, Research Assistant, 2009–2011
- The Honorable Robert C. Hunter, Jr., North Carolina Court of Appeals, Summer Law Clerk, 2010
- University of North Carolina General Administration, President Erskine Bowles Presidential Intern, 2007-2008
- Co-authored, with Dr. Dennis Grady and Norma Houston, the Environmental Sustainability section of the UNC Tomorrow Commission’s Final Report and Recommendations to the UNC Board of Governors.
- Spearheaded the development of the first UNC Environmental Sustainability Policy that regulates the University’s $180 million utilities budget.
- United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, DC, Intern, 2005
- University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill
- UNC Broun National Trial Team, 2009–2011
- Notes Editor, North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology, 2010–2011
- Recipient, Gressman-Pollitt Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy, 2009
- First Place Team, Kilpatrick Stockton Mock Trial Competition, best attorney honor, 2009
- Domestic Violence Law Clinic, Student Attorney, 2010
- University of North Carolina at Asheville
- Student Body President, 2006-2007
- Member, Board of Trustees, 2006-2007
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