Seven Roberts & Stevens attorneys recognized in Business North Carolina’s 2022 Legal Elite

Roberts & Stevens is pleased to announce that seven of its attorneys — William “Billy” Clarke, Mary Robinson Hervig, Ann-Patton Hornthal, Gregory D. Hutchins, Susan Russo Klein, Carolyn Clark Snipes, and Wyatt S. Stevens — have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 edition of Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, a listing of the state’s best practitioners in their fields.

For two decades, Business North Carolina has invited active members of the N.C. State Bar to vote for their most-esteemed peers. Attorneys cannot vote for themselves nor for members of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame, which is made up of top vote-getters of each category from previous years. This year, only 3 percent of the state’s 28,000 active attorneys were selected for Legal Elite recognition.

William “Billy” Clarke is a member of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame in the Environment category, having previously topped the list in 2012. A partner with Roberts & Stevens, his practice focuses on environmental permitting and compliance, transactions involving the purchase and sale of contaminated property, environmental and administrative litigation, water quality issues and the representation of local governments on environmental matters.

Mary Robinson Hervig is recognized in the Tax and Estate Planning category. A partner with the firm, Hervig helps clients with their advance medical directives (or “living wills”), powers of attorney, wills, and trusts, including tax planning as necessary, and she assists personal representatives and trustees with the administration of estates and trusts in North Carolina.

Ann-Patton Hornthal is recognized in the Appellate category. A shareholder of Roberts & Stevens, Hornthal handles litigation and pre-litigation matters for commercial clients in complex trial, regulatory, and appellate matters in state and federal courts and licensing boards, with an emphasis on professional liability defense and commercial disputes. She has represented clients in healthcare, legal, manufacturing, alternative-energy, and law enforcement sectors and devotes a substantial portion of her practice to appellate work.

Gregory D. Hutchins is recognized in the Business category. A partner with Roberts & Stevens, Hutchins handles corporate law, business transactions, commercial real property, estate planning and administration, healthcare, and taxation.

Susan Russo Klein is recognized in the Employment category. Klein, a partner with Roberts & Stevens, advises organizations of all sizes on challenging employment issues, from training and compliance to defending labor audits and discrimination complaints. Her business experience includes negotiating and drafting contracts, including service agreements, commercial leases and acquisitions.

Carolyn Clark Snipes is recognized in the Real Estate Law category. A partner with Roberts & Stevens, Snipes practices commercial and residential real property law representing developers, sellers, buyers, lenders, and title insurance companies. She focuses on real estate transactions, easements and agreements, property disputes, and title insurance claims.

Roberts & Stevens partner Wyatt S. Stevens is recognized in the Litigation category. With more than 25 years of experience in complex personal injury litigation and commercial litigation, Stevens has successfully represented individuals, businesses and organizations in state and federal courts throughout Western North Carolina, including dozens of complex jury trials, administrative hearings and appeals. His diverse clients include companies and individuals engaged in the recreational sports industry, manufacturing, insurance, telecommunications, trucking and tourism industries.

Business North Carolina magazine has honored Tar Heel lawyers in this way since 2002, giving the state’s lawyers the opportunity to support and recognize their peers. Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite is the only award that gives every active lawyer in the state the opportunity to participate.