Eight Offit Kurman Attorneys Named to 2021 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List in North Carolina

For Immediate Release

Charlotte, N.C.| January 14, 2021

Offit Kurman is pleased to announce that eight of the firm’s attorneys in the Charlotte region have been selected for their inclusion in the 2021 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented annual selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

A rundown of the Offit Kurman attorneys in Charlotte named to the 2021 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists can be found below.

Super Lawyers:

Elizabeth Beth Hodges’ practice is devoted exclusively to family law.  Ms. Hodges' cases involve the litigation, negotiation, and settlement of simple as well as complex financial and non-financial issues and disputes. In her family law practice, Ms. Hodges handles equitable distribution, alimony, child support, and child custody cases, among others.  Ms. Hodges is a fellow in the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers  (AAML), as well as the current President of the North Carolina Chapter. Ms. Hodges is certified as a family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and has been nominated for Super Lawyers, Family Law, 2006, 2009-2019, in addition to this year.

Since 2005, Elizabeth ‘Libby’ James has dedicated herself to assisting individuals with delicate, personal legal matters. Ms. James practices family law with an emphasis on alimony, post-separation support, equitable distribution, separation agreements, premarital agreements, child support, child custody, contempt motions, qualified domestic relations orders, name changes and domestic violence protective orders and appeals. Ms. James was recently accepted to the AAML (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers) and is now a fellow of the AAML (one of only 34 in the state of North Carolina). Ms. James routinely contributes to or writes articles on legal topics and speaks on legal matters in continuing legal education courses. Additionally, Ms. James was nominated as a Super Lawyers, North Carolina "Rising Stars," Family Law, 2013-2019

Robert B. McNeill is an experienced and senior litigator. With an AV rating by Martindale Hubble, Mr. McNeill is consistently nominated by peers in the legal community to the Best Lawyers in America and North Carolina Super Lawyers legal surveys. He is best known for his state-wide real estate litigation practice in which he represents title insurance companies, lenders, owners, lawyers, developers, and contractors. He has appeared in court in over 75 North Carolina counties. He also regularly appears in Federal Court as well as Bankruptcy Court.

Tate Sterrett’s practice focuses on family law, particularly complex equitable distribution and alimony cases. He negotiates settlements of property divisions and support arrangements and litigates those cases that cannot be settled. He also mediates or arbitrates disputes for others. Mr. Sterrett is a fellow and a certified arbitrator in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the national organization that encourages the study and elevates the standards in the practice of matrimonial law. He is certified as a family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, and a certified family financial mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. In addition to being named as a 2021 Super Lawyer, Mr. Sterrett is also Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Family Law, 2021.

Zipporah ‘Zip’ Edwards is a commercial litigator working primarily in the resolution of disputes involving real property, including concentrations in the following areas: coverage opinions and representation of title insurance companies; defense counsel for insureds; defalcation and fraud recovery; mechanics lien defense; resolution of access, easement and boundary issues; subrogation litigation; and title curative measures. Zip addresses these issues in all forums, including regularly representing clients in bankruptcy adversary proceedings arising out of real estate and lien priority disputes. She also provides malpractice defense for attorneys, focusing on claims and litigation arising out of real estate transactions. Zip has been named to Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2018, 2019 and 2020, in addition to this year.

James “Jim” C. Hardin III has devoted his legal career to complex estate planning matters, including charitable giving, business succession, asset protection, probate, trust administration, and serving as an expert witness in trust and estate litigation matters. Mr. Hardin is a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law in North and South Carolina. He is an elected fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has been selected as a North Carolina Super Lawyer numerous times, including selected as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in 2006. He also holds Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV-Preeminent rating, indicating preeminent legal ability and the highest ethical standards.

Rising Stars:

Anna Gray LeBlanc is certified as a family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.

Anna Gray's practice is dedicated to family law, representing clients in child custody, child support, equitable distribution, post-separation support, alimony, contempt, breach of contract/specific performance, separation agreements, and premarital agreement matters. Anna Gray works diligently with clients to ensure they obtain the best possible settlement and is a keen believer that family law issues should be resolved by ensuring that the client has control over the outcome. Anna Gray encourages clients to work hard to resolve issues through mediation, collaborative law sessions, and settlement meetings, but she diligently litigates cases that cannot be settled.

Anna Gray is extremely involved with the Mecklenburg County Bar and currently serves as Chair of the Young Lawyer’s Division and is on the Board of the Mecklenburg County Bar.

Additionally, Anna Gray is a graduate of the NITA Family Trial Advocacy Institute, which admits only 40 students each year. She has honed her skills from this program in the courtroom.

Kyle A. Frost is a North Carolina board-certified specialist in family law, with emphasis on equitable distribution, child custody, child support, alimony, post-separation support, stepparent adoptions, and post-judgment practice including contempt proceedings. His practice encompasses Mecklenburg, Gaston, Union, Iredell, Cabarrus and the surrounding North Carolina counties. Mr. Frost is dedicated to helping the community through charitable efforts and was last year’s Offit Kurman spokesperson to raise awareness and money to support the American Cancer Society's Real Men Wear Pink campaign.

For more information regarding Offit Kurman and our attorney’s, visit us at offitkurman.com.