Poyner Spruill LLP

The p.s. Women's Month feature of the day is Susie Gibbons! She has worked as an attorney at the firm for more than 40 years.

p.s. is honored to announce that 64 firm attorneys were named to the 2025 editions of Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, including 14 attorneys named to their respective lists for the first time. Selected by their peers for inclusion, p.s. attorneys were ranked in nearly 50 practice areas this year. Read more and view the full list of our attorneys recognized here: https://www.poynerspruill.com/2024/08/15/64-poyner-spruill-attorneys-named-to-2025-editions-of-best-lawyers-and-best-lawyers-ones-to-watch/

Today's p.s. Women's Month spotlight is on Hannah Munn! Hannah is based in the Charlotte office and focuses her legal practice on employee benefits and executive compensation.

Last week, we were proud to be a hole sponsor of the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh's 7th Annual Drive Out Hunger Golf Tournament! This event helps raise money to support food pantries in the local community.

Join us in celebrating Women's Month at p.s.! Today, we're highlighting our Applications Success Manager, Kelly Dotzel. She has been working within the p.s. IT Department for two years, and we are very grateful for her!

In honor of Women’s Equality Day on August 26, the p.s. DEI Committee has organized a month-long celebration of women in the firm! Stay tuned for features about some of the amazing women who work at Poyner Spruill.

This past Saturday, we were proud to be a silver sponsor for the Claire's Army Gala in Charlotte! p.s. partner Sarah DiFranco, her husband, and their friends had a wonderful time at the event. This annual fundraiser helps fund the organization's mission of supporting families fighting childhood cancer.

We recently sponsored a happy hour for the South Asian Bar Association of North Carolina, held at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte! p.s. associate Rohun Shah serves as Treasurer for SABA NC, which was approved as the newest chapter of the South Asian Bar Association of North America at the national conference last month.

Head to City Plaza in Raleigh tomorrow to enjoy local music and delicious food! We're proud to be a sponsor of Downtown Raleigh Alliance's Live After 5 summer concert series.

Yesterday, p.s. employees in the Rocky Mount office packed a patrol car full of school supplies! This initiative by the Rocky Mount Police Department helps children get the supplies they need for the upcoming school year. We were proud to participate!

p.s. legal assistant Hannah McCarty was elected Vice President of NALS of North Carolina. This professional organization provides paralegal CLE/CPE, personal development, and leadership opportunities to legal support professionals. Congratulations, Hannah!

In his article, p.s. partner Robert Meyer addresses the recent Eleventh Circuit decision in an FLMA case. Read more:

Eleventh Circuit Limits Scope of Parental Leave for Birth of Child Under FMLA - Poyner Spruill LLP The Family and Medical Leave Act provides leave and job protection to eligible employees who need to be absent from work “because of the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and in order to care for such son or daughter.”

p.s. associate Rachel Nicholas is the incoming Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)’s Education Law Section. Join us in congratulating her!

p.s. partner Nick Ellis was recently quoted in a Law360 article about major cases in North Carolina. Read what he has to say about the ACC lawsuits against Clemson and FSU:

North Carolina Cases To Watch In 2024: A Midyear Report - Law360 The second half of 2024 will see the North Carolina Business Court tackle media rights in one of the country's largest collegiate athletic conferences while state justices weigh the scope of hospital immunity under the Tar Heel State's COVID-19 emergency law.

p.s. associate Michele Livingstone was recently elected Secretary of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)'s Young Lawyers Division. Join us in congratulating her on this new leadership role!

p.s. partner Jep Rose was honored with a standing ovation for his 48 years of service as city attorney for Rocky Mount. We are proud of Jep's long-standing service to the City of Rocky Mount, and we look forward to our continued collaboration. Read more:

Longtime city attorney to step down after 48 years of service The City Council meeting Monday was the last one for Jep Rose as city attorney, and he received a rousing standing ovation for serving in the position since 1976.

p.s. associate Caroline Margolis explains how the overturn of the Chevron doctrine will affect employers. Read more:

Courts Shall No Longer Automatically Defer to Federal Agencies - Poyner Spruill LLP On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron doctrine. In overturning forty years of precedent, the Court has shifted power away from federal agencies to judges.

We had six wonderful law school students join the firm for our summer associate program! Hear what they have to say about their experiences at Poyner Spruill: https://www.poynerspruill.com/2024/06/27/summer-associates-reflect-on-experience-with-poyner-spruill/

In her second article of the two-part series, p.s. associate Grayson LaMontagne compares the Republic Bank failure with other recent bank failures. Read more:

How the Republic Bank Collapse Compares to Other Recent Failures - Poyner Spruill LLP First Republic, which had been supervised by the FDIC since 2018 and received largely positive examination ratings throughout, was determined to have failed due to a number of factors

p.s. associate Grayson LaMontagne explains the failure of Republic Bank in her recent article. Read more: https://www.poynerspruill.com/thought-leadership/the-first-bank-to-collapse-in-2024-what-led-to-the-failure-of-republic-bank/

Stay tuned for the upcoming article of this two-part series!

The First Bank to Collapse in 2024: What Led to the Failure of Republic Bank - Poyner Spruill LLP The first bank to meet its demise in 2024 is smaller than its 2023 counterparts. In 2023 we saw Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank fail.

Congratulations to Nick Ellis for his inclusion in North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s Commercial and Consumer Litigation Power List! He is one of only 14 other litigation attorneys across North Carolina who are recognized. Read more: https://www.poynerspruill.com/2024/06/26/nick-ellis-recognized-in-n-c-lawyers-weeklys-commercial-and-consumer-litigation-power-list/

p.s. associate Adia Craig addresses the temporary injunction granted by a federal judge in Louisiana that prevents the EEOC from enforcing protections for workers seeking an abortion. Read more:

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Faces Major Pushback from Religious Organizations and Conservative States - Poyner Spruill LLP A federal judge in Louisiana granted a temporary injunction that prevents the EEOC from enforcing protections for workers seeking an abortion.

p.s. partner Kelsey Mayo is quoted in The New York Times article about the recent case where a former Baltimore prosecutor was convicted of impermissible withdrawals and a false claim of financial hardship when making early withdrawals from an employer-sponsored retirement account. Read more:

How a Retirement Withdrawal Can Lead to a Perjury Conviction A prominent lawyer was recently sentenced to home confinement for falsely claiming hardship to withdraw funds. How desperate must you be to take money out?

p.s. associates Rebecca Williams and Grace Pennerat presented at the American Association of School Personnel Administrators' Boot Camp in Charlotte last week. They explained updates to Title IX regulations.

Last week, p.s. attorneys Missy Jaskolka and Michele Livingstone were recognized at North Carolina Lawyers Weekly's Icons and Phenoms celebration! Read more about this honor: https://www.poynerspruill.com/2024/04/24/two-attorneys-recognized-in-nc-icons-phenoms-list/

p.s. partner Deborah Sperati has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. As a member of the Board, Deborah will help shape the future of Edgecombe County and Rocky Mount. Read more: https://www.poynerspruill.com/2024/06/14/deborah-sperati-elected-to-carolinas-gateway-partnership/

Join us in welcoming Morgan to the firm! https://www.poynerspruill.com/professionals/morgan-monroe/

p.s. associate Caroline Margolis explains what employers should know about the Eleventh Circuit's recent decision. Read more:

Eleventh Circuit Decision Generates Further Concern in Diversity Initiatives - Poyner Spruill LLP On Monday, June 3, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a contest providing venture-capital funding to only Black women was substantially likely to violate section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.