Firm Wire items are announcements made by the firms themselves. The desk confirms that the announcement was published and reproduces its factual content. It does not verify the claims in it, and publication is not an endorsement.
Ward and Smith said Hannah Daigle joined the Membership Committee of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. The firm said the committee helps the organization recruit and engage members and connect them with professional resources, education and the wider community of lawyers and other legal professionals.
Ward and Smith said it is sponsoring the 2026 North Carolina Oyster Festival and highlighted the event’s coastal community activities. The firm’s announcement described a weekend program bringing together food, entertainment and local traditions at Ocean Isle Beach, with activities for visitors to the festival.
Ward and Smith said attorney Emily Sullivan was featured in a Campbell Law alumni spotlight about her route into legal practice. The firm’s account described how her education, early exposure to law firm work and subsequent professional experiences shaped her career and relationships with mentors.
Ward and Smith said it was sponsoring the 11th annual Pink Ribbon Run 5K in Greenville to support local people and families affected by breast cancer. The firm’s announcement said the event would take place on October 4 at 2 p.m. behind the Hilton Greenville on Landmark Street.
Ward and Smith said it published an article by Gavin B. Parsons and W. Taylor Pulliam on trade-secret risks from remote workers, foreign vendors and AI tools that it says most North Carolina companies are not managing. The firm said the article recommends mobile device management and bans on personal cloud storage, vendor contracts with U.S. jurisdiction, audit rights and certified return or destruction of data, and a prohibition on entering confidential information into public AI platforms.
Ward and Smith said Chris Edwards authored an article in the North Carolina Advocates for Justice’s Trial Briefs on constitutional-question appeals. The firm’s notice described the article’s treatment of procedural requirements and its comparison of that route to a petition for discretionary review.
Ward and Smith said attorney Lily Faulconer was selected for the 2027 Leadership Pitt County class, a program of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce. The firm said the program brought together participants to study community institutions and build connections across the county.
Ward and Smith said Mike McIntyre was reappointed to the Morehead-Cain Scholarship Central Selection Committee. The firm said he would participate in the program’s sophomore selection process at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, continuing his involvement in scholarship selection.
Ward and Smith published an article examining supplemental proposed definitions of waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act. The firm’s analysis addressed perennial flow, wetland connections, temporary dry periods and the relationship between the supplemental proposal and the agencies’ earlier rulemaking.
Ward and Smith said labor and employment attorney Genesis Torres would present an employment-law update at the North Carolina Bar Association’s annual review on October 15. The firm said her session would address North Carolina decisions issued since November 2025 and related statutory and regulatory developments.
Ward and Smith announced its sponsorship of a golf tournament bringing together golfers, business leaders and community partners in southeastern North Carolina. The firm said the gathering would combine competition and networking, and described its sponsorship as supporting regional business growth and job creation.
Ward and Smith announced that attorney Amy Wang would speak at the North Carolina Environmental Conference on October 6–7 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. The firm said her panel would address legal and technical issues involving drainage, stormwater and flooding, including permitting requirements for commercial and industrial operations.
Ward and Smith announced that appellate attorney Chris Edwards would present a virtual North Carolina Advocates for Justice program on September 23. The firm said the session would address creating a trial-court record suitable for appellate review and would be open to members and non-members.
Ward and Smith announced that co-managing directors Brad Evans and Devon Williams had been named to North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s 2026 Managing Partners to Watch list. The firm said they were among 22 legal professionals recognized and linked their leadership to its recent expansion into South Carolina.
Ward and Smith announced that attorney Mary Catherine Baker had been appointed to Wake Forest University School of Law’s Rose Council for a three-year term. The firm described the council as the law school’s principal young-alumni organization, supporting relationships through service, mentoring and professional engagement.