Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense
434 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2500, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
- Telephone: 919-828-0731
- Fax: 919-828-6592
- Website: www.bdixon.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1351, Raleigh, NC 27602-1351
Established: 1916
Practice Areas
- General Defense
- Litigation
- Automobile
- Construction Defect
- Governmental Liability
- Product Liability
- General Liability
- Civil Rights
- Employment Law
- Sexual Harassment
- Environmental Law
- Drug
- Medical Devices
- Arson
- Fraud
- Legal Malpractice
- Life and Health
- Insurance Coverage
- Bad Faith
- Nursing Home Liability
- Excess and Reinsurance
- Regulatory and Compliance
- Trial Practice
- State and Federal Courts
- Administrative Law
- Corporate Law
- Insurance Defense
- Medical Malpractice
- Professional Liability
- Real Estate
- Utilities Law
- OSHA; Government Liability
- Unfair Claim/Trade Practice Defense Litigation
Client Information
Insurance Clients
- Admiral Insurance Group
- Allied Insurance Company
- Amerisure Companies
- Arch Insurance Group
- Burlington Insurance Group
- Cambridge Integrated Services
- Colonial Insurance Company
- Crum & Forster
- Employers Casualty Company
- Lawyers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of North Carolina
- Markel American Insurance Company
- Mid-Atlantic Insurance Services of North Carolina, LLC
- Nationwide Life Insurance Company
- Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company
- Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
- North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
- Safeco Insurance
- Sedgwick CMS
- Specialty Claims Management, LLC
- Titan Insurance Company
- Tower Hill Insurance Company
- Zurich American Insurance Group
Non-Insurance Clients
- Inter Local Risk Financing Fund of North Carolina
- North Carolina League of Municipalities Risk Management Services
Personnel Information
Firm Members
David S. Coats
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: dcoats@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 35
Practice Areas
- Construction Law
- Appellate Practice
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Defense
- Commercial Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1988
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:
Listed in: North Carolina Business Magazine's Legal Elite, North Carolina Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America; 2015 Named Best Lawyer in Insurance Law in Raleigh Market; Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America and American Board of Trial Advocates
Memberships:
- American, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- Guilford College, B.S., 1984
- Wake Forest University, J.D., 1988
Born: 1962
David S. Wisz
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: dwisz@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 30
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Insurance Law
- Negligence
- Premises Liability
- Tort
- Litigation
- Construction Law
Admitted
- Kentucky, 1994
- North Carolina, 1996
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1994
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, 1994
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- American, Kentucky, Louisville State, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- St. Bonaventure University, B.B.A. (magna cum laude), 1991
- University of Kentucky, J.D. (with high distinction), 1994
Born: 1969
Robert H. Merritt, Jr.
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: rmerritt@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 49
Practice Areas
- Business Law
- Commercial Litigation
Admitted
- Texas, 1974
- North Carolina, 1977
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina, 1978
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, 1979
- U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina, 1980
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1981
Additional Biographical Details:
Member, Legislative Study Committee on Revenue Laws, 1979-1984
Memberships:
- American and North Carolina Bar Associations
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 1971
- Southern Methodist University, J.D., 1974
- Southern Methodist University, LL.M., 1976
Born: 1948
Philip A. Collins
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: pcollins@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 24
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Employment Law
- Insurance Coverage
- Personal Injury
- Professional Malpractice
- Appellate Practice
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2000
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
Memberships:
- North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 1986
- North Carolina State University, M.A., 1996
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D. (with honors), 2000
Born: 1964
John T. Crook
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: jcrook@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 18
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Personal Injury
- Professional Liability
- Construction Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2006
Memberships:
- American, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- North Carolina State University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2003
- Campbell University, J.D., 2006
Born: 1981
Cody R. Loughridge
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: cloughridge@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 18
Practice Areas
- Construction
- Commercial Litigation
- Collections
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2006
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina, 2008
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
Additional Biographical Details:
Super Lawyer Rising Star 2014-2016
Memberships:
- North Carolina Bar Association (Council Member, 2010-2013, 2018-2021)
Education:
- North Carolina State University, B.A. Political Science (cum laude), 2003
- Campbell University School of Law, J.D., 2006
Born: 1981
Jeffrey D. McKinney
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: jmckinney@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 14
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Business Law
- Corporate Law
- Real Estate
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2009
Memberships:
- American, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- Davidson College, B.A., 2006
- Wake Forest University, J.D., 2009
Born: 1984
Christina D. Cress
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: ccress@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 11
Practice Areas
- Utilities Law
- Energy
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2013
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:
Super Lawyers Rising Star 2019-2020; North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Rising Star 2019
Memberships:
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina Bar Association
Education:
- University of Florida, B.S./M.A., 2010
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., 2013
Born: 1988
Chad M. Dunn
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: cdunn@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 9
Practice Areas
- Insurance Law
- Insurance Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Business Law
- Landlord and Tenant Law
- Insurance
- Property & Casualty Insurance Claims
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2014
Memberships:
- American, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- James Madison University, B.S., 2003
- Washington and Lee University School of Law, J.D., 2014
Of Counsel
Charles F. McDarris
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: cmcdarris@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 33
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Municipal Law
- Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1991
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, 1996
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1998
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1998
Memberships:
- North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
- Tenth Judicial Bar
Education:
- Presbyterian College, B.S., 1985
- Wake Forest University, J.D., 1990
Born: 1963
J. Heydt Philbeck
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: hphilbeck@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 32
Practice Areas
- Trial Practice
- Litigation
- Civil Rights
- Discrimination
- Business Law
- Contracts
- Employment Law
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1992
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
- North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Braxton Craven American Inn of Court (Barrister)
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy
Education:
- Elon University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1989
- Valparaiso University, J.D., 1992
Born: 1967
Jeffrey P. Gray
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: jgray@bdixon.xom
Years of Experience: 38
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Appellate Practice
- Business Law
- Civil Litigation
- Eminent Domain
- Lobbying
- Real Estate
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1985
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
- Tenth Judicial District Bar
Education:
- Western Carolina University, B.S., 1981
- Campbell University, J.D., 1985
Born: 1959
Sabra J. Faires
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: sfaires@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 43
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Regulatory and Compliance
- Business Law
- Corporate Law
- Employment Law
- Government Affairs
- Municipal Law
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1980
Memberships:
- North Carolona State Bar
- Wake County Bar Association (Sections on Administrative Law; Government & Public Sector)
Education:
- Davidson College, B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa), 1977
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D. (with honors), 1980
Associate
Devon H. Collins
Raleigh, NC
- E-Mail: dcollins@bdixon.com
Years of Experience: 3
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Law
- Insurance Litigation
Admitted
- Maryland, 2020
- North Carolina, 2022
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Education:
- Furman University, B.S., 2017
- University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, J.D., 2020
Service Areas
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA 33 miles
Durham, North Carolina, USA 29 miles
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA 62 miles
Henderson, North Carolina, USA 45 miles
Lillington, North Carolina, USA 32 miles
Louisburg, North Carolina, USA 32 miles
Pittsboro, North Carolina, USA 34 miles
Sanford, North Carolina, USA 43 miles
Smithfield, North Carolina, USA 29 miles
Wilson, North Carolina, USA 48 miles
(This firm also appears in the Regulatory and Compliance section of this publication)
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