Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense
- Telephone: 919-787-8880
- E-Mail: Marketing@manningfulton.com
- Website: www.manningfulton.com
Established: 1954
Practice Areas
- Business Litigation
- Estate Litigation
- Eminent Domain/Condemnation
- Shareholder Disputes
- Title Insurance Coverage Disputes
- Insurance Defense
- Accountant Malpractice
- Agent/Broker Liability
- Architects and Engineers
- Automobile
- Breach of Contract
- Commercial General Liability
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Dental Malpractice
- Directors and Officers Liability
- Employment Litigation
- Fraud
- Governmental Relations
- Health Care Liability
- Legal Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice
- Professional Liability
- Real Estate Litigation
- Workers' Compensation
- Insurance Coverage Disputes
- Franchise Litigation
About Us
Manning Fulton's Insurance Defense team is experienced in handling a wide variety of claims and litigation. Our Professional Liability Defense Group has been retained and approved as panel counsel by top carriers to defend their clients in federal and state courts in all districts of North Carolina.
Manning Fulton's attorneys have defended health care providers, general contractors, subcontractors, owners, developers, architects, engineers, lenders, title insurance companies, dentists, accountants, attorneys, directors and officers, real estate brokers and agents, and financial planners under their E&O policies. Our insurance defense attorneys stay current on new coverage areas, such as Cyber Liability, so that we can be prepared to defend clients against claims as new legal issue areas like breach of data and privacy become more prevalent. They have also represented clients in insurance coverage disputes arising under professional liability policies, medical malpractice policies, directors' and officers' policies, CGL policies, business and personal property and auto policies and workers' compensation policies.
Manning Fulton's government relations team has considerable experience and expertise representing insurance companies and trade associations before the North Carolina General Assembly, the Governor's Office, and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. John Hardin and Will Morgan, both partners at Manning Fulton, represent the state’s only property and casualty trade association - the Insurance Federation of North Carolina; the nation's largest insurance industry trade association - the American Insurance Association; and Allstate, one of the nation's largest insurance providers in the United States. In addition, they represent the North Carolina Self-Insurance Security Association, which is a non-profit, unincorporated association made up of individual companies and groups of companies that have been approved to self-insure their workers' compensation claims liabilities by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. They also represent Delta Dental of North Carolina, which is one of the largest dental insurance providers in the state.
Manning Fulton also has particular expertise representing insurance professionals, including brokers, agents, title insurance companies, lenders, third party administrators and adjusters in thousands of disputes and lawsuits covering: professional negligence, directors and officers, breach of contract, unfair trade practices, ERISA violations, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, failure to procure insurance, misrepresentation of incorrect advice, unauthorized binding of coverage, improper conduct relating to premium finance loans, mishandling of claims, lien priority disputes, title disputes, undisclosed/missing heirs disputes, inheritance disputes and forgery actions. The firm's extensive representation of insurance industry clients uniquely positions and qualifies us to assist our clients with respect to their claims, disputes and/or coverage issues.
Client Information
Insurance Clients
- Allied Insurance Company
- Allstate Insurance Company
- AmRisc, LP
- Berkley Select
- Broadspire Services, Inc.
- Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's
- Chicago National Title Insurance Company
- Chubb Specialty Insurance
- Curi - a Medical Mutual Company
- Delta Dental
- Fidelity National Title Insurance Company
- First Mercury Insurance Company
- General Star
- Greenville Casualty Insurance Company
- Hanover Insurance Group
- Hiscox, Ltd.
- Insurance Federation of North Carolina
- Kemper Insurance Companies
- Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company
- Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation
- MAG Mutual Insurance Company
- Medical Mutual Insurance Company
- Monitor Liability Managers, LLC
- North American Claims Control
- North American Specialty Claims
- North Carolina Self-Insurance Security Association
- Old Republic Insurance Company
- Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
- Philadelphia Insurance Companies
- RLI Insurance Company
- Sagicor Claims Management, Inc.
- State National Companies, Inc.
- Swiss Reinsurance Company
- Travelers Insurance Companies
- Western Surety Company
- Westport Insurance Corporation
- XL Insurance
Personnel Information
Firm Members
Michael T. Medford
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Defense
- Professional Liability
- Commercial Litigation
- Business Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1976
- 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 Bar Association (Chair, Insurance Law Section, 2019-2020)
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Defense Research Institute
Education:
- The University of North Carolina, B.A., 1973
- Columbia University, J.D., 1976
William C. Smith, Jr.
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Professional Liability
- Insurance Defense
- Bankruptcy
- Creditors' Rights
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1987
- U.S. District Court, Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 1983
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., 1987
William S. Cherry, III
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Insurance Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Employment Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Franchise Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2005
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
Education:
- North Carolina State University, B.A., 1994
- Campbell University, J.D., 2005
Judson A. Welborn
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Real Estate Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Franchise Litigation
- Lender Liability Litigation
- Eminent Domain
- Professional Liability
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1998
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Eighth Circuits
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- North Carolina Bar Association (Litigation Section Council, Co-Chair Ethics Committee)
- North Carolina Land Title Association
Education:
- The University of North Carolina, B.A., 1995
- Campbell University, J.D., 1998
John A. Hardin
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Governmental Relations
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2012
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 2007
- Campbell University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2012
William K. Morgan
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Governmental Relations
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2010
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 2007
- Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 2010
Robert Shields
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Professional Liability
- Commercial Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 1981
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
Memberships:
- Defense Research Institute
- North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
Education:
- The University of North Carolina, B.A., 1978
- The University of North Carolina, J.D., 1981
Jessica B. Vickers
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Professional Liability
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Franchise Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2012
- U.S. District Court, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
Education:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 2009
- Campbell University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2012
Natalie M. Rice
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Real Estate Litigation
- Professional Liability
- Insurance Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Franchise Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2011
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- Defense Research Institute
- North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
Education:
- The University of North Carolina, B.A. (with distinction), 2004
- Campbell University, J.D., 2011
Lawrence D. Graham, Jr.
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Real Estate Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Employment Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2021
Memberships:
- North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 2018
- Campbell University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2021
Matthew B. Grice
Raleigh, NC
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Litigation
- Construction Litigation
Admitted
- North Carolina, 2021
Memberships:
- North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations
Education:
- North Carolina State University, B.S. (summa cum laude), 2018
- Campbell University School of Law, J.D., 2021
Service Areas
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 169 miles
Durham, North Carolina, USA 25 miles
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA 78 miles
Greenville, North Carolina, USA 83 miles
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA 131 miles
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