General Information

Year founded: 1897
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.
The Brooks Pierce Story

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP is a business law firm providing comprehensive strategic counsel and innovative solutions to our clients. Our lawyers have expertise in all facets of business law.

Brooks Pierce clients are leading organizations and successful individuals throughout the United States and the world. We are well known for our abiding commitment to clients and our service ethic, both on a professional and personal level.

We are also a firm committed to understanding and empathizing, on a personal level, with the people who manage the companies we represent. This approach allows us to be responsive to the professional needs of our clients.

Further, we also approach our own lawyers and professional staff in the same way. We strive to maintain a family atmosphere within the firm and foster a culture that nurtures both personal and professional growth and fulfillment.

Only lawyers with a demonstrated record of professional excellence and the highest standards of personal integrity become part of our firm.

Since our firm's beginning in 1897, we have grown to over 100 lawyers and serve clients from three offices.

Guiding Principles

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP, is a comprehensive (national, regional and local) business law firm serving the needs of businesses, individuals, government, and non-profit institutions. The firm's expertise extends to every aspect of business law, including antitrust, mergers and acquisitions, start-up and publicly traded companies, banking, corporate finance, labor, securities, environmental, real estate, trade associations, education, foundations, public utilities, employee benefits, legislative, media, regulatory compliance, complex business litigation, and trusts and estates. Members of our firm regularly represent clients before the judicial, executive and legislative branches of government.

To broaden the scope and quality of the advice and assistance we provide to clients, we also have attorneys who devote substantial time to public service. These attorneys include present or former state officials, political campaign managers, military officers, regulatory commissioners, and law and accounting professors.

Our attorneys embrace the highest standards of professional and personal excellence. Our firm's goal is to provide an unsurpassed level of expertise and service to clients. To accomplish this goal, we hold ourselves to the highest professional and personal standards. Our attorneys exhibit intelligence, integrity, leadership, a demonstrated record of professional excellence, and a commitment to the law as a profession and a calling. Our attorneys have excelled in the nation's leading law schools, including Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, University of Chicago, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, University of Texas, Wake Forest, Washington and Lee, William and Mary, and Yale.

Brooks Pierce differs from many firms of comparable size in that it has no formal departments or practice groups. Our firm has a long-standing philosophy: encourage young lawyers to explore different practice areas, experience different aspects of the law, and eventually narrow their practice focus as they become more experienced. Even our most senior and highly skilled attorneys do not confine their practice to a single, narrow area of the law. Our atmosphere is collaborative and collegial; our attorneys work closely with one another and exchange ideas on legal issues and complex matters, thus maximizing the scope and quality of the service provided to our clients.

Firm News

Rankings

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP is metro ranked in 50 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

Metro Rankings

Raleigh
Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Copyright Law

About Our Clients

Representative Client List

For more than a century, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP has had the pleasure of working with many fine individuals and companies. For your reference, we have listed below a representative listing of a few of our clients.

  • ABC, Inc.
  • ABC-TV Network Affiliates Association
  • Associated Press
  • Bank of New York Mellon
  • Biscuitville
  • Capitol Broadcasting
  • Cisco Systems, Inc.
  • City of Greensboro
  • Curtis Media
  • Deloitte & Touche LLP
  • Domtar Paper Company
  • Duke Corporate Education
  • Electronic News Directors Association
  • Fisher Broadcasting
  • Gateway University Research Park, Inc.
  • Geneva Corporation
  • The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
  • Greensboro College
  • Guilford County Board of Education
  • The Hearst Corporation
  • Hearst Television, Inc.
  • High Point Market Authority
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Infrastructure Corporation of America
  • KPMG, LLP
  • Leggett & Platt, Incorporated
  • Lexington Furniture Industries
  • Lorillard Tobacco Co.
  • McGraw-Hill Broadcasting
  • MCNC, Inc.
  • National Association of Broadcasters
  • NewBridge Bancorp
  • NC Association of Broadcasters
  • NC Association of Petroleum & Convenience Marketers
  • NC Bankers Association
  • NC Cable Telecommunications Association
  • NC Technology Association
  • NetJets, Inc.
  • The New York Times Co.
  • Northstar Travel Media, LLC
  • Office Depot, Inc.
  • PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
  • Performance, Inc.
  • Piedmont Triad Airport Authority
  • Primland Ltd.
  • Red Hat, Inc.
  • Replacements, Ltd.
  • TIMCO Aviation Services, Inc.
  • United Guaranty Corporation
  • United Healthcare Services, Inc.
  • University of North Carolina
  • US Greenfiber, LLC
  • Village of Bald Head Island
  • Volvo Group North America, Inc.
  • Wake Forest University
  • Weyerhaeuser Co.

Select Clients

  • ABC-TV Network Affiliates Association
  • Biscuitville
  • Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
  • Cisco Systems, Inc.
  • Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company
  • Duke Corporate Education
  • Gateway University Research Park
  • High Point Market Authority
  • ITG Brands
  • National Association of Broadcasters
  • The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
  • The Hearst Corporation

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Environmental Law
Brooks Pierce has been an excellent professional resource for my organization. Consummate professionals, they provide timely and thorough feedback in an easy-to-understand manner, along with additional context via real-life examples.
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
They're uniquely qualified with a number of members on their team. Brooks Pierce has been very easy to work with and has done a lot to help me out. I have garnered a tremendous amount of respect through the years.
Sandy Roberson – Community Health, Inc.
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard's attorneys had a level of experience that was top shelf, but even more important was the connections they made and maintained over the years. They foster relationships that benefit current as well as future clients. It is not only what you know, but who you know. My lawyer at Brooks Pierce not only knew the law, including all the subtle nuances, but he knew with whom to speak when discussing the law. That is very important and an often overlooked attribute.
Commercial Litigation
Gary Parsons and his team at Brooks Pierce have been responsive, straight up and dedicated in representing the City of Greenville. Gary's expertise in litigation and ability to drill down to the nuts and bolts about a case without chasing rabbits and wasting time no matter the efforts of opposing counsel to distract. Gary and his team have always been there to answer a question and when I have traveled to the Raleigh office, the staff couldn't be nicer and more professional. They treat me as if I were a $50 million client when I'm far from it.
William Little, Assistant City Attorney – City of Greenville, NC

Rankings

Metro Rankings

Raleigh
Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Copyright Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Governance Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for First Amendment Law
Tier 1 for Government Relations Practice
Tier 1 for Litigation - First Amendment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Media Law
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Tier 2 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 2 for Construction Law
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 2 for Entertainment Law - Music
Tier 2 for Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 2 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 2 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Tier 2 for Real Estate Law
Triad
Tier 1 for Antitrust Law
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Tier 1 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Finance Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 1 for Labor Law - Management
Tier 1 for Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier 1 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Health Care Law
Tier 2 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 2 for Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier 2 for Trademark Law
Tier 3 for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Tier 3 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 3 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 3 for Patent Law
Wilmington-NC
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Administrative/Regulatory
  • Antitrust
  • Antitrust Law
  • Appellate
  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Class Actions
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Commercial Finance Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
  • Communications Law
  • Complex Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Corporate Compliance Law
  • Corporate Governance Law
  • Corporate Law
  • COVID-19
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Economic Development Law
  • Education Law
  • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Energy Regulatory Law
  • Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television
  • Entertainment Law - Music
  • Environmental Law
  • Environmental Permitting
  • Financial Services Regulation Law
  • First Amendment Law
  • Franchise Law
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • International Trade and Finance Law
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Litigation
  • Litigation - Antitrust
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Litigation - Bankruptcy
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Environmental
  • Litigation - First Amendment
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
  • Litigation - Securities
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Media
  • Media Law
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Mining Law
  • Natural Resources Law
  • Nonprofit / Charities Law
  • Patent Law
  • Privacy and Data Security Law
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Real Estate Law
  • Securities
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Tax Law
  • Title VII Litigation
  • Trade Secrets Law
  • Trademark
  • Trademark Law
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Utilities Law
  • Venture Capital Law
  • Water Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • Pro Bono Firm of the Year - South
  • Benchmark Litigation "North Carolina Firm of the Year" (2016-2019)

Main Location

Greensboro, NC
Renaissance Plaza, Suite 2000
230 North Elm Street
P.O. Box 26000
Greensboro, NC 27420
United States
336-373-8850 Call our Greensboro, NC location at 336-373-8850 Get Directions Get directions to our Greensboro, NC location

Office Locations

Raleigh, NC
Wells Fargo Capitol Center, Suite 1700
150 Fayetteville Street
P.O. Box 1800
Raleigh, NC 27602
United States
919-839-0300 Call our Raleigh, NC location at 919-839-0300 Get Directions Get directions to our Raleigh, NC location
Wilmington, NC
115 North Third Street, Suite 301
P.O. Box 2460
Wilmington, NC 28402
United States
910-444-2000 Call our Wilmington, NC location at 910-444-2000 Get Directions Get directions to our Wilmington, NC location

Management and Personnel

Managing Partner
Reid L. Phillips

Contacts

Director of Marketing & Business Development
Jennifer Griffin Scotton
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