Overview

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.

Founded:
1897
Size:
117
Magnifying glass with star icon
Practice Areas:
80
Person outline with Best Lawyers logo
Best Lawyers Recognized:
60

Rankings

Regional

Raleigh

Tier
1
Raleigh
Appellate Practice
Tier
1
Raleigh
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier
1
Raleigh
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Raleigh
Copyright Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Corporate Governance Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Corporate 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

These featured testimonials reflect a sampling of client experiences. As every legal matter is unique—comments are personal opinions, not guarantees of future results.
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
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.
 

Rankings

Regional

Raleigh

Tier
1
Raleigh
Appellate Practice
Tier
1
Raleigh
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier
1
Raleigh
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Raleigh
Copyright Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Corporate Governance Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Employment Law - Management
Tier
1
Raleigh
First Amendment Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Government Relations Practice
Tier
1
Raleigh
Litigation - Environmental
Tier
1
Raleigh
Litigation - First Amendment
Tier
1
Raleigh
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier
1
Raleigh
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
1
Raleigh
Media Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier
1
Raleigh
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Tier
1
Raleigh
Real Estate Law
Tier
2
Raleigh
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier
2
Raleigh
Banking and Finance Law
Tier
2
Raleigh
Entertainment Law - Music
Tier
2
Raleigh
Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier
2
Raleigh
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

Triad

Tier
1
Triad
Antitrust Law
Tier
1
Triad
Banking and Finance Law
Tier
1
Triad
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier
1
Triad
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier
1
Triad
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Tier
1
Triad
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Tier
1
Triad
Commercial Finance Law
Tier
1
Triad
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Triad
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Tier
1
Triad
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Triad
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier
1
Triad
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
Triad
Employment Law - Management
Tier
1
Triad
Environmental Law
Tier
1
Triad
Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier
1
Triad
Labor Law - Management
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Construction
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Environmental
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation - Securities
Tier
1
Triad
Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier
1
Triad
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier
1
Triad
Real Estate Law
Tier
1
Triad
Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier
1
Triad
Tax Law
Tier
1
Triad
Trusts and Estates
Tier
2
Triad
Construction Law
Tier
2
Triad
Health Care Law
Tier
2
Triad
Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier
2
Triad
Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier
2
Triad
Trademark Law
Tier
3
Triad
Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Tier
3
Triad
Litigation - Antitrust
Tier
3
Triad
Litigation - Patent
Tier
3
Triad
Patent Law

Wilmington-NC

Tier
1
Wilmington-NC
Commercial Litigation

Practice Areas

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP has been ranked by Best Law Firms for excellence in 50 specialties, reflecting the firm's commitment to delivering outstanding legal services.
Additionally, the firm provides services in these practice areas:
  • 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®

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP proudly has 60 lawyers recognized for their outstanding professional performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This peer-reviewed honor highlights individual excellence and directly qualifies the firm for consideration in the prestigious Best Law Firms rankings. For over four decades, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard for recognizing top legal talent, serving as the cornerstone for Best Law Firms awards. Learn more about our rigorous Best Lawyers research and selection process.
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Client Comments

A strong relationship between a client and their law firm is key to achieving the best possible outcomes. Open communication, trust, and collaboration ensure that attorneys understand each client’s unique goals and needs. Choosing the right firm means finding a team with the experience, knowledge, and dedication to guide you through every stage of the legal process.
Client comments reflect personal opinions and individual experiences. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances. Past results and testimonials do not guarantee similar outcomes in future matters. For personalized legal advice, consult directly with an experienced attorney who can evaluate your specific situation and provide tailored guidance.
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Firm News

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August 19, 2021
Brooks Pierce Attorneys Successfully Challenge Will of Wilmington Man
Read Article Brooks Pierce Attorneys Successfully Challenge Will of Wilmington Man
August 11, 2021
Brooks Pierce Attorneys Get Wrongful Death Suit Against Wake Forest University Dismissed
Read Article Brooks Pierce Attorneys Get Wrongful Death Suit Against Wake Forest University Dismissed
June 16, 2021
Six Brooks Pierce Attorneys Recognized by the North Carolina Supreme Court for Pro Bono Work
Read Article Six Brooks Pierce Attorneys Recognized by the North Carolina Supreme Court for Pro Bono Work
May 20, 2021
Brooks Pierce Practice Areas, Attorneys Receive Top Honors from Chambers USA
Read Article Brooks Pierce Practice Areas, Attorneys Receive Top Honors from Chambers USA
April 15, 2021
Former N.C. Commerce Secretary Joins Brooks Pierce
Read Article Former N.C. Commerce Secretary Joins Brooks Pierce
April 12, 2021
Brooks Pierce Partners Secure Win in False Claims Act Case
Read Article Brooks Pierce Partners Secure Win in False Claims Act Case
... ...

Awards

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP is honored to be recognized for excellence by Best Law Firms and other leading legal industry organizations. Our rankings and awards reflect the dedication, skill, and results our attorneys deliver across a wide range of practice areas. In addition to our Best Law Firms awards, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP has earned accolades from respected national and regional publications for outstanding legal service and professional achievement. Explore our awards below to learn more about how Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP continues to set the standard for quality legal representation.
Pro Bono Firm of the Year - South
Benchmark Litigation "North Carolina Firm of the Year" (2016-2019)

Offices & Contacts

Greensboro, NC
Renaissance Plaza, Suite 2000
230 North Elm Street
P.O. Box 26000
Greensboro, NC 27420
United States
Raleigh, NC
Wells Fargo Capitol Center, Suite 1700
150 Fayetteville Street
P.O. Box 1800
Raleigh, NC 27602
United States
Wilmington, NC
115 North Third Street, Suite 301
P.O. Box 2460
Wilmington, NC 28402
United States
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