Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog Places 25 Attorneys Among 2012 Super Lawyers Honors

    RALEIGH, NC, January 26, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (www.cshlaw.com), one of the largest civil defense firms in North Carolina, announced today that 25 of its attorneys were recognized in the January 2012 issue of Super Lawyers magazine. The firm placed 14 attorneys on the North Carolina Super Lawyer 2012 list, and 11 others were named among the 2012 North Carolina Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers is a rating service that recognizes the achievements of lawyers in more than 70 practice areas through independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. The selection process included statewide peer nomination for professional achievement. These attorneys were selected from more than 17,000 lawyers across the state.

"We are honored to have 25 of our very own attorneys selected as a Super Lawyer or a Rising Star this year - the most we've ever had recognized from our firm," said Dan Hartzog, managing partner of Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP. "The fact that a quarter of our attorneys have been recognized by their peers as being among the best in their respective fields is a testament to our collective experience and our commitment to excellence."

The 14 Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog attorneys selected among 2012 North Carolina Super Lawyers include:

George B. Autry, Jr. - General Litigation (Raleigh)
Richard T. Boyette - Alternative Dispute Resolution (Raleigh)
Susan K. Burkhart - Insurance Coverage (Raleigh)
Michelle D. Connell - Family Law (Raleigh)
Buxton S. "Buck" Copeland - Workers' Compensation (Raleigh)
Paul H. Derrick - Employment Litigation: Defense (Raleigh)
Patrick H. Flanagan - Employment & Labor (Charlotte)
Dan M. Hartzog - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)
John D. Martin - Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice (Wilmington)
C.D. Taylor Pace - Workers' Compensation (Raleigh)
Samuel H. "Lee" Poole, Jr. - Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice (Charlotte)
Donna R. Rascoe - Employment & Labor (Raleigh)
Robert W. Sumner - Personal Injury Defense: General (Raleigh)
David D. Ward - Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice (Raleigh)

The 11 Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog attorneys selected among 2012 North Carolina Rising Stars include:

Dexter M. "Chip" Campbell, III - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)
Stephanie A. Gaston - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)
Dan M. Hartzog, Jr. - Employment & Labor (Raleigh)
Melody J. Jolly - Professional Liability: Defense (Wilmington)
Meghan N. Knight - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)
Pankaj K. Shere - Intellectual Property Litigation (Raleigh)
George L. Simpson, IV - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)
Erin F. Taylor - Workers' Compensation (Charlotte)
Jason E. Toups - Workers' Compensation (Wilmington)
Regan Summerlin Toups - Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice (Wilmington)
Jennifer A. Welch - Civil Litigation Defense (Raleigh)

The Super Lawyer distinctions build upon CSH's dedication to excellence. Several firm members are peer-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and have been recognized as Best Lawyers in America.

About Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP

Founded in 1992, Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP is a law firm that concentrates its practice in the defense of civil claims and lawsuits, representing individuals and businesses of all types. Consistently ranked as one of the largest in North Carolina, the firm has more than 95 attorneys and three locations: Raleigh, Charlotte and Wilmington. The firm handles cases in a variety of practice areas, including medical and professional negligence, products liability, construction defects, police and municipal law, premises liability and security, trucking/transportation law, education law, employment law, workers' compensation claims, commercial litigation, environmental and toxic torts and land condemnation. With its experienced litigators and support personnel utilizing the latest technology available, Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP is generally recognized as one of the most creative and innovative litigation firms in the state today. For more information, visit www.cshlaw.com, or call 919-828-5100.

# # #