Ward and Smith, P.A.

Christina Cress to Speak at 2026 Appalachian Clean Energy Regulatory and Policy CLE Workshop

Hosted by the Appalachian Energy Center at Appalachian State University, the workshop gives attorneys, policy professionals, ...
Ward and Smith, P.A.

Ward and Smith Prevails at North Carolina Supreme Court: You Don’t Always Need To Join a Revocable Trust in an Equitable Distribution Claim

Must a trial court join a revocable trust that holds title to marital property in an equitable distribution action if its ...
Ward and Smith, P.A.

Christina Cress to Speak at CAPCA Fall Meeting

Christina will present on “Data Centers: Energy Demand and Environmental Considerations,” a timely topic as data center ...
wardandsmith

When Federal Court Is Too Much: Copyright Small Claims and the Case for Registration

If someone copies your original work, photograph, a marketing video, website copy, training materials, you have rights under copyright law. But for many creators and businesses, the traditional path ...
wardandsmith

Read the Bold Print: What Palazzo v. Bayview Means for Bankruptcy Disclaimers

Once a debtor files a bankruptcy petition, the stay kicks in and collection activity must grind to a halt to avoid exposing the creditor to liability. While the automatic stay prohibits creditors from ...
Ward and Smith, P.A.

Lace Up for a Cause at Greenville’s Pink Ribbon Run 5K

The 11th annual Pink Ribbon Run 5K, formerly known as Run for the Ribbons, will take place behind the Hilton Greenville on ...
Ward and Smith, P.A.

Remote Workers, Foreign Vendors, and AI: The Trade Secret Risks Most North Carolina Companies Are Not Managing

Many companies use overseas vendors for software development, manufacturing, or technical services. The legal risk is specific: if a foreign vendor misappropriates your trade secrets, enforcing your ...
Ward and Smith, P.A.

Media Mention: Chris Edwards Featured in NCAJ’s Trial Briefs on Constitutional Appeals

In “How to Appeal Based on a Constitutional Question,” Chris distinguishes this path from a petition for discretionary review (PDR) and walks through the procedural steps required to get a case heard ...
wardandsmith

WOTUS 2026: The Pendulum Swings Narrower Still as Agencies Supplement Their Proposal

In our February 2026 article, WOTUS 2025/2026: The Regulatory Pendulum Swings Again as Agencies Propose New Definitions, we described the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) and U.S. Army Corps ...
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Ward and Smith Sponsors the 24th Annual Membership Invitational Golf Tournament

Mark your scorecard and get ready to tee off. Golfers, business leaders, and community partners will take to the course at River Landing Country Club in Wallace on October 15 for the 24th Annual ...
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How to Build Trade Secret Protections That Actually Hold Up in Court

This article is the third installment in our four-part Trade Secrets at Risk: A Business Owner’s Guide series. Read Part 1 Part 2, and Part 4.. Courts do not require perfection; they require effort.
wardandsmith

International Trade, Customs, and Tariff Compliance

Trade risk often begins before anyone thinks to call it a trade issue. A company changes suppliers, updates a product description, relies on a broker’s old instructions, or negotiates a purchase order ...