Jennifer G. Ashton is a partner at Longleaf Law Partners located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and focuses her practice on land use, planning and zoningv. Ms. Ashton represents clients in a broad variety of matters, including rezoning petitions, special use permits, site plans, variance requests, building permits, and other development approvals. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced as a local government attorney, providing general counsel and land development services to municipalities in Palm Beach County, Florida. Ms. Ashton earned her J.D. degree from the Florida State University School of Law in 2005, and her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.
Michael Birch is a partner with Longleaf Law Partners, where he focuses his practice on land use and zoning, commercial real estate, and land use related litigation. Mr. Birch offers his clients experience in obtaining and protecting development approvals from local governments and state agencies. He regularly represents landowners and developers before local governing boards, planning boards and boards of adjustment in communities across the state, and assists in the development process at the zoning, site plan, conditional and special use permit, variance, building permit and enforcement stages of a project. Active in the community through service on boards and commissions, Mr. Birch recently served as chair of the Triangle Community Coalition, an organization focused on promoting good public policy concerning economic growth and development at the local government level. He also served as chair of the Raleigh Stormwater Management Advisory Commission, as vice-chair of the Wake County Planning Board and as a member of the Board of Directors of SAFEchild, a local nonprofit focused on eliminating child abuse in Wake County. Mr. Birch earned his B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from Hampden-Sydney College; his Master of Public of Administration, Outstanding Student of the Year, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and his J.D. degree,
Cumberland Law Review, from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He is admitted to practice in North Carolina.
J. Scott Flowers is a partner in the Litigation Department of Hutchens Law Firm LLP, where his practice areas include commercial, real estate, construction, land use, and foreclosure related litigation. He has represented lenders, mortgage servicers and foreclosing trustees in contested foreclosures and foreclosure related litigation across North Carolina in over 80 counties, and the three federal district courts. In that regard, Mr. Flowers has represented Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Bank of America, N.A., JP Morgan Chase, Citi Bank, Fannie Mae, Deutsche Bank and many others. He earned his B.A. degree from East Carolina University and his J.D. degree from Campbell University.
Randy H. Herman is a partner with BA Folk, practicing in the areas of land use and commercial real estate transactions. His goal is to guide clients through the entire real estate acquisition and development process, including contract drafting, title search, zoning/permitting, lender negotiation and closing. Mr. Herman regularly represents clients throughout North Carolina in rezoning matters, variances, and appeals of zoning violations. He is active in advocating for the interests of property owners as a member of the Board of Directors of the Triangle Community Coalition, Board of Directors of the Real Estate Lawyers Association of North Carolina (RELANC), and a member of the Raleigh-Durham Chapter of NAIOP, where he sits on the Governmental Affairs Committee. Mr. Herman is also a member of the North Carolina Bar Association's Real Property Section and Land Use Section. He also serves the public as a former member of the Hillsborough and Orange County Boards of Adjustment. Mr. Herman attended law school at North Carolina Central University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude.
Benjamin Hopkins is a rising third-year law student at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Although he is primarily interested in taxation and estate planning, he has always had a keen interest in real property law. Thus, he thoroughly enjoyed assisting with the preparation of the materials for this presentation. Mr. Hopkins is also on the editorial board of the ABA Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Journal.
Worth Mills is a land use and zoning attorney for Longleaf Law Partners in Raleigh, North Carolina. He represents real estate developers seeking legislative, quasi-judicial and administrative approvals, often in municipalities within Wake County. Mr. Mills earned his J.D. degree and undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina.
Samuel Morris is an attorney at Longleaf Law Partners located in Raleigh, North Carolina, focusing his practice on land use and zoning, commercial real estate, and land use related litigation. He advises clients on legislative, quasi-judicial, and administrative development approvals across North Carolina, including rezoning petitions, special use permits, variance requests, and other development approvals. Mr. Morris earned his J.D. degree from Campbell Law School and his undergraduate degree from the Appalachian State University.
R. Susanne Todd is a partner with Johnston, Allison & Hord, P.A., where she is an experienced North Carolina condemnation, rezoning and land use lawyer, representing developers and other commercial property owners against condemning authorities, including NCDOT, City of Charlotte, Piedmont Natural Gas and AT&T. In addition, Ms. Todd handles clients’ property tax appeals before the county Board of Equalization and Review, and any appeals to the North Carolina State Board. After anticipating that property tax appeals would be hot in 2019 and beyond, she is committed to assisting commercial property owner’s appeal their tax valuations. Ms. Todd earned her B.A. degree from Wake Forest University and her J.D. degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, Mecklenburg County Bar and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (Eminent Domain Section). Ms. Todd is admitted to practice in North Carolina, all state courts in North Carolina, U.S. District Court of North Carolina Middle District ,and the U.S. District Court of North Carolina Western District.