Casey W. Pope, a Partner of the Firm, concentrates her practice in the areas of Estate Planning and Administration, Elder and Special Needs Law, Business and Corporate Law, and Real Estate. Ms. Pope graduated Valedictorian of her undergraduate class at North Carolina State University (B.S., summa cum laude, 2005) and received her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (J.D. with Honors, 2009). Ms. Pope is a 2014 recipient of the Hickory Young Professionals Top 10 Under 40 award, presented to outstanding young leaders in the Greater Hickory metro area who have demonstrated notable leadership qualities within their organizations and throughout the community. In the legal profession, Ms. Pope is active as a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Bar Association, and the Catawba County Bar Association. She has served at a state level on the Elder and Special Needs Law Section Council for the North Carolina Bar Association, and locally as both President and Treasurer of the Catawba County Bar Association. A graduate of Leadership Catawba, Ms. Pope is active in the community, currently serving on the Boards of Directors and Executive Committees for the Catawba Science Center and Adult Life Programs, Inc., and on the Policy Board for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. She is also a member of the Ethics Committee of Frye Regional Medical Center and Senior Information Resources, Inc. (SIR), and a volunteer community educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. Ms. Pope frequently presents seminars on various legal topics throughout the community, and has been a contributing author for Sophie Woman’s Magazine and Prime of Life Magazine and a guest lecturer for the Catawba Valley Community College Small Business Center. A native of Caldwell County, Ms. Pope and her husband, Mitchell, live in Granite Falls with their sons, Jack and Jamey.
Education
- North Carolina State University – B.S. in Business Management, summa cum laude, 2005
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – J.D., with honors, 2009
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
- Valedictorian of North Carolina State University
- Highest Ranking Scholar in NCSU University Scholars Program
- Member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
- Member of Golden Key Honor Society
- Member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars
- UNC School of Law Honors Writing Scholar
- Certified Student Attorney in UNC Law Community Development Clinic
Admissions/Memberships
ADMISSIONS
- North Carolina
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Young Lawyers Division
- Trusts and Estates Section
- Real Property Section
- Elder and Special Needs Law Section
- Elder and Special Needs Law Section Council Member (2013-2015)
- Catawba County Bar Association
- President (2014) and Treasurer (2012-2013)
- Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Bar Association
- Senior Information Resources, Inc. (SIR)
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Recognition/Community
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
- Catawba County Bar Association – President (2014) and Treasurer (2012-2013)
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Member of Elder and Special Needs Law Section Council (2013-2015)
- Young Lawyers Division
- Trusts and Estates Section
- Elder and Special Needs Law Section
- Real Property Section
- Member of Senior Information Resources, Inc. (SIR)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- 2014 Recipient of Hickory Young Professionals Top 10 Under 40 award
- Catawba Science Center – President (2017-2018), Vice President (2016-2017), Secretary (2019-2020), and Board of Directors member
- Adult Life Programs, Inc. – President (2015-2017), Vice President (2013-2015), and Board of Directors member
- Western Piedmont Council of Governments – Policy Board delegate
- Frye Regional Medical Center – Ethics Committee member
- PACE@Home – Board of Directors (2015-2019)
- YMCA of Catawba Valley – Board of Directors (2011-2014) and Finance Committee (2010-2014)
- Leadership Catawba graduate (2011)
- Prime of Life Magazine contributing author
- Sophie Woman’s Magazine contributing author
- Alzheimer’s Association community educator
- Catawba Valley Community College Small Business Center guest lecturer
- Kaufmann FastTrac New Venture Entrepreneurship Program guest lecturer
Publications
- “Protecting Your Most Precious Belongings: The Importance of Estate Planning for Parents” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, June 2010
- “Building Blocks: Laying a Solid Foundation for Your Business” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, August 2010
- “Advance Directives: Speaking for You When You Cannot Speak for Yourself” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, September 2010
- “’Tis the Season for Giving” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, December 2010
- “A Pre-Nup for Your Business: The Buy-Sell Agreement” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, February 2011
- “Legal Issues for Newlyweds: Wedding Planning Goes Beyond the Dress and the Cake” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, April 2011
- “Medicaid Myths: Fact or Fiction” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, July 2011
- “Planning Ahead for College Freshmen – It Means More than Picking the Right Professor” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, August 2011
- “Planning for the Future of a Special Needs Child” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, October 2011
- “Honoring our Veterans with Aid and Attendance Benefits” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, November 2011
- “The Implications of Gifting on Medicaid Eligibility” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, December 2011
- “Passing on Your Passwords: An Introduction to Digital Asset Planning” – Sophie Woman’s Magazine, April 2012
- “The Most Common Mistakes in Estate Planning” – Prime of Life Magazine, 2015
- “Planning for Long-term Care Costs – Fact or Fiction?” – Prime of Life Magazine, 2015
- “Do You Really Need A Revocable Trust?” – Prime of Life Magazine, 2017
- “Medicaid Planning: Options For Protecting Real Estate” – Prime of Life Magazine, 2018
