Michael J. Barnett is a partner with the Firm. He represents corporations and individuals, plaintiffs and defendants, in a wide variety of litigation matters in the areas of Business/Commercial Litigation, Estate and Trust Proceedings, Will Caveats, Incompetency and Guardianship Proceedings, Family Law, Real Estate and Construction Litigation, Collections, Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, and Bankruptcy-Creditors’ Rights. Mike has represented clients throughout the state in more than 20 trials, at arbitration proceedings and at the North Carolina Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Business Court. He was named one of North Carolina’s Rising Stars for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the state’s Super Lawyers publication. Mike and his wife, Agnese, live in Hickory with their daughters, Nicole and Isabel.
Education
- State University of NY Albany – B.A. 1998, Summa cum laude
- Oxford University, New College, Spring Semester 1998
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – J.D. 2002, with honors
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
- Symposium Editor, North Carolina Law Review, 2001-2002
- Recipient of the Gressman-Pollitt Award for Appellate Advocacy
- Member Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions/Memberships
ADMISSIONS/APPEARANCES
- North Carolina State Courts – Trial Courts, Business Court, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court
- North Carolina Federal Court – Western, Eastern, Middle Districts
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court – Western District of North Carolina
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Catawba County Bar
- Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Bar Association
Recognition/Community
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
- NC Super Lawyers, Rising Star in Business Litigation, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Board of Directors – Carolina Broadway Theatre Company, 2019-Present
- Youth Basketball Coach
- Board of Directors – Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, 2012-2018
- President Catawba County Bar Association – 2011
- President 25th Judicial District Bar Association – 2012
Opinions
- Barringer v. Hoffman, 168 N.C. App. 239 (2005)
- Commscope Credit Union v. Butler of Burke, LLP, 764 S.E. 2d 642 (2014)
- McMillan v. Unique Places, LLC, 2015 NCBC4 (2015)
- Neill Grading & Construction Co., Inc. v. Lingafelt, 168 NC App 36 (2005)
- Sanford v. Williams, 727 S.E. 2d 362 (2012)
- Southern Furniture Company of Conover, Inc. v. Anderson, 198 N.C. App. 703 (2009)
- Stein v. Asheville City Board of Education, 360 NC 321 (2006)
- Camacho v. McCallum, 2016 NCBC 79
- Associated Hardwoods, Inc. v. Lail 2018 NCBC 79 (2018)
