House Bill 47 ("H47") was signed into law (Session Law 2025-2) by Governor Stein on March 20. The bill's official name is the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025–Part I, but it is more commonly known as the Hurricane Helene...more
North Carolina statutes permit State agencies and local governments (the "government") to use alternatives to traditional bid-build approaches to construction. Two popular options are construction manager at risk and...more
Do design-build contracts allow general contractors to perform as architects?
Not directly. As design-build contracts grow in popularity, it's important that general contractors, owners, and architects understand which...more
We recently provided timely updates on new tax provisions, electronic discovery, lobbying issues, and ADA compliance during Ward and Smith's 2021 Virtual In-House Counsel Webinar.
The following article highlights...more
1/27/2022
/ Accessibility Rules ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Capital Gains Tax ,
Corporate Taxes ,
e-Discovery Professionals ,
Electronically Stored Information ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Income Taxes ,
Lobbying ,
Lobbying Disclosure Act ,
Political Contributions ,
SALT ,
Tax Liability ,
Tax Planning
After months of wrangling over policy and money, Governor Roy Cooper (D) and the General Assembly’s Republican leadership have agreed to implement North Carolina's first budget since 2018.
On November 15, Republican...more
In a series of Executive Orders, the most recent of which is Executive Order 163 dated September 1, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper implemented a "Safer at Home Phase 2.5" COVID-19 response plan.
While certain businesses, such...more
9/3/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Cooper ,
Gross Negligence ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Risk Mitigation ,
State of Emergency ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Safety
Much has been written about the benefits of the PPP loan program. With the second round of funding, roughly $660 billion in PPP loans will be distributed to approved applicants. Approximately 3 million small businesses will...more
We have written a great deal about the CARES Act and the small business loans available to eligible applicants.
New guidance about these loan programs is made available on a frequent basis, and we are advising clients to...more
These are challenging times.
Businesses, nonprofits, and public entities are changing their operations more rapidly than many ever thought possible. And certainly battling an unseen and so far unpredictable virus has been...more
It will not for a statewide shelter-in-place order, at least according to guidance from the N.C. Department of Public Safety (DPS).
However, each local order is different and each jurisdiction will direct its law...more
On Friday, March 27 Governor Roy Cooper issued a statewide Stay-At-Home Order (Order).
It will take effect at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2020, but the Governor expects North Carolinians to start following it sooner if...more
It's a wrap for the 2019 North Carolina General Assembly, at least for now.
Lawmakers have adjourned for the year, ending one of the longest legislative sessions in recent years that was riddled with contentious standoffs,...more
On Monday, October 15, the North Carolina General Assembly voted during a Special Session to approve Senate Bill 3, which appropriated an unprecedented $794 million in state funds for Hurricane Florence relief.
Roughly...more
The United States Supreme Court's decision today in favor of New Jersey's gambling interests eviscerated the federal government's prohibition on sports gambling across the nation. The case, now known as Murphy v. NCAA, goes...more
5/15/2018
/ Anti-Commandeering ,
Appeals ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Murphy v National Collegiate Athletic Association ,
NCAA ,
PASPA ,
Reversal ,
SCOTUS ,
Sports Gambling ,
State Sovereignty ,
States Rights ,
Tenth Amendment
The United States military is the most powerful warfighting force in world history.
But Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis made a stark observation in the 2017 National Defense Strategy:
Without sustained and predictable...more
The Legal Commercialization of Industrial Hemp in North Carolina -
North Carolina is an agricultural power house. The state's farmers contribute over $80 billion to the economy every year and grow all sorts of...more
In the early morning hours of June 30th, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned its 2017 Long Session after a lengthy night of debate, negotiation, and casting votes. This year's adjournment date marks the second...more
Since 1969, Chapter 157 of the North Carolina General Statutes (the "Housing Authority Law") has allowed municipalities and counties to create and abolish Public Housing Authorities. Over the years, the General Assembly has...more