Fox Rothschild’s North Carolina Attorneys Honored with Several Award Nominations

Fox Rothschild LLP congratulates five of its North Carolina attorneys who have recently been honored with the following award nominations:

Carole Simms Honored with the Inaugural “Outstanding Woman in Business Special Achievement” Award by Triad Business Journal

This inaugural award highlights a “businesswoman whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the Triad.” Simms is noted as a “pioneering attorney with a long record of service to the community, particularly in the areas of education and nonprofits.” Simms serves on the board of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, one of the oldest and most active private charities in the Triad, which supports the economic, cultural, educational and recreational enrichment of the greater Greensboro area. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Cone Health and has served on the boards of Guilford College and North Carolina A&T State University. Simms, a partner in the firm’s Greensboro office, has extensive experience with matters relating to individual income tax, estate and inheritance tax, estate administration, charitable organizations and other tax planning matters. She has represented a range of clients, including those in education and nonprofit sectors. Simms earned her J.D., cum laude, from Wake Forest University and her M.B.A. from Auburn University. She will be honored at the 20th Annual Outstanding Women in Business Awards on April 4.

Diana Palecek Named Among 2019 Women in Business Achievement Award Honorees by Charlotte Business Journal

The annual award honors 25 outstanding business women from the Charlotte region who have made significant contributions to their professions and to their communities in the past year. Palecek was recognized for a long history of service to her community and her nuanced grasp of the real estate market. A partner in the firm’s Charlotte office, Palacek is a transactional real estate and finance attorney who handles closing and post-closing servicing of commercial real estate loans totaling hundreds of millions of dollars a year for major banks and insurance companies that do business in the Southeast. She also represents select commercial real estate developers. In 2018, Palacek was instrumental in helping a client resolve an internal dispute that threatened to derail the construction of several major projects. She also advised financial institutions on commercial real estate loans valued at more than $318 million. Palacek has a long history of investment in the communities in which she has lived. She is an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, where she participates in the hand bell choir and teaches third grade Sunday School. Palacek is a Fellow, Board of Regents member, and co-chair of the Third Party Legal Opinion Committee of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. She is also a member of CREW Charlotte, Inc. and is active in the North Carolina Bar Association. Palacek earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Erskine College. She will be honored at the 2019 Women in Business Achievement Awards in Charlotte later this month.

Jonathan Heyl Receives North Carolina Bar Association’s Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law Section Distinguished Service Award

Heyl was lauded for his commitment to serving the Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law Section. In addition to his service as a council member and chair of the Section, he has provided volunteer service and leadership to numerous NCBA and North Carolina Bar Foundation committees, including service on the Endowment Committee and the Joint Diversity Task Force. Heyl is a past chair of the Judicial Independence Committee, the Membership Committee and former co-chair of the 4ALL Statewide Service Day Committee. He has also previously served on the NCBA Board of Governors and NCBF Board of Directors. A partner in the firm’s Litigation Department, Heyl focuses his practice on matters involving antitrust litigation and counseling; contract, vendor, manufacturer-dealer, shareholder and other commercial disputes; financial services litigation; fiduciary litigation relating to trust administration; professional liability matters; and matters relating to the sports industry. He is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a mediator in North Carolina. Heyl earned his J.D., with high honors, from the University of North Carolina and his B.A., with honors, from East Carolina University.

Julie Earp Named Among the “50 Most Influential Women” by The Mecklenburg Times

This award honors women in business, government, law, education and nonprofits for their professional accomplishments, leadership experience and community involvement in the greater Charlotte region. Earp, who serves as managing partner of the firm’s Atlanta, Charlotte and Greensboro offices, is a veteran litigator who concentrates her practice in labor and employment litigation as well as counseling and training. She was the former managing partner of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, a 130-attorney firm with six offices in the Southeast, which merged with Fox in 2018. Earp earned her J.D., magna cum laude, and her B.B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Georgia. She will be recognized at the 11th Annual Most Influential Women Awards in April 2019.

Patti West Ramseur Named to the 2019 Class of “Outstanding Women in Business” Honorees by Triad Business Journal

The annual award features women “Triad leaders who’ve changed their professions, industries and communities.” A partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment Group, Ramseur defends businesses in the state and federal courts in the full range of employment-related disputes. She regularly litigates and arbitrates cases involving claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, wage and hour disputes, covenants not to compete and misappropriation of trade secrets. Ramseur also advises clients on how to reduce litigation risks and the best practices in employment, and she conducts on-site trainings that guide businesses in maintaining safe, harassment-free workplaces. She also advises clients regarding data security issues, processes to protect confidential information and what companies are required to do in the event of a data breach. Ramseur has been recognized by Chambers USA and Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite in Employment Law since 2013 and is a prior recipient of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Robinson O. Everett Professionalism Award in recognition of her many years of service and leadership to the Young Lawyers Division. She earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University and her B.S., magna cum laude, from North Carolina State University.