Vernon Sumwalt
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Vernon Sumwalt
The Sumwalt Group Workers' Comp and Trial LawyersTotal Records: 1Biography
Vernon Sumwalt has handled approximately 300 workers' compensation hearings, 120 appeals--mostly from cases he has tried--and many other cases before juries and our courts of general jurisdiction in both North Carolina and South Carolina. He is a Past President of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (formerly the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers) and has taught 145 state and national classes for lawyers and other professionals. He has also written over 55 books, chapters, and articles on different aspects of workers' compensation and trial law.
Since 2005, Vernon has been a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in the area of Workers' Compensation Law. In 2014, the North Carolina State Bar also certified him as a Specialist in Appellate Practice.
Bar Admission
North Carolina, 1998
South Carolina, 1998
United States Supreme Court, 2017
U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 2017
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1999
U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2017
U.S. District Court District of South Carolina, 1998
U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina, 1998
U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina, 2005
U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 2015
Other Affiliations
North Carolina Advocates for Justice (formerly the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers) (Past President (2020-2021), President (2019-2020))
North Carolina Bar Association (Workers' Compensation Section (1998-present))
North Carolina Industrial Commission (Informal Advisory Council (2013))
Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina (Chair of the Uniform Bar Exam Drafting Subcommittee for Workers’ Compensation (2017-2019) )
North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization (Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Specialization Committee (2014-2017))
South Carolina Association for Justice (formerly the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association) (Member (1998-present))
American Association for Justice (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association) (Member (1998-present))
Kids Chance of North Carolina, Inc. (Board of Directors (2009-2012))
Workplace Injury Litigation Group
South Carolina Injured Workers’ Advocates, 2019 - 2021
North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization (Member of the Appellate Practice Specialization Exam Committee (2022-present))
Achievements
- Other Sources of Feedback About Vernon Sumwalt
- Included on the 2023 North Carolina
Past Lists
- 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2018 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2014 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2013 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2012 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2011 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2010 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2009 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Education
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University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, South Carolina, May, 1998 Juris Doctor
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University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, May, 1994 B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Honors: magna cum laude
Honers
- Lawyers Weekly’s “2022 Power List—Workers’ Compensation” (March 2022)
- Fellow, National College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers (2019 – present)
- Silver Award for Workers' Compensation Lawyers by Charlotte's Best (The Charlotte Observer, 2022) https://issuu.com/neruspublications/docs/2022cb_flipbook at pp 54-55)
- Best Lawyers in America® in the area of workers’ compensation (2009 – present) • Best Lawyers’ 2013 Workers’ Compensation Law—Claimants’ “Lawyer of the Year” in Charlotte • Best Lawyers’ 2016 Workers’ Compensation Law—Claimants’ “Lawyer of the Year in North Carolina” • Best Lawyers’ 2018 Workers’ Compensation Law—Claimants’ “Lawyer of the Year” in Charlotte
- U.S. News--Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" for The Sumwalt Group (2020-2023)
- North Carolina Super Lawyers (www.superlawyers.com) in the field of workers’ compensation (2009 as a “Rising Star” and 2010 – present)
- Top Attorneys in North Carolina, Charlotte Magazine (2011-present). • Top 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2015 and 2016 (through Super Lawyers) • Top 100 in North Carolina in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021, 2023 (through Super Lawyers)
- Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation by the North Carolina State Bar (2005 – present) • Workers’ Compensation Specialization Exam Committee (2010 – 2017, Vice Chair 2012 – 2014, Chair 2014-2017)
- Board Certified Specialist in Appellate Practice by the North Carolina State Bar (2014-present) • Appellate Practice Specialization Exam Committee (2022-2025)
- LEXIS-NEXIS® Larson’s National Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board (2007- present)
- Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rated—AV Preeminent (5.0 out of 5.0)
- James L. Cross Leadership Award (North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, 2011).
- Honorary New Lawyer Award (North Carolina Advocates for Justice, June 2011).
- Ebbie Award (North Carolina Advocates for Justice, June 2012).
- Thirteen (13) Order of Service Awards (North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2009-2022)
- National Academy of Social Insurance (2012 – present)