CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
704-457-1010
EDUCATION
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (J.D., with Honors, 2003)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science, with Highest Distinction, 1999)
ADMISSIONS
- United States Supreme Court
- Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- US District Court for the Middle District of NC
- US District Court for the Eastern District of NC
- US District Court for the Western District of NC
- North Carolina State Courts
HONORS & AWARDS
- Charlotte Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree, 2014
- Legal Elite in Litigation, Business North Carolina Magazine, 2021-2024
- Super Lawyer in Estate and Trust Litigation, Super Lawyer's Magazine, 2018-2024
- "Rising Star" in Estate and Trust Litigation, Super Lawyer’s Magazine, 2017
- "Rising Star" in Business Litigation, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2012-2016
- Member, North Carolina Law Review
- Phi Beta Kappa
BIOGRAPHY
Trey’s family relocated from his birthplace, Richmond, VA, to Charlotte, NC shortly after his sixth birthday. Although he likes to tell people he decided to become a lawyer at age twelve, the inspiration probably sparked much earlier. In furtherance of that goal, he pursued activities intended to hone his skills as an orator and rhetorician. Trey was Co-Captain of his high school’s debate team, and he typically placed in every tournament in which he competed, winning first place one year at the state championship tournament.
After graduating from high school in Charlotte, Trey attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Still focused on attending law school and becoming a litigator, he pursued degrees in philosophy (with a focus on the ethicists) and political science. Despite majoring in two of the more rigorous disciplines, he graduated with Highest Distinction (ranking in the top three percent of 3% of his class) and was inducted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. During college he served as a member of Student Congress and the Undergraduate Honor Court.
Trey spent the year following college in Washington, D.C. where he worked as a paralegal for the largest D.C.-based law firm before returning to Chapel Hill for law school. During law school, Trey served on the Attorney General’s Staff for the law school’s Honor Court and was a member of the North Carolina Law Review. Upon graduating with Honors and passing the bar in 2003, Trey returned to Charlotte where he has practiced civil litigation ever since. From 2012 through 2016, Trey was named a Rising Star in Business Litigation by North Carolina Super Lawyer’s Magazine. He was named a Rising Star in Estate and Trust Litigation and a Super Lawyer in 2017. These honors are awarded to fewer than two and one-half percent (2.5%) of all lawyers across the State of North Carolina. Trey was named a Super Lawyer in Estate and Trust Litigation by Super Lawyer’s Magazine every year from 2018 through 2022. Trey was also recognized by Business North Carolina Magazine as a Legal Elite in Litigation in 2021 and 2022, a distinction awarded to fewer than four percent (4%) of the state’s practicing attorneys. In February 2014, the Charlotte Business Journal honored Trey by naming him to their 40 Under 40 list, which recognizes the top business leaders under the age of 40 in the Charlotte region.
Trey’s cases attract local and national attention, having been featured in the Charlotte Observer and reported by ABC Nightly News. Other programs, including Good Morning America and Inside Edition, have solicited Trey for interviews.
REPRESENTATIVE WORK
- Represented client in lawsuit against former girlfriend in dispute over the rightful ownership of a North Carolina Education Lottery “Lucky for Life” lottery ticket.
- Successfully defended the propounders of a will (three siblings) in a jury trial against a fourth sibling’s claim that their father’s will should have been set aside and declared void for lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, and/or duress.
- Successfully defended owner and general contractor against an appeal of a summary judgment order dismissing a lien enforcement lawsuit brought by a subcontractor and related to construction of a Lowe’s home improvement store. The plaintiff recovered nothing on the underlying claim, while owner and general contractor recovered attorneys’ fees and costs for having to defend the meritless action, which was unanimously affirmed by the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
- Represented real estate developer in malpractice lawsuit against architect for design defects in a condominium development and, shortly after serving initial round of discovery requests, negotiated settlement exceeding insurance policy coverage limits.
- Defended personal guarantor of a loan to a third party from a bank and negotiated a settlement with the bank for less than twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding debt due and owing.
- Represented successor trustee of a special needs trust in a lawsuit against the previous trustee for breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful disbursements of trust proceeds created for the benefit of a minor with severe developmental handicaps and recovered over eighty percent (80%) of the funds shortly after filing suit.
- Defended former employee of life insurance company against claims that bonus payments were instead advances against his salary and secured dismissal of action (without payment of any settlement amount) after serving initial round of discovery requests.
- Represented a manufacturer of hunting products in arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") against a chemist for infringement of trade secrets and intellectual property rights resulting in a significant recovery of costs and attorneys’ fees.
- Represented former CEO of corporation in a federal bench trial in which the district court held he was terminated without cause and entitled to severance benefits under his employment agreement and the Employment Retirement Income Securities Act ("ERISA") for damages in excess of $1,000,000 which verdict was upheld on appeal to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Represented the plaintiff/developer in a North Carolina Court of Appeals case advocating reversal of long-standing North Carolina precedent barring the unilateral relocation of easements.
- Represented publicly traded corporation in successful settlement of lawsuit against an industrial water treatment services provider for systemic, corrosive damages to its plant due to improper monitoring and servicing.
- Represented plastics recycling corporation in successful settlement of a products liability action against hose manufacturer.
- Represented traffic and signaling subcontractor in AAA arbitration against paving contractor, successfully defended against any recovery of underlying claim, and recovered full amount of actual damages alleged in counterclaim.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PRESENTATIONS
- Speaker: "Recent Developments in Fiduciary Litigation", Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section, North Carolina Bar Association, November 9, 2018
- Speaker: "Basics of Estate Planning, Administration, and Litigation", Mecklenburg County Bar, January 15, 2018
- Speaker: "Alive and Well: The North Carolina Dead Man's Statute", Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section Webcast, January 25, 2017
- Speaker: "Breach of Fiduciary Duty: Causes of Action and Defenses", Trusts & Estates: Fiduciary Litigation and Dispute Resolution, North Carolina Bar Association, February 4, 2015
- Speaker: "Selected Special Topics in Construction Law", McKimmon Conference & Training Center at NC State University, August 21, 2012
- Facilitator: "Practical Skills for Litigators" CLE, Charlotte School of Law, November 4, 2011
PUBLICATIONS
- North Carolina Fiduciary Litigation Manual, Chapters IX and XIV (2018)
- On Mandating Trustees’ Duty to Inform and Report: The Will & The Way; Section Vol. 34 No. 3 | Page 14 | May 2015
- Kissing Cousins: Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Constructive Fraud: The Will & The Way; Section Vol. 34 No. 2 | Page 6 | March 2015
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Annual Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's, Fundraiser and Participant (October 13, 2018; November 2, 2019; October 23, 2021)
- Strategic Planning & Emerging Trends Committee, North Carolina Bar Association (2014-2017)
- Executive Board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Charlotte Chapter (2014-2016)
- Co-Chair of the NCBA 4ALL Service Day Committee (2012-2013)
- Co-Chair of Site Chair Committee of North Carolina Bar Association 4ALL Service Day hosted by WBTV (2011-2012)
- Co-Chair, Charlotte Division, of North Carolina Bar Association 4ALL Service Day hosted by WBTV (2009-2012)
- Co-Chair, Social Committee, Young Lawyers Section of the Mecklenburg County Bar Association (2009-2011)
- EXTREME Hike for a Cure benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: (April 28, 2012; April 26, 2014; April 18, 2015)
- Guys & Dolls Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: (February 26, 2011)
- Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Leadership School (Spring 2004)