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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—As North Carolina’s largest law firm, Womble Carlyle is a bellwether of the state’s legal industry as a whole. Betty Temple, the firm’s Chair and CEO, said the prognosis for the next year looks strong, both for Womble Carlyle and North Carolina.
North Carolina Lawyers Weekly interviewed Temple as part of the publication’s annual report on the state’s largest law firms. Womble Carlyle, with more than 300 attorneys in five North Carolina offices, topped the list. In all, the firm has approximately 550 lawyers in 15 offices throughout the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Silicon Valley.
“We’re seeing the type of bet-the-company cases that only come when companies have their headquarters here in North Carolina,” Temple told North Carolina Lawyers Weekly. “We’re also seeing growth across a diverse range of practices, which is a great sign that the state is growing. That’s great for everyone, including us.”
For example, Temple pointed out the growing Financial Technology (FinTech) sector in Charlotte, which she noted has led to new opportunities for law firms.
Temple also said that while the firm continues to hire new associates, the focus is on “quality rather than the quantity.”
“(Womble Carlyle strives to) take an interest in associates that goes beyond their work product to ensure they are growing as a person, as well as a lawyer,” she said.
