Gardner Skelton PLLC

04/22/2026

Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we want to recognize the people whose work makes Gardner Skelton better, stronger, and far more functional every single day.

Our administrative professionals do so much more than keep things organized. You keep things moving. You anticipate needs, catch details, solve problems, support your teammates, and help create the kind of experience we want people to have here—both for each other and for our clients.

A lot of what you do happens quietly, without fanfare, and that is exactly why a day like today matters. It is a chance to say, plainly and sincerely, that your contributions matter tremendously and do not go unnoticed.

We are deeply grateful for your care, your consistency, your judgment, and the pride you bring to your work.

Thank you for all you do. Today, and every day, Gardner Skelton is better because of you.

04/02/2026

We’re so proud to share that our very own Bella Thoren Taylor has been named to the University of Alabama National Alumni Association’s 18 Under 31 Class of 2026. This recognition honors a select group of young alumni whose professional accomplishments, leadership, and service reflect the very best of the Alabama alumni community. Bella was one of just 18 impressive honorees selected for this year’s class.

This recognition highlights not only Bella’s work as an attorney at Gardner Skelton, but also her broader impact through community leadership and service. We’re thrilled to see her recognized in this way, and even more proud to have her on our team. Congratulations, Bella—this honor is so well deserved.

We generally try to stay neutral in an office with everything from Tar Heels to Seminoles to Golden Bears—and plenty of other strong alumni loyalties—but this feels like a reasonable time to make an exception and join Bella in saying: Roll Tide!

https://alumni.ua.edu/alumni-life/awards/18-under-31-young-alumni-awards/18-under-31-young-alumni-awards-2026/bella-thoren-taylor/

03/25/2026

We’re incredibly proud to share that our very own Nicole Gardner has been named to this year’s Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 list.

https://the-charlotte-ledger.beehiiv.com/p/introducing-the-ledger-s-40-over-40-winners

We’re grateful to The Charlotte Ledger for this recognition and for shining a light on leaders who are making a meaningful difference in Charlotte through service, leadership, and community impact. It is a special honor, and a fitting one.

As The Ledger put it, these awards celebrate “local unsung heroes aged 40+ who are doing great things in our community.”

Their summary of Nicole captures it well:

“Nicole has redefined what a high-performing law firm can look like by building Gardner Skelton around both excellence and humanity. Her leadership has fueled strategic growth, a culture that rejects outdated firm norms, and meaningful community service through mentorship, nonprofit support and volunteer legal work.”

Nicole would be the first to deflect credit to the people around her, which is one of many reasons this recognition feels so fitting. We especially appreciate that description because it reflects the kind of firm we strive to be: excellent at what we do, deeply human in how we do it, and committed to making a positive impact beyond our walls.

Congratulations, Nicole, on this well-deserved recognition. We’re grateful for your leadership, proud of what you’ve built, and glad to see it recognized in this way.

Small-business owners, community volunteers, nonprofit leaders — this year's group of 40 leaders aged 40+ is making Charlotte better

03/24/2026

We’re proud to share that 13 Gardner Skelton attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers for 2026.

Congratulations to our 2026 Super Lawyers honorees:

Nicole Gardner
Jared Gardner
Heather Skelton
Jon Carroll
Preston Odom
Mark Pincus
Kris Finlon
Dave Levy

And a very special congratulations to our 2026 Rising Stars:

Bruce Kennedy
Bella Thoren Taylor
Jill Settlemyer
Kristy D’Ambrosio
McKenna Ronan

We are incredibly proud of this group. These recognitions reflect not only talent and hard work, but also the care, professionalism, and commitment our attorneys bring to their clients and colleagues every day.

We are especially excited to celebrate our Rising Stars honorees. Seeing this kind of recognition for emerging talent in our firm is something we never take for granted, and it says a great deal about the future of Gardner Skelton.

We also want to give a special shoutout to Nicole Gardner on being named to the Top 50 Women in North Carolina list for the 11th time—an extraordinary honor and a remarkable reflection of the respect she has earned over many years.

Congratulations to all. We’re grateful for each of you and proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition!

02/19/2026

Had a great time at the Carolinas AGC Piedmont District Contractor’s Showcase this morning! The energy was high, the turnout was strong, and we had some genuinely great conversations with fellow members and exhibitors.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to sponsor the event—and we’re already looking forward to the next CAGC gathering.

And yes… we’ll be reaching out to the winners of our whiskey raffle soon!

01/22/2026

Meet Ember 🔥🐾 —the newest addition to our famously dog-friendly office.

8-week-old German Shepherd/Lab mix. Certified mood booster. Part-time heart thief.

Our clients love us for our award-winning legal advocacy, but the complimentary puppy therapy is a nice perk. 😉

01/21/2026

We’re incredibly proud to share that six Gardner Skelton attorneys have been recognized in Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite 2026—a peer-selected distinction voted on by members of the North Carolina legal community.

A special congratulations to Preston Odom, who was named the Category Winner for Appellate Law—meaning he received the most peer nominations statewide in his category and earned a place in Legal Elite’s permanent Hall of Fame. It’s a rare honor, and a powerful reflection of the reputation Preston has built through his work, judgment, and professionalism.

Please join us in congratulating:

Preston Odom — Appellate Law (Category Winner / Hall of Fame)
Fred Parker — Business
Jon Carroll — Construction
Dave Levy — Construction
Kris Finlon — Employment
Jared Gardner — Litigation

We’re proud of each of these attorneys—not just for the recognition, but for the steady, high-caliber work they deliver for our clients every day.

Congratulations to this outstanding group!

Check out the full list here: https://bit.ly/3NfESqQ

And here's Preston's Category Winner profile: https://bit.ly/3Yx04eo

01/20/2026

On Wednesday, the MBA Business Law, Corporate Counsel, Immigration & Nationality, Labor & Employment, and White-Collar Crime/Government Investigations Sections came together to host a CLE on what attorneys need to know when navigating enforcement crises.

Using the recent Hyundai raid as a case study, the program was led by panelists Amanda Franklin, Moore & Van Allen PLLC; Jill Settlemyer, Gardner Skelton PLLC; Andrew Vining, Practus, LLP; and Lawrence Cameron, Troutman Pepper Locke. They explored the cascading legal and business consequences of an enforcement action, from immigration compliance and visa pitfalls, to labor and employment disruptions, internal investigations, reputational risk, and contract instability. They also shared insights from the government enforcement perspective, including what can trigger investigations and how agencies evaluate compliance.

Attendees walked away with practical, cross-disciplinary guidance to help clients prepare for and respond to high-risk enforcement situations.

12/23/2025

The holidays are a time for generosity, connection, and caring for those around us—and giving back to our community is something Gardner Skelton truly values.

This year’s holiday toy drive was a meaningful example of that commitment, and we were honored to donate the collected toys to the Salvation Army Center of Hope here in Charlotte.

We’re incredibly proud of our team for their willingness to give and help children and families in need. Their generosity and compassion reflect who we are as a firm and the kind of community we strive to build, both inside and outside our walls. 🎁💙

09/23/2025

We’re thrilled to share that Gardner Skelton Partner Dave Levy was officially inducted as a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA) at the 2025 CLSA International Conference last week in Charleston! 🎉

The CLSA is an invitation-only honorary society capped at just 1,200 practicing Fellows worldwide, recognizing the very best in construction law.

On top of this honor, Dave also had the opportunity to speak at the conference, contributing his perspective alongside top construction lawyers from across North America.

We’re proud to see Dave’s work and leadership recognized in such an outstanding way—and grateful to the CLSA for the opportunity.

And yes… they even got him into a bow tie somehow, despite his best efforts. 😉

09/19/2025

We had an absolute blast sponsoring and participating in the Headed for Hope 5K hosted by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates-Greensboro this past Saturday! It was a beautiful morning in Charlotte, perfect weather, great people, and an inspiring cause—raising awareness, education, and funds for brain tumor research. 🙌

A big thank you to everyone who showed up to support this cause, including our Gardner Skelton team members who came out and joined in the race. And a special shout out to Gardner Skelton Partner Dave Levy for finishing in the Top 5 in his age group! 🏅

Many thanks to CNSA for putting on such a fun and meaningful event!