News

Michael Alrutz JD '02 has joined Artios Pharma Ltd. as general counsel. He brings 25 years of biotechnology legal affairs experience across both private and public biopharmaceutical companies including, most recently, Chimerix. 

Kathleen Emberger JD/LLM '98 has joined Freshfields in New York as an employee benefits & executive compensation partner. Kathleen’s practice focuses on the employment and executive compensation-related aspects of public and private merger and acquisition transactions, including private equity transactions. She also has significant experience with SEC disclosure and governance matters related to benefits and compensation. 

Kate Gaither JD ’07 has joined Phelps as counsel in the firm’s new uptown Dallas office. She moves from the former boutique firm Johnston Clem Gifford. Kate represents financial services and corporate clients on issues involving lender rights, federal jurisprudence and practice, jurisdictional challenges and evolving regulatory and statutory frameworks.

Chris Escobedo Hart JD '05 has joined Anderson & Kreiger in Boston to launch the firm’s new Privacy & Cybersecurity practice. Chris advises organizations on privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and complex litigation matters at the intersection of technology, data, and regulation. Previously he was a partner and co-chair of the Privacy & Data Security Practice at Foley Hoag.

Tom Morris JD '89 has joined Brown as a partner in its whistleblower practice. Tom spent nearly two decades as senior trial counsel and trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Fraud Section, and brings substantial government-side experience in healthcare fraud, defense contractor fraud, anti-kickback statute violations, and major qui tam recoveries.

Bobby Sharma JD ’98 was a panelist for a keynote titled “Winning Investment Strategies in the Sports Industry” at the 2026 DealMAX conference in Las Vegas. Bobby is the founder and managing partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, which invests in sports, media, and entertainment businesses and properties.

G. Gray Wilson JD '76 has joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder in its Winston-Salem office. Gray's litigation practice focuses on defending health care providers, professionals, and businesses in professional liability and medical malpractice matters involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and significant damages claims. 

The following five Duke Law alumni were named to Business North Carolina’s 2026 Power List:

Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe JD ’98 is chief executive officer for Duke Energy Carolinas and the natural gas business. He has been with the company in a number of positions since 2002, most recently serving as its chief legal officer and corporate secretary.

Rob Harrington JD ’87 is a shareholder at Robinson Bradshaw in Charlotte, where he litigates complex business disputes. Rob is currently president of the North Carolina Bar Association Bar Association and has served on the faculty of trial advocacy programs for that organization as well as the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and the Mecklenburg County Bar. 

Valecia McDowell JD ’98 is a partner at Moore & Van Allen in Charlotte, where she co-heads White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations as well as DEI Advice, Legal Compliance & Assessments. Valecia represents clients in disputes, investigations, and negotiations involving domestic and international authorities and leads large-scale and sensitive internal investigations and DEI legal assessments for Fortune 500 companies. 

Art Pope JD ’81 is chairman of Variety Wholesalers, a private family-held business that owns and operates a general merchandise retail chain that includes Roses, Maxway, Super 10 and Big Lots stores, and of the John William Pope Foundation. He served four terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives and was state budget director to Governor Pat McCrory.

James Wyche JD ’03 is CEO of Pike Corp., a leading provider of infrastructure engineering and construction services. He has also served as the company’s chief operating officer. Prior to that, James was a partner at Moore & Van Allen.