Jon Ward

• Super Lawyers® Rising Star in field of General Litigation, 2013-2019
• Author, “Property, Fire, and Casualty Insurance,” Chapter 16 of LexisNexis Practice Guide: North Carolina Insurance Litigation (2021 Edition)
• Author, “Health Insurance,” Chapter 17 of LexisNexis Practice Guide: North Carolina Insurance Litigation (2021 Edition)
• North Carolina Board Certified Appellate Practice Specialist, 2021
• “Legal Elite” for Appellate Practice, Business North Carolina, 2021

Appellate law, also known as the appeals process, is the system of rules and procedures used by higher courts (such as the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals) to review judgments previously entered by lower trial courts. These appeals occur when one of the parties involved in the case claims an error was made in the trial court’s decision or process. What makes appellate law unique is that appellate courts do not have a jury and do not evaluate guilt, innocence, or liability – but they do evaluate whether the trial court made any mistakes in interpreting and applying the law or in legal procedure.

We have handled appellate cases on behalf of numerous clients before the North Carolina appellate courts and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Our attorneys understand how to effectively prepare appellate cases because we have consistently done so – and our clients benefit from our experience. In most of our practice areas, we have represented both clients bringing suit and those facing claims, which enables us to look at an appellate case from a well-rounded perspective and develop a more effective approach for each client. While most of our appellate practice involves cases in which we have been involved at the trial level, our attorneys also have experience stepping into cases for or with other law firms when they reach the appeals stage.

Appellate cases are often won or lost based upon an attorney’s ability to craft persuasive and solid legal arguments to present to the higher courts, along with extensive research and comprehensive knowledge of the legal principles involved. Our firm presents such arguments and undertakes such legal research, and we have the knowledge and experience that will increase the chances of our clients prevailing on appeal.

The Greensboro, North Carolina law firm of Pinto Coates Kyre & Bowers, PLLC had its start in 1994 as Pinto Coates & Kyre, LLC. Our main office is located in Greensboro, NC, and we also have a small satellite office in Raleigh, NC.  Our goal from the beginning was to focus exclusively on civil litigation, and we shared a common vision of providing legal support and courtroom expertise to companies and individuals across the state.

We started the law firm primarily as a defense firm, but for some years now we have been accepting cases on behalf of those filing suit in several practice areas: personal injury, wrongful death, property damage and commercial and business losses. We believe that working with clients on both sides of the courtroom has given us a unique advantage, providing us with a better understanding of the challenges each case presents. Regardless of the type of case, we leverage our full experience in an effort to achieve the best possible outcome for every client.

Over the years our goal has been to provide dedicated, knowledgeable representation to our clients, in and out of the courtroom, while maintaining the highest ethical standards. Our attorneys have had the opportunity to try a large number of cases to verdict across the state of North Carolina, and they enjoy a statewide reputation as accomplished trial counsel.

In today’s legal environment, many cases are resolved through formal and informal settlement discussions, especially court-ordered mediations or arbitrations. We pride ourselves on our negotiation skills, and the firm’s reputation for having quality and experienced trial attorneys is critical to achieving satisfactory settlements for our clients, whether they are plaintiffs or defendants.