Ward and Smith is proud to announce that attorneys Paul A. Fanning and Lance P. Martin have been named to the Top 100: 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers list.
It's an honor reserved for attorneys who receive the highest point totals in Super Lawyers' statewide selection process.
The recognition is part of a strong showing for Ward and Smith overall. In total, 25 of the firm's attorneys were recognized in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, with 15 earning Super Lawyer status and 10 receiving the Rising Stars designation.
Paul, who is based in the firm's Greenville office, leads Ward and Smith's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights practice group and is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law. His practice focuses on representing creditors in complex bankruptcy cases and state court litigation, including workouts, collections, receiverships, foreclosures, and reorganizations. Fanning has been named a North Carolina Super Lawyer in Creditor Debtor Rights every year since 2009, and this marks his fifth consecutive year on the Top 100 list.
Lance, based in Asheville, is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law who represents creditors, trustees, and other stakeholders in bankruptcy, collections, foreclosures, receiverships, and workouts. He litigates in both state and federal court, with a particular emphasis on adversary proceedings and contested matters in commercial bankruptcy cases. Martin has served as both a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee and a Chapter 11 Subchapter V Trustee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina and has been recognized as a North Carolina Super Lawyer since 2015.
Each year, Super Lawyers evaluates attorneys through a rigorous, multi-phase process that includes peer nominations, independent research, and peer evaluations. Only a small percentage of North Carolina attorneys earn a place on the Super Lawyers list, and the Top 100 distinction recognizes those who stand out even among that selective group. The Rising Stars designation is reserved for attorneys age 40 or younger or those who have been in practice for 10 years or less.