Aaron Lay
Aaron is a member of the litigation team of Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, PLLC. Aaron has a broad range of experience in civil litigation matters, but his practice primarily focuses on complex construction litigation, business litigation, and litigation alternative resolutions. Aaron serves as primary counsel for business clients, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses and individuals, throughout the various stages of litigation in state and federal courts in North Carolina, including appeals, and in the tribal court of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. In construction litigation, Aaron has primarily served as plaintiff’s counsel for owners, including investment funds, property management companies, property owners associations, and developers, as well as contractors and suppliers in complex matters with multiple parties involving multi-million dollar claims and recoveries. Aaron is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and Tennessee.
Aaron draws from his vast political campaign experience and network to assist and counsel his clients. He provides state and municipal level government relations services and consulting to clients in North Carolina and South Carolina. In addition, Aaron advises and represents 501(c)(3)-(4) entities, political action committees and political campaigns at federal, state and local levels.
Aaron has been recognized by his professional peers and members of the North Carolina Bar for his skills, knowledge, and judgment as a litigator. In 2016, Business North Carolina, in its annual Legal Elite rankings, named Aaron the top attorney under age 40 in North Carolina – he received the highest statewide number of votes cast by his peers in the "Young Guns" (Under 40) category. Click here for Aaron’s profile in Business North Carolina. In 2019, Business North Carolina named Aaron as one of the top construction attorneys in North Carolina. Aaron is AV® Preeminent™ (4.5 - 5.0) peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell. According to Martindale-Hubbell, “An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.” Super Lawyers magazine has named Aaron a “Rising Star” in business litigation and/or construction litigation in its 2014 to 2019 editions. This is an honor bestowed on only 2.5% of North Carolina attorneys. Aaron is also a graduate of the 2015 class of the prestigious Mecklenburg County Bar Leadership Institute and currently serves on the Bar committee overseeing the Institute.
Aaron is a Whittle Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he obtained his B.A., magna cum laude, in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration. Aaron is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he received an academic merit scholarship and served as a student editor of Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law.
When not practicing law, Aaron alternates between being an outdoor enthusiast, political commentator, live music listener, college football spectator, movie consumer, theater goer, and generally great cook. Aaron is also an avid traveler, always in search of his next adventure. His travels have taken him across 5 continents and vary from diving with great white sharks off the coast of South Africa (important legal training) to Snowshoeing and sleeping in a yurt in the high Rockies and everywhere in between.
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Transactions, Governance + Disputes
- Land Use / Condemnation
- Real Estate
Education
University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, TN
Doctor of Jurisprudence: Advocacy Concentration, May 2007
Selected Honors: 3.32 GPA, top 30%, while in residence; Academic Scholarship; Academic Excellence Awards in Debtor-Creditor Law, Constitutional Law, National Security Law, Pre-Trial Litigation, and Advanced Advocacy; Graduate Student Senate Vice President
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with concentration in Public Administration, May 2003
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
● Obtained $4.1 Million award as Plaintiff’s counsel for casino gaming entity in a construction defect arbtiration involving failure of components of two precast concrete parking decks
● Plaintiff’s counsel for a Pennsylvania university in construction defect litigation involving the failure of components of a precast concrete parking deck
● Plaintiff’s counsel in invasion of privacy case involving hidden cameras which resulted in a jury trial verdict in favor of plaintiff
● Defense counsel for developer in dispute over placement of wireless communication tower in development – summary judgment in favor of developer
● Plaintiff’s counsel for multiple property investment funds/entities and owners association in multi-million dollar construction defect claims on multi-use projects, which focused on precast concrete garages and water intrusion in residential condominium tower resulting in multi-million dollar recovery
● Defense counsel for a regional property management firm in class action lawsuit – successfully defeated Motion to certify class which was upheld by North Carolina Court of Appeals and Supreme Court
● Counsel for Fortune 400 aerospace client in relation to construction defect claim regarding new warehouse and manufacturing facility
● Defense counsel for national bakery equipment manufacturer and distributor in a dispute with a large national baking client resulting in the full dismissal of claims brought by plaintiff
● Plaintiff’s counsel for one of the largest private aggregate suppliers and road builders in the nation in dispute with national general contractor and surety company which resulted in a nearly 100% recovery of amounts in dispute
● Plaintiff’s counsel for international hotel conglomerate in constitutional rights violation case against local government body in United States District Court which resulted in the recovery of lost profits, related damages, and reopening of the subject hotel property
● Plaintiff’s counsel for national healthcare company in dispute with neurological group regarding management and cash allocations of drug clinic
● As an alternative to litigation, represented traffic control equipment and supplies distributor and manufacturer in negotiations with a state department of transportation secretary and governor’s office, which resulted in agreed changes in the department’s procurement policies and product specifications which allowed his client’s products to be listed on the department approved product list and opened a new multi-million dollar revenue stream
● As an alternative to litigation, represented charter school and early education entity in negotiations with local school system to negotiate more favorable terms of governing agreement between the parties
● Arranged congressional and gubernatorial support of a multi-million dollar Federal grant for a telecommunication provider to install broadband internet in rural areas
● Successfully assisted solar power and clean energy groups in obtaining an extension of vital state tax credits that had expired including representation of clean energy 501(c)(3) entities
● Managed and represented political 501(c)(4) SuperPAC in relation to congressional races
● Advised and represented numerous political committees and successful federal and state campaigns on Federal and state financial and election rules and regulations
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
• Artistic Contractors, Inc.
• Bakery Technology Enterprises, Inc.
• B/E Aerospace, Inc.
• The Bissell Companies, Inc.
• Buffalo Wings & Rings
• Conservatives for Clean Energy
• Corinthian Healthcare, Inc.
• DecoreAtive Specialties, Inc.
• DSG Restaurants
• Gulfstream Capital
• Gentry Mills, Inc.
• Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise d/b/a Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
• Leon Capital Group
• LRC Opportunity Fund and LRC Properties
• My Townhome Realty, My Home Leasing, MTH Management
• North Carolina Free Market Energy Alliance
• QCarolina Restaurants d/b/a Qdoba Restaurants
• Retail Credit and Capital Corporation
• Rogers Group, Inc.
• Rosenblatt & Associates, Inc. d/b/a RAI Products
• Tranquil Court Owners Association, Inc.
• Tri-Cities Restaurant Group d/b/a Wendy’s
• Wild Wing Café/Axum Capital Partners
Honors + Activities
• Mecklenburg County Bar, Bar Leadership Institute Committee Member
• North Carolina Free Market Energy Alliance, Chairman
• Charlotte Center City Partners, Former Member of South End Steering Committee
• Mecklenburg County GOP, Former Recruitment Chair and Member of Executive Board of Directors
• The Goodfellows Club, Member
• North Carolina Bar Association, Member
• Tennessee Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Member