Brian J. Manikowski is a Partner in the Raleigh office of Hall Booth Smith from which he covers all Central and Eastern portions of North Carolina. His practice focuses on the defense of high-exposure transportation, construction defect, law enforcement liability, and premises liability matters.
Brian has significant experience in all stages of litigation and has defended cases in both state and federal courts. He is also well versed in the different avenues of alternative dispute resolution and will zealously advocate to achieve a favorable result for his clients.
Prior to joining Hall Booth Smith, Brian practiced for five years in Boston, Massachusetts, where he successfully defended clients across all levels of state and federal courts.
Brian obtained his Juris Doctor from Boston College and earned a Bachelor of Arts, with distinction, in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During his undergraduate studies, he served as the President of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and was a member of the UNC Marching Band.
Brian resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with his wife Alison, his daughter Madison, and the family dog, Macaroni.
Experience
Construction
Brian J. Manikowski has extensive experience representing a wide range of clients in construction-related litigation, including general contractors, subcontractors, and design and engineering firms. His practice spans complex construction defect lawsuits involving projects from single-family homes to large-scale developments of up to 300-unit multi-family residential buildings. Brian has defended claims related to negligent workmanship resulting in both structural and cosmetic defects, as well as represented sellers of manufactured homes facing allegations of construction deficiencies. He also has significant experience handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving scaffold collapses, including both traditional frame and mast-climber systems. Additionally, Brian has represented home and termite inspectors in matters involving alleged negligent inspection services that led to substantial property damage in both single-family and multi-family residences.
Presentations
•Independent Contractor or Employee: How to Decide and Why It Matters
North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys Annual Meeting; June 15, 2024
Recognition
•Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Transportation Law; Best Lawyers; 2024-2026
In the Press
HBS Attorneys Recognized in 2026 Georgia Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists
February 16, 2026
HBS is excited to announce that nine attorneys have been recognized on the 2026 Georgia Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list.
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
