Stephen practices in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner, where he handles a broad array of civil and criminal litigation and investigatory matters. Stephen is a member of Mincey Bell, an affiliate boutique group of Cranfill Sumner LLP.
Stephen has a wide-ranging practice focused on representing parties in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies.
Government Investigations, Representation of Qui Tam Relators and Whistleblowers
As a member of the firm’s White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Practice Group, Stephen represents qui tam relators and individuals in government whistleblower actions. He has represented some of the most notable and high-profile whistleblowers in recent times under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of the Whistleblower, False Claims Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act, and other federal programs. Recent representations include whistleblower Will Wilkerson in parallel investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning Trump Media & Technology Group, former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company that owns and operates Truth Social. See Washington Post coverage here and Miami Herald coverage here . Stephen is also involved in a high-profile anti-money laundering case involving billions of dollars of illicit funds channeled through numerous countries to the United States.
In addition, Stephen defends individuals and entities subject to government investigations or prosecutions, or accused of white collar criminal offenses. His work includes significant cross-border investigations and matters of significant international importance before numerous federal and foreign government agencies.
Complex Commercial Litigation
Stephen’s civil work frequently includes complex commercial litigation where hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. He has significant experience with class actions and multi-district litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, federal environmental and regulatory litigation, subrogation litigation, real property disputes, high-net-worth estate litigation, premises and product liability litigation, and professional liability litigation.
Cryptocurrency, Digital Assets, Securities and FinTech
Stephen represents and advises litigants, stakeholders, and whistleblowers in the emerging blockchain and cryptocurrency industries.
In the traditional securities space, he advises on securities law issues and helps clients navigate the myriad laws and regulations applicable to both individuals and entities involved in the securities and financial industries. This includes assisting clients who require opinion letters or need assistance seeking No-Action Relief.
Transactional and Regulatory Work
Stephen acts as outside counsel to a number of businesses in the Carolinas, guiding his clients through regulatory issues, risk-mitigation endeavors, and transactional matters.
Honors and Awards
Stephen has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating and is both a North Carolina and South Carolina Super Lawyers’ Rising Star, a distinction reserved for 2.5% of attorneys in each state.
Stephen is admitted to the state and federal bars of North Carolina and South Carolina as well as the U.S. District Court and Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Stephen attended the Wake Forest University School of Law, where he served as Articles Editor of the Journal of Law & Policy, a research assistant, and an extern for a North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge. Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University.
Accomplishments
•Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
•Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in the field of Professional Malpractice Law (2024-2026), and Criminal Defense - White Collar (2026)
•Selected for inclusion in North Carolina Rising Stars in the field of Business Litigation (2021-2026)
•Selected for inclusion in South Carolina Rising Stars (2019, 2020)
Most Recent Posts
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17 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 17 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2026 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Article Reviews and Contrasts American and Spanish Whistleblower Protection Laws
In the article “Proteccion y recompensa: el modelo estadounidense de ‘whistleblowers’ frente al espanol,” Stephen Bell and alvaro Martin Talavera explore how Spain and the United States approach whistleblower protection. The article was published Oct. 6 in Expansion....
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CSH Law Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” Recognition
Six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently named among the Best Lawyers 2026 Ones to Watch....
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DOJ Invites Whistleblowers to Report Tariff Fraud
On May 12, 2025, head of the Department of Justice Criminal Division Matthew Galeotti delivered a speech in which he stated that...
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Mincey Bell Attorneys Ask Florida Court to Sanction Trump Media for Lawfare Campaign Against Whistleblower Client Who Exposed Millions in Suspicious Loans Tied to Vladimir Putin
WASHINGTON, D.C.- May 14, 2025-Attorneys for Truth Social Whistleblower Will Wilkerson have asked a Florida court to sanction Trump Media...
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United States Supreme Court Upholds Biden Administration’s Regulation of Ghost Guns
In November 2023 we discussed the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to strike down a Biden-era firearm regulation concerning...
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Stephen Bell Featured in North Carolina Lawyers Weekly on Cryptocurrency Legal Challenges
Stephen Bell was recently featured in a North Carolina Lawyers Weekly article titled “Fast-evolving cryptocurrencies challenge lawyers” published on March...
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21 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 21 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2025 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Making Strides Toward Whistleblower Protection Law in Europe: Spain’s Implementation of the EU Whistleblower Directive
The European Union adopted the Whistleblower Protection Directive in 2019, seeking to establish a uniform complainant protection regime across EU...
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Breaking Precedent: Florida Court Declares False Claims Act Qui Tam Provisions Unconstitutional
On September 30, 2024, Judge Kathryn Mizelle of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a...
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Discuss Whistleblowing Opportunities
Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell, and Christina Zaroulis Milnor served as presenters at the Houston Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) virtual pre-conference event....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Featured in Lefebvre Dalloz
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell, attorneys with Cranfill Sumner LLP, co-authored an article in the Sept. 23 edition of the French publication Lefebvre Dalloz....
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Mincey Bell Attorneys Present on U.S. Whistleblower Bounty Programs at IR Global Annual Conference
On September 23, 2024, Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell, and Christina Milnor, of Mincey Bell Milnor, presented at IR Global’s 2024 Annual Conference held in Paris from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24, 2024. They spoke about SEC, FinCEN, and DOJ whistleblower awards programs, and engaged with event participants about the experience of whistleblowers in the United States and opportunities for foreigners to participate in U.S. programs....
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CSH Law Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” Recognition
Six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently named among the Best Lawyers 2025 Ones to Watch....
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DOJ’s Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program Is Open for Business
On August 1, 2024, the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division announced the details of its much-anticipated Corporate...
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CSH Law Attorneys Co-Write Whistleblower Act Article for American Chamber in Netherlands
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell co-authored an article for the People Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands....
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Cranfill Sumner Launches Mincey Bell Milnor in Washington, D.C. with Partners Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell and Christina Zaroulis Milnor, Former Assistant Secretary of the SEC
WASHINGTON - May 1, 2024 - North Carolina-based law firm, Cranfill Sumner LLP, announced today it has brought on former...
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Top Administration Officials Warn of Risks of Cyberattacks on U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems
On March 18, 2024, Michael S. Regan, Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Administrator, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a...
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The Department of Justice Unveils Groundbreaking Pilot Program: Incentivizing Whistleblowers with Immunity
On April 15, 2024, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) released an internal memo introducing a Pilot Program on Voluntary Disclosures...
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Mincey & Bell to Present to Swedish and Danish Lawyers About International Money Laundering Investigations
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell will present on the Anti-Money Laundering Improvement Act and the U.S. Department of Justice’s recently announced criminal whistleblower program to an audience of Swedish and Danish lawyers at the JUC Institute on April 12....
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CSH Law Attorneys to Present to Turks & Caicos Commission
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell will present on the Anti-Money Laundering Improvement Act and the U.S. Department of Justice’s recently announced criminal whistleblower program to the Turks & Caicos Integrity Commission in Providenciales on April 19....
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United States House Members Introduce Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
Last month, Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC), along with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY), introduced legislation-the Protecting...
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DOJ Announces New Whistleblower Reward Program for Individuals to Combat Significant Corporate or Financial Misconduct
During a March 7, 2024, speech at the American Bar Association’s 39th National Institute on White Collar Crime, Deputy Attorney...
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Stephen Bell Featured on ESPN Online
Stephen Bell, an attorney at Cranfill Sumner LLP, was quoted in a recent article on ESPN....
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U.S. Whistleblower Program Expands to Allow the Payment of Awards to Non-U.S. Citizens, Auditors, and Compliance Professionals Who Report Financial Crimes or Money Laundering
Article co-written by Stephen Bell, Patrick Mincey, and Silvia Palomba of Ard nter Law Introduction In December 2022, the U.S. Congress...
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Melody Jolly and Stephen Bell Present at PLAN Seminar
Cranfill Sumner LLP’s Melody Jolly and Stephen Bell participated in the PLAN Regional Meeting: Hartford on Feb. 6. It was held in Hartford, Conn....
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Stephen Bell Featured on ESPN
Stephen Bell was recently quoted in a story on ESPN....
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13 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2024 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 13 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2024 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2024 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Our Top 10 Resources of 2023
Throughout the year, Cranfill Sumner LLP’s attorneys work diligently to bring the most up-to-date information on North Carolina legal updates...
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Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Down Biden Administration’s “Ghost Gun” Rule
In April 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives finalized a rule designed to address so-called “Ghost Guns”...
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Wall Street Journal Publishes Follow Up to Article Featuring Whistleblower Client
The Wall Street Journal article, “Fed Probes Morgan Stanley’s International Wealth-Management Practices,” continues the discussion from a 2021 article from the same publication that focused on a client of Cranfill Sumner LLP attorneys Patrick M. Mincey and Stephen Bell, along with co-counsel Phil Brewster of Illinois....
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Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell Featured in IR Global “All Change” Publication
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell were recently featured as authors in the IR Global publication “All Change - A shifting geopolitical & economic climate.” The publication was created in collaboration with the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and featured contributions from 43 IR Global members about topic updates specific to their jurisdictions....
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FinCEN Issues Updated Geographic Targeting Order Expanding the List of High-Risk Jurisdictions in Which Title Insurers Must Report the Ultimate Beneficial Ownership of Entities Purchasing Residential Real Estate
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) is statutorily entitled to impose recordkeeping and reporting requirements on domestic financial institutions or...
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Patrick Mincey & Stephen Bell to Present Lecture in Amsterdam on International Anti-Money Laundering and Kleptocracy Enforcement
Attorneys Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell will speak in Amsterdam next month before an international audience of lawyers, accountants and...
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CSH Law Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” Recognition
Five attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently named among the Best Lawyers 2024 Ones to Watch....
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After Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision, Attorneys General Set Their Sights on Employment DEI Programs
The Supreme Court issued a major decision at the end of June when it outlawed affirmative action for colleges in...
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SEC Charges Binance and Coinbase in Latest Efforts to Crack Down on Crypto Industry
The cryptocurrency industry has been under regular fire from regulators this year. The latest companies to face the wrath of...
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Whistleblower Client Profiled Internationally in Washington Post Sunday Front Page, New York Post and Daily Mail in United Kingdom
Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell and Phil Brewster represent Truth Social whistleblower Will Wilkerson (center) (Photograph used with permission from...
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The Guardian Reports on Patrick Mincey & Stephen Bell Whistleblower Representation in Federal Criminal Money Laundering Investigation of Suspicious Loan to President Trump’s Tech Company by Alleged Putin-Tied Ally
“Towards the end of last year, federal prosecutors started examining two loans totaling $8m wired to Trump Media,” President Trump’s tech company which owns and operates Truth Social, “from two obscure entities that both appear to be controlled in part by the relation of an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin,” The Guardian reports in a March 15 article. “Federal prosecutors’ interest in the two payments appear to have started when [client Will] Wilkerson, through his attorneys Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell, and Phil Brewster, alerted the US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York to the payments.”...
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DOJ Announces Sweeping Voluntary Corporate Self-Disclosure Policy
In late February, the United States Attorneys for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York announced a new “Voluntary...
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NC Lawyers Weekly Features Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell
Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell are featured in the Jan. 18 edition of NC Lawyers Weekly. “Blowing the whistle” discusses their practice representing whistleblowers, including their who exposed alleged securities violations involving Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation and a $2 billion Venezuelan kleptocracy fraud in U.S. financial institutions....
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13 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 13 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2023 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Congress Dramatically Expands Whistleblower Eligibility to Include Auditors & Compliance Professionals to Combat Kleptocratic Money Laundering in Global Financial System, With New Sweeping Financial Incentives
On December 23, 2022, Congress included the Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Improvement Act as part of the Omnibus Budget President Biden...
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Our Top 10 Resources of 2022
Throughout the year, Cranfill Sumner LLP’s attorneys work diligently to bring the most up-to-date information on North Carolina legal updates...
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Patrick Mincey Featured in Mercer University Alumni Publication
The Den, Mercer University’s alumni publication, featured Patrick Mincey in its latest issue. “Law alumnus takes on high-profile criminal finance cases across the world” profiles Patrick’s law career and his family’s legacy as Mercer alumni....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys’ Practice Group Featured in Greater Wilmington Business Journal
The Greater Wilmington Business Journal featured Patrick Mincey’s and Stephen Bell’s representation of the whistleblower who exposed alleged securities violations involving Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation (“Trump Media”) and their work as part of the Cranfill Sumner LLP White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Practice Group....
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The Washington Post Discusses Whistleblower Represented by Attorneys Patrick Mincey & Stephen Bell
The Washington Post discussed the whistleblower who exposed alleged securities violations involving Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation (“Trump Media”)....
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New York Times Features Attorneys Patrick Mincey’s & Stephen Bell’s Representation of Trump Media Whistleblower
The New York Times discussed the whistleblower who exposed alleged securities violations involving Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation (“Trump Media”). The publication discusses the whistleblower claim in the Oct. 25 article, “SPAC Tied to Trump Media Says Early Talks Were not ‘Substantive.’” Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell, and Phil Brewster are the attorneys representing the whistleblower....
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Attorneys Patrick Mincey’s & Stephen Bell’s Representation of Trump Media Whistleblower Featured on ABC World News Tonight
An ABC News report discussed the whistleblower who exposed alleged securities violations involving Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation (“Trump...
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Whistleblower Attorneys Issue Statement on Washington Post’s In-Depth Reporting on Former President Donald Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group, Parent Company of Truth Social
Attorneys Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell, and Phil Brewster were recently discussed in an in-depth, multimedia Washington Post article regarding their representation...
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Whistleblower Attorneys Issue Statement Regarding Investigation Involving Former President Donald Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group, the Parent Company of Truth Social
Attorneys Patrick Mincey, Stephen Bell and Phil Brewster were recently discussed in a Miami Herald article regarding their representation of...
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DOJ Announces Revisions to Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policies
Earlier this month, DOJ announced additional revisions to the Department’s existing policies and practices governing corporate criminal enforcement. Each of...
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Department of Justice Takes Historic Step in Charging Former NFT Insider for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Profiteering From NFT Sales
A product manager at OpenSea, a $13 billion online marketplace for non-fungible-tokens (“NFTs”), was indicted in the first-ever “insider-trading” action brought...
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DOJ Announces Early Targets of Task Force KleptoCapture, Elite Anti-Money Laundering Initiative Established to Halt Russian Oligarchs and their Co-Conspirators in the International “Invisible Economy”
In late May, a court in the Pacific island nation of Fiji upheld on appeal the detention of the 348-foot...
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White Collar Attorneys Patrick Mincey & Stephen Bell Invited to Join Prestigious International Legal Organization
Attorneys Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell have accepted an invitation to join IR Global, a leading international organization ranked as a “Band-1” global legal network by Chambers and Partners. Mincey chairs the White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP, where Bell is also a partner. The two now serve as IR Global’s exclusive U.S. advisors for White Collar Crime for North Carolina. ...
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An Overview of Europe’s Planned Cryptocurrency Regulations
In 2020, the European Union proposed a set of regulations known as the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation - MiCA...
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SEC Doubles-Down on Cryptocurrency Regulation With Increased Staffing and Resources for Specialized Enforcement Unit
Few investors made it through 2021 and 2022 without learning of, discussing, or perhaps purchasing, cryptocurrency or other blockchain assets,...
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Attorneys Patrick Mincey & Zac Bolitho Secure Return of More Than $3 Million for Client Following Seizure in Western District of Pennsylvania
Attorneys Patrick Mincey and Zac Bolitho secured the return of more than $3,000,000 that had been seized from a client during an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Mincey and Bolitho represented a business owner who was prosecuted on federal fraud charges for claims he made about the nutritional supplements that his business sold. In addition to obtaining the return of $3,000,000, Mincey and Bolitho successfully argued for a probation-only sentence-a rare occurrence in federal cases. ...
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Stephen Bell and Zac Bolitho Discuss White Collar Crime Issues During Webinar
Stephen Bell and Zac Bolitho presented the “Evolving DOJ Enforcement Trends: Considerations for White Collar Practitioners and Their Clients” webinar on March 10. The webinar was hosted by PLAN....
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11 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 11 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2022 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Announces New Partners
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Steven Bader (Raleigh), Stephen Bell (Wilmington) and Charles Hicks (Raleigh) have been named partners in the firm....
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Evolving DOJ Enforcement Trends: Considerations for White Collar Practitioners and Their Clients
In September 2020, Patrick Mincey, Zachary Bolitho and I presented on the changes and trends we expected to see in SEC and DOJ...
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South Carolina Supreme Court Issues Landmark Decision Regarding Contract Workers
The South Carolina Supreme Court recently issued a landmark decision, Keene v. CNA Holdings, LLC (August 11, 2021), narrowing the...
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14 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Today Cranfill Sumner proudly announced that 14 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2021 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Volunteer for Legal Aid Eviction Project
In May 2020, Legal Aid of North Carolina launched an effort to help North Carolinians who were struggling to pay rent and were facing eviction. Legal Aid paired available emergency financial support with a search for volunteer attorneys from across the state who could help negotiate past and future payments with landlords....
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Stephen Bell Receives Pro Bono Award
Stephen Bell, an attorney at Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), was recently recognized by the New Hanover County Bar Association and the Wilmington Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc., for his pro bono service to clients of Legal Aid of North Carolina....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Lead PLAN Webinar
Stephen Bell, Zac Bolitho and Patrick Mincey led the recent PLAN webinar entitled “Anti-Money Laundering Enforcement at the SEC & DOJ: Trends, Considerations & Strategies for D&O Carriers and Counsel.” The webinar was held on Sept. 30....
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Stephen Bell Receives AV Rating From Martindale-Hubbell
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that Stephen Bell has received an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell....
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Stephen Bell Joins Cranfill Sumner Wilmington Office
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that Stephen Bell has joined the firm’s Wilmington office as an associate attorney. He will focus his practice in the area civil litigation....
