Richard T. Boyette is Of Counsel at the Raleigh office of Cranfill Sumner and serves as general counsel to the firm. He has enjoyed a broad civil litigation practice throughout his career. Most recently, Richard’s litigation practice focused on defense of lawyers and other professionals and product liability defense.
As outside general counsel to a commercial general contractor/developer, Richard provides representation in a range of issues that have included employment, construction and contract disputes, as well as transactions involving such matters as entity formation, land acquisition, financing and leasing.
Richard has been an active mediator since the early 1990s and today is a well-respected mediator. He has mediated over 2,000 disputes in a broad range of subject matters, including personal injury and wrongful death, contract, construction defect, employment relations, medical and other professional liability, product liability, medical device liability, insurance coverage, condemnation, property and stockbroker/customer disputes.
Richard was active for many years in DRI, the Voice of the Defense Bar, the national defense trial bar organization. He served as its president in 2004-2005. At his urging, DRI established the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence, a charitable foundation having as its mission the education of state court judges. In 2010, Richard received DRI’s Louis B. Potter Professional Service Award. He also served as president of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys in 1990-91, and was the inaugural recipient of that organization’s Robert J. Elster Award for Professional Excellence in 2004.
Richard has been accorded the top AV ranking by Martindale-Hubbell, a prestigious rating organization of the legal profession. In addition, he has been regularly listed among the top lawyers in North Carolina by Best Lawyers in America and NC Super Lawyers .
For mediation inquiries, please contact Cheryl Baldwin.
Articles, Presentations, and Publications
•Trainer of other attorney mediators and a speaker at seminars on mediation and negotiation
•Presentation to North Carolina Bar Association Construction Law Section on CGL coverage
•Luncheon speaker on professionalism at joint professionalism seminar sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
•Presentation to American Legislative Exchange Council on Judicial Selection
•Panelist for presentation entitled “Embracing ADR - Opportunities for Defense Lawyers” at the 2006 DRI annual meeting in San Francisco
•Panelist for presentation entitled “Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation - Oh My! What the Wizard Would Have Said About Implementing And Executing An Effective Plan For Conflict Resolution” at the 2011 IADC Corporate Counsel College in Chicago.
•Panelist for presentation entitled “Buyer’s Remorse: The Plight of the Real Estate Professional” at the 2011 DRI Professional Liability Seminar in New York.
•Mediation and negotiation presentation to staff attorneys of Legal Services of North Carolina, January, 2012.
Accomplishments
•Selected for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers in the field of Professional Liability, Defense (2021-2023)
•Selected for inclusion in Lawyer Of The Year in the field of Mediation (2017, 2019, 2022)
•Selected for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers (2007 - 2020)
•Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
•Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Alternative Dispute Resolution (2007 - 2009); Mediation (2013 - 2026)
•NC Super Lawyers Business Edition (2014)
•Recipient, DRI B. Potter Professional Service Award (October 2010)
•Selected as one of the top 100 attorneys in the State of North Carolina by NC Super Lawyers (2007)
•NC Association of Defense Attorneys Award for Professional Excellence (2004)
•The North Carolina Academy of Superior Court Mediators, Charter Member
•National Foundation for Judicial Excellence, Founding Director
•Inaugural recipient, Award for Professional Excellence, presented by the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (June 2004)
•DRI Exceptional Performance Citation (1991); State Leadership Award (1997); Leadership Award (1999); Service Award (2001)
Most Recent Posts
News
33 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2026
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2026....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys and Staff Participate in 4ALL-Lawyers on Call
Attorneys and staff members from Cranfill Sumner LLP volunteered their time for the 2025 4ALL-Lawyers on Call event for the North Carolina Bar Foundation. The following individuals volunteered by answering callers’ questions during the March 7 event statewide....
News
32 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2025
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2025....
News
Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Participate in Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 4ALL - Lawyers on Call event on Friday, March 1. ...
News
32 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2024
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2024....
News
Cranfill Sumner Volunteers Provide Legal Advice During NCBF Empower Hour
On June 1, 20 volunteers from Cranfill Sumner LLP provided legal service to individuals who are unable to afford it through the “NC Free Legal Answers” Empower Hour program with the North Carolina Bar Foundation....
News
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....
News
25 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2023
Twenty-five attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2023....
News
Richard Boyette Named to NCBA Legal Practice Hall of Fame
Richard Boyette has been named to the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) Legal Practice Hall of Fame. Boyette is an experienced litigator and mediator with a career spanning more than four decades who serves as Of Counsel at Cranfill Sumner LLP....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 15th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 4. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event was held virtually this year....
Result
Steven Bader and Richard Boyette Prevail at North Carolina Court of Appeals
The North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a complaint against our client, a community association management company, for...
News
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....
News
Cranfill Sumner LLP Awards 2021 Core Value Awards
Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) today announced that four employees were honored with the 2021 Core Value Awards. The honorees are Richard Boyette, Pat Flanagan, Sam LaRoche and Charlotte Neville....
News
CSH Law Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition
Six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently named among the Best Lawyers 2022 “Lawyers of the Year.”...
News
26 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2022
Twenty-six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022....
News
Cranfill Sumner LLP Staff Members Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 14th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 5. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event was held virtually this year....
News
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....
Post
COA Opinion on Mediated Settlement Agreements
On Nov. 3, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued opinion in a case entitled Mitchell v Boswell with a rather unremarkable...
News
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....
News
Richard Boyette Discusses Pro Bono Work with Legal Aid of NC
Richard Boyette participated in Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Free Forum Friday on Aug. 21. Richard discussed “Eviction Prevention During COVID and the Role of Pro Bono Service” and how he recently helped a pro bono client with her own eviction case....
News
27 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2021
Twenty-seven attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2021 (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
Richard Boyette Featured on DRI Podcast
Richard Boyette, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), was featured on the “A Conversation With...” podcast from DRI....
Post
Mediations During The Pandemic
Many of us are learning to do things differently as we cope with stay-at-home orders, restricted operations of the courts,...
News
Cranfill Sumner Staff Members Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 13th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 6....
News
Richard Boyette Participates in Lawyers Mutual CLE Panel
Richard Boyette served as a featured speaker in a CLE event sponsored by Lawyers’ Mutual. Richard presented on a panel presentation entitled “This Case is Killing Me,” addressing the stresses of representing difficult clients and how to prevent those cases from evolving into a legal malpractice claim....
News
11 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Today Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) proudly announced that 11 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2020 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
31 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2020
Thirty-one attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2020(Copyright 2019 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Assist in Bar Exam Interview Sessions
Several Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) attorneys assisted with interviews for the February 2019 bar exam session for the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners. Cranfill Sumner is committed to giving back to the legal community and is proud to support the NC State Bar admissions process....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participated at 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Attorneys from the offices of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 12thAnnual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 1....
News
21 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Today Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) proudly announced that 21 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2019 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition
Four attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently named the Best Lawyers 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for their respective practice areas in their local metropolitan area. (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)...
News
32 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2019
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2019 (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
4ALL Statewide Service Day
Attorneys from the offices of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 11th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 2....
News
20 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2018 N.C. Super Lawyers and Rising Star Lists
Today Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) proudly announced that 20 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2018 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2018 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
33 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2018
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 (Copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Eight attorneys were selected for inclusion in the list for the first time....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 10th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 3. The statewide event is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation and the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)....
News
17 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
Today Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) proudly announced that 17 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2017 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition in 2017
Attorneys chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 Five attorneys from Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (Cranfill...
News
26 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2017
Twenty-six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 (Copyright 2016 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
17 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH) is proud to announce that 16 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2016 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
Post
Defensive use of Rule 1.8 permitted by NC Court of Appeals
NC Court of Appeals Holds that a Client May Use a Violation of the Rule 1.8 of the Rules of...
News
Benchmark Litigation 2016 Lists Richard Boyette Among Its Litigation Stars
Richard Boyette is featured in Benchmark Litigation 2016 as a local Litigation Star....
News
Richard Boyette Selected As Lawyer of the Year For 2015 Leaders in the Law List
Richard Boyette, an attorney in the Raleigh office of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), has been selected as the 2015 Lawyer of the Year byNorth Carolina Lawyers Weekly, in connection with its Leaders in the Law program, co-sponsored by Elon University School of Law, which honors legal professionals who excel in their profession and community involvement....
News
Richard Boyette Appointed to New Law and Justice Commission
Richard Boyette, Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution, Products Liability and Professional Liability Practice Groups at Cranfill Sumner LLP, has been appointed to the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice (NCCALJ). Richard was appointed by Chief Justice Mark Martin, who is convening the commission....
News
28 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2016
Twenty-eight attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2016....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Eleven attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 8th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 6. ...
News
20 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner announced that 20 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers and North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
Richard Boyette to Moderate Panel About Sports Litigation
Richard Boyette will serve as the moderator for a panel discussion for the 2015 DRI Corporate Counsel Roundtable....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2014 Super Lawyers Business Edition
Cranfill Sumner is proud to announced that nine of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2014 Super Lawyers Business Edition....
News
Benchmark Litigation 2015 Lists Richard Boyette Among Its Litigation Stars
Richard Boyette will be featured in Benchmark Litigation 2015 as a litigation Star. Benchmark Litigation conducts research on litigators, firms, and cases....
News
NFJE Excellence Award Created in Honor of Richard Boyette
Cranfill Sumner announced that the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence created the Richard T. Boyette Award for Outstanding Contributions to the NFJE....
News
24 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2015
Twenty-four attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Ten attorneys from Cranfill Sumner provided vital legal advice and resources in the North Carolina Bar Association’s Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day....
News
21 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2014 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
Cranfill Sumner announced that 21 of its attorneys are selected for inclusion in the 2014 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2014 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
News
25 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2014
Cranfill Sumner is proud to announce that 25 of its attorneys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America ....
News
24 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected as 2013 North Carolina Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
Ten Cranfill Sumner attorneys were selected as 2013 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 14 Cranfill Sumner attorneys were selected as 2013 North Carolina Rising Stars....
News
23 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2013 Edition
Twenty-three lawyers from Cranfill Sumner were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2013...
News
Cranfill Sumner Lands 17 Attorneys in the Best Lawyers in America 2012 Edition
Cranfill Sumner, one of the largest civil defense firms in North Carolina, announced today that 17 of its attorneys selected The Best Lawyers in America....
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.
