Your Proactive & Persistent Team of Advocates
By staying current with changes in North Carolina and federal law, we're able to provide our clients with the most up-to-date information relevant to their case, as well as be prepared for unique approaches at trial.
ASSOCIATE
Ryan Ames
Ryan Ames focuses his practice on criminal defense, including DWI charges, in both state and federal courts. He works hard to help clients facing criminal charges to navigate an overwhelming and stressful time while providing them skilled legal service.
Ryan has been a member of SeiferFlatow since 2015. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2011 and graduated cum laude from Hofstra University in 2008.
Prior to joining SeiferFlatow, Ryan lived in Washington, DC and worked as a trial attorney in Northern Virginia. He has significant courtroom experience, having handled hundreds of trials in over twenty different jurisdictions.
Ryan’s peers recognized him as one of North Carolina’s “Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40”. He is a member of the Mecklenburg County Bar Association and the Mecklenburg County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Ryan is originally from central Maine, and spends most of his free time following the NBA (as a Boston Celtics fan) and hanging out with his dog named Cronus, who is roughly the size of an adolescent buffalo.
Ryan is admitted to practice in North Carolina and Virginia, as well as in the United States Federal Court for North Carolina and Virginia
Why He Loves Being a Part of SeiferFlatow: “We can pretty confidently distinguish ourselves from most competitors in that we will absolutely take a case with merit all the way - we are truly looking out for the best interests of our clients. We also provide more complex services that other firms don’t, like DMV hearings, contesting civil revocations, vehicle seizure motions, expungements, etc. We have been complemented by judges in open court after trials or motions. We commit ourselves fully to clients and their cases and to have that effort acknowledged in front of the client on a regular basis is a good feeling and is good for business.”
ASSOCIATE
Liz Vennum
Liz Vennum focuses her practice on Business Law, Employment Law, and Civil Litigation. She works with entrepreneurs and small businesses to organize, create and protect their businesses, as well as to prepare for and navigate corporate disputes. Liz also helps employees through various legal situations and represents them and their best interests in a professional setting.
A native of Lakeland, Florida, Liz earned her bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University and her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law before settling in Charlotte. During law school, Liz worked with a non-profit to organize and conduct free legal clinics across North Carolina, focusing on educating underserved populations about their rights and empowering them to stand up for those rights. This experience confirmed Liz’s passion for tenacious advocacy on behalf of her clients.
Liz is able to serve employers with requests such as employee handbook and policy drafting, representation during non-compete negotiations and severance agreements, responses to the EEOC and Department of Labor, and assisting clients facing licensing board complaints.
For individuals, Liz is able to help clients understand and negotiate non-competes and severance agreements. In litigation matters, Liz represents clients in cases involving business torts, breaches of employment and non-competition agreements, and unfair competition.
Liz is admitted to practice in North Carolina and the United States Federal Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
Why She Loves Being a Part of SeiferFlatow: “We offer clients a depth and breadth of knowledge in multiple practice areas they would expect from a large practice but the personal attention and tailored experience that can only be found in a smaller firm. I would describe us as scrappy and honest. In short, we are committed to achieving the best possible result we can get for our clients, and we don’t settle for less.”
ASSOCIATE
Ed Martin
Ed Martin focuses his practice on assisting clients with personal injury, traffic violations, and criminal charges.
Ed went to undergrad at Monmouth University where he majored in History. Ed was also a member of the Monmouth University Baseball team during his time at school. After Monmouth, Ed moved to Charlotte to pursue a law career. Ed joined the SeiferFlatow team in January of 2017.
Some of Ed’s hobbies are competitive intramural sports with friends and coworkers. Ed competes in the Mecklenburg County Bar Softball and Basketball leagues. In his spare time, he likes to visit local breweries, and try as many new restaurants in Charlotte as he can.
Ed’s favorite book is Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. His favorite quote comes from the movie Kingdom of Heaven: ”What man is a man who does not make the world better?”.
Ed is admitted to practice in North Carolina.
Why He Loves Being a Part of SeiferFlatow: “What I have noticed that distinguishes us from other firms is our willingness to take on cases just about anywhere in the state. A lot of firms are afraid or unwilling to commit to taking on neighboring counties. We have developed excellent reputations in other counties; we have made great relationships with other attorneys and DAs. We get a lot of credit when speaking to other attorneys about our ability to reach beyond what others can or are willing to do. We are not just Charlotte attorneys (though we love our city!).”
ASSOCIATE
Bethany Wigfield
Bethany Wigfield focuses her practice on family law.
A native of State College, Pennsylvania, Bethany went to Mansfield University of Pennsylvania where she double majored in History and Political Science. Bethany was a member of the Mansfield Cross Country and Track and Field teams. After graduating early, Bethany was accepted to Delaware Law School where she focused her efforts on pro bono work in criminal defense and Veterans Law. After graduating law school, Bethany moved to Charlotte in the fall of 2016 to pursue her legal career.
In her free time, Bethany enjoys time with her fiancé and their two dogs out and about in Charlotte and trips to Lake Norman. Bethany is admitted to practice in North Carolina.
WE’RE PERSISTENT
Plaques on the wall, published papers, and high-profile cases don't necessarily mean you have the right attorney (though we do have those things). You need someone who is willing to tenaciously fight for YOU and go the distance. At SeiferFlatow, our team becomes your team for the duration of your case and beyond.
WE’RE ADVOCATES
We know that clients come to us during stressful times in their lives, often overwhelmed and anxious. We will handle your case with professionalism and attentiveness, while communicating with you every step of the way. We will be honest with you about the likely outcomes and work with you to tackle what's ahead.
WE’RE PROACTIVE
Staying current with changes in laws gives us an edge in the courtroom. We work through every scenario and work out a formidable game plan for each likely scenario so we, and you, are prepared. This approach means we will also be realistic with our clients and advise them on what's best for their outcome, not ours.