Twelve Attorneys Join Robinson Bradshaw

Robinson Bradshaw is pleased to welcome 12 attorneys to the firm, continuing a pattern of steady growth. The talented group, including nine new associates, will add to the firm’s capabilities in many areas, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, real estate, litigation and intellectual property.

Zach Lankford is a corporate lawyer with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, growth equity and venture capital investments, corporate governance and other general corporate matters. He has substantial experience representing strategic and financial buyers and sellers in a broad range of complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, cross-border transactions, growth equity and venture capital investments, joint ventures, minority investments and carve-out transactions.

Before joining Robinson Bradshaw, Lankford was an attorney at McGuireWoods in Charlotte and Gibson Dunn in Los Angeles. He received his law degree from the Duke University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Jonathan D. LeCompte returned to Robinson Bradshaw after four years as director and assistant general counsel at a nonprofit hospital system based in the Carolinas. LeCompte practices primarily in the areas of real estate development and finance, focusing on all aspects of commercial real estate. He advises clients in the development, acquisition, leasing, disposition and financing of commercial real estate, with particular emphasis on retail and health care properties.

LeCompte graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina’s Joseph F. Rice School of Law and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kelley M. Storey represents clients in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including contract disputes, mass tort claims and complex intellectual property matters. She maintains a robust pro bono practice, including serving as a guardian ad litem for minor children and representing affirmative asylum applicants in immigration proceedings.

Prior to joining Robinson Bradshaw, Storey was an attorney at Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C. She clerked for Judge Todd M. Hughes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She holds a law degree magna cum laude from the Duke University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree cum laude from Texas A&M University.

Sofia G. Cuadra earned her law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she was a comments editor of the North Carolina Law Review. Cuadra received her bachelor’s degree cum laude in politics with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies from Washington and Lee University. Prior to law school, she worked in the venture capital industry.

Samuel P. Gerstemeier graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law where he was an editorial board member for the Virginia Journal of Law & Technology. Gerstemeier received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in finance with a minor in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to law school, he worked in government relations, regional development and external affairs for a health care system.

Before joining Robinson Bradshaw, Gerstemeier clerked for Judge James C. Dever III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Katrina L. Hauprich received her law degree with high honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she was a comments editor of the North Carolina Law Review. Hauprich earned her master’s degree in higher education from the University of Maryland and her bachelor’s degree in public policy and Hispanic linguistics, with a minor in philosophy, politics and economics, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to law school, Hauprich worked in admissions, alumni relations, fundraising and student affairs at multiple public and private institutions of higher education.

Steven G. Joseph earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He received his master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University and his bachelor’s degree in history from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Prior to attending law school, Joseph spent six years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. His military service included assignments as a contracting officer, a deployment to the Horn of Africa and an instructor at Officer Training School.

Before joining Robinson Bradshaw, Joseph clerked for Judge Elizabeth Branch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Jacob G. Morton graduated from Georgetown University Law Center where he was notes editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and solicitations editor of the Georgetown Law Technology Review. He received a master’s degree with merit in conflict, security and development from King’s College London and a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in history and political science from North Carolina State University as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Morton served on active duty as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer for 10 years, including a deployment in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, a posting in Bahrain and a stint at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Prior to his military service, he was a high school social studies teacher in North Carolina.

Uzorma K. Owete received his law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law where he was a Chancellors Scholar. Owete earned his bachelor’s degree with distinction in computer science with a minor in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar.

Matthew S. Queen earned his law degree magna cum laude from the Duke University School of Law where he was an editorial board member for the Duke Law Journal and a student editor for the Bolch Judicial Institute. Queen received his bachelor’s degree with highest distinction in economics and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Luke Shapiro graduated summa cum laude from the Wake Forest University School of Law where he was class salutatorian, a member of Order of the Coif and the business editor of the Wake Forest Law Review. Shapiro received a master’s degree in sustainability from Wake Forest University and a bachelor’s degree in biosystems engineering from the University of Tennessee. Prior to law school, he worked as an environmental and facilities engineer.

Kayla Swan received her law degree summa cum laude from the Duke University School of Law where she was valedictorian of her class, articles editor of the Duke Law Journal and a member of Order of the Coif. Swan earned a master’s degree in bioethics and science policy from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in English from Brigham Young University. Prior to law school, she worked in higher education and as a freelance editor and designer.

Cuadra, Gerstemeier, Hauprich, Joseph, Lankford, LeCompte, Morton, Queen and Shapiro work in the firm’s Charlotte office. Owete, Storey and Swan work from the firm’s Research Triangle office.