PARTNER | ATTORNEY
Matthew Ballew
Matt Ballew practices in all areas of the firm, including Catastrophic Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Medical Malpractice, Police Brutality and Civil Rights, Complex Business Litigation, Motor Vehicle Accidents, and General and Class-Action Civil Litigation.
Matt aspires to a practice of law that centers around helping people. He has dedicated his career to representing individuals who find themselves facing the toughest times of their lives, and often up against the endless resources of insurance companies, powerful corporations, or governmental bodies. He has successfully helped his clients fight for and obtain justice in major jury trials involving serious personal injury, civil rights, motor vehicle negligence, medical malpractice, complex business and investment fraud, and breach of contract cases in North Carolina state and federal courts.
Matt is a courtroom advocate, focusing nearly 100% of his practice on civil litigation, jury trials, and appellate representation across the state. He has tried jury cases in counties across the State of North Carolina, and argued numerous times before the North Carolina Supreme Court, North Carolina Court of Appeals, and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Matt is a native of Marion, a small North Carolina town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, home to native Appalachian brook trout, Bigfoot lore, and livermush (a western NC culinary delicacy). Matt graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina State University, receiving a B.A. with Honors in History and a B.A. in Political Science. He went on to receive his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During law school, Matt was one of ten students from his class selected onto the Broun National Trial Team, the law school’s nationally competitive mock trial group. During his final year, Matt was elected President of the UNC Trial Law Academy, and he competed in the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) “Tournament of Champions” with the 16 top-ranked trial teams in the country.
Argument at the United States 4th Circuit Court of Appeals
Argument at the North Carolina Supreme Court
From the outset, Matt has devoted his work as a lawyer to the representation of individuals, particularly those injured by the negligence, abuse of power, or professional malpractice of others. Matt takes pride in the fact that there are no client or case “numbers” at Ballew Puryear PLLC law firm. There are real people. People with important life stories, each of whom deserves the best the team at Ballew Puryear can provide. Matt never ceases to find professional fulfillment and revitalization from the strength and spirit of each person he has the privilege of representing.
He is proud to have served in numerous leadership capacities with North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ), a volunteer non-profit organization. He regularly writes and presents in connection with continuing legal education seminars in the areas of medical malpractice and civil litigation. For the past decade, Matt has served continuously on the NCAJ appellate amicus committee. In 2014, he was appointed to serve on the NCAJ Board of Governors and continues to serve in that capacity today. In 2014, he was selected as Chair of the NCAJ Professional Negligence Section. He continues to serve annually on the NCAJ Legal Affairs committee, and in that role has co-authored and served on moot court panels for numerous amicus curiae briefs to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
Personal Life
Matt is married to his amazing wife, Jennifer, a high school social studies teacher in Raleigh. They have lived in the Triangle since 2001 and are the proud parents of three wonderful children whom they love dearly.
In his spare time, Matt enjoys fly fishing throughout the mountains of western North Carolina for brook, rainbow, and brown Trout. In addition, he loves playing guitar and at any given time chances are you will find several electric and acoustic guitars within Matt’s reach. He has played lead guitar player in several local bands. Attending live concerts and taking the time to dig deep into music – especially improvisational styles and legendary rock, blues, jazz, and americana records – is a lifetime passion. When he can find the time, he also enjoys reading, cooking, and pulling for the N.C. State Wolfpack (as difficult as that can often be for a college sports fan).
Bar Admissions
- State of North Carolina
- United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- Wake County Bar
Education
- J.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009
- B.A., History, North Carolina State University, 2005 (Honors Thesis: “In the Shadow of Civil War: Evaluating North Carolina’s Call to Arms, 1860-1861”)U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- B.A., Political Science, North Carolina State University, 2005
Reported Cases
- In re Chastain, ___ N.C. ___, 2024 N.C. LEXIS 975 (2024)
- Morris v. Rodeberg, 385 N.C. 405 (2023)
- In re Chastain, 289 N.C. App. 271, 889 S.E.2d 462 (2023)
- Hwang v. Cairns, 287 N.C. App. 521, 882 S.E.2d 153 (2023)
- Dunhill Holdings, LLC v. Lindberg, 282 N.C. App. 36, 870 S.E.2d 636 (2022)
- Lindberg v. Lindberg, 282 N.C. App. 208, 868 S.E.2d 716 (2022)
- Estate of Savino v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hosp. Auth., 375 N.C. 288, 847 S.E.2d 677 (2020)
- Livingston v. Kehagias, 803 F. Appx 673 (4th Cir. 2020)
- Suarez v. Am. Ramp Co. (ARC), 831 S.E.2d 885, (2019)
- Aesthetic Facial & Ocular Plastic Surgery Ctr., P.A. v. Zaldivar, 826 S.E.2d 723, (2019)
- Glover v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hosp. Auth., 817 S.E.2d 919 (2018)
- Law Offices Juliano v. Jensen, 673 Fed. Appx. 291 (4th Cir. 2016)
- King v. Bryant, 368 N.C. 901 (2016) (amicus)
- State v. McGrady, 368 N.C. 880 (2016) (amicus)
- Estate of Capps v. Blondeau, 2015 NCBC 38 (2015)
- Ray v. N.C. DOT, 336 N.C. 1, 727 S.E.2d 675 (2012)
- Moore v. Proper, 366 N.C. 25; 726 S.E.2d 812 (2012) (amicus)
Presentations
- Host and Organizer, Proving Pain and Suffering Through Every Stage of Your Trial (Feb. 2016, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, NC)
- Presenter, McGrady and Daubert – What You Need to Know About Experts in North Carolina (Nov. 2016, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, NC)
- Presenter, Clear and Convincing Evidence: The Higher Burden of Proof for “Emergency Medical Conditions” (Nov. 2015, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, NC)
- Presenter, Medical Malpractice Case Law Update (June 2015, NCAJ Annual Convention, Sunset Beach, N.C.)
- Co-Presenter, Rule 702(b) Expert Challenges: A Recent Experience (June 2014, NCAJ Annual Convention, Wilmington, N.C.)
- Presenter, Medical Malpractice Case Law Update (June 2014, NCAJ Annual Convention, Wilmington, N.C.)
- Presenter, Medical Malpractice Case Law Update (June 2013, NCAJ Annual Convention, Wilmington, N.C.)
- Presenter, A New Keeper At the Gate: Predicting the Effect of Revised Rule 702(a) on Medical Malpractice in North Carolina (November 2012, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, N.C.)
- Presenter, Medical Malpractice Case Law Update (June 2012, NCAJ Annual Convention, Wilmington, N.C.)
- Presenter, Representing Medical Malpractice Victims After Senate Bill 33 (August 2011, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, N.C.)
- Presenter, Medical Malpractice Case Law Update (June 2011, NCAJ Annual Convention, Wilmington, N.C.)
- Host, New Admittee Professionalism Program (August 2011, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, N.C.)
- Host, New Admittee Professionalism Program (April 2011, NCAJ Headquarters, Raleigh, N.C.)
Papers
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2015 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: May 2015-2016“)
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2014 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: May 2014-2015“)
- Co-Author, North Carolina Supreme Court Amicus Brief on behalf of NCAJ, August 2014 (State v. McGrady, 368 N.C. 880 (2016))
- Co-Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2014 (Title: “Rule 702(b) Expert Challenges: A Recent Experience”) *manuscript not available online
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2014 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: May 2013-2014“)
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2013 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: May 2012-2013“)
- Author, CLE Manuscript, November 2012 (Title: “A New Keeper At the Gate: Predicting the Effect of Revised Rule 702(a) on Medical Malpractice in North Carolina“)
- Co-Author, CLE Manuscript, January 2012 (Title: “SB33 (and HB542): The Laws That Changed How You Pursue Med Mal Cases”)
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2012 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: March 2011-2012”)
- Co-Author, North Carolina Supreme Court Amicus Brief on behalf of NCAJ, February 2012 (Moore v. Proper, 366 N.C. 25; 726 S.E.2d 812 (2012))
- Author, CLE Manuscript, August, 2011 (Title: “Clear and Convincing Evidence: Senate Bill 33 and the Higher Burden of Proof for Emergency Medical Conditions”)
- Author, CLE Manuscript, June 2011 (Title: “Medical Malpractice, Recent Developments: March 2010-2011”)
- Meeting the Deadline: Checklist for Statutes of Limitations and Repose in Medical Negligence Cases. NCAJ Trial Briefs Magazine, October 2015.
- Editor, NCAJ “Trial Briefs” Magazine, Medical Negligence edition, Oct. 2015
- Top Ten Takeaways from 2014 Med Mal Trial Victories. NCAJ Trial Briefs Magazine, October 2015.
- Editor, North Carolina Manual of Complaints, Medical Malpractice Chapter, 2015 – Present
Community Activities
- Member – North Carolina State Bar
- Member – North Carolina Advocates for Justice
- Board of Governors, 2016 – Present
- Chair, Professional Negligence Section, 2013-2014
- Legal Affairs Committee, 2012 – Present
- Education Committee, 2010 – 2013
- Civil Amicus Committee, 2012 – Present
- New Lawyers’ Division, CLE Co-Chair, 2010 – 2012
- Professional Negligence Section, Member, 2010 – Present
- Auto Torts Section, Member, 2010 – Present
- Criminal Defense Section, Member – 2009 – 2010
- Member – North Carolina Bar Association
- Member – Wake County Bar Association
- Member – District 10 Bar Association