Attorneys

Partner | Attorney

Partner | Attorney

Associate Attorney

Associate Attorney

Of Counsel

Of Counsel

PARTNER | ATTORNEY

Paul J. Puryear, Jr.

PJ Puryear is a seasoned attorney with over 14 years of litigation and advisory experience ranging from helping clients determine if they should bring suit, to trying wrongful death cases before a jury, to helping obtain and then defend billion-dollar government contracts. His style of practice and perspective on conflict resolution can be boiled down to something his clients hear him say regularly: when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.


PJ remains a litigator at heart, having tried and won jury trials and handling appeals at both the state and federal level. Despite his love of the courtroom, PJ’s objective is helping his clients achieve results in the most efficient and economic fashion possible. For PJ, that means consistent exploration of all options, understanding the client’s objectives and priorities, and being available, informative, and straightforward with clients.


While often necessary, litigation is taxing, moreso than most realize. Having to hire an attorney means you are already under duress. That’s lost on PJ, and he works towards providing his clients a strategic and informed approach to find closure, whether that’s building a record before filing a lawsuit, applying his commercial litigation experience to ensure defendants can’t hide documents and data, or pivoting towards collaboration with opposing counsel in the heat of battle.

This unique approach comes from PJ’s unique—and broad—personal and professional experience. PJ is a native of North Carolina, growing up in Greensboro and having lived in the Triangle since 1996. PJ is a double Tar Heel. After graduating in 2000 and before law school, he worked in marketing and politics, including as a fundraiser and lobbyist for the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (now Advocates for Justice), as a congressional campaign manager and finance director for Congressman Brad Miller. PJ graduated with high honors from UNC Law, finishing in the top 10% of his class (Order of the Coif) while also being a member of UNC’s Broun National Trial team, and a published member of the North Carolina Law Review.

In 2010, PJ started his practice with the Raleigh law firm Wyrick Robbins, focusing on complex commercial litigation, class action defense, bid protests, qui tam claims, and employment and intra-corporate disputes. In 2022, PJ joined Zaytoun & Ballew, where he expanded his practice to include civil rights, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and maritime law.


PJ’s practice now includes all practice areas available at Ballew Puryear, including a civil practice that includes pre-litigation advisory work and litigation services related to contract law, employment matters, intra-corporate disputes, unfair and deceptive trade practices, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary duty, and derivative claims, to name a few.


His services range from acting as outside general counsel to small business owners, providing pre-litigation analysis and advice to clients, and all other aspects of litigation. He has argued motions, tried cases, and handled appeals in North Carolina's various courts, including both state and federal courts, the North Carolina Business Court, the American Arbitration Association, and the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Personal Life

PJ lives in Apex, North Carolina, with his wife, Courtney, and their two daughters. The family’s dedication to fostering children has made a meaningful impact in their community. In his downtime, PJ enjoys attending live music events, taking his family to the beaches at Oak Island, passionately supporting Tar Heel sports, and when he can, going to F3. Whether exploring the North Carolina coastline or cheering courtside, PJ values making memories with his family and staying connected to the local culture.

  • Credentials
  • Reported Appellate Cases
  • Presentations
  • Professional Highlights
Credentials

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
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • Wake County Bar

Education

  • J.D. with High Honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, 2010
  • B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2000
Reported Appellate Cases

Reported Cases

  • White v. Allstate Insurance Company, 277 N.C. App. 386 (2021)
  • Speaks v. U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, Inc., 486 F. Supp. 3d 974 (2020)
  • Variety Stores, Inc. v. Martinsville Plaza, LLC, — F.3d —, 2020 WL 1052525 (W.D. Va.)
  • Taylor v. Perni,— N.C App. —, 829 S.E.2d 240 (2019)
  • Town of Carrboro v. Slack,261 N.C. App. 525, 820 S.E.2d 527 (2018)
  • Pure Body Studios, LLC v. Crnalic, 2017 NCBC 96 (2017)
  • SCA-Blue Ridge, LLC v. WakeMed, 2016 WL 54924 (N.C. Sup. Ct. 2016)
  • Rodgers v. Waste Industries Inc., 553 Fed. Appx. 332 (4th Cir. 2014)
  • Variety Wholesalers, Inc. v. Salem Logistics Traffic Services, LLC, 723 S.E.2d 744 (N.C. 2012)
  • Kight’s Medical Corp. v. Pickett, 722 S.E.2d 212 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012)
  • Moten v. Warren Unilube, Inc., 2012 WL 265138 (8th Cir. 2012)
  • Moten v. Warren Unilube, Inc., 2011 WL 2469850 (E.D. Ark. 2011)
Presentations

Presentations

  • What You Need to Know about Remote Depositions in 2022, NCBA Litigation Section Blog, January 2022
  • “Admissibility of Scientific Experts and Evidence,” NBI CLE (2019)
  • “The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit,” NBI CLE (2017)
  • “Find it Free and Fast on the Net: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web,” NBI CLE (2015)
  • “International Avoided Deforestation Offset Projects: Insuring the Risk of Reversal Penalties,” Center for Law, Environment, Adaptation & Resources (May 2010)
  • “Life After NCRL v. Leake: Can North Carolina’s Disclosure Laws Survive a Constitutional Challenge?”, 87 N.C.L. Rev. 1252 (2009)
Professional Highlights

Community Activities

  • Member - North Carolina State Bar
  • Member - American Bar Association
  • Member - North Carolina Bar Association
  • Member - Wake County Bar Association
  • Raleigh Moravian Church, past Vice-Chair
  • Licensed foster parent

Awards and Recognitions

  • Listed among Benchmark Litigation “Future Stars” (2015-2022)
  • Listed among North Carolina Super Lawyers Business Litigation (2022); “Rising Stars” (2012, 2013, 2015-2020)
  • Listed among Business North Carolina Magazine Legal Elite: Young Guns (2015-2018); Litigation (2019, 2021, 2022)
  • Graduate and Class Speaker, Leadership Raleigh, 2016
  • North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2018-2020

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