Perdue, Bev. Press Release, 2011-02-02, Gov. Perdue Appoints Gale to Business Court

              BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE GOVERNOR
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
20301 MAIL SERVICE CENTER • RALEIGH, NC 27699‐0301
Feb. 2, 2011 Contact: Chris Mackey Office: (919) 733‐5612
Gov. Perdue Appoints Gale to Business Court
RALEIGH - Gov. Bev Perdue today appointed James L. “Jim” Gale as a Special Superior Court Judge, and he is expected to take a seat on the state’s Business Court next month.
Chief Justice Sarah Parker plans to designate Gale as a Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases, replacing Judge Ben Tennille, who retires next month. Judge Tennille played a pioneering role on the Business Court, which is the first statewide business court in the nation.
“Since it’s creation in 1996, North Carolina’s Business Court has served as a model for the nation,” said Perdue. “Filling Judge Tennille’s shoes will be difficult but I am confident that Jim Gale’s experience and ability will make him a worthy successor.”
Gale has been involved with complex business litigation throughout his 34 year career with the firm Smith, Moore and Leatherwood. His business litigation practice has been varied and includes disputes involving partnership, fiduciary duties, franchise, intellectual property issues, trade regulation and unfair competition claims from many industries. He is a certified mediator and has served in that role in a number of complex business cases in state and federal courts including the North Carolina Business Court. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in 2011 class of The Best Lawyers in America and has been named in Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite”, for Business Litigation in 2003 and 2009-2011 and has been named one for several years as one of North Carolina’s top 100 “Super Lawyers,” by Law and Politics Magazine.
Gale received his undergraduate degree from Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) and law degree from the University of Georgia.
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