Baker Donelson Launches in Charlotte, NC With Eight-Partner Team

Baker Donelson is opening a new Charlotte, N.C. office, marking the third new office in the Carolinas in less than three years.

The firm is bringing on eight shareholders from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, at least two of whom—Noelle Wooten and Elizabeth Haskins—focus their practices on environmental litigation and regulatory matters. All eight were previously partners at Nelson Mullins.

Baker opened its first North Carolina location in October of 2021 with five attorneys in the Raleigh/Research Triangle region. Four South Carolina shareholders joined the firm about a year later to form the Charleston office.

“The Carolinas have been an area of focus for growth for Baker Donelson and will continue to be, given the legal talent and thriving market in the region,” said firm chair and CEO Timothy Lupinacci in a press statement.

Wooten and Haskins are being joined by John Branch III, Thomas Hooper, Paul Osowski, Evan Sauda, William Starr, and Fred Wood Jr.

The firm was ranked 104th in American Lawyer’s 2023 survey, boasting just over $410 million in gross revenue, and profits per equity partner of $746,000. The firm has 23 offices throughout the Southeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the country.

Nelson Mullins also has a strong southeastern and mid-Atlantic presence, with about 20 offices in those regions, according to its website.

Wood cited Baker Donelson’s “collaborative culture” in the statement as one of his reasons for the move. “The firm’s commitment to growth, teamwork, and the Carolinas offers our clients the expanded resources of a national firm,” he said.