Brinkley Walser Stoner, PLLC, is a general practice law firm in Lexington, North Carolina established in 1886. The firm has a second office in Greensboro, NC opened in 2010.
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History
The firm had its beginning on October 4, 1886, when Zeb Vance Walser of Davidson County was admitted to the Bar of North Carolina and began to practice law in Lexington. Since that time, this practice has been continued by him, his partners and successors without interruption. Zeb V. Walser was an active member and leader of the North Carolina House of Representatives beginning in 1888, and continuing in the State Senate in 1891. By 1895, Zeb returned to the House of Representatives, serving as Speaker of that body. By 1896, Zeb was elected Attorney General of North Carolina, and further served as the official Reporter for the Supreme Court of North Carolina in 1900, which position involved the digesting and publishing of all opinions of the State Supreme Court. Zeb continued both his local law practice and political involvement, and served as Theodore Roosevelt’s state campaign manager in 1912. Zeb was a charter member of the North Carolina Bar Association, founded in 1899, and served as its vice-president. He was also North Carolina’s delegate to the first meeting of the American Bar Association at its founding at Saratoga Springs, New York.
In 1919, Zeb’s son, Don A. Walser, joined the firm upon passing the North Carolina Bar examination at age 19. Don was joined in 1953 by Walter F. Brinkley. Following his father’s footsteps, Gaither S. Walser joined the firm in 1957. Charles McGirt became the fourth partner in 1961. The firm was known as Brinkley Walser from 1994-2015, when Brinkley Walser, PLLC, merged with Stoner, Bowers, Gray & McDonald, P.A., another historic Lexington firm.
Today
The present firm includes David E. Inabinett as Managing Member, Partners: Bradley S. Hunt, Roy L. McDonald, II, Ryan V. McNeill; Associates: Gary J. Bowers, E. Drew Nelson; and Of Counsel: Carl W. Gray, Charles H. McGirt, and G. Thompson Miller. Service and awards: Over the last 100+ years, many of the firm’s members have been active in the organized Bar, with Don having served as president of the North Carolina Bar in 1952, with Walt having served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association in 1974, and a prior partner, Clark Smith, serving as president of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys in 2002-2003 and President of the North Carolina Bar Association in 2005-2006. Others have continued the firm’s tradition of active involvement in the organized Bar, serving on the North Carolina Bar Association’s Board of Governors, Legal Aid of North Carolina, the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners, the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. The firm also boasts two distinguished members of the North Carolina General Practice Hall of Fame, to which Walter Brinkley was named in 1995 and Charles McGirt was named in 2012. Mr. Brinkley was listed in Woodward/White's The Best Lawyers in America, and was a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers prior to his death in 2015.
Practice Areas
The firm's diverse practice offers everything from banking law to business issues, elder law and Medicaid/Public benefits planning, family law, criminal practice and representation within the community schools, municipal and airport authority representation.