Edward L. Bleynat, Jr.

Edward L. Bleynat, Jr. has been a lawyer for more than 30 years. He began his legal career as Clerk to the Honorable James G. Exum, Jr., then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. He and Joe Ferikes merged their practices into Ferikes & Bleynat, PLLC in 2001. In 2019, their firm was first recognized by U.S. News and Best Lawyers in America as one of Asheville’s Best Law Firms.

Ed is an AV Preeminent Peer Rated Lawyer by Martindale Hubbell. He is included in North Carolina Super Lawyers and is recognized in two litigation practice sections at Best Lawyers in America. He is a Master of the Bench in the Harry C. Martin Chapter of the American Inns of Court, where he has served as President and Immediate Past President. Ed is licensed to practice in North Carolina and Tennessee.

After associating with a major Greensboro business and litigation firm Ed returned to Asheville to continue his law practice and to raise his family in Western North Carolina, where Ed grew up. He is the author of two volumes on the Synoptic Gospels and is actively involved in a variety of church, civic and community activities as a director, a trustee or a volunteer.

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ASHEVILLE OFFICE

Asheville Office Address

67 Charlotte St.
Asheville, NC 28801

Ed Bleynat's Email Address

ed@ashevillelitigators.com

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Ed Bleynat, 2024 Best Lawyers in America

Practice Focus

  • Business Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Major Personal Injury
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Construction Matters
  • Contract Law
  • Consumer protection litigation (particularly involving financial institutions)

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk to Hon. James G. Exum Jr., Chief Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1989–1991

Honors

  • Harry C. Martin Chapter of the American Inns of Court, Master of the Bench
  • Super Lawyers North Carolina, since 2019
  • Best Lawyers in America, since 2020
    • Litigation – Real Estate Section (since 2020)
    • Litigation – Land Use and Zoning Section (since 2020)
    • Commercial Litigation (since 2021)
  • AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
  • The MAVL Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Award (1998)

Professional Associations

  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • 28th Judicial District Bar
  • Harry C. Martin Chapter of the American Inns of Court
    President; 2018-2019
    Immediate Past President, 2019-2020

Education

  • J.D., with honors, University of North Carolina, 1989
  • B.S., magna cum laude, Clemson University, 1986

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina, 1989
  • Tennessee, 1991

Professional Dedication

  • Lawyer Representative and Captain, Sawbones v. Jawbones, Doctor-Lawyer basketball fundraiser for Western Carolina Medical Society and Pisgah Legal Services

Community Engagement

  • Member, National Moot Court Competition and Holderness Moot Court Bench, 1988–1989
  • Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyer serving clients through Pisgah Legal Services since 1995
  • Past President, Board Chair, and Board Member, Lake Logan Episcopal Center
  • Past Chair and Board member of the Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
  • Past Chair of the Discernment Committee, Trinity Episcopal Church, Asheville
  • Past Senior Warden, Vestry member, and Capital Campaign member Trinity Episcopal Church, Asheville
  • Past member, Bishop Search Committee, Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
  • Past Board Member and Secretary, Carolina Day School, Asheville
  • Past Middle School Basketball Coach, Carolina Day School, Asheville
  • Past YMCA Basketball Coach
  • Asheville City League Basketball and Volleyball
  • Rotary Club of Asheville, Member

Representative Cases

  • Price and Price Mechanical of N.C., Inc. v. Miken Corp., 191 N.C. App. 177, 661 S.E.2d 775, 2008.
  • TD Bank, N.A. v. Mirabella, ___N.C. App. ___, 725 S.E.2d 29, 2012.
  • Douglas v. McVicker, 150 N.C. App. 705, 564 S.E.2d 622, 2002.
  • Synovus Bank v. Karp, 887 F.Supp.2d 677, W.D.N.C. 2012.
  • Murphy v. Glafenhein, 110 N.C. App. 830, 431 S.E.2d 241, 1993.
  • Hopkins v. Ciba-Geigy Corp., 111 N.C. App. 179, 432 S.E.2d 142, 1993.
  • Mickles vs. Duke Power Company, 342 N.C. 103, 463 S.E.2d 206, 1995.
  • G.P. Publications, Inc. vs. Quebecor Printing-St. Paul, Inc., 125 N.C. App. 424, 481 S.E.2d 674, 1997.

Biography

  • Born in Lexington Park, Maryland
  • Married to law school classmate, the former Anne Freels, since 1990; Father of Web, Elizabeth, and Luke Bleynat.
  • Author of two volumes (to date) on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke: The Synoptic Gospels, a Journey into the Kingdom: Volume I, From Bethlehem to the River Jordan; The Synoptic Gospels, a Journey into the Kingdom: Volume II, From The Desert to the Mount
  • Ed’s lifelong interests include team sports, especially basketball; reading the great books; and enjoying the art of conversation
  • Ed grew up in Valdese, looking up from his family’s Burke County yard at the Blue Ridge Mountains. Anne grew up atop Walden’s Ridge in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. They wanted to raise their family in the Southern Appalachian Highlands, and settled on eclectic, embracing and fascinating Asheville.

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