Dorothy Bass Burch

Contact Information

P (919) 881-2206
F (919) 783-8991
E dburch@rl-law.com

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Dorothy Bass Burch, Partner, Business

Having been with the firm for nearly two decades, Dottie Burch practices as a partner in Ragsdale Liggett PLLC in the dynamic business and real estate department of the firm, covering a wide range of areas from corporate and commercial real estate transactions to everyday business advice, including strategic advice about contract negotiation, business strategies, human resources, corporate formation, management and dissolution, closing various types of financing and other transactions and assisting clients with insurance regulatory compliance and advocacy needs. Dottie has had extensive experience in buying and selling businesses, both large and small, and in representing insurance agents and companies in discussions and negotiations with the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Dottie also serves as the firm’s recruiting partner and manages younger lawyers in the firm. She has been admitted to the United States Supreme Court as well as all North Carolina state and federal courts and is a member of the American, North Carolina and Wake County Bar Associations in addition to the 10th Judicial District Bar.

Dottie is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, a directory of top legal professionals designated by their colleagues as preeminent in their field. She has received a prestigious "AV" Peer Review Rating from Lexis-Nexis Martindale Hubbell, a rating which reflects the opinions of lawyers outside Dottie’s firm as to her competence and ethics. A "AV" rating indicates a "Very High to Preeminent" legal ability rating and a "Very High" ethical standards rating.

An active member of Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW), an professional organization which provides a forum for fostering relationships and professional development among female commercial real estate professionals in the Triangle, Dottie was re-elected to the board of directors as its Special Events Officer for the fourth consecutive year. Dottie has chaired the 400 person Champion Awards Event for TCREW for several years and the event has gained significantly in stature and recognition under her leadership.

Dottie was awarded the prestigious "Women In Business" award by the Triangle Business Journal in August of 2006, an award which recognized her as an exemplary female professional in North Carolina. In addition, 2007 she received the Meredith College Career Achievement Award from her alma mater. Quite a popular speaker, Dottie is a graduate of the International Toastmasters Competent Communicator program. She was a guest lecturer for several years on corporate and real estate law at the UNC School of Dentistry and at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dottie presented a seminar at Meredith College entitled "Owning Your Own Business," was the keynote speaker at the 2006 annual induction banquet for Kappa Nu Sigma, Meredith College’s academic honor society of which she is a member, and was also the keynote speaker for the 2007 Senior Banquet for graduating seniors at Meredith College.

Church, education and children are among the charitable causes about which Dottie is passionate. Dottie is a lifetime member of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh where she has participated in the many committees, choirs and activities since childhood. She currently serves on the Finance Committee and the Children’s Safety Committee as well as assisting with elementary Sunday School. Dottie also volunteers at the North Raleigh Ministries Thrift Store, another ministry of her church. Dottie enjoys serving on the Advisory Board for the Meredith College paralegal program, a board which serves to advise and assist the college in keeping Meredith’s paralegal program on the cutting edge of industry so that the graduates are as marketable as they can be upon graduation. In addition, Dottie served as director, officer and legal counsel to the board of directors for the Make A Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina for several years. Make A Wish is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life threatening illnesses or conditions.

A Raleigh native, Dottie received her Bachelor’s degrees in American History and Political Science from Meredith College in Raleigh, graduating second in her class, summa cum laude. Much to her delight as an avid Tarheel fan, Dottie was able to continue her education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law where she received her Juris Doctor.

Inspired by her nine year old daughter’s and eleven year old son’s enthusiasm for the sport, for the past few years Dottie has been developing her athletic skills as an equestrian. The accomplished and patient trainers at MacNair’s Country Acres are helping her to achieve her goal of placing in an English riding Hunter Jumper show and hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of her children in that regard. Dottie and her husband, Asheville native Kevin Burch, reside in Raleigh with their children. Kevin is a Professional Engineer in Raleigh and owns his own civil engineering firm, Clearwater Engineering & Design, PLLC.

Watch Video (From 2006 Women in Business Awards)