One of the senior business lawyers in the firm, Dottie Burch’s extensive experience covers business and real estate purchase, refinance and sale transactions as well as everyday business advice involving strategic contract negotiation, business planning, human resources, corporate formation, management and dissolution. Her clients cover the range from individuals and small locally or family-owned businesses to large national government-regulated companies. She represents insurance companies and agents in purchase and sale transactions and assists with negotiations between agents and the North Carolina Department of Insurance.  Dottie is also widely recognized as the preeminent equine lawyer in North Carolina, representing many individuals and business entities which are involved in all facets of the horse industry, a growing industry that brings in nearly $10 billion per year in North Carolina.

When she’s not at work, you can find Dottie volunteering in her community, spending time with her family, riding horses, enjoying live music and traveling locally and internationally. She is currently preparing for and looking forward to realizing one of her bucket list items – hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Representation

Regularly represents NC business owners operating various types of businesses (e.g., stables; veterinary, dental and other health related practices; daycares; insurance companies and agencies; advertising and marketing companies; restaurants and more) in connection with the sale or purchase of businesses, real and personal property; negotiates complex business terms and prepares all closing documentation to finalize transactions.

Represents NC licensed insurance companies, brokers and agents in connection with their acquisitions of insurance books of business, companies and agencies and in connection with issues involving the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Represents multiple lenders and property owners in connection with complex real estate title defects (including boundary disputes, lien priority disputes, easement disputes and mineral rights disputes), including two successful cases argued before the NC Court of Appeals in rare equitable subrogation matters.

Represents major equine insurance agency, several large equine show boarding and teaching facilities, prominent equine trainers, show managers, breeders and many horse owners and equestrians with regard to corporate matters, real property matters, personal injury matters and business and employment disputes.

“When making such a significant investment, you deserve a smart, down to earth lawyer with sound judgment who genuinely cares about what is important to you. My goal every day is to be that person.”

More About Dottie

Education & Admissions

Education
UNC at Chapel Hill School of Law – JD 1991

Meredith College – BA 1988
Summa cum Laude

Admissions
North Carolina 1991
US District Courts – Eastern, Middle and Western Districts Courts of North Carolina
Supreme Court of the United States

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

  • Former Chair of the Equine Law Subcommittee
  • of Animal Law Committee

North Carolina Bar Association

Professional Vitality Committee Member

Wake County Bar Association

NCDRC Certified Mediator

Superior Court/Clerk of Court/Farm Nuisance

North Carolina Horse Council

Board and Executive Committee Member 2009-present

Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW)

Member, Past Director and Special Events Officer

Presentations & Publications

Presenter, 2015 and 2016 National Conferences on Equine Law, Lexington, KY
Guest Lecturer on Equine Law, NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Guest Lecturer on Business Law, NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine
Guest Lecturer on Business & Real Estate Law, UNC School of Dentistry
Meredith College Seminar Instructor – “Owning Your Own Business”
Meredith College Senior Class Keynote Speaker

Author, A Lawyer’s Stress Relief Smorgasboard – From Mainstream to Metaphysical
Author, Equine Law Blog at www.nchorselawyer.wordpress.com
Author, Equine Law Twitter Feed @NCHorseLawyer
Monthly Contributing Author, Southeast Equine magazine and Carolina Hoofbeats magazine

Community

Meredith College Paralegal Program
Member, Advisory Board

Make-A-Wish Foundation
Previous Director, Legal Counsel and Secretary

 

Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church
Ordained Elder and Personnel Committee Member,
Finance Committee Member and many other positions
held as lifetime member

Honors & Awards

AV Preeminent® Peer Rated
Martindale-Hubbell®

Super Lawyers
Top 50 Women NC lawyers 2020, 2022-24
NC lists in Corporate Law 2017-present

“Leader in the Law” Award 2013
NC Lawyers Weekly magazine

Star Volunteer Award
North Carolina Horse Council

Alumni Career Achievement Award
Meredith College

Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers®

Best Lawyers in America®
Business Law and Real Estate Law – editions 2016-present

Legal Elite
2020, 2022-23 Business North Carolina magazine

NC Pro Bono Resource Center Honor Society
2017-present

Top 25 Women in Business Award
Triangle Business Journal

For methodology see www.martindale.com
For methodology see www.superlawyers.com
For methodology see www.bestlawyers.com
For methodology see www.businessnc.com