Dorothy Bass Burch
Partner
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®
Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions 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