Joe Dowdy has been a go-to national trial practice, complex litigation, and alternative dispute resolution lawyer at two different AmLaw 100 law firms. He is a trusted advisor who partners with clients to solve their most sophisticated problems, both inside and outside of the courtroom.
Mr. Dowdy is not only a litigator; he is also a courtroom advocate who takes on high-stakes cases when and where his clients need him. He began his career with a six-week trial of a constitutional claim in federal court, and he has appeared for trial or pre-trial proceedings in federal or state courts across the country frequently ever since. Since 2020, he has been lead counsel in four different cases with more than $50 million in controversy, and he served as first-chair trial counsel in five arbitrations that went the distance.
Clients enlist Mr. Dowdy’s creativity and strategic approach to resolving sophisticated problems across a broad range of matters including:
- class actions and quasi-class actions brought by statute attorneys general;
- constitutional claims and other challenges to governmental action;
- commercial disputes and business torts, including mini-FTC and unfair trade practices litigation;
- defamation claims;
- defense of consumer claims;
- financial services litigation, regulatory inquiries, and lender and servicer liability defense;
- representation of lenders and special servicers in litigation and loan servicing matters relating to commercial mortgage-backed securities, including commercial collections, workouts, judicial and non-judicial foreclosures, receivership actions, replevins, fraudulent conveyance disputes, bankruptcy disputes, and other proceedings concerning loans collateralized by retail, office, industrial, multifamily, healthcare properties, ground leases, and pledged interests in personality;
- real property disputes and condemnations;
- utilities litigation, including matters involving alternative energy providers and interconnection issues.
Mr. Dowdy is actively involved in the firm’s pro bono work. His contributions include successfully advocating for the removal of a Jim Crow era confederate monument near a public school, regularly submitting amicus briefing advocating for equity and fairness in funding public schools, and filing a petition for certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on behalf of a whistleblower who uncovered Medicare fraud and homeless citizens being denied access to municipal services. He also submitted an influential amicus brief in the Massachusetts crime lab scandal case and has contributed briefing on other matters of public interest.
Mr. Dowdy holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating™ from Martindale-Hubbell®, a listing for Commercial Litigation in The Best Lawyers in America® from 2018 to 2025, a designation as a North Carolina "Super Lawyer" from 2021 to 2025 and as a North Carolina "Rising Star" from 2012 to 2018 by Super Lawyers magazine. He was a featured speaker at the fiftieth anniversary of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the class speaker of thirtieth class of Leadership Raleigh. In 2014, Kilpatrick awarded him its “Embracing Our Values Award” for extraordinary pro bono and community service efforts. His prior firm awarded him its Renaissance Associate Award for extraordinary achievement in client service, training, pro bono, marketing, recruiting, and mentoring. He is a 2010 graduate of the prestigious Trial Academy of the International Association of Defense Counsel.
Outside the courtroom, Mr. Dowdy is passionate about personal and professional development and mentoring other legal professionals. He co-chaired Kilpatrick’s litigation associate training programs in 2021 and 2023 and has agreed to do so again in 2025. He regularly speaks to clients on behavioral science and improving social skills and leads a monthly in-house counsel roundtable discussion on improving advocacy through dynamic thinking. He frequently serves as a volunteer judge for the UNC first-year law student trial team competition.
Experience
Wireless World LLC d/b/a Experts Choice v. T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Sprint Solutions, LLC, King County, Washington, Case No. 23-2-16531-4-SEA. Led trial practice and complex motions team that won and obtained confirmation of a $13,950,060 arbitration award, including damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, on behalf of a small business wireless retailer client in JAMS arbitration. Following a one-week hearing, retired Washington Supreme Court Justice Faith Ireland entered a final award in our client’s favor, finding violations of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act (a state unfair and deceptive trade practices or “mini-FTC” Act). Served as lead counsel in twenty similar arbitrations.
Monarch Tax Credits, LLC v. N.C. Dep’t of Revenue, Wake County, North Carolina, Case No. 19 CVS 12647 (Rule 2.1 “Exceptional” Designation). Led multidisciplinary litigation team that successfully challenged agency action that changed state law to potentially regulate several state tax equity investment businesses out of existence in North Carolina and impacted millions of dollars in business community investments in the state. Following six years of litigation, the State agreed to a consent order permitting the use of the state tax credits at issue.
Town of Leland, N.C., and Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer v. Town of Belville, N.C., Brunswick County, North Carolina, Case No. 17 CVS 2243 (Rule 2.1 “Exceptional” Designation). Led multi-firm litigation team that successfully challenged the transfer of all a municipality’s assets and political powers by an outgoing board of commissioners to avoid the result of a popular election as it pertained to a public works project. We obtained a preliminary injunction stopping the transfer, obtained summary judgment invalidating the transfer, and obtained an order awarding our client attorneys’ fees.
N.C. ex rel. Expert Discovery, LLC, v. AT&T Corp, et al., Wake County, North Carolina, Case No. 14 CVS 13514 (Rule 2.1 “Exceptional” Designation), aff’d in part, 287 N.C. App. 75 (N.C. Ct. App. 2022), appeal dismissed and review denied, 891 S.E.2d 282 (N.C. 2023). Acted as co-counsel in successful defense and related appeals or putative qui tam action challenging alleged billings related to emergency calls.
Cube Yadkin Generation, LLC v. Duke Energy Progress, LLC, 269 N.C. App. 1 (N.C. Ct. App. 2019) & N.C. Util. Comm’n, Case Nos. E-2, Sub 1177; E-7, Sub 1172. Successfully appealed Commission dismissal of client complaint seeking purchase of hydroelectric qualified facilities’ energy and capacity by incumbent utility at legacy rates and first chaired the trial of the action in the Commission on remand.
Dijkstra v. Carenbauer, et. al., United States District Court, N.D. West Virginia, Case No. 5:11–CV–152. Led class action defense of loan originator defendant against claims for alleged violations of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act related to the closing of home mortgage loans. This case involved numerous unique aspects of the class action rules and procedures. Following class certification and a class-wide award, our efforts in the trial and appellate courts led to a court-approved resolution.
Secured injunctive relief in multimillion-dollar renewable energy contract dispute.
Negotiated and litigated commercial disputes on behalf of the firm’s real estate and energy clients.
Coordinated effective regional litigation strategy in sophisticated jurisdictions for large regional and national financial services companies.
Obtained favorable ruling enforcing arbitration clause and rejecting an opposing party’s contention that the Bankruptcy Code preempts the Federal Arbitration Act.
Tried Fifth Amendment case for national telecommunications company following the forced relocation of telecommunications facilities by a large municipality.
Obtained favorable decisions from federal and state appellate courts in cases involving complex jurisdictional issues, discovery, and substantive law.
Led representation of a special committee of a board of directors in a large, interested-party merger.
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law J.D. (2003) with honors
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill B.A. (2000) Political Science, with distinction
North Carolina (2003)
West Virginia (2016)
North Carolina State, Federal, and Bankruptcy Courts
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
West Virginia State Courts and U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of West Virginia
North Carolina Court of Appeals - Honorable J. Douglas McCullough
North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
DRI, Member, Class Action Steering Committee
North Carolina Bar Association, Member
West Virginia Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
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