Williams, Leigh Anne

Penelope L. Hefner is the Principal and Managing Attorney at Sodoma Law Union. She is a Certified North Carolina Family Financial Mediator and a Certified Collaborative Law Attorney. Ms. Hefner’s focus has been on family law since she first started practicing fifteen years ago.

She began her practice in Union County and then joined Sodoma Law in 2012 at the Charlotte office. After dividing her time between the two counties, Ms. Hefner identified a need to better serve her Union County clients and encouraged the rest of the leadership team at Sodoma Law to open an office in Monroe, North Carolina. Sodoma Law Union opened its doors in 2015. Ms. Hefner is the past president of the Union County Bar and is a member of the North Carolina, Mecklenburg County, and Union County Bars. Her charitable work includes active participation in the Union County Community Shelter as a board member, the Charlotte Rescue Mission as the chair of the ChariTEA fundraiser, and she works with several local organizations to offer pro bono hours among many other endeavors. Regularly recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine and Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Penelope has always been recognized as one of Charlotte’s 50 Most Influential Leaders and a Leader in the Law by Mecklenburg Times.

Brian King started King Law in 2002, in a two-room office above a bar. He had the vision to create a firm that was built around business principles and taking care of clients. It is under his leadership the firm has grown from a small community firm to one of the largest and fastest-growing firms in the Carolinas. Mr. King has always called Western North Carolina home and has always considered taking care of the community as a natural role of the small-town lawyer. As King Law has grown in location and numbers, that vision has never changed. Mr. King is a member of the North Carolina and South Carolina Bars, and in 2009 became a Family Law Specialist through the North Carolina Bar Board of Specialization. He has served as the attorney for the Rutherford County Department of Social Services, and the McDowell County Department of Social Services, been a member of the North Carolina Child Support Council. He is a sought-after and consistent speaker at various Continuing Legal Education events. He has spoken across the country at legal conferences and has a network of attorneys across the country that call on him for legal business advice. Mr. King is a proud father and understands the dynamics of family law as an attorney and as a client. He has been elected as President of the Judicial District Bar and has served in various legal leadership positions. Mr. King has been involved in several Court of Appeals cases, with important and often referenced opinions.

Carrie L. Lehmann is an Attorney at Sodoma Law York. She is a licensed Family Law Mediator in both North and South Carolina and a Family Court Guardian Ad Litem in Union County, North Carolina and York County, South Carolina. While her focus has primarily been in the practice area of family law both as an attorney and as a Guardian Ad Litem, Ms. Lehmann also has experience in criminal law and traffic law, as well as estate planning and estate administration.

Ashley-Nicole Russell, Esq. is an experienced family law attorney, author, and speaker who is changing the way divorce is perceived around the world. She is widely-known as a dedicated, passionate, and trustworthy attorney with integrity. As a child of divorce and divorcee, she brings a unique, relatable, and personal understanding to AN|R Law Offices. With more than a decade of experience in Collaborative Law, Ashley-Nicole knows first-hand how this model benefits families during separation and divorce. Her North Carolina law practice is an award-winning firm with locations in Greenville, Raleigh, Beaufort, and Wilmington. She is the author of The Cure for Divorce Culture, hosts the podcast, Divorce, Healthy!, and serves as a board member with the National Parents Organization. As an expert in divorce culture, Ashley-Nicole has appeared on various multi-media platforms to discuss Collaborative Law, shared parenting solutions, conflict resolution in the workplace, and the future of divorce in America. She actively shares her mission nationwide and is committed to sharing information to help families navigate the emotional and legal aspects of separation and divorce.

Theresa E. Viera founded Modern Legal in 2020 amidst the pandemic and drastic changes to our judicial system. Her law firm is dedicated to helping individuals navigate the legal system by utilization of the law and current-day innovation. She conducted her undergraduate studies at George Washington University and obtained her law degree at the University of North Carolina School of Law. She has been practicing family law for over ten years and is a Certified Family Financial Mediator. She was named a Top 40 Young Lawyer by the American Bar Association in 2020, a North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Rising Start in 2021, and has received the designation of Super Lawyers Rising Star, Best Lawyer Ones to Watch, and Legal Elite by Business North Carolina.

Leigh Anne Williams has dedicated her career to making sure families are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to adequately protect themselves and their loved ones, with over 20 years of experience working with families in a variety of high conflict situations. She works with the Olsinski Law Firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ms. Williams believes her role as an attorney is to educate clients and to make the law easier for them to understand. Her practice areas include “all things family.” Her practice style is to work hard to make sure her client’s rights and family are protected while turning towards litigation and the courts as a last resort. Leigh Anne is trained in the Collaborative Process and a member of Charlotte Collaborative Divorce Professionals, Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County Bar Associations.