Kearns Davis
Kearns Davis leads the firm's practice in the areas of white-collar criminal defense, felony trials and appeals, grand jury proceedings, and government investigations, and handles a broad range of federal and business litigation. Among other honors and awards, he is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" in White-Collar Criminal Defense, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Commercial Litigation (Woodward/White publishing, 2010-2021), "North Carolina Super Lawyers Top 100" (Law & Politics 2012-2020), "Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations (Band 1) (Chambers & Partners, 2012-20), and Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite” (2008-20). In addition, in 2013, "Best Lawyers" named him as the first recipient of its "Lawyer of the Year" award for Greensboro in the area of White-Collar Criminal Defense. Kearns has tried jury cases at all levels of federal and North Carolina trial courts, regularly represents clients in other states pro hac vice, and has handled dozens of criminal and civil appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits.
Kearns regularly represents businesses, executives, doctors, lawyers, financial professionals, and others involved in government and criminal investigations including real estate, health care, environmental, bank fraud, public corruption, tax evasion, insider trading and securities, money laundering, mail fraud, wire fraud, false statements, federal benefits, computer crimes, embezzlement, false pretenses, identity theft, conspiracy, professional licensing, and other types of cases. A former federal prosecutor, in his years with the government Kearns served as the United States' lead counsel in felony trials for a broad spectrum of crimes including fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, crimes against financial institutions, drug trafficking, bank robbery, and firearms offenses.
In business and civil litigation, Kearns has represented publicly traded corporations, privately held companies, financial institutions, small businesses, municipalities, individuals, and the United States in a wide range of matters including fraud, unfair trade practices, antitrust, shareholder disputes, breach of contract, environmental, real estate, construction, labor and employment, tax, intellectual property, transportation, and consumer protection.
Teaching- Adjunct Law Professor, Trial Advocacy, University of North Carolina School of Law, 2008-14
- Adjunct Law Professor, Trial Advocacy, Elon University School of Law, Spring 2008
- Trial Advocacy Instructor, U.S. Department of Justice, National Advocacy Center, 2007
- Faculty, National Institute for Trial Advocacy Southeast Regional, 2006 & 2007
- Co-presenter (with DJ O'Brien), "Following the Money: The False Claims Act and the Federal Pandemic Response," North Carolina Bar Association July Expert Series CLE, July 2020
- Presenter, "All-Star Trial Advocacy," Mecklenburg County Bar, Charlotte, NC, February 2020
- Presenter, "An Introduction to Closing Arguments," UNC Law School Festival of Legal Learning, February 2020
- Panelist, "Origins of Professionalism," College of American Trial Lawyers, Asheville, NC, April 2019
- Panelist, "Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls While Investigating a Corporate Crisis," Association of Corporate Counsel, Greensboro, NC, October 2018
- Guest Speaker, Supreme Court of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, May 2018"Federal Criminal Case Law Update," North Carolina Bar Association & Foundation, 2006-18
- Panelist, "Government Investigations & Prosecution for the Civil Practitioner," Dartmouth Lawyers Association, February 2016
- "Criminal Intellectual Property: Responding to Investigations and Defending Against Indictments," UNC Law School Festival of Legal Learning, February 2014
- "Internal Corporate Investigations," Elon University Law School, March 2013
- "Federal Criminal Health Care Fraud: Responding to Investigations, Defending Against Indictments, and Handling Related Civil Claims," UNC Law School Festival of Legal Learning, February 2013
- "Federal Criminal Case Law Update," North Carolina Bar Foundation, 2006-13
- "Internal Corporate Investigations and Disclosure to Law Enforcement," North Carolina Bankers Association Security Summit, 2012
- White Collar Crime Panel, 2011 Criminal Justice Section Annual Meeting, North Carolina Bar Foundation
- "When Insiders Pose a Hidden Danger: Conducting Internal Corporate Investigations," N.C. Bankers Association Security Summit, September 2011
- "2010 White-Collar Crime Update - Fourth Circuit and Supreme Court," North Carolina Bar Foundation, April 2010
- "Environmental Criminal Investigations & Enforcement," UNC Law School Festival of Legal Learning, February 2010
- "Corporate Investigations: Government, Criminal, and Internal," UNC School of Law Festival of Legal Learning, February 2009
- "North Carolina's Top Rated Lawyers" in Criminal Law, Litigation, and Appellate Law (Martindale-Hubbell 2012)
- "Robinson O. Everett Professionalism Award" (North Carolina Bar Association, 2010)
- Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” for North Carolina in White Collar Crime/Enforcements/Investigations (2015-2020)
- "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in the area of White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations (Chambers & Partners, 2012-20)
- Business North Carolina magazine, "Legal Elite" in Criminal Law, 2008-2020
- North Carolina Super Lawyers in White-Collar Criminal Defense (Law & Politics, 2010-2020); Ranked 2nd Overall (2016)
Greensboro, North Carolina 27420
