Wilson Ratledge PLLC

When an employee files a workers' compensation claim, how you respond in the early stages can make a significant difference in the outcome. Documenting the incident promptly, communicating with your insurance carrier, and understanding your obligations under North Carolina law are all steps where having the right guidance matters. The details are in the details, and small missteps early on can create bigger problems down the road. If your business is facing a workers' compensation claim, reach out to our team before taking action.

Get to know Tom Wilson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Wilson Ratledge! Tom brings a background that goes well beyond the law office. Before law school, he spent five years in the life insurance industry, and after earning his law degree cm laude from Campbell University, he went on to earn a Masters of Laws in Taxation from Emory University. He is licensed to practice in North Carolina, Florida, and Colorado. Tom handles the firm's business, estate planning, and trust matters, and has a particular focus on the unique challenges facing family business owners, something he understands firsthand from his own experience working in and helping structure the sale of his family's business. Outside the office, he has served on the Advisory Board of the Wake County Salvation Army, as a Board Member and State Treasurer of the North Carolina Special Olympics, and as an Advisory Board Member of the Duke Heart Center. We're proud to have him leading our team.

Next up in our NC Workers’ Compensation Webinar Series: 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴

One of our most talked-about presentations from the NCIC Annual Conference is returning as a webinar.

📣 Join us on 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟒 for this informative session and hear directly from experienced physicians! Plus, attendees can earn 1 North Carolina CEU credit!

📩 Email 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬@𝐰𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐰.𝐜𝐨𝐦 for your registration link!

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who gave everything in service to our country. 🇺🇸 Their sacrifice is the foundation of the freedoms we enjoy every day, and we are deeply grateful.

Planning to pass your business on to your children is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a business owner. When your family includes children from more than one marriage, that planning becomes even more critical to get right.

Blended families bring unique legal challenges to business succession, and without a clear plan in place, the result can be family conflict, unintended outcomes, and a business left vulnerable at exactly the wrong moment. Our latest blog breaks down the legal tools available to business owners navigating these situations, from trusts and buy-sell agreements to how prenuptial agreements can affect your succession plan.

If you have questions about protecting your business and your family's future, we're here to help. Read the full post at the link below, and reach out to schedule a consultation with our estate planning and business law team.
https://www.wrlaw.com/2026/05/how-do-i-plan-for-business-ownership-transfer-if-i-have-children-from-multiple-marriages/

⏳ Attorney Michael A. Ostrander joined our firm eighteen years ago, when 𝘐𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯 was topping the box office and Marvel was launching an empire.

Since then, Mike has been building his own legacy—one case, one client, and one winning argument at a time!

Congrats to Mike on 18 years of service with WR! 💙

Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms in our lives! That includes the hardworking moms on our team and every client who is celebrating today. We hope your day is filled with love, quality time, and a well-earned break. Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday!

Nothing means more to us than trust. When clients like this say we're the "only people they trust" for contract law, it reminds us why we do what we do. Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for trusting us with what matters most to your business. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you own a business, your estate plan needs to reflect that. A general will or basic beneficiary designations are often not enough to protect what you've built. Questions like who will run the business if you're unavailable, how it will be valued, and how ownership will transfer to your family all require thoughtful planning well in advance. The good news is that the right structure can protect both your business and your family for generations to come.

It matters more than most people realize. The structure you choose affects everything from how your business is taxed, to how ownership is divided, to how decisions get made as the company grows. What works well for a solo consultant may not be the right fit for a business with multiple partners or outside investors. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, which is why speaking with an attorney before you file anything is always a smart first step. Our team has extensive experience helping business owners in Raleigh and across North Carolina choose the right structure from day one.