Partner
PJ Puryear joined Zaytoun & Ballew in 2022 after litigating cases at Wyrick Robbins for 12 years. PJ’s practice has focused on complex commercial litigation, class action litigation, and employment contract disputes. His practice will now expand into civil rights, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and maritime law.
In his career PJ has tried jury trials in federal and state courts, as well as bench trials before state courts, the American Arbitration Association and the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings. He has also argued before the North Carolina Business Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and in various state and federal courts throughout the country. His complex commercial litigation practice includes cases involving contractual disputes, intra-corporate disputes, unfair and deceptive trade practices, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary duty, and derivative claims.
PJ is a native of North Carolina, growing up in Greensboro and having lived in the Triangle since 1996. PJ graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000 and worked for the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (now Advocates for Justice) from 2003 to 2005 followed by Congressman Brad Miller. PJ received his J.D. with high honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was a member of the Broun National Trial team, is a member of the Order of the Coif, and is a published member of the North Carolina Law Review.
PJ lives in Apex with his wife Courtney and their two daughters. PJ is a licensed foster parent and in his spare time enjoys live music, taking his kids to the beach at Oak Island, and of course, Tar Heel sports.
Practice Areas:
- Complex commercial litigation
- Class action litigation
- Franchise litigation
- Non-Compete Contracts
- Medical Malpractice
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Catastrophic Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Medical Business and Physician Contract Cases
- Boating Accidents
- Qui Tam Whistleblower Litigation
Bar Admissions:
- State of North Carolina
- United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- Wake County Bar
Education:
- J.D. with High Honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, 2010
- B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2000
Presentations, Papers and Publications:
- What You Need to Know about Remote Depositions in 2022, NCBA Litigation Section Blog, January 2022
- “Admissibility of Scientific Experts and Evidence,” NBI CLE (2019)
- “The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit,” NBI CLE (2017)
- “Find it Free and Fast on the Net: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web,” NBI CLE (2015)
- “International Avoided Deforestation Offset Projects: Insuring the Risk of Reversal Penalties,” Center for Law, Environment, Adaptation & Resources (May 2010)
- “Life After NCRL v. Leake: Can North Carolina’s Disclosure Laws Survive a Constitutional Challenge?”, 87 N.C.L. Rev. 1252 (2009)
Reported Cases:
- White v. Allstate Insurance Company, 277 N.C. App. 386 (2021)
- Speaks v. U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, Inc., 486 F. Supp. 3d 974 (2020)
- Variety Stores, Inc. v. Martinsville Plaza, LLC, — F.3d —, 2020 WL 1052525 (W.D. Va.)
- Taylor v. Perni,— N.C App. —, 829 S.E.2d 240 (2019)
- Town of Carrboro v. Slack,261 N.C. App. 525, 820 S.E.2d 527 (2018)
- Pure Body Studios, LLC v. Crnalic, 2017 NCBC 96 (2017)
- SCA-Blue Ridge, LLC v. WakeMed, 2016 WL 54924 (N.C. Sup. Ct. 2016)
- Rodgers v. Waste Industries Inc., 553 Fed. Appx. 332 (4th Cir. 2014)
- Variety Wholesalers, Inc. v. Salem Logistics Traffic Services, LLC, 723 S.E.2d 744 (N.C. 2012)
- Kight’s Medical Corp. v. Pickett, 722 S.E.2d 212 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012)
- Moten v. Warren Unilube, Inc., 2012 WL 265138 (8th Cir. 2012)
- Moten v. Warren Unilube, Inc., 2011 WL 2469850 (E.D. Ark. 2011)
Professional, Civic and Community Activities:
- North Carolina State Bar
- American Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Wake County Bar Association
- Raleigh Moravian Church, past Vice-Chair
- Licensed foster parent
Awards and Recognitions
- Listed among Benchmark Litigation “Future Stars” (2015-2022)
- Listed among North Carolina Super Lawyers Business Litigation (2022); “Rising Stars” (2012, 2013, 2015-2020)
- Listed among Business North Carolina Magazine Legal Elite: Young Guns (2015-2018); Litigation (2019, 2021, 2022)
- Graduate and Class Speaker, Leadership Raleigh, 2016
- North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2018-2020
Representative Experience
- Obtained $500,000 jury trial verdict after one-week trial related to landlord indemnity obligation
- Obtained $1.2 million jury trial verdict after two-week trial related to illegal conversion of business funds by a secured creditor
- Obtained $12 million judgment against digital competitor involving disputing trademark claims
- Negotiated multi-million dollar complex franchisor/franchisee settlement that resulted in litigation avoidance, reversal of franchise termination, and rights for franchisee to open four additional locations
- Obtained summary judgment in multi-million dollar breach of contract dispute
- Obtained summary judgment and successfully defended judgment on appeal regarding landowner dispute thereby guaranteeing access to landlocked property
- Obtained summary judgment and successfully defended judgment on appeal regarding employee discrimination claims
