Patterson Harkavy LLP » Leto Copeley

Leto Profiled in NC Super Lawyers Magazine

Narendra Ghosh — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:02:46 +0000

Check out this profile of Leto Copeley, entitled “The Interpreter” in the February 2010 edition of the North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine.

Valerie, Leto, Burton, Hank, Mike, and Jonathan Recognized as North Carolina “Super Lawyers”

Narendra Ghosh — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:54:41 +0000

Six of Patterson Harkavy’s attorneys have been named North Carolina “Super Lawyers” for 2010 in a recent study by Law & Politics magazine. The findings are published in the February 2010 edition of the North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine.

Patterson Harkavy’s 2010 North Carolina “Super Lawyers” are:

Valerie Johnson — Workers’ Compensation
Leto Copeley — Workers’ Compensation
Burton Craige — Personal Injury: Medical Malpractice
Hank Patterson — Workers’ Compensation
Michael Okun — Labor & Employment Law
Jonathan Harkavy — Alternative Dispute Resolution

In addition, Jonathan Harkavy was named to the list of the Top 100 attorneys in North Carolina.

Law & Politics conducts a regional survey of lawyers who have been in practice for at least five years, asking them to nominate the best attorneys they’ve personally observed in action. In addition, the magazine’s attorney-led research department reviews nominees’ credentials based on a set of evaluation criteria. To ensure a diverse and well-balanced list, the research staff considers factors such as firm size, practice area and geographic location.

Patterson Harkavy Wins Workers Compensation Case in Court of Appeals

Narendra Ghosh — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:54:58 +0000

In Hojnacki v. Last Rebel Trucking, the Court of Appeals reversed the Industrial Commission, and ruled that one of the defendant-companies, Last Rebel Trucking, was also one of the plaintiff’s employers under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The plaintiff, Mr. Hojnacki, was an interstate truck driver who was hired by Last Rebel Trucking, a local North Carolina company, to drive its truck under the dispatch of Comtrak Logistics, a large trucking company based in Tennessee. On appeal, it was admitted that Comtrak was one of Mr. Hojnacki’s employers. In its opinion, the Court found that Last Rebel was also an employer because it paid Mr. Hojnacki for driving its truck following its general directions. The Court then remanded the case back to the Commission for a revised determination about jurisdiction and what benefits are owed to Mr. Hojnacki. Leto Copeley and Narendra Ghosh are representing Mr. Hojnacki.

Leto Presenting at ABA’s Annual Labor and Employment Conference

Narendra Ghosh — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:13:04 +0000

Leto Copeley is presenting today at the ABA’s Third Annual CLE Conference for the Labor and Employment Section in Washington, DC. She is part of a group of litigators presenting opening statements and testimony through the use of a Summary Trial before a mock jury.

Briefs Filed for Truck Driver in Workers’ Compensation Appeal

Narendra Ghosh — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:29:46 +0000

In Hojnacki v. Last Rebel Trucking, we have filed an opening brief and a reply brief to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in this workers’ compensation case. Mr. Hojnacki is an interstate truck driver who was severely injured while loading his truck. The primary issue on appeal is whether North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act covers Mr. Hojnacki. Though he was injured in South Carolina, he was jointly employed by two trucking companies, one of which is based in North Carolina. Because our Act has a special provision for truck drivers, N.C.G.S. 97-19.1, and the Act can apply to out-of-state injuries, the court should find that the Act applies. Leto Copeley and Narendra Ghosh are representing Mr. Hojnacki.

Leto Receives Silver Service Award

Leto Copeley — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:01:15 +0000

Leto Copeley was awarded the Women of Wisdom Silver Service Award by the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys at its annual conference on October 2, 2009. The award is given in recognition for work performed during 25 years of law practice. Participants in the conference, held jointly this year in Charleston with South Carolina Women in Law, included recenty retired Chief Judge of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Karen Williams and retired US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Leto Admitted to Women’s Forum of North Carolina

Leto Copeley — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:24:31 +0000

Leto Copeley has been accepted as a member of the Women’s Forum of North Carolina, an invitational, non-partisan organization of women who have demonstrated leadership in the professional, business, government or civic sectors, who are committed to full equality for women in every sphere of life Founded in 1976, the Women’s Forum works to improve public policy and the public policy process in North Carolina.

Patterson Harkavy Wins Workers’ Compensation Appeal

Narendra Ghosh — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:29:12 +0000

In Masood v. Erwin Oil Company, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the Industrial Commission regarding the payment of interest on an award of medical benefits to the plaintiff. This is the second Court of Appeals decision in Mr Masood’s case, which began because he was denied workers’ compensation benefits after being shot while working at a gas station.

Under N.C.G.S. 97-86.2, plaintiffs are entitled to interest on their workers’ compensation awards if they prevail upon appeal. Mr. Masood was ultimately awarded disability and medical benefits after his case was taken all the way to the North Carolina Supreme Court. While the Commission included interest for his award of disability, it said he was not entitled to any interest on the award of medical benefits. The Court of Appeals disagreed, concluding that Mr. Masood would be entitled to interest if he could show that he was disadvantaged by the inability to pay for care because the company denied his claim after he was injured. The court remanded the case to the Commission for additional findings on “whether there was medically necessary treatment that plaintiff was unable to procure, and whether plaintiff had the ability to pay for this treatment during the time period that it was medically necessary.”

Leto Copeley and Narendra Ghosh represent Mr. Masood.