Overview
As a recognized leader in the field, Andrew Atkins serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Construction practice and brings significant experience in litigation, alternative dispute resolution and contracting. He regularly represents owners, contractors and developers in multi-party disputes involving public and private commercial projects. He assists clients in a variety of other real estate, commercial, contract and business-related disputes. Andrew has had the privilege of representing clients in some of North Carolina’s most significant construction disputes including multi-million-dollar claims related to the construction of state-owned psychiatric hospitals, a light rail system and public highways. He brings a collaborative and strategic approach, supporting clients to accomplish their goals.
Andrew understands client needs when facing risk management issues and claim development during construction. He has significant experience in mediation, litigation and arbitration and has been involved in projects across North Carolina, throughout the southeast, in Puerto Rico and in Eastern Europe.
Andrew draws on extensive experience handling cases with enormous volumes of documents to help clients streamline the discovery process and reduce costs through efficient, strategic planning. His proficiency and experience in this area make him the ideal attorney to serve as the firm’s eDiscovery Partner-In-Charge. He also brings this significant level of understanding to his role as a member of the firm’s AI Task Force.
Andrew represents clients before the various North Carolina construction-related licensing boards and counsels them on applicable laws and rules. In addition to his litigation practice, he supports clients with development and construction contracting matters including on complex projects such as public private partnerships.
Andrew is committed to public service. He was previously appointed by Speaker Tim Moore to the North Carolina Rules Review Commission where he served as 1st Vice Chair. He was previously appointed by Chief Justice Mark Martin as a Reporter on the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law Justice. Andrew has also served in several roles within the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law and the North Carolina Bar Association, where he currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Construction Law Section.
Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Andrew served as a Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Mark Martin, Supreme Court of North Carolina. He also practiced at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, United States Department of the Treasury (OCC), where he often worked with national banks on regulatory matters affecting their business operations and pursued enforcement actions on behalf of the OCC.
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Areas of Focus
Credentials
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Construction (2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Construction Law (2025)
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
- Litigation - Real Estate (2021-2024)
- Construction Law (2022-2024)
- Real Estate Law (2023-2024)
- Benchmark Litigation, “40 & Under” List (2024)
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Construction (2025)
- Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America
- North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star (2019-2025)
- Recipient, North Carolina Bar Association's Robinson O. Everett Professionalism Award (2022)
- Selected, North Carolina Bar Association's Leadership Academy, Class of 2018
- Selected, E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders, Class of 2016
- Institute Editor, North Carolina Banking Institute Journal (2010-2011)
- Recipient, Chancellors’ Scholarship, University of North Carolina School of Law
- North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society
Education
- University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with high honors, 2011
- Order of the Coif
- Dean’s List
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Political Science (honors) and Economics, with highest distinction, 2008
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Dean’s List
Bar & Court Admissions
- All North Carolina State Courts
- All Virginia State Courts
- North Carolina
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
- Virginia
Affiliations
- North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
- Chair, Construction Practice Group (2024-2025)
- Vice Chair, Construction Practice Group (2023-2024)
- American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law
- Editor, D2 Newsletter (2019-Present)
- D4 Steering Committee and Working Committee Member (2023-Present)
- D4 Liaison, Marketing Committee (2023-Present)
- North Carolina General Assembly, Rules Review Commission (Speaker of the House Appointment: 2017-2023)
- 1st Vice Chair (2021-2023)
- 2nd Vice Chair (2020-2021)
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Construction Section
- Executive Committee (2025-present)
- Treasurer (2025-present)
- Council Member (2022-2025)
- Co-Chair, Communications Committee (2021-2022)
- Co-Chair, CLE Committee (2022-2025)
- Young Lawyers Division
- Director of Liaisons (2021-2023)
- Division Director, Civic Engagement and Pro Bono Division (2020-2021)
- Executive Committee (2020-2021)
- Co-Chair, Law Week Committee (2018-2020)
- Executive Council (2020-2021)
- Construction Section
- Carolinas Association of General Contractors (CAGC) and North Carolina Bar Association Joint Committee (2023-present)
- Wake County Bar Association
- Reporter, Public Trust and Confidence Committee, North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice (2015-2016)
- Board of Advisors, North Carolina Center for Banking and Finance (2010-2012)
- Holy Trinity Anglican Church
Experience
- Represented a wireless network engineering and construction company in Federal court in relation to recovery of losses arising out of fire damage to a cellular service tower. Obtained summary judgment on all claims for damages including recovery of attorneys’ fees.
- Represented a North Carolina municipality in relation to multiple disputes arising out of the design and construction of the municipalities’ sewer system. Obtained favorable settlements on claims from multiple parties.
- Represented a national engineering firm in relation to an arbitration regarding a force main failure in a residential neighborhood serving a military base.
- Represented clients before North Carolina Court of Appeals on a matter of first impression regarding the North Carolina Real Property Marketable Title Act, as well as the construction of restrictive covenants.
- On several occasions, represented a utility company in relation to allegations of personal injury.
- Represented multiple clients before the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors and the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. Negotiated favorable outcomes in each instance, which avoided significant enforcement actions that would negatively impact business operations.
- Represented a national general contractor in relation to disputes arising out of the construction of two public health care facilities.
- Represented a design and construction firm in relation to disputes arising out of the construction of a glass factory in Kazakhstan, which resulted in a favorable award for an amount in excess of $1 million.
- Represented an international general contractor in relation to disputes arising out of the construction of a light rail extension project with a construction value exceeding $1 billion.
Insights
News
Publications & Alerts
Author, New Methods of Financial White-Collar Criminal Investigation and Prosecution: The Spillover of Wiretaps to Civil Enforcement Proceedings, 33 Pace L. Rev. 716, Spring 2013
Author, The AIG Bailout: Constraining the Fed’s Discretion, 14 N.C. Banking Inst. 335, Spring 2010