Andrew Kragie

Andrew Kragie is a member of the firm’s Workplace Law and Employment Litigation teams, helping employers manage risk, respond to litigation and administrative claims under federal and state employment laws and navigate complex issues, including workplace speech and restrictive covenants such as non-competes.

Before joining Smith Anderson, Andrew practiced employment law and business litigation at a national firm’s Raleigh office. Earlier in his career, he spent six years as a journalist covering law, policy and politics for Law360, The Atlantic and the Houston Chronicle. Andrew draws on that experience to explain the law in plain English.

Outside of work, Andrew enjoys trying new barbecue, cheering for Duke basketball and U.S. soccer and spending time outdoors with his wife, son and dachshund mix.

Clerkships

• Judicial Intern, Chief Judge Donna Stroud, North Carolina Court of Appeals

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with honors, 2024
  • Notes Editor, First Amendment Law Review
  • Wordsworth Fellow in Entrepreneurship (recognizing excellence in serving nonprofits through the Community Development Law Clinic)
  • N.C. Cancer Hospital Volunteer
  • President, Media Law Society
  • Christian Legal Society
• Duke University, A.B., with distinction, 2015
  • Alona E. Evans Prize in International Law
  • Melcher Family Award for Excellence in Journalism
  • University Commencement Student Speaker

Bar & Court Admissions

• Board Secretary, Wesley Methodist Fellowship, Duke University (2023-present)

• Defended employers against discrimination claims in federal and state courts and before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and similar state agencies.
• Drafted, enforced, and resisted restrictive covenants covering competition, solicitation, trade secrets, and confidential information.
• Counseled and represented employers regarding workplace speech in both the public and private sectors under the First Amendment, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), and state laws.
• Advised employers regarding leave policies under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and state laws.
• Defended employers in wage-and-hour cases under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other federal and state laws.
• Investigated employee complaints and allegations concerning senior organizational leaders.
• Reviewed and revised employee handbooks for compliance with federal and state laws.