Kathleen Cunningham Clary

PRO

Kathleen Cunningham Clary

also known as KATIE CLARY

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 17 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at CHARLOTTE, NC
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence, DUI & DWI

1011 E. MOREHEAD STREET, CHARLOTTE, NC

About Kathleen

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 40%

40%
DUI and DWI 30%

30%
Domestic Violence 30%

30%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2022 2021 2020
...
+ 5
Platinum Client Champion

Licenses

Licensed in North Carolina for 17 years

State: North Carolina

Acquired: 2009

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of Kathleen Cunningham Clary

1011 E. MOREHEAD STREET, CHARLOTTE, NC, 28277

rdslaw.com/katie-c-clary/

Kathleen Cunningham Clary's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

96 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (96) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 11 - 15 of 23 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by anonymous | October 10, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Great lawyer and was very professional

The work Ms. Clary did was relentlessly to create the best results for me. I was impressed of the knowledge she expressed to help me through the court system. Everything that I voiced she worked very hard to address. Making me as a client feel respected and satisfied with Great service!

Posted by anonymous | April 17, 2017 | Hired Attorney

DUI case

Mrs. Clary went above and beyond her duty as my attorney. I could not have asked for a more intelligent and driven lawyer. Not only did she made sure that my family and I were aware and up to date about everything that was going on at all times, she also was there for us emotionally. She was personab...le, compassionate, and sincere with everything regarding my case. I placed my entire future in her hands and she knew exactly what to do with it. She fought for me in ways I didn't even know were possible. I wish there was a better way to express my gratitude for her and everything she has done for my family and I.

Posted by anonymous | April 05, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

AWESOME LADY

Ms. Clary took on my simple assault charges case and did an amazing job! After my case being continued a couple times and giving the others a chance to appear, our court date came, the others did not show & the charges were dropped. I met with Ms. Clary one time during this process to talk about what... would take place and she was very detailed and helped a lot in understanding what to expect. I would definitely recommend her to anyone and if I needed assistance again I would hire her again!

Posted by Mark | March 24, 2017 | Hired Attorney | DUI & DWI

An attorney who picked me up when I was down.

In Mid-December 2015 I was arrested for a alleged DWI charge along with 2 other charges . Prior to hiring Ms. Katie Clary and Rawls , Scheer , Foster , I had a consultation with another attorney obviously this was a big decision given the fact that this individual was going to be representing me in a... law of court. Explaining my story and the questions and feedback from this attorney I was not : (1) comfortable having him represent me .(2) Not convinced at all that he even wanted to invest the effort in this case, perhaps he saw no chance for a positive result. (3) His fees were very competitive but again he was not at all enthusiastic about taking my case on . I called upon a friend for some legal advice and who he had personally used in the past he told me to Mr. Rawls , so I did just that. I listened to him and immediately asked to speak to Mr.Eben Rawls to set up a consultation I was told that Mr. Rawls had been out of the office and that he was booked up for the time being . I kindly asked the para legal working if any other attorneys in the firm handled DWI cases the young woman said "yes" Katie Clary did . The young lady set up an appointment with Ms. K. Clary for another day and told to bring all my paper work and to start writing down specific actions and details about the night of my arrest , I did as she instructed. First time meeting Katie Clary she was very friendly inviting me to a conference and that is when we discussed the night of my arrest in every single specific detail . Katie asked me specific questions and wanted to know every single detail and action on both my behalf and the officers. Ms. Clary made me feel very welcome and felt very confident taking me on as a client and taking my case on 100% effort. The simple fact that she was so confident ,eager , and experienced in my particular arrest/ situation I knew that she was beyond a perfect choice. Leaving her law firm after the consultation I felt very relieved because I knew 100% that I had made a good choice hiring her and not the previous attorney . In closing Kathleen Cunningham Clary is a very confident , smart , sassy , intelligent attorney of whom I would not only use again but recommend to whoever needed legal representation . I was beyond impressed with her and this law firm because of their experience , knowledge , attention to every detail , and truly making sure justice is served and that the constitution is honored.

Posted by Kimberley | July 18, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Surpassed My Greatest Expectations !!

Rather lengthy but Please read. It is well worth your time) I had a very serious charge pending and initially had no idea with what firm or attorney to reach out to. A long time business associate highly recommended Mrs. Clary. (Katie) I met with her in a state of extreme nervousness and uncertainty... of what would happen next. (As previously stated my charge was of serious nature.) She took her time and explained all possibilities, options, what ifs, and even worst/best case scenario outcomes. I left with an entirely different feeling than prior to speaking with her. I was still nervous of course about "what will be the actual outcome" however, she made me feel much better and I, for the first time since charged, exhaled. Also, throughout the entire process her assistant, Stephanie was also just fabulous. I never had to ask twice for anything and was always kept in the loop via email and US mail immediately about every important detail. I never felt out of the loop or had to "guess" about anything. My case was a very difficult one I do admit and I honestly was amazed with every time we appeared in court. I am not exaggerating when saying I was amazed to hear her knowledge referencing other cases of parallel content, different laws, and the attention paid to smallest of detail, that I would have never noticed. She was and is very professional yet personable, knows her job and knows it well. I always felt a sense of pride while in the courtroom knowing she was my attorney. I witnessed no other attorney presenting cases that came close to her level of expertise. In the end, (and again MANY odds were against me) the amount of hard work and apparent knowledge of the law by Katie paid off exceedingly. I was found NOT GUILTY with in a minute by the judge after hearing both side's closing statements. I feel compelled to brag just a bit more. The same day in court there were two very small charges in other two cases other than mine that was dismissed by the judge however, I was the ONLY **Not Guilty** verdict the entire court day. I indeed was not guilty. However, I admit the evidence the state presented made me look rather guilty. I myself was floored. Katie did an amazing job Friday (July/2016) and left no room for any other possibility of verdict. I realize this was rather lengthy review, however I honestly could go on and on. The bottom line is Mrs. Clary gets results period. From the beginning to the very end EVERY detail was handled immaculately. There is not one thing I would have changed about the service I received. Thank you!!!!!.

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Kathleen Cunningham Clary's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Kathleen
Mihai Calin Salagean headshot
Mihai Salagean

Unknown lawyer | Oct 13

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Working with Katie on cases is great as she is extremely knowledgable and a zealous advocate. I would recommend her to anyone that needs expert criminal defense help."

Charles Christopher Adkins headshot
Charles Adkins

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Katie for several years as an attorney and former police officer. She is very sharp and I have seen her win many criminal defense cases. I endorse and recommend Katie!"

Ronald James Shook II headshot
Ronald Shook

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Katie is the perfect balance of sweet southern belle and savage attack dog. If you are in trouble, this is the woman that you want on your side!"

Irene Patrice King headshot
Irene King

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 08

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Katie Clary is an incredibly skillful and talented criminal defense attorney. She is articulate, thorough and creative. She’s a tenacious advocate for her clients and her work ethic is second to none."

Christopher C. Fialko headshot
Christopher Fialko

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 01

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Katie is a force to be reckoned with in the criminal courts in Charlotte. She prepares ferociously, and is brave in pretrial motion hearings and trials. I rarely take on DWI cases anymore unless they are complex and Katie agrees to be co-counsel with me. Together we have succeeded in two such challenging cases recently."

Taylor Goodnight headshot
Taylor Goodnight

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 01

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have been fortunate enough to work with Katie on a couple of cases. She is tough, detail oriented, and a fantastic trial attorney. She is also a great mentor to young attorneys like me and always makes herself available to answer my questions and help me learn. You can't go wrong with Katie!"

Mark Patrick Foster Jr headshot
Mark Foster

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 30

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I strongly endorse this lawyer. I had the pleasure of working with Katie Clary in the same firm for about five years and have continued to observe her work in and out of the courtroom. She is a dedicated, thorough, and effective advocate for each of her clients."

Timothy John Pavone headshot
Timothy Pavone

DUI and DWI lawyer | Apr 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Very personable and excellent advocate. Very elequent and sophisticated public speaking skills. I have seen her in front of the judge and I hope to soon achieve her level of advocacy. I would personally hire and can imagine she’s especially effective in front of a jury."

David C. Driscoll headshot
David Driscoll

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 01

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Ms. Clary. She is a keen advocate who zealously fights for her clients in court. Her demeanor is professional and she is highly regarded in the community."

Eben T. Rawls III headshot
Eben Rawls

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 06

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer.Katie Clary is one of the most naturally gifted trial lawyers I have had privilege to observe in my 37 years in the practice of law. Her preparation is exhaustive. Her zeal is readily apparent. Her skill and experience are superior. Her cross examinations should be taught in law schools. Her reputation is outstanding. She has other lawyers observing and taking notes at her trials. And finally, her results are amazing. She has won too many cases to count, many with what looked liked impossible facts to overcome. She has the "IT" factor that only a few talented lawyers possess. Her power of persuasion, to judge or jury, is outstanding. I unhesitatingly recommend Katie Clary to anyone who is in need of a lawyer. She cares deeply about her clients beyond just their legal needs."

Heather W. Culp headshot
Heather Culp

Criminal defense lawyer | Sep 30

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I worked with Katie for two years (2012-2014) and have referred numerous clients to her since getting to know her in 2012. As a result, I've observed her and her work first-hand, and have heard back from clients who've hired her. She is everything a criminal defense attorney should be: calm and also passionate, with great instincts and also experienced, compassionate and also tough. Katie has a unique ability to connect with people -- clients, judges, opposing counsel, jurors -- something that is really key in this area of the law."

Daniel Christopher Lyon headshot
Daniel Lyon

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 25

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Katie is an incredibly gifted and skilled advocate who dedicates herself to reaching the best outcome for every client she represents. She is a tremendous trial attorney who aggressively argues on behalf of her clients. I whole-heartedly endorse Katie."

Janeen Jihan Hicks Pierre headshot
Janeen Hicks Pierre

Unknown lawyer | Nov 05

Relationship: Co-worker

"Katie Clary is one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Charlotte. I have seen her pick apart the governments case and get her clients the best possible outcome. Their stress level seems to go way down after talking to Katie. She is an amazing attorney!"

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Mihai Calin Salagean headshot
Mihai Salagean

Family lawyer

David C. Driscoll headshot
David Driscoll

Criminal defense lawyer

Daniel Christopher Lyon headshot
Daniel Lyon

Employment and labor lawyer

Janeen Jihan Hicks Pierre headshot
Janeen Hicks Pierre

Immigration lawyer

William C. Trosch headshot
William Trosch

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2018

Client Champion Award, Martindale-Hubbell

2015

BV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2001

Excellence in Trail Advocay, Cali Award

2000

Best Oralist, Moot Court National Competition

1992

Honors, University of North Carolina School of Law

Work Experience

2009 - Present

Partner, Rawls, Scheer, Clary & Mingo, PLLC

Associations

2016 - Present

North Carolina Advocates for Justice

Chairperson

2010 - Present

North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys

Member

2010 - Present

Charlotte Women's Bar Association

Member

2009 - Present

Mecklenburg County Bar

Member

2009 - Present

North Carolina State Bar

Member

2009 - Present

North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Criminal Defense Section

Member

2009 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

1999 - 2001

Moot Court Honor Society

Member

Education

2001

Wake Forest University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1998

Queens University of Charlotte

BS - Bachelor of Science

Speaking Engagements

2018

Mecklenburg County Bar

Keys to a Masterful Cross Examination

2018

Continuing Legal Education

Cross Examination/Impeachment

2015

Mecklenburg County Criminal Defense Bar

Probable Cause; Probably Not

2013

CLE

DWI, Criminal & Traffic Law Practice Tips

2011

Mecklenburg County Criminal Defense Bar

Checkpoints and Roadblocks; Navigating the Fourth Admendment withing Traffic Stops

Languages

English

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