919.865.1100
sblair@wyrick.com
Bio
Sophia is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Government Contracting practice groups and represents clients in federal and state courts, the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings, and before arbitration tribunals. Her experience includes representing healthcare companies in beneficiary appeals and certificate of need cases, and businesses in diverse industries in fraudulent transfer cases, bid protests, and other commercial and government contracting litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, Sophia began her career at the North Carolina Business Court as a law clerk to the Honorable Louis A. Bledsoe, III, Chief Business Court Judge, and the Honorable James L. Gale, Senior Business Court Judge. Sophia graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University School of Law after receiving her B.A. from New College of Florida. During law school, Sophia served as an Articles Editor for the Wake Forest Law Review and as a Moot Court Board Member.
Sophia is admitted to practice before the state courts of North Carolina, the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
- Listed among North Carolina SuperLawyers: Business Litigation – Rising Star (2024)
- Listed among Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite: Young Guns (2024)
- Outstanding Advocacy Award, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2018
- NCBA Women in the Profession Committee
- Women’s Social Club, Central North Carolina Chapter
- June – September 2023, Raleigh Ambassador
- October 2023 – present, Raleigh Director
- Federal Bar Association, Eastern District North Carolina
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Wake County Bar Association
- Defended Aetna Life Insurance Company in litigation brought by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina challenging the North Carolina State Health Plan’s award to Aetna of a $10 billion contract to provide third-party administrative services pursuant to an RFP;
- Represented Petitioner, Union Supply Group, Inc., in litigation against the North Carolina Department of Public Safety challenging the award of a multi-million-dollar contract for the NCCE Offender Packaging Program to another company pursuant to an RFP, resulting in reversal of the agency’s decision and award of the contract to Union Supply Group, Inc.;
- Regularly represent Managed Care Entity in State Fair Hearing litigation brought by NC Medicaid Managed Care members;
- Obtained favorable settlement for plaintiff in fraudulent transfer action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia at the conclusion of a court-hosted mediation in front of a magistrate judge;
- Defeated motion for preliminary injunction brought by franchisor alleging trademark and trade dress infringement; and
- Successfully defended insurance company in AHLA arbitration concerning the efficacy of board action taken under an LLC operating agreement, resulting in an award for arbitration costs and attorneys’ fees.
- Union Supply Group, Inc. v. North Carolina Department of Public Safety, 21 CPS 04633, 21 CPS 04788 (N.C.O.A.H. 2023)
- Van Dyke v. Virtue Labs, LLC, 2021 WL 5566505 (M.D.N.C. 2021)
- Co-moderator, Business Court Judge’s Panel, NCBA 2022 Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes CLE, February 2022
- Speaker, “The Legal Industry in a Post-Pandemic World: Evolution, Efficiencies, and How Clients Benefit,” ACC Small Law Department Committee (SLD) Legal Quick Hit series, July 2021
- Panelist: CRESCENT UNIVERSITY CITY VENTURE, LLC V. TRUSSWAY ET AL.—Ramifications and Practical Considerations for Commercial Litigation, Mecklenburg County Bar
