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Raleigh Estate Planning and Corporate Law Attorneys

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    • Lesley W. Bennett
    • Frances M. Clement
    • Reginald B. Gillespie, Jr.
    • Campbell K. Kargo
    • Michael A. Ostrander
    • Daniel C. Pope, Jr.
    • Kristine L. Prati
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    • Toler W. Ratledge
    • Paul F. Toland
    • Thomas J. Wilson
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You are here: Home / Attorneys / Lesley W. Bennett

Lesley W. Bennett

Phone:  (919) 787-7711
Facsimile:  (919) 787-7710
lbennett@wrlaw.com

Bio

Lesley Bennett is a seasoned business attorney, and has been with Wilson Ratledge, PLLC since the firm was formed in 2001.  She works with a diverse collection of closely-held business from start-up to exit and everything in between, including buy-sell agreements, joint ventures, leases, and all manner of contracts, as well as mergers and acquisitions and sophisticated estate and succession/exit planning.  Ms. Bennett has also worked extensively in 1031 like-kind exchanges and other commercial real estate transactions. Ms. Bennett is a member of the Business Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Ms. Bennett was born and raised in North Carolina, except for about two years when she lived outside of Chicago, which was great, she says, except for the cold!  Prior to entering law school at Chapel Hill, Ms. Bennett acquired a business, marketing and accounting background through undergraduate and graduate study, and by working through the ranks with a multi-property hospitality management company.

Ms. Bennett and her husband are charter members of All Saints UMC, are also members of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and volunteer with Children’s Flight of Hope, but are most proud of their two children who have recently flown the coop and are spreading their wings.  Ms. Bennett is the former Director of Communications for the Carolina Dance Foundation and enjoys all things dance, travel, walking with her dog, hiking, camping, biking, reading, cooking, nutrition and general health and wellness activities of all kinds.

Areas of Practice

  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Start-up
  • Reorganizations
  • Joint Ventures
  • General Business and Corporate Law
  • Contracts
  • Commercial Real Estate and 1031 Like Kind Exchanges
  • Sophisticated Estate Planning

Representative Recent Transactions for Ms. Bennett and the Wilson Ratledge business team:

  • Lead sell-side counsel in >$22 million med-tech asset sale to private equity purchaser.
  • Lead sell-side counsel in >$79 million equity sale and rollover investment of financial sales/services business to private equity purchaser.
  • Lead sell-side counsel in >$22 million sale of air quality services business to private equity purchaser.
  • Co-Lead sell-side counsel for >$200 million sale and rollover investment of majority stakeholder’s equity interest in a manufacturing business.
  • Lead counsel in >$20 million sale of chemical business.
  • Advised and implemented transfer to second generation of >$10 million construction business.

Education

  • J.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1997
  • B.S., University of North Carolina at Greensboro, cum laude, 1991

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina, 1997

Professional Activities

  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Wake County Bar Association

Corporate Transparency Act Updates

  • Latest Corporate Transparency Act Update: Filing Deadline Extended to March 21, 2025
  • CTA/BOI Reporting Update 2/7/2025
  • Corporate Transparency Act – CHALLENGED
  • What’s a FinCEN Identifier? I Want one!
  • What You Need to Know About the Corporate Transparency Act and Beneficial Owner Information Reporting

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Recent News

  • Estate Planning for Business Owners: Protecting Your Assets for Future Generations
  • Post-Merger Integration for Small Businesses
  • Managing Employees During a Merger or Acquisition
  • Latest Corporate Transparency Act Update: Rule Remains Unchanged
  • Chambers Recognizes WR in USA Spotlight Guide 2025

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Contact Us

Raleigh, NC

4600 Marriott Dr., Suite 400
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Phone: 919-787-7711
Fax: 919-787-7710

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Practice Areas

  • Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Business Law
    • Business Operation
    • Business Startup
    • Exit Strategy / Succession Planning
    • Mergers And Acquisitions
    • Professional Practice Representation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Government Defense
  • Real Estate, Development & Land Use
  • Tax Issues
    • Tax Audits
    • Tax Collections
    • Tax Controversy and Litigation
    • Tax Liens
    • Tax Planning
  • Estate Planning and Trusts
    • Asset Preservation Planning
    • Estate and Trust Administration
    • Estate and Trust Disputes and Litigation
    • Estate Planning and Asset Preservation
    • Special Needs Trusts
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Elder Law
  • Workers’ Compensation Defense

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  • Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Business Law
  • Civil Litigation
  • Government Defense
  • Real Estate, Development & Land Use
  • Tax Issues
  • Estate Planning and Trusts
  • Workers’ Compensation Defense