Litigation attorneys
Hatch, Little & Bunn
Hatch, Little & Bunn, LLP is a Raleigh law firm that describes itself as North Carolina's cornerstone law firm since 1955. It was formed in the 1950s by a former Superior Court judge, a former clerk of court, and a Wake Forest University trustee, occupied the Henry Hicks Home on Hillsborough Street for over 50 years after buying and renovating it in 1964, and now practices from 2626 Glenwood Avenue.
For property owners the firm handles evictions and landlord-tenant matters, real estate litigation, and real estate transactions and closings. It drafts residential leases written to North Carolina law, including the lease it prepares for the AANC, and will review a lease a client is considering. Landlord-tenant work is framed around the Residential Rental Agreement Act and the Tenant Security Deposit Act, with separate rules noted for vacation rentals.
A homeowners association practice represents HOA boards and the people who govern and manage them, across the Triangle region — Wake, Durham, Orange, Alamance, and Franklin counties — and elsewhere in North Carolina, covering assessment collection, lien and foreclosure work, governing document enforcement, disputes, and contractor issues. The firm also practices civil litigation and appeals, criminal and traffic defence, family and domestic law, personal injury, and wills, estates, probate, and trusts.
The firm publishes extensive FAQ material but no fee information, and its contact page lists more than one phone number, so confirm which line and which attorney handle real estate matters.
Best for
North Carolina landlords, property managers, and HOA boards in the Triangle who need lease drafting, evictions, or real estate litigation from a long-established general practice firm.
What they do
- Evictions and landlord-tenant matters
- Real estate litigation
- Real estate transactions and closings
- Homeowners association representation
- Residential lease drafting and review
- Assessment collection and HOA lien foreclosure
- Civil litigation and appeals
- Wills, estates, probate, and trusts
- Criminal and traffic defence
- Family and domestic law
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1955 |
What stands out
- Has practiced in Raleigh since 1955 and occupied the Henry Hicks Home for over 50 years before moving to Glenwood Avenue.
- Represents homeowner associations across Wake, Durham, Orange, Alamance, and Franklin counties and elsewhere in North Carolina.
- Drafts residential leases written to North Carolina law, including the lease it prepares for the AANC.
- Publishes FAQ libraries on evictions, landlord-tenant law, and homeowner association law.
Common questions
- Can a homeowners association place a lien on an owner's property?
- Yes. Under North Carolina law an association can place a lien on an owner's property for failure to pay assessments, and it may foreclose on that lien if the owner still refuses to pay. A lien may also be placed for failure to pay fines properly imposed on the owner, although foreclosing on a fine-based lien is a more complicated and cumbersome process.
- What should every lease or rental agreement include?
- The firm's checklist covers the names of all tenants, who will occupy the premises, deposits and fees including where the security deposit will be held, repair and maintenance responsibilities, rules on entry to the rental property, restrictions on tenant criminal activity, restrictions on pets, and any other house rules or regulations.
- Can a landlord evict a tenant simply because it is not working out?
- Not on its own. There must be a legitimate reason, such as nonpayment of rent, breach of the lease agreement, criminal activity under Article 7 of Chapter 42 or under the lease, or holding over by staying beyond the end of the lease term.
- What are a residential landlord's core obligations in North Carolina?
- A residential landlord must deliver and keep the rental property in accordance with North Carolina's Residential Rental Agreement Act and comply with the Tenant Security Deposit Act, regardless of what the lease says. Tenants must pay rent on time, keep the premises as clean and safe as conditions permit, and promptly advise the landlord of needed repairs, which the landlord must then act to correct. Vacation rental properties are governed by a separate act.