Call the NC REALTORS® Legal Hotline at (336) 294-1415 to get quick resolution, so you can return to your clients and your business.

Don’t waste your time stressing over forms, disclosure or landlord/tenant law. NC REALTORS® have unlimited access to the NC REALTORS® Legal Hotline. Did you know one call to a real estate lawyer costs an average of $300 per hour? With just one call to the Legal Hotline, you’ve paid for one year of NC REALTORS® dues in full. In 2023, over 7,000 calls and emails were fielded by our legal team, equating to a cumulative savings of $2,137,200*.

*If each inquiry and resulting research equates to an hour of legal consultation.

Call 336-294-1415 and ask for an NC REALTORS® lawyer. Calls are typically taken or returned after 1 p.m. every weekday that NC REALTORS®’ offices are open. If you would like to email your question instead, contact legalhotline@ncrealtors.org. Please include a telephone number, so a lawyer can follow up by phone if necessary.

NC REALTORS® provides assistance on the Legal Hotline as a member service. WE ARE NOT YOUR ATTORNEY. Communication from Legal Hotline attorneys contains general statements of applicable legal and ethical principles for member education only. It does not constitute legal advice. The services of a private attorney should be sought for legal advice.

NC REALTORS® Lawyers

Bill Gifford is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a 1980 graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law. He was a trial lawyer in Chicago until 1996 when he returned to North Carolina to become Director of Litigation for Greensboro-based Oakwood Homes Corporation. Since 2005, Bill has represented NC REALTORS® as a member/manager of Martin & Gifford, PLLC. He regularly fields member questions on the Legal Hotline. Bill has also represented REALTORS® in litigation matters filed across the state and in disciplinary proceedings initiated by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.

Adam Stallings is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Wake Forest University School of Law. Following law school, Adam immediately entered private practice where he gained valuable experience litigating civil cases before judges and juries across Eastern North Carolina. After fighting for individuals in the private sector, Adam joined the NC Real Estate Commission where he served as Chief Deputy Legal Counsel beginning in 2011. After leaving the NCREC, Adam became a partner in a law firm where he specialized in representing real estate brokers before joining Martin & Gifford, PLLC and the NC REALTORS© in 2022. When he’s not answering Hotline questions, Adam enjoys surf fishing from any sandy spot along the North Carolina coast.

John Wait is a graduate of Huntington University (IN) where he studied philosophy and mathematics. He received his law degree from North Carolina Central University. John joined NC REALTORS® in 2015. He previously worked solo at his own firm and clerked for several judges at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. When he’s not answering Hotline questions, he practices law at Martin & Gifford and enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, road cycling, and spending time with his family.

Legal Action Program

Administered by the Legal Action Committee, the Legal Action Program exists to provide financial resources to parties engaged in litigation or administrative action. The case must present an opportunity to set or clarify legal precedent statewide on issues affecting NC REALTORS®, real estate licensees, real estate associations, private property owners or the real estate industry generally. Contact an NC REALTORS® staff attorney for a copy of the complete policy governing the Legal Action Program and an application form.