Portrait of Charles Hagan

Charles T. Hagan, III

Principal

Charles “Chip” Hagan helps clients reach their business goals by anticipating and effectively solving legal issues that inevitably occur in today’s complicated and ever-evolving business environment. A seasoned attorney, his experience is invaluable in providing the best solution at the most opportune time. Chip focuses his practice on providing counsel to business organizations including LLCs and partnerships, closely held companies and family businesses and on corporate governance.

During his time serving in the U.S. Navy, Chip realized that he enjoyed being able to advise others on legal issues. After serving his country for four years, he attended Wake Forest Law School where he was editor in chief of the Wake Forest Law Review. Upon graduation, he joined the firm his father (a well-recognized trial attorney) had founded. After a few years of assisting in litigation matters, he shifted his focus to helping businesses grow which led him to working with foreign companies seeking to do business in the United States – an international aspect of his practice that continues today. Chip has been extremely active in community organizations, having served as chairman of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. He helped to found Leadership North Carolina, a statewide leadership development organization for which he served as chairman for five years. Over the last several years, he has served as the co-chair of the Piedmont Angel Network, an organization that seeks to provide funding for early-stage entrepreneurs.

    Education

    • Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D.)
    • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • North Carolina
    • Florida

    Recognitions

    • Named The Best Lawyers in America® for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Trusts and Estates (2015-2025)

Firm Highlights

  • Podcasts
    Artful Donations: Exploring Museum Exchange
    In this episode of The Legal Canvas, host Caryn Keppler welcomes Robert Wainstein and Michael Darling, co-founders of Museum Exchange, the first digital platform dedicated to facilitating art donations to museums and nonprofit institutions across North America. Together, they explore how technology is transforming the way collectors, artists, estates, and cultural organizations connect through charitable giving. Robert and Michael explain the inspiration behind Museum Exchange, the challenges they set out to solve, and how the platform has grown into a network of more than 400 museums. They walk listeners through the donation process—from evaluating artwork and matching donors with institutions to handling logistics, documentation, and tax considerations. Along the way, they discuss the realities of museum collecting, why many donations are declined, and how thoughtful placements can help preserve artists' legacies while expanding access to important works of art. The conversation also explores Museum Exchange's work with living artists, artist estates, hospitals, universities, and smaller regional museums, as well as the launch of the Charis Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit designed to steward significant collections before placing them with institutions that can best benefit from them. Robert and Michael conclude by sharing their vision for the future of charitable art transactions and how Museum Exchange is helping reshape philanthropy in the arts for generations to come.