Portrait of Robert McNeill

Robert McNeill

Principal

Rob McNeill is an experienced commercial litigator. He is best known for his state-wide real estate litigation practice in which he represents title insurance companies, lenders, owners, lawyers, developers and contractors. He also represents lawyers accused of malpractice in connection with real estate transactions. He has appeared in court in over 75 North Carolina counties. He regularly appears in Federal Court as well as Bankruptcy Court.  He is frequently asked to speak at CLE events, most recently on new cases interpreting the Marketable Title Act and often on causes and resolutions of disputes regarding real estate title issues.

Rob’s reputation as a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs and small businesses is well known.  He represents clients in business disputes, including business divorces, fiduciary litigation, contract disputes, and many other business issues.  He also regularly advises his business clients to help them avoid litigation.

Rob represents contractors, owners, and design professionals in construction cases ranging from large commercial and industrial projects to major renovations of upscale homes. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED-AP), a distinction he earned through the Green Building Certification Institute.

Rob has a strong appellate practice handling over 30 appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He represented the City of Charlotte in two appellate cases of first impression and obtained favorable results. Rob is certified by the N.C. Dispute Resolution Committee as a superior court mediator and has an active mediation practice.  He is also regularly chosen by his peers to be an arbitrator in various business disputes.

    Education

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

    State Bar Admissions

    • North Carolina

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
    • United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association, Title Insurance Litigation Committee
    • North Carolina Bar Association, Real Property Section
    • North Carolina Land Title Association
    • Mecklenburg County Bar, Litigation Section

    Recognitions

    • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Litigation - Real Estate (2013-2026)
      • Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of The Year, Insurance Law and Litigation: Real Estate, 2026
      • Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of The Year, Insurance Law, 2022
    • Super Lawyers, North Carolina, Business Litigation, 2010-2021

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.