Larry McDevitt is a senior principal and Past President of The Van Winkle Law Firm. He has more than 47 years of experience in civil litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts. He is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court. His trial practice places special emphasis on patent and trademark infringement and antitrust matters. A Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers, he has successfully pursued class-action suits against worldwide companies, and handled numerous patent infringement cases from both the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ sides. In addition, his practice has included the representation of businesses in the utility, development, communication, and healthcare industries with respect to regulatory, employment, zoning, construction, and general corporate matters.
A former Mayor and Councilmember of the Asheville City Council, McDevitt also gives his time and support to a variety of civic, professional, and community organizations. He has been instrumental in providing pro bono legal services to those in need on local, state and national levels; he helped co-found Pisgah Legal Services, served on the Board of Legal Services of North Carolina, and chaired the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service following a term on the ABA Board of Governors.
Practice Highlights
• With other counsel, successfully defended satellite programming services provider against patent infringement claims.
• With other counsel successfully pursued and settled class-action antitrust litigation against several worldwide suppliers of textile product.
• On behalf of utility company, successfully challenged municipality’s attempt to annex a power plant. Decision by N.C. Supreme Court was case of first impression.
• With other counsel, successfully pursued manufacturer against another in patent infringement case, which resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement for client on the eve of trial.
Awards and Honors
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• Best Lawyers in America
• Business North Carolina Legal Elite
• International Society of Barristers, Fellow
• North Carolina Super Lawyers
• Pisgah Legal Services, “Roy Davis Award” honoree for legal services to the poor
• North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, “Themis Award” honoree for work on behalf of women attorneys
• American Bar Foundation, Fellow
• North Carolina Bar Association Centennial Award
Community Involvement
• HomeTrust Bank, Vice-Chair and Lead Director
• Buncombe County, County Attorney
• City of Asheville, Former Mayor and City Council Member
• North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, Founding Board Member
• Western North Carolina Regional Mental Health Board, Former Chair
Professional Affiliations
• United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina Patent Rules Committee
• North Carolina Bar Association, Past President
• North Carolina State Bar IOLTA Board, Immediate-Past Chair
• 28th Judicial District Bar, Past President
• University of North Carolina Law School Alumni Association, Past President
• American Bar Association, North Carolina State Delegate, House of Delegates
• Harry C. Martin American Inns of Court
• Federal Bar Association
• Legal Services Corporation, National Pro Bono Task Force
• Pisgah Legal Services, Co-Founder
• Permanent Member, Judicial Conference, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
