Isaac N. Northup, Jr.
Biography
A native of Asheville, Ike returned home to practice law in 1981. After graduation from the University of North Carolina both as an undergraduate and from its law school, Ike clerked at the North Carolina Supreme Court in Raleigh for the year following his admission to the bar. Ike has practiced as a partner in two law firms including one he founded in 1998. He brings to HBS a wealth of trial experience.
For nearly four decades, Ike has concentrated his area of practice in the field of medical malpractice defense litigation involving catastrophic injuries, birth injuries, and complex medical matters. Ike has tried in excess of 75 medical malpractice trials to jury verdict and has also tried multiple other cases involving will caveats, theft of trade secrets, arson, fraudulent lending and a host of automobile and general liability cases.
Ike is routinely consulted by health care providers concerning licensing boards issues, privilege issues, and risk management. In other litigation, Ike has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving a wide range of claims including catastrophic personal injury, stealing of business secrets, arson, violations of covenants, business interruption claims and products liability. Those cases have been tried in both federal and state court and have been trials which occurred in every county west of Charlotte.
Professionally, Ike is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the NC Association of Defense Attorneys and the NC Board of Law Examiners. Ike has presented numerous times on both the practical and the intellectual aspects of trial work.
In his time away from work, Ike is part owner of a motorcycle shop and spends as much time as possible outdoors with his children as they fish, camp, boat, and scuba dive.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- North Carolina, 1980
U.S. District Courts:
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
U.S. Courts of Appeals:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Education
- J.D., University of North Carolina, 1980
- B.A., University of North Carolina, 1975
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- American College of Trial Lawyers: Fellow
- DRI
- North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
- North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina Board of Law Examiners
Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Best Lawyers®, 2008-2025
- Awarded in: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™, Martindale-Hubbell
- Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys, 2024
- North Carolina Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers®, 2008-2024
- Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers®
- Awarded in: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Asheville; 2014, 2016, 2019, 2023
- Awarded in: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Asheville; 2013, 2015
- Best Business Litigators, Legal Elite, 2007-2017
