HBS Raleigh Adds Two New Associates
Hall Booth Smith is pleased to welcome two new associates, Joseph Heath and Hannah Simmons, to its Raleigh office.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joseph and Hannah to our HBS Raleigh team,” said Maria Wood, Managing Partner of the Raleigh office. “Each brings a unique perspective and experience that will enhance our ability to provide exceptional service to our clients across North Carolina.”
Joseph focuses his practice on insurance coverage matters. Prior to joining HBS, Joseph practiced in the areas of immigration, employment, and civil litigation, where he gained substantial advocacy and regulatory experience. In that role, he represented clients in contested hearings, drafted appellate briefs addressing statutory interpretation and procedural due process, and advised individual and business clients on compliance and risk-related issues. His prior litigation and regulatory background provides a strong foundation for his current insurance coverage practice.
Joseph also gained valuable government experience as a legal intern with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (Department of Homeland Security), where he worked closely with federal immigration officers on application adjudications and investigative interviews. In that role, he drafted internal memoranda analyzing administrative law issues and agency discretion, further strengthening his understanding of complex regulatory frameworks.
Joseph earned his Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law. He also holds a Master of Science in Russian and Eastern European Studies from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Arts in European Studies, cum laude, from Brigham Young University. He is fluent in English, Czech, Spanish, and Portuguese, and is proficient in Russian and Slovak.
Hannah focuses her practice on general liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, and professional malpractice & ethics matters.
Before joining the firm, Hannah worked at a plaintiff-side employment law firm where she litigated a wide range of employment matters, including complex collective and class action wage and hour disputes. She represented clients through all phases of litigation in state and federal courts — including trials, appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and North Carolina Court of Appeals, appearances before state and federal administrative agencies, and through alternative dispute resolution. In this role, she developed significant experience preparing trial and appellate briefs and dispositive motions, conducting and defending depositions, and negotiating six-figure settlements.
During law school, Hannah gained valuable exposure to healthcare operational and regulatory issues as a legal extern at UNC Hospitals, where she conducted legal research, drafted and reviewed contracts, and attended hospital board business meetings. She also served as a legal extern for the Cary Town Attorney’s Office and as a legal intern at a Raleigh civil litigation firm, deepening her experience in legal writing, courtroom preparation, and client advocacy.
Hannah earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was notes editor for the First Amendment Law Review, a member of the Holderness Moot Court team, and received the Pro Bono Publico Award for completing more than 85 hours of pro bono work. She graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina State University with a B.A. in Philosophy with a Law Concentration and Political Science.
About Hall Booth Smith
Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is a full-service law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.” To learn more, please visit: www.hallboothsmith.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.
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