Fox Rothschild congratulates several attorneys who were recognized in the Daily Report’s Southeastern Legal Awards.

• Maureen Demarest Murray: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
• Leron E. Rogers: Most Effective Deal-Maker Finalist
• Aimee V. Leary: On the Rise in South Carolina Winner
• La-Deidre D. Matthews: On the Rise in North Carolina Winner

Murray, recent former Co-Chair of the firm’s Health Law Practice Group, has had several notable accomplishments, including a complex, bet the company matter involving a teen behavioral health patient that died during the course of restraint by seven staff in response to the patient losing control that entailed addressing multiple legal actions and became a story on 60 Minutes, which showcased her the breadth of her health care legal experience and poise under pressure. Her career has been shaped by a deep commitment to client service, integrity and mentorship, as well as recognition by organizations such as the American College of Trial Lawyers. Reflecting on the values that have guided her work over decades, Murray emphasizes that “individuals are at stake in every matter. View client matters as if they were your own,” a philosophy that underscores her professional impact and enduring legacy. Read her full profile.

Rogers, a partner in the Entertainment & Sports Law Department, has led significant deals for industry leaders, including renegotiating Rick Ross’s publishing agreement with Sony Music Publishing and securing major licensing placements for the artist’s music with Michelob Ultra, ESPN and the NBA; obtaining a $3.2 million win for B.o.B.; securing major ruling protecting the rights of the music group $uicideBoy$ against tour merchandise counterfeiters; and negotiating marquee opportunities for talent such as Coco Jones, as well as advising Simone Biles, and artists including YFN Lucci, Jagged Edge, T.I. and MexikoDro. As Rogers explains, his approach is grounded in relationships and results, “Becoming a trusted transactional lawyer in Atlanta starts with trust and ends with results.” Read his full profile.

Leary, a partner in the Real Estate Department counsels clients on complex commercial real estate transactions. She represents several residential housing developers across the Southeast. She also represents hotel owners and operators in the purchase, sale and refinancing of hotels from Virginia to Florida. Leary is a Title Agent for several title insurance companies in South Carolina, including First American, Chicago Title and Fidelity. She is a respected mentor to younger attorneys and serves on the firm’s Partnership Advancement Committee and Strategic Growth Committee. Beyond Fox, Leary is a member of Greenville Women Giving, which funds nonprofits in the arts, education, environment, health and human services in Greenville County. She is also a graduate of the Greenville Chamber’s Leadership Greenville program.

Matthews is an associate in the Litigation Department, where she maintains a robust North Carolina practice representing private sector and municipal clients in land use, zoning, permitting and complex litigation matters. Her land use and municipal litigation practices are mutually reinforcing: she secures zoning and permitting approvals for a wide range of public and private development projects and draws on that same regulatory knowledge to counsel clients on both sides of the table through the disputes and enforcement actions that might follow. Her results span both sectors — she secured unanimous city council approval for a contentious rezoning on behalf of a major health care system and contributed to a $4.175 million settlement in a high-profile employment discrimination case. A graduate and current committee member of the Mecklenburg County Bar’s Leadership Institute, she serves as DEI liaison on the North Carolina Bar Association's Zoning, Planning and Land Use Council and sits on the Bar Foundation Board of Directors. Matthews is also a founding board member of GO BIG, North Carolina's first all-girls STEM public charter elementary school.