Richard A. Vinroot

Richard Vinroot's practice has focused on land use and zoning, real estate development and construction, and employment. During the past several years, he has also litigated extensively on behalf of charter schools throughout North Carolina. Richard has appeared and has served as lead trial counsel in the prosecution, defense and resolution of numerous actions in federal and state courts and in arbitrations in all of these areas throughout his more than 50-year career.

Richard has successfully prosecuted multimillion-dollar claims on behalf of public charter schools against governmental agencies for violations of state law, secured the reversal of a multimillion-dollar assessment by a state agency against an international insurance company, successfully argued appeals before the North Carolina appellate courts, and tried numerous disputes involving commercial transactions in state and federal courts.

• North Carolina Office of the Governor, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, 2026
• YMCA of Greater Charlotte, John R. Mott Award, 2026
• Rotary Club of Charlotte, Excellence in Leadership Award, 2026
• North Carolina Chief Justice's Professionalism Award, 2024
• UNC Law Alumni Association, Lifetime Achievement Award, 2024
• The Best Lawyers in America, commercial litigation, litigation - construction, litigation - land use and zoning, litigation - municipal, 2007-26; Charlotte Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year, 2014, 2025; Charlotte Litigation - Municipal Lawyer of the Year, 2019, 2021, 2024
• UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, William Richardson Davie Award, 2022
• Business North Carolina, Legal Elite, employment, 2007, commercial litigation, 2009
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, business litigation, 2006 
• American City and County, Municipal Leader of the Year Award, 1995 
• UNC-Chapel Hill Alumni Association, Distinguished Service Medal, 1994
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

• Mayor of Charlotte, 1991-95
• Charlotte City Council, 1983-91
• Martin Marietta Materials Inc., Director, 1997-2017
• Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina, 2000

• Sugar Creek Charter School, Board of Directors, 1996-2015
• UNC Nutrition Research Institute, Board of Advisors
• YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Board of Trustees 
• Myers Park Presbyterian Church, former high school Sunday School teacher (47 years)
• U.S. Army, active duty (Republic of Vietnam), 1967-68; Bronze Star Medal recipient