Lee M. Whitman

Practice Areas

Lee is a trial attorney whose practice focuses on complex litigation including healthcare, government contracting, bid protests, and defense of class-actions. Lee has tried jury and bench trials in state and federal courts and has obtained multiple verdicts in excess of a million dollars. Lee serves as general counsel to a large agricultural cooperative of farmers and has successfully defended many public companies in multi-million dollar class-action shareholder derivative lawsuits. Lee also litigates health care Certificate of Need (“CON”) cases and bid protests of government contracts at the Office of Administrative Hearings. Lee has appeared many times in the North Carolina Business Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court. Lee has also presented oral arguments at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit located in Richmond, Virginia.

In 2013, Lee was the top vote-getter in Litigation by Business North Carolina Magazine based upon a vote of other lawyers across the state of North Carolina and is a member of the Legal Elite Hall of Fame.

Lee also served as local counsel for The Rolling Stones during their concert in Durham, North Carolina in October 2005.

Professional Memberships

Band Together, Board of Directors (2012-2018); President (2014-2016)

SAFEchild, Board of Directors (2003-2009); President (2007-2008)

NC Bar Association, Health Law Section Council (2011-2014); Chair, Membership Committee; Chair, Ethics Committee

Work Highlights

Lead trial counsel for AETNA in litigation filed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC challenging award of the NC State Health Plan’s $10 billion 3rd Party Administrator contract, with successful verdict obtained after multi-week trial.

Lead trial counsel for Union Supply Group, a supplier of commissary goods to State, Federal and County correctional institutions nationwide, in litigation filed to reverse the state agency’s award of a government contract to another bidder, with a successful verdict obtained reversing the agency decision and requiring issuance of the contract to USG after a multi-week trial.

Lead trial counsel for Carolina Complete Health, a joint venture between Centene Corporation and the North Carolina Medical Society, in litigation challenging the State of North Carolina’s award of contracts for prepaid health plans valued at @ $30 billion in the Medicaid Transformation process;

Lead trial counsel for an agricultural cooperative of farmers from 5 states who defended multi-year class-action lawsuits in state and federal courts;

Successfully defended public companies against multi-million dollar claims in shareholder derivative cases and securities class-actions;

Lead trial counsel for multiple commercial clients who have obtained verdicts and judgments in excess of $1 million; and

Successfully represented two Duke University cardiologists in separate royalty claim lawsuits against a large international medical device company regarding the development of coronary (heart) stents.

Education

Awards