Attorneys

attorney at law

F. BRYAN BRICE JR.

Franklin Bryan Brice, Jr., was born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina. In 1985, he received his B.A. in Political Science, with a minor in Journalism, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bryan received his J.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Law in 1990. Bryan is admitted to practice in North Carolina and the District of Columbia. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as several federal district courts, including the Eastern and Western Districts of N.C. and the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of North Carolina. Before starting his private practice in 1999, Bryan clerked for Justice John Webb at the North Carolina Supreme Court, then served as a staff attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at their headquarters in Washington, D.C. Later, in the N.C. Attorney General’s office, Transportation Section, Bryan handled all environmental matters for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Bryan is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Wake County Bar Association. He is an active member of the A.B.A. Environment, Energy and Natural Resources section and the N.C.B.A. Environmental Section, where he was elected to serve as a Council member from 2004-2010. In addition, Bryan is a member of the N.C. Advocates for Justice, N.C.B.A. Lawyer Effectiveness and Quality of Life Committee, as well as the W.C.B.A. Swearing-In Committee. Bryan has taught numerous classes and seminars with an environmental focus, most recently conducting a class on negligence and environmental issues at the UNC School of Nursing for students training to become Legal Nurse Consultants. Bryan and his wife Carson, who is also a UNC and UNC Business School graduate, have three children and are members of the Hayes Barton United Methodist Church.

You may contact Bryan at (919) 754-1600 or bryan@attybryanbrice.com.

senior litigation associate

CATHERINE CRALLE JONES

Catherine (“Cathy”) Cralle Jones joined the team at the Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr., in 2006 after honing her environmental skills in Austin and Longview, Texas, and Greenville, North Carolina.  She focuses her practice on environmental litigation and has handled cases involving federal and state environmental statutes (CERCLA, RCRA, OPHSCA, the Clean Water Act, NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and the NC Sedimentation Pollution Control Act) common law claims, and condemnation matters under federal and state law.  She represents environmental groups, property owners, small business owners, and individuals in matters involving groundwater and soil contamination, regulatory compliance, stormwater issues, land use matters, condemnation, and toxic torts.   She has represented homeowners impacted by coal ash contamination and has stood on behalf of landowners to challenge pipeline condemnation of their property, including the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.   

Cathy is admitted to practice in the State of North Carolina (1997), the State of Texas (1989), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (1993), and several federal district courts, including the United States District Court for the Eastern (2006), Middle (2017); and Western (2108) Districts of North Carolina. She is a member of the North Carolina State Bar and the Wake County Bar, and the North Carolina Bar Association and is an active participant and prior council member for the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Section.

Raised in San Angelo, Texas, Cathy graduated Magna Cum Laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Texas Christian University in 1982.  In 1989, she received a Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt Law School as well as a Master of Divinity degree with honors from Vanderbilt Divinity School.  She is married to Rev. Philip N. Jones, and they have two grown children, Hannah (an elementary school teacher) and Zachary (a computer scientist).  Cathy serves as worship leader, handbell director, teacher and elder at St. Paul’s Christian Church.  She also helps lead a newly formed Green Team to help the congregation and its members be better stewards of creation by implementing disciplines to combat climate change.  In her few spare moments enjoys gardening, sailing and snow skiing.

CATHY’S REPORTED CASES:

Cameron Hospitality, Inc. v. Cline Design Associates, PA, 735 S.E.2d 348 (N.C. App. 2012) review denied, 366 N.C. 564, 738 S.E.2d 370 (2013).

Woolridge v. East Texas Baptist University, 154 S.W.3d, 257 (Tex. App. 2005).

Greene Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc., et al v. Greene County Board of Commissioners, et al., 143 N.C.App. 702; 547 S.E.2d 480 (N.C. App. 2001), cert. denied 354 N.C. 69 (N.C. 2001).

You may contact Cathy at (919) 754-1600 or cathy@attybryanbrice.com.

junior litigation associate

ANDREA BONVECCHIO

Andrea is a South Florida native and a graduate of the University of Florida (2015) and University of Florida Levin College of Law (2020). While in law school, Andrea pursued a concentration through UF Law’s Environmental and Land Use Law Certificate Program, was an Environmental Moot Court Team member, and a Student Associate for the Conservation Clinic. 

Prior to joining the firm, Andrea was a conservation and land use intern at Conservation Florida and a law clerk for Earthjustice. In her free time, Andrea enjoys playing music and joining her partner and their dog, Arrow, on adventures in nature.

You may contact Andrea at (919) 754-1600 or andrea@attybryanbrice.com.

Junior Litigation Associate

NEIL SANYAL

Neil has been with the Law Office of F. Bryan Brice, Jr. since 2014, where he started out as a legal assistant and has progressed his way to becoming an attorney. Neil received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a double major in English (focus in Professional Writing) and Philosophy.

Shortly after finishing his undergraduate studies, Neil began to work with the Law Office of F. Bryan Brice. While working at the law firm, Neil attended law school at Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School where he earned his Juris Doctorate.

Neil is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. His biggest interests are soccer and golf. Neil grew up playing competitive soccer and is an avid fan of the London club, Arsenal. Neil also likes to get out to the golf course on the weekends to play an early round of golf. Neil’s other hobbies include food and music, whether it be finding a new restaurant or going out to a local music show around town.

You may contact Neil at (919) 754-1600 or neil@attybryanbrice.com.

of counSel

ROBERT R. GELBLUM

Rob Gelblum served as Counsel to the State of North Carolina’s Brownfields Program from its inception in 1997 until joining the Brice firm in April 2012. From 1992 to 2003, he served as Counsel to the state’s Superfund Program. Rob created the state’s first model documents for imposing residual-waste-related Land Use Restrictions at contaminated sites and served on a state environment department-wide task force that developed uniform remediation and institutional controls protocols for the state’s cleanup programs. From 1987 until 1991 when he moved to the Attorney General’s Office, Rob worked as an attorney for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, handling water quality, air quality, sedimentation, mining, well construction, forestry, parks & recreation, community development, and job training matters; from 1989 to 1991 he was principal Water Quality attorney. Rob has served as Chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. He is a Vice Chair of the Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee of the ABA, authored the N.C. chapter of the ABA book “Implementing Institutional Controls at Brownfields” and served as reviewer of the introduction and the N.C. chapter of the ABA book “Brownfields: A Comprehensive Guide to Redeveloping Contaminated Property.” Prior to his tenure with the State of North Carolina, he spent a year as an Assistant City Solicitor in Philadelphia working on child dependency and mental health matters, and a year as an associate with a plaintiff’s environmental law firm in Philadelphia. Prior to law school, Rob worked as a community organizer and as a musician. He received a B.A. in Anthropology from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 1972, and a Masters in City & Regional Planning and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1985. He is a former President of the UNC Department of City & Regional Planning’s Alumni Association. He was raised in the Philadelphia area, lived in Chapel Hill periodically from 1968 to 1985 and in Paris in the early 1970s, and has lived in Raleigh, and then Carrboro since 1987. Rob and his wife, North Carolinian Mary Lou (a Ph.D. Special Educator who Rob met while both were UNC graduate students), have two sons who graduated from UNC. His community-related activities have included service on Raleigh’s Martin Luther King Commemoration Committee, and on the North Carolina Holocaust Commemoration Committee.

You may contact Rob at (919) 754-1600 or rob@attybryanbrice.com.

Paralegal

JEREMY L. BEST

Jeremy Best graduated from Shaw University in 2012 with a degree in Political Science. He was a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society, which honors the academic success of the top 10 percent of the student body, and was named a member of Who’s Who in America’s Universities and Colleges. Jeremy recently completed his paralegal studies at Meredith College and is also a North Carolina Notary Public. As the firm’s paralegal, Jeremy assists in the preparation and filing of legal documents, assists attorneys with hearing and trial preparation, reviews medical records for personal injury cases, handles client correspondence, and generally keeps our operation running smoothly. A Princeton, N.C., native, Jeremy attends the House of Praise Church in Newton Grove where he serves as Deacon. He is currently attending Law School at North Carolina Central University.

You may contact Jeremy at (919) 754-1600 or jeremy@attybryanbrice.com.

LEGAL ASSISTANT/Receptionist

MADISON KATE WILLIAMS

As one of the firm’s legal assistants, Madison works with all of our attorneys on everything from file organization to drafting documents.

Madison graduated with a B.S. in environmental science and minors in geography and Russian language and culture from UNC Chapel Hill in 2023. She graduated with highest honors and highest distinction, as well as receiving an award for top Bachelor’s of Science graduate within the Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program. She also graduated as a Buckley Public Service Scholar. She was a member of the UNC Club Tennis Team, Blank Canvas Dance Company, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta, a law fraternity. She will attend UNC School of Law this upcoming fall.

Madison was born in Dallas, Texas, but was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. She loves spending time in nature with her friends and family, whether it is taking a walk or backpacking in western North Carolina. She especially loves birds and bugs!

You may contact Madison at (919) 754-1600 or at receptionist@attybryanbrice.com.