Ashley M. Coghill

Ashley is passionate about working with clients in construction, insurance coverage, and professional liability matters. Over the years, Ashley has cultivated a reputation of being known for her hands-on approach to her work with her clients. From working with North Carolina farmers at a pro bono office in Durham at the start of her career to crawling through a crawl space to understand a key issue in a construction case, or defending a salvage claim on a high-dollar vessel, Ashley’s priorities have always been to best serve those she represents in communities throughout the state. Complementing her hands-on approach, Ashley also has experience advocating for her clients before various state and professional licensing boards.

Ashley also has experience with motor vehicle and admiralty negligence claims, both commercial and personal. Whether it is a vessel or a vehicle, Ashley is well versed in negligence arising out of collisions, allisions, cargo, and passengers. She has handled numerous cases involving vessels and vehicles resulting in cargo claims, bodily injury claims, employer liability and corporate veil piercing, and multi-policy applications.

She is a multi-faceted lawyer with many talents, including experience litigating in state and federal courts across North Carolina. Ashley has a strong business acumen from her years of experience coupled with her advanced certificate in international business law. Her areas of focus and results are described below.

Construction Law

In her construction law practice, Ashley often represents subcontractors on both sides of the dispute. She is proficient at asserting and perfecting liens against property and funds for job payments owed. She is also well experienced in defending contractors from negligent construction allegations and construction defect claims. Ashley also represents Homeowners Associations in disputes either against or by association members including lien assertion and foreclosure.

Insurance Coverage

Before responding to claims, clients sometimes face challenges in determining whether an insurance policy is required to provide a defense or, in the case of multiple policies, how to read those policies to simultaneously apply to the claims at hand. Insurance coverage can provide a way to offset client costs either through providing defense counsel or by absorbing some of the costs of settlement. Ashley is experienced in walking her clients through a coverage analysis, determining if coverage applies, and helping implement a plan based on that analysis.

Professional Liability

Helping other lawyers, construction specialists such as surveyors and engineers, insurance brokers, realtors, and other licensed professionals, Ashley provides a vigorous defense to the common standard of care allegations these professionals face. She has worked with professionals in both licensing board and civil litigation scenarios. As a licensed professional herself, Ashley understands the nuances of the additional regulations and standards expected of those similarly situated and how to provide the best defense possible to her clients.

Prior to law school, Ashley received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She is a North Carolina native who enjoys hiking, camping, and generally enjoying the beautiful NC parks and great outdoors.