Stephen practices in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner, where he handles a broad array of civil and criminal litigation matters. Stephen joined Cranfill Sumner in February 2020 following a family move from Charleston, SC.
Stephen has a wide-ranging practice focused on representing parties in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies. His work includes commercial litigation, class actions and multi-district litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, government whistleblower actions and representation of qui tam relators, defense of white collar offenses and government investigations, subrogation litigation, real property disputes, high-net-worth estate litigation, premises and product liability litigation, and professional liability litigation. Additionally, Stephen represents and advises litigants, stakeholders, and whistleblowers in the emerging blockchain and cryptocurrency industries. Stephen also acts as outside counsel to a number of businesses in the Carolinas, guiding his clients through regulatory issues, risk-mitigation endeavors, and transactional matters. Stephen has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating and is both a North Carolina and South Carolina Super Lawyers’ Rising Star, a distinction reserved for 2.5% of attorneys in each state.
Stephen is admitted to the state and federal bars of North Carolina and South Carolina as well as the U.S. District Court and Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Stephen attended the Wake Forest University School of Law, where he served as Articles Editor of the Journal of Law & Policy, a research assistant, and an extern for a North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge. Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University.
When not in the office, Stephen enjoys spending time on the water with his family.
Most Recent Posts
Department of Justice Takes Historic Step in Charging Former NFT Insider for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Profiteering From NFT Sales
A product manager at OpenSea, a $13 billion online marketplace for non-fungible-tokens (“NFTs”), was indicted in the first-ever “insider-trading” action brought… Read More
DOJ Announces Early Targets of Task Force KleptoCapture, Elite Anti-Money Laundering Initiative Established to Halt Russian Oligarchs and their Co-Conspirators in the International “Invisible Economy”
In late May, a court in the Pacific island nation of Fiji upheld on appeal the detention of the 348-foot… Read More
White Collar Attorneys Patrick Mincey & Stephen Bell Invited to Join Prestigious International Legal Organization
Attorneys Patrick Mincey and Stephen Bell have accepted an invitation to join IR Global, a leading international organization ranked as a “Band-1” global legal network by Chambers and Partners. Mincey chairs the White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP, where Bell is also a partner. The two now serve as IR Global’s exclusive U.S. advisors for White Collar Crime for North Carolina. … Read More
An Overview of Europe’s Planned Cryptocurrency Regulations
In 2020, the European Union proposed a set of regulations known as the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation – MiCA… Read More
SEC Doubles-Down on Cryptocurrency Regulation With Increased Staffing and Resources for Specialized Enforcement Unit
Few investors made it through 2021 and 2022 without learning of, discussing, or perhaps purchasing, cryptocurrency or other blockchain assets,… Read More
Attorneys Patrick Mincey & Zac Bolitho Secure Return of More Than $3 Million for Client Following Seizure in Western District of Pennsylvania
Attorneys Patrick Mincey and Zac Bolitho secured the return of more than $3,000,000 that had been seized from a client during an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Mincey and Bolitho represented a business owner who was prosecuted on federal fraud charges for claims he made about the nutritional supplements that his business sold. In addition to obtaining the return of $3,000,000, Mincey and Bolitho successfully argued for a probation-only sentence—a rare occurrence in federal cases. … Read More
Stephen Bell and Zac Bolitho Discuss White Collar Crime Issues During Webinar
Stephen Bell and Zac Bolitho presented the “Evolving DOJ Enforcement Trends: Considerations for White Collar Practitioners and Their Clients” webinar on March 10. The webinar was hosted by PLAN.… Read More
11 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 11 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2022 North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner LLP Announces New Partners
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Steven Bader (Raleigh), Stephen Bell (Wilmington) and Charles Hicks (Raleigh) have been named partners in the firm.… Read More
Evolving DOJ Enforcement Trends: Considerations for White Collar Practitioners and Their Clients
In September 2020, Patrick Mincey, Zachary Bolitho and I presented on the changes and trends we expected to see in SEC and DOJ… Read More
South Carolina Supreme Court Issues Landmark Decision Regarding Contract Workers
The South Carolina Supreme Court recently issued a landmark decision, Keene v. CNA Holdings, LLC (August 11, 2021), narrowing the… Read More
14 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Named to 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Today Cranfill Sumner proudly announced that 14 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2021 North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Volunteer for Legal Aid Eviction Project
In May 2020, Legal Aid of North Carolina launched an effort to help North Carolinians who were struggling to pay rent and were facing eviction. Legal Aid paired available emergency financial support with a search for volunteer attorneys from across the state who could help negotiate past and future payments with landlords.… Read More
Stephen Bell Receives Pro Bono Award
Stephen Bell, an attorney at Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), was recently recognized by the New Hanover County Bar Association and the Wilmington Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc., for his pro bono service to clients of Legal Aid of North Carolina.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Lead PLAN Webinar
Stephen Bell, Zac Bolitho and Patrick Mincey led the recent PLAN webinar entitled “Anti-Money Laundering Enforcement at the SEC & DOJ: Trends, Considerations & Strategies for D&O Carriers and Counsel.” The webinar was held on Sept. 30.… Read More
Stephen Bell Receives AV Rating From Martindale-Hubbell
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that Stephen Bell has received an AV® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.… Read More
Stephen Bell Joins Cranfill Sumner Wilmington Office
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that Stephen Bell has joined the firm’s Wilmington office as an associate attorney. He will focus his practice in the area civil litigation.… Read More