Doug Hanna - FHS Law

Proceed With Confidence

Douglas W. Hanna

Founding Partner

Douglas Hanna is a veteran trial lawyer with over 30 years of experience in state courts, federal courts, and military courts-martial.

Doug is proud to have started his career as a Navy Judge Advocate. The discipline and work ethic instilled in him during his time in the Navy are traits that clients rely upon in navigating their litigation issues. After serving six years on active duty, Doug spent more than three years working at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office in the areas of insurance and condemnation.

Following his government service, Doug joined North Carolina’s largest law firm (Womble Carlyle) and focused his practice on business litigation, insurance litigation and complex tort cases. After making partner, Doug and a few of his colleagues founded a Raleigh-based litigation boutique (Graebe Hanna & Sullivan, PLLC) with an emphasis on providing extraordinary client service. Doug’s results-oriented approach and fierce dedication to his clients earned him recognition in the peer-selected North Carolina Super Lawyers.

Having tried more than 30 jury trials to verdict, Doug has the experience and judgment necessary to handle a wide range of complex litigation matters. In 2019, Doug was recognized as having obtained one of the Top 50 Jury Verdicts (Commercial Litigation) in the United States. Doug recently joined forces with attorney Andy Fitzgerald to form the litigation boutique known as Fitzgerald Hanna & Sullivan, PLLC.

Areas of Specialty

Business Litigation

Doug routinely represents clients in business litigation cases in Federal Court, State Court and the North Carolina Business Court.
Represented a group of investors that were defrauded out of millions of dollars involving claims of fraud, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. The case was tried before a jury in federal court (Southern District of Texas) resulting in a win for the clients. Law360 reported on the trial with the following headline: Texas Jury Awards $15M Over Sham Real Estate Investment.
Won summary judgment dismissing all claims against his individual client in a securities fraud case filed in the North Carolina Business Court.
Successfully defended Mutual of Omaha in an agent contract dispute by obtaining an Order dismissing all claims filed in the United States District Court in the Western District of North Carolina.
Obtained a motion for preliminary injunction in a business fraud case and successfully defended the injunction on appeal before the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Obtained a civil contempt order in a complex commercial case and successfully defended the contempt findings on appeal before the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Constitutional Litigation

Eminent Domain (Condemnation)

Insurance Litigation

Obtained defense jury verdict in South Carolina federal court on a million-dollar coverage case.
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Selective Insurance in an insurance coverage case filed in the Western District of North Carolina.
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company in a case involving claims for breach of contract and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Doug successfully defended the case on appeal before the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Complex Tort Cases

Doug has experience in handling complex tort cases involving serious injury on both sides of the docket. In a two-month period, he spent seven weeks in trial handling two cases that resulted in successful results for his clients.
Won a defense jury verdict in a trial of a multi-million-dollar tort claim asserted in federal court (Eastern District of North Carolina).
Successfully represented a quadriplegic plaintiff in a product liability case that resulted in a favorable settlement after the case was submitted to the jury.

Prior Experience

Graebe Hanna & Sullivan, PLLC (2008-2021)

Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC (2001-2008)

North Carolina Attorney General's Office (1998-2001)

Orange County District Attorney's Office (1997-1998)

Judge Advocate General's Corps, United States Navy (1991-1997)

Defense Counsel, Naval Legal Service Office, Jacksonville, FL
Senior Trial Counsel (Prosecutor), Naval Legal Service Office, Jacksonville, FL
Staff Judge Advocate, Naval Station, Guam
Senior Defense Counsel, Naval Legal Service Office, Washington, D.C.
Midshipmen Legal Counsel, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

Education

Personal

Doug is blessed to have the love and support of his beautiful wife Denise and is the proud father of three boys (Will, Brendan and Grayson). Outside of work, Doug focuses his attention on his Christian faith, physical exercise, watching his children play sports, and spending quality time on travel adventures with his family.