Bio
Mary Kathryn Kurth is a first-generation lawyer and a North Carolina native who grew up in eastern North Carolina. Mary Kathryn has litigation experience in medical malpractice and personal injury cases involving serious and catastrophic injuries. Mary Kathryn has committed her legal career to fighting for those who have been injured by the negligence of others. She is a passionate advocate who cares deeply about her clients. One of her favorite aspects of being a lawyer is developing close relationships with her clients and their families and helping them to achieve their litigation goals.
When not practicing law, Mary Kathryn is very involved in the community. She is an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the Wake County Bar Association. Mary Kathryn is also an active member of Edenton Street United Methodist Church, where she serves as a coordinator of her Missional Community’s service project, which provides a hot meal once a month at the New Bern House in downtown Raleigh.
Mary Kathryn serves on the North Carolina Bar Association 4ALL Statewide Service Day Committee, the Wake County Bar Association’s Public Service Committee, the Campbell Law School Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Meredith College Paralegal Program Advisory Committee. Mary Kathryn also leads the service projects at Edwards Kirby.
Mary Kathryn lives in Raleigh with her husband Richard Kurth and their two precious sons.
Education
Mary Kathryn is a native of Tarboro, NC. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, she attended NC State University, where she obtained her B.A. in political science with a minor in Spanish in 2008.
Mary Kathryn has always had an interest in the law. She earned her paralegal certification from Meredith College in 2010 and worked as an NC Certified Paralegal until enrolling at Campbell Law School in 2012.
During law school, Mary Kathryn was on the dean’s list and was awarded multiple competitive merit scholarships. As a law student, she worked at the NC Department of Justice, in both the Tort Claims and Health & Public Assistance sections, and at the NC Department of Health & Human Services. Mary Kathryn was a research assistant to Professor Patrick K. Hetrick.
During law school, Mary Kathryn was a member of the leadership board for the Campbell Law Innocence Project, which is dedicated to exonerating those who are wrongfully convicted of crimes. During law school, she also began working at Edwards Kirby as a law clerk. After law school, she was in the first class of Wallace Fellows at Campbell Law School. As a Wallace Public Service Fellow, she helped oversee 15 student pro bono projects varying from drafting wills to representing clients in obtaining domestic violence protective orders.
Notable Cases
- $1,500,000 settlement after a child drowned in a pool with lifeguards on duty.
- $6,000,000 settlement for a child who suffered paralysis from an injury at a recreation center.
- $9,450,000 settlement for family killed in tanker truck crash.
- $1,050,000 settlement for an employee seriously injured after falling down an elevator shaft.
- $1,350,000 settlement for driver who struck parked tractor-trailer resulting in amputation of left arm.
- $5,400,000 settlement for child who suffered brain injury because of mother’s untreated pre-eclampsia.
- Preston v. Movahed, 374 N.C. 177 (2020) – NC Supreme Court case clarifying procedural rules that apply to medical malpractice cases.
- Gullatte v. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, 382 N.C. 57 (2022) – NC Supreme Court case overturning 90-year-old case law that exempted nurses from exposure to liability.
- $5,250,000 settlement for backseat passenger of vehicle involved in a motor vehicle collision resulting in partial paralysis of the passenger.
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- Appellate Practice
- Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Acquisition International Magazine, Leading Adviser Awards, Leading Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year – North Carolina (2023)
- North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite Young Guns (2021, 2022)
- National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
Memberships
- North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association 4ALL Statewide Service Day Committee 2019-2024
- North Carolina Bar Association Women in the Profession Committee 2020-2023
- North Carolina Bar Association Women in the Professional Committee Nominating and Awards Subcommittee Co-Chair 2020-2021
- 2019 North Carolina Bar Association Leadership Academy
- North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ)
- NCAJ Auto Torts & Premises Liability Section
- NCAJ Professional Negligence Section
- NCAJ New Lawyers Division Membership Co-Chair 2019-2020
- NCAJ Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee 2023-2024
- Wake County Bar Association
- Wake County Bar Association Public Service Committee
- Campbell Law School Alumni Association Board of Directors
- Campbell Law School Alumni Association Board Public Service Committee Co-Chair 2020-2021; Chair 2021-2022
- Meredith College Paralegal Program Advisory Committee
- Edenton Street United Methodist Church
- Edenton Street United Methodist Church West Raleigh Missional Community Volunteer Coordinator
Practice Areas
Contact Mary Kathryn today
Call (919) 780-5400 or fill out our online form to request a free consultation. You won’t pay unless we win!
News & Press
September 07, 2023
April 13, 2023
October 19, 2022