Jessica Thaller-Moran

Jessi Thaller-Moran focuses her practice on employment law and litigation, which includes counseling employers on legal compliance and helping them proactively identify, prepare for and respond to issues involving personnel management.

Jessi guides employers on appropriate responses to a rapidly-changing workplace.  Over the last few years, this has included counseling through the rapid transitions required by the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to increasingly localized laws on everything from job postings to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace.  She also advocates for employers before enforcement agencies and in state and federal courts.

My Practices

Employment Litigation

• Federal collective action alleging misclassification of independent contractors and corresponding violations of wage and hour laws.
• Defending charges of discrimination and ADA non-compliance before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• Negotiating exit package for company executive to ensure company stability in the midst of leadership dispute.

Complex Business Litigation

• North Carolina Business Court case involving a family business dispute and dissolution of a company.
• North Carolina Business Court case involving breach of contract claims under the Uniform Commercial Code. This case provided clarity for practitioners on how the UCC is applied to the sale of goods in North Carolina.
• North Carolina Business Court case involving a dispute over the valuation of stock shares in a publicly traded company.
• Matter pending before the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings regarding contracts awarded by the State of North Carolina as part of the planned privatization of North Carolina’s Medicaid program.

Clerkships

Law Clerk to the Honorable John R. Jolly, Jr., Chief Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases, North Carolina Business Court, 2013–14

Law Clerk to the Honorable Gregory P. McGuire, Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases, North Carolina Business Court, 2014–15

Honors & Recognitions

Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in Litigation - Labor and Employment (2022-2025) and Commercial Litigation (2024-2025), Employment Law - Management (2025)

Recognized by her peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite" in Employment Law (2021, 2023-2024)

Education

Admissions

North Carolina

U.S. District Court for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina

Multimedia

Professional & Civic Activities

Member, Section Council, North Carolina Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Section (2021-present)

Member, Board of Directors, Diabetes Family Connection (2019-present)

Member, North Carolina Bar Association (2013–present)

Board Member, Arts Access (2017-2019)

Member, NCBA Young Lawyers Division (2015–present)

Member, Wake County Bar Association (2013–present)

Member, 10^th Judicial District (2013–present)

My approach to the practice of law is very similar to my approach to life: I believe the right combination of planning and flexibility can solve most problems.

I attribute this in large part to my experiences as the oldest of five. If you’ve ever taken a group of five children anywhere, you know that the right supplies and attitude can go a long way. In my experience, the same applies to business management: communicating expectations and contingency planning are essential, as is the ability to adapt and think creatively when things don’t go as planned.

Outside of work, I love exploring local parks with my family and reading everything from novels to advice columns. After living with Type I Diabetes for more than twenty five years, I also serve on the board for The Diabetes Family Connection, an organization with the mission to positively transform life with diabetes through the power of community. I am proud to be an ambassador for the Type I Diabetes community and believe that visibility is key to showing what is possible.