Katarina Wong

Internal Investigations:

Katie has internally investigated criminal, civil, employment and regulatory matters on behalf of clients who may be dealing with a crisis or seeking to avoid one in the future. These clients have included corporations, businesses, major universities and public and private schools. She has investigated allegations of healthcare fraud, corporate embezzlement and fraud, corporate board and officer misconduct, and other statutory violations.

Complex Civil Litigation:

• Successfully advocated on behalf of a private university in a federal wrongful death lawsuit.
• Represented clients in certificate-of-need proceedings.
• Represented clients in litigation involving homeowners’ insurance claims.

• Obtained trial court dismissals of breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and Chapter 75 claims in various disputes amongst businesses or shareholders.

Intellectual Property:

• Applied for trademark registrations and prepared responses to USPTO office actions.
• Represented a software company in a patent infringement suit.

Pro Bono:

• Tried a federal jury trial involving §1983 claims.
• Represented a former inmate in a Federal Torts Claim Act suit.
• Obtained a trial court judgment reversing a finding of patient abuse after a proceeding before the Office of Administrative Hearings.
• Obtained magistrate court judgments denying summary ejectment.
• Represented tenants in disputes regarding habitability issues.

Honors & Recognitions

Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^© "Ones to Watch" for Intellectual Property Law (2024-2025)

Permanently recognized by her peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina’s "Legal Elite" Hall of Fame in the Young Guns category (2024)

Member, North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society (2020-2022)

Education

Duke University School of Law, J.D., 2019, magna cum laude; Notes Editor, Duke Journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy

Columbia Teachers College, M.A., 2013

Duke University, B.A., 2012, cum laude

Admissions

North Carolina

South Carolina

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

I am a litigator who enjoys the challenge of learning how things work in every subject matter or practice area.

As a former high school teacher who worked in diverse cities and schools, I seek to be the kind of attorney who listens to other perspectives with receptivity and works collaboratively with my clients and my colleagues. In my practice, I strive to elevate diverse voices and learn from others’ stories so that I can become a more compassionate advocate.

Apart from my valuable experiences working with Brooks Pierce, my time working as a legal extern with the Duke Civil Justice Clinic and my incredible professors was instrumental in developing my skills and philosophy. Working with clients and colleagues at the clinic taught me that it’s important to be the kind of lawyer who can empower clients to make informed decisions, develop their own advocacy skills, and navigate the legal system. Every interaction with our clients creates an opportunity to teach, collaborate, and ultimately create a more accessible legal system for everyone. I have also learned that creating a more accessible and fair legal system requires a commitment to pro bono service and this is a responsibility I take very seriously.

When I’m not practicing law, I enjoy running, cycling down long country roads, hiking mountain trails, reading, writing creatively, watching Duke basketball, and binge watching my favorite shows.