Michelle Hamilton
Michelle’s practice focuses on local litigation matter ranging from subject from contracts and family law to estate litigation. Michelle is also a North Carolina State Bar Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law. Her background includes criminal and civil trial work and working with victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.
About Michelle
Michelle Williams Hamilton attained her Bachelors of Arts from Duke University in 2001, where she majored in History and minored in French.
In the year between undergraduate and law school, Michelle spent her year working in a Durham personal injury law firm as a demand writer and falling in love with the triangle area. She then went on to attend law school at Washington and Lee University in Virginia where she wrote for the Environmental Law Digest and worked at Blue Ridge Legal Services, the local Legal Aid agency in the Rockbridge County, Virginia area. After Michelle received her Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee University, she returned to the Triangle area.
After passing the Bar exam in 2005, Michelle went directly into the Durham County District Attorney’s Office in the fall of 2005. There she worked in District Court on cases ranging from speeding tickets and driving while impaired charges to misdemeanor assault cases.
In 2008, she transitioned to the Orange County District Attorney’s office where she remained until 2019, specializing in working with victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence, as well as working a large amount of trial work.
Since leaving the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in 2019 Michelle has added to her extensive trial experience by representing family law clients in all their litigation matters ranging from simple divorces to complicated custody matters. Michelle’s trial practice also extends to matters before the Clerk of Court such as partitions and guardianship actions.
Michelle has a substantial amount of litigation and trial experience including bench and jury trials.
“It is important for clients to be fully informed about their legal matters and comfortable working with their attorney.“
Service & Community
Board of Directors
Michelle serves as a board member for the Interfaith Council for Social Service in Chapel Hill, NC. The organization’s mission is to confront the causes and respond to the effects of poverty in the community. She has been a member since 2019.
Board Certified
In the winter of 2018, Michelle became a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal State Law. During her time at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Michelle often spoke at various seminars and training sessions for other professionals in her field.
Guest Speaker – Psychology
Michelle served as a guest speaker at Northwestern University in Illinois for a graduate level psychology class speaking about the intersection of Psychology and how survivors of domestic violence present in court.
Board President and Member
Michelle is a past member of the Board of the Family Violence Prevention Center, now known as the Compass Center, where she served from 2009 to 2012. She was the president of the Board in the year 2011 to 2012.
Ask Michelle About…
- How to obtain a domestic violence restraining order
- How the criminal warrant process works
- What to expect when you go to court on a criminal matter
- Growing up in New York City
- What it was like to attend an all-girls preparatory school in Manhattan
- Garment construction and the latest trends on the fashion runway
- When to get started planting a vegetable garden
What I Can Do for You or Your Business
Family
Law
Criminal & Traffic Law
Estate Planning
Civil Litigation
Business Law