Kathryn F. (Taylor) Abernethy

Partner and Attorney

Kathryn F. (Taylor) Abernethy joined The Noble Law employment law firm in January 2018 following more than 15 years in the defense bar at large international law firms. Ms. Abernethy has represented clients in matters arising under Title VII, the North Carolina Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (“REDA”), the North Carolina Whistleblower Statute, the North Carolina False Claims Act, the North Carolina Wage & Hour Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and other state and federal employment statutes.  Ms. Abernethy has extensive background and experience as a litigator in class and collective action cases.  She has also developed significant experience with navigating the regulatory frameworks surrounding medical practice and related industries.  Among other things, Ms. Abernethy has represented physicians and medical providers in Administrative Law Judge proceedings and appeals before the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with respect to licensure proceedings.

Ms. Abernethy has litigated cases in State and Federal Courts all over the United States, from Manhattan to San Francisco, and from Detroit to Dallas. She also has extensive experience in arbitration, mediation and in courts of appeals. She is admitted to practice before the State Bars of both North Carolina and Illinois, and in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Circuits. She has written and presented on topics relating to e-discovery, civil procedure, insurance coverage and the Medicare payment process.

Ms. Abernethy received her J.D. from Washington University School of Law in 2001. She graduated Order of the Coif (top 10% of law school graduating class), and was an Articles Editor for the Washington University Law Quarterly. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. While practicing as an employment attorney in Chicago, Ms. Abernethy was named a “Rising Star” by SuperLawyers Magazine in 2010 and 2011. She was named a North Carolina “Super Lawyer” in 2022.

Bar / Professional Activity:

• United States District Court Eastern, Middle, and Western District of North Carolina Affiliation
• United States District Court of Northern Illinois Affiliation
• United States District Court of Eastern and Western Michigan
• Wake County Bar (Tenth Judicial District Bar)

Special Licenses / Certifications:

• Admitted to the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Awards:

• SuperLawyers Rising Star 2010-11
• North Carolina SuperLawyers 2022-Present

Presentations/Speaking Engagements:

• Financial Executive Networking Group, “Protocols for Whistleblowers in Financial Services”, March 2022
• North Carolina Bar Association’s COVID-19 Legal Webinar Series, April 2020
• The Noble Law, “Top Ten Things To Look For In A N.C. Physician’s Contract” Live Webinar, January 2021

Media Interviews:

• “Equal Pay Settlement for USWNT”, Featured on WRAL, 2022
• “New Appellate Ruling Tackles Common Issues in Employment Discrimination Cases”, Featured in Forbes, 2021
• “No Vaccine Required” Job Postings, Featured on WRAL, 2021
• “OSHA Vaccine Guidelines”, Featured on WRAL, 2021
• “Analysis of Vaccine Mandates” Featured on WBTV, 2021
• “COVID-19 in the Workplace” Featured on WRAL, 2021