Michael W. Drye

Michael Drye has practiced family law nearly his entire 47 year career, devoting his practice exclusively to family law in 1993, when he became certified as a Family Law Specialist. He has remained Board Certified continuously for 30 years. He served as a member of the NC Family Law Specialty Committee between 2006 and 2012. He served on the Long-Range Planning Committee of the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization and chaired the Emeritus/Senior Specialist Sub-Committee of the Long-Range Planning Committee. He currently devotes approximately one-half his practice to practicing family law and one-half to family law mediation. Mr. Drye is a member of the North Carolina Academy of Superior Court Mediators, currently consisting of approximately 79 members statewide. He is also a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, currently consisting of approximately 800 members nationally. Admittance to both Academies is by invitation only and subject to rigorous due diligence and peer review. Mr. Drye has been listed in Best Lawyers in America continuously since 2007 under the category of Family Law. He has been dually listed in Best Lawyers in America continuously since 2008 under the categories of Family Law and Family Law Mediation, being only one of approximately four lawyers in the State of North Carolina with this distinction. Mr. Drye was listed as "Lawyer of the Year in Family Law" in Asheville, NC for 2022.  Mr. Drye considers himself to be a peace maker and is a strong advocate for Alternative Dispute Resolution. When acting as a Mediator, Mr. Drye employs a combination of facilitative, evaluative and transformative approaches to mediation.