Charlotte is a wonderful city in which to live and practice law. It is the thriving center of the nation’s fifth largest urban region. Here are just some of the reasons to choose Charlotte:

• Charlotte is one of the nation’s premier business and financial centers.
  
  During the past ten years, 8,076 new firms have invested $9.9 billion in new Charlotte facilities. Charlotte’s nine Fortune 500 company headquarters place it sixth nationally, and 306 of the Fortune 500 companies have facilities here. With more than $1.8 trillion in assets, Charlotte is the second largest financial center in the nation, behind only New York. By comparison, Atlanta has assets of only $175 billion and Miami $0.8 billion. More than 447 foreign-owned companies have Charlotte facilities, reflecting Charlotte’s increasing prominence as a center of international business. See www.charlottechamber.com.

• Charlotte is one of the most livable cities.
  
  Partners for Livable Communities, a nonprofit leadership organization, chose Charlotte as its 2005 top pick for “Most Livable City.” Residential and business growth in the Center City and beyond is fast paced. See www.charlottecentercity.org. Charlotte’s market offers many choices in housing – from modern Center City condominiums to lake homes and historic area neighborhoods. While ever increasing the number and variety of housing choices, Charlotte remains a city in which newly-arrived residents are able to purchase homes and set down roots immediately.

• Charlotte is among the “Hot Cities” for Entrepreneurs.
  
  Business opportunities in Charlotte are not limited to Fortune 500 corporations. Charlotte’s positive business environment serves as a springboard for new companies, large and small. In 2006 Entrepreneur Magazine ranked the Charlotte area as the #2 large city for entrepreneurs.

• Charlotte boasts one of the nation’s leading arts scenes.
  
  Thanks to Charlotte's public private partnerships and the community's generous support of arts, science and history, Charlotte is now a cultural model for cities across the country. Charlotte is home to the Arts & Science Council, the second largest local arts agency in the nation. Charlotte is also home to several award-winning and cutting edge museums, including the Levine Museum of the New South, the Mint Museum, the Afro-American Cultural Center, and the Charlotte Museum of History. Its cultural offerings also include the McColl Center for the Visual Art, the Charlotte Symphony, Discovery Place, the Light Factory, the Carolina Raptor Center, the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, and the list goes on.

• Charlotte teams with major league sporting and recreation opportunities.
  
  With our NFL Carolina Panthers, NBA Bobcats, PGA Wachovia Golf Championship, NASCAR’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and the newly opened US National Whitewater Center, Charlotte offers something for everyone. The NASCAR Hall of Fame will open here in 2009.

• Charlotte lies within easy driving distance to the Carolina beaches and the Appalachian Mountains.
  
  Living in Charlotte offers the opportunity to enjoy both beach and mountain vacations with an easy three-hour drive. From the beaches of North Carolina to the Charleston, South Carolina area beaches, Charlotteans enjoy dozens of beaches within easy reach. Grandfather Mountain, the Pisgah National Forest, the Biltmore House and Gardens, and other highlights of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains lie within three hours to the west of Charlotte.

• Charlotte’s moderate climate offers four beautiful seasons.
  
  One of Charlotte’s greatest assets is its climate, with four distinct seasons and temperate summers and winters. Charlotte residents enjoy vibrant spring foliage and beautiful fall colors – and even an occasional snowfall. Outdoor sports are played nearly year-around.