Tricia Magee is a seasoned litigator and partner at Shumaker, where she serves as a Labor & Employment Service Line Lead. With more than two decades of experience, she is known for her commanding courtroom presence and her ability to navigate complex, high-profile legal matters at the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal courts. Her practice centers on litigation, including matters related to labor and employment, intellectual property (IP), and sports law, as well as other complex commercial litigation.
Her practice is distinguished by a deep, firsthand understanding of the federal judiciary, shaped by her 18-year tenure as the career law clerk to Judge Frank D. Whitney, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina. During her service with the federal bench, she played a central role in the court’s adjudication of thousands of civil and criminal matters and provided trusted counsel to the court in more than 150 federal jury and bench trials. This extensive “behind-the-scenes” experience informs every aspect of her practice today, giving clients a rare perspective into how judges and juries evaluate facts and reach decisions. Her ability to anticipate judicial reasoning makes her a strategic partner in high-stakes litigation, including recent representation in nationally publicized sports industry disputes and complex collegiate athletics litigation.
Beyond her work in North Carolina, Tricia is a versatile litigator with a national footprint, representing clients in matters in courts across the country. She is also frequently sought after to serve as local counsel for firms navigating the nuances of the federal courts throughout North Carolina.
In addition to her litigation experience, Tricia is an engaged community leader with a strong commitment to organizational effectiveness and governance. She has held director and executive leadership roles with several notable nonprofits, including past President of the Junior League of Charlotte and past Board Chair for Charlotte Family Housing. Her leadership is rooted in strategic risk management, operational clarity, and impactful board engagement.
Her career reflects a dedication to both public service and private sector excellence. Her experience has earned her recognition as one of The Mecklenburg Times‘ “50 Most Influential Women” and one of the “Top 50 Women Leaders in Law for 2026” by Women We Admire. Whether advocating before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in a trademark dispute or advising nonprofit leaders on strategic direction, she brings a steady, solutions-oriented approach to every matter.
Education
J.D., Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University
B.A., Public Policy Analysis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Professional and Community Affiliations
- Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, Permanent Member, 2018–present
- Mecklenburg County Bar Association, Member, 2005–present
- Local Rules Committee for the U.S. District Courts, Western District of North Carolina, Member, 2008–2025
- Chair, Merit Selection Panel for the selection of a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, 2026
- Mecklenburg County Bar Board of Directors, Member at Large, 2018–2021
- Ayscue Award Committee Chair: Mecklenburg County Bar, 2020–2021
- Finance Committee: Mecklenburg County Bar Association, 2017–2020
- Continuing Legal Education Committee Chair: Mecklenburg County Bar, 2014–2016
- Steering Committee: Federalist Society, Charlotte Lawyers Chapter, 2011–present
- Vice Chair, Charlotte Lawyers Chapter 2011–2013
- Junior League of Charlotte, Inc., Member, 2007–present
- President and Chair, Board of Directors: Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. Board of Directors, 2019–2020
- Crisis Management Team Chair Junior League of Charlotte, Inc., (2020)
- Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. Board of Directors, 2017–2020
- Management Team, Junior League of Charlotte, Inc., 2015–2019, 2023–2024
- National Charity League, Inc. Board of Directors, Charlotte
- Treasurer, 2025–2026
- Parliamentarian, 2023–2024
- Vice President of Engagement and Inclusion, 2022–2023
- Charlotte Family Housing Board of Directors, 2021–2025
- Chair, 2023–2025
- Good Friends Charlotte Board of Directors, 2024–present
Honors
- Top 50 Women Leaders in Law for 2026, Women We Admire
- Leadership Charlotte Class of 42 Graduate, 2020
- Charlotte ATHENA Leadership Award for Service Honoree, 2019
- 50 Most Influential Women by The Mecklenburg Times Honoree, 2019
- STANDOUT Charlotte, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Charlotte Honoree and First Runner-Up, 2017
Representative Matters
- Represented collegiate football athlete and negotiated settlement in groundbreaking, high profile litigation over NIL contract
- Defeated a motion for a preliminary injunction in a federal court case involving trademark law and restrictive covenants contained in employment agreements, winning in both the District Court and on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit following successful oral argument
- Obtained consent judgment in patent, trademark, trade dress, and copyright infringement dispute following filing of motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction and related briefing
- Served as local counsel alongside global law firm to represent sports sanctioning body in high-stakes complex antitrust federal court case during trial and on appeal
- Successfully defeated both a motion for temporary restraining order and a motion for a preliminary injunction in a North Carolina Business Court dispute involving restrictive covenants in employment agreements to allow employees to continue new employment
- Obtained temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction for employer to enforce restrictive covenants in employment agreement and restrain former employee from competing and soliciting employer’s customers and employees
- Represented company’s interest in enforcing restrictive covenants in employment agreements in adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court, resulting in favorable negotiated settlement for client
- Counseled various size companies on employment matters and negotiated favorable pre-litigation settlements in employment matters, with experience representing employers and employees
- Drafted Amicus Curiae Brief on behalf of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry regarding liability of a member-manager for the LLC-employer it manages, and successfully advanced arguments that formed the basis for dissent at North Carolina Court of Appeals and the basis for the Supreme Court of North Carolina’s reversal
- Obtained favorable ruling of dismissal of appeal in the North Carolina Court of Appeals for failure to follow NC Rules of Appellate procedure, thereby leaving trial court’s dismissal of the complaint undisturbed