Recovering Trial Lawyer

Family

Lawyers in Love: Landis and his wife, Janet, met at Wake Forest University School of Law. Years later, Janet switched to do something worthwhile; she became a teacher. Landis lasted 35 years as a trial lawyer before becoming a recovering trial lawyer.

A family of lawyers: His father, uncle and cousin were lawyers, too, so with Janet, they could have put together a short but slow basketball team.

A grandfather sportswriter: Jake Wade, writer and publicist, was sports editor of The Charlotte Observer from 1930 to 1946, Sports Information Director at UNC from 1946-1952 and an inductee into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. He was a fine writer, which causes Landis to hope for some bloodlines in his writing lines.

A family who loves travel: Landis and Janet took trips throughout the U.S. with their two children, and it must have had an influence, because daughter Jordan and son Hamlin have lived all over the U.S. and traveled the world, encouraging Landis and Janet to come see them, or tag along on their fun adventures.

The dogs have come in pairs: The household has always been filled with dogs, mostly in groups of two and mostly of the rescue variety. Gus and Lori sleep where they want.

Education and Work Career

Landis sees education as an on-going process, which is why he continues to attend and enjoy classes on topics of interest in his Act 3.

Education was not his main priority however when Landis attended public schools in Charlotte, but he did manage to graduate as a Mustang from Myers Park High School in 1975.

He studied a little harder in college and graduated as a Wildcat from Davidson College with a degree in History in 1979.

He received his J.D. degree from Wake Forest School of Law in 1983, where he was a member of the National Moot Court team and Law Review.

Landis joined the 16 lawyer Charlotte law firm of Helms, Mulliss & Johnston immediately after law school and stayed for 35 years. The law firm changed its name due to various mergers before he retired from the 1000 plus lawyer firm of McGuireWoods on December 31, 2018, launching his trial lawyer recovery years.

During his career, Landis handled a variety of employment, commercial, and other civil cases in state and federal court and before administrative bodies. He represented large and small companies as well as individuals, and was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America –Individuals/Management and named Legal Elite – Employment – Business North Carolina, in multiple years. He is rated AV, Martindale Hubble.

To fund his podcast and writing habits, Landis continues to serve as an U.S. arbitrator in employment and commercial disputes for the American Arbitration Association.

Little Known Landis Facts

As a child, he played three sports every year: football, basketball and baseball; and he’s always enjoyed any activity if it involves a ball.

He was the sports writer for his high school newspaper.

Every summer as a boy, his parents took him to Wrightsville Beach, often referred to as the ancestral beach, because his great-grandmother ran a hotel there in the 1930s and 1940s called The Landis Hotel.

He loved going to summer camp as a boy in the mountains and at the beach.

He made good grades at Davidson College because he managed to take only one science and one math course.

He was injured playing football as a senior in high school, which led him to want to play at the college level, leading him to walk-on at Davidson College and eventually earn a starting position as defensive strong safety.

He spent one summer on a ranch in Mexico with one of his college football buddies, riding horses, wearing chaps and a big hat and pretending to be a cowboy.

He coached boys in Little League baseball for 20 years, girls in Church basketball for 10 years and was the Commissioner of Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading for 11 years.

He didn’t publish his first book until he was 58 years old and he didn’t publish his first podcast episode until he was 61 years old.

He’s become an old dog who enjoys learning new tricks.

What Landis Doesn’t Do Well

What Landis Does Well

He can destroy a box of Cheetos and Teddy Grahams on the beach, and a few cold beers, too

He can meditate, but only while standing in a trout stream

He can read a book quickly, put it away and come back to enjoy it again; his Louis L’Amour collection is a testament to this talent

He can complete tasks on “his” to-do lists

He can hit a golf ball, and sometimes find it, too

Photo Gallery

Gold Talk at Matthews Glen

Gold Rush talk at Forest at Duke

Revolutionary Talk in Durham

Gold Talk at Duke Mansion

Hawking the Series

My Young Reader

Deadly Gold Rush in Durham

A True Bookseller

5 Points Gallery Book Launch Durham

We’re Dealin’

Oldest Independent Charlotte Book Store

A Most Helpful Bookseller

Actual Buyers

Rudisill Mine Talk

Gold District Leaders Caren Wingate and Mike Sullivan

Talking About Gold Mines

Janet Cooking at Charlotte Museum of History

Charlotte Museum of History Gold Rush Talk

Good Place to Hide a Body

Senior Scholars Gold Rush Talk

Senior Scholars And Collapsing Gold Mine Shafts

Books and Beer

Audiobook Narrator Heather Setzler

John Penman and Vincent de Rivafinoli

Queen City and Deadly Gold Rush

Hopfly Brewing Event

Deadly Gold Rush Visits Hybrid Book Club

Deadly Gold Rush Visits The Cypress

Deadly Gold Rush Visits The Sharon

Deadly Gold Rush on the bookshelf

Deadly Gold Rush Visits Aldersgate

Signing Deadly Gold Rush

Park Road Books Launch of Deadly Gold Rush

Cold brew and a book, anyone?

The Gangs All Here

Landis, Sarah, and Hannah on the mics

The Write Quotes: Book 8 – Publishing and Book Marketing

40th Anniversary trip

Co-writers at work

Planning for Death by Podcasting

A Writing Life Workshop

Co-hosts Landis and Sarah share The Write Quotes

The Deadly Declarations Tour

The Write Quotes: Book 7 – The Emotional Writing Journey

90th birthday party

Happy birthday, Mom!

The Write Quotes: Book 6 – Writing Community, Revision, & Editors

The Write Quotes: Book 5 – Writing Techniques & Characters

The Write Quotes: Book 4 – Storytelling, Inspiration, & Research

There is a fish story to be told somewhere.

Charlotte Writers Club – Book giveaway

Landis and Sarah give away copies of The Write Quotes

A hug for a plastic power tool

Colonial Lovers – Huzzah The Meck Dec

The Write Quotes: Book 3 – Writing Process & Tools

The Write Quotes: Book 2 – Learning to Write

The Write Quotes: Book 1-The Writing Life

Hawking books

Queens College presentation

Swimming lessons

Daughters of The American Revolution

North Carolina Society of Historians

Thanks for honoring Deadly Declarations with NCSH Award of Excellence

Love of Literature Podcast

Talking writing in India and Singapore through internet magic

A Revolutionary Book Club

This is what happens when you find a book club with 20 Presbyterians

Davidson Branch of CM Library

There is a historical mystery to be solved in Mecklenburg County

Charlotte Writers Club North Writers

Fun group of writing friends

Huzzah!

More fun with Rotary of North Mecklenburg

Talking History with Rotary of North Mecklenburg

With President Richard and Davidson college buddy Steedman

More Final Draught

Caroline and Axel are into the color coordination plan

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation Final Draught

Fun time at Town Brewing talking Charlotte history and drinking beer

The Barclay at Southpark

Another fun retirement community event!

Two Mystery Writers

Val Nieman and me at Sunrise Bookshop

Sunrise Bookshop in High Point

Angel is a passionate book store owner

St. Marks Book Club

Fun discussion with this engaging book club

Sharon Towers

A lively crowd interested in Charlotte history

Raving Beauties Book Club

How about that for an excellent book club name?

Captain Jack and Deadly Declarations

Love seeing the novel in the store

Deadly Declarations in the Window

Park Road Books display

A Nod to the Meck Dec

Janet and Landis by the Meck Dec monument in uptown Charlotte

Meck Dec Day

Celebration in uptown Charlotte, May 20, 2022

Park Road Books

Signing at Park Road Books during Meck Dec week

Jefferson Square Book Club

Great name for a book club when Thomas Jefferson appears in your novel

Mecklenburg Historical Association

Good questions about the Meck Dec story

Boone Literary Festival

Crystal Marks cross-examines expert witness Dr. Partin

Boone Literary Festival

Yeager Alexander shoots fish and approaches Craig Travail

Boone Literary Festival

Activities Director Peaches Welcomes Craig Travail

Boone Literary Festival

Narrator introduces Thomas Jefferson

Family photo

Mom’s outfit matches my book cover!

Cypress Retirement Community

Nice crowd!

Captain Jack?

I’m pretty sure they didn’t have tennis shoes in 1775

Main Street Books

On stage with C. Matthew Smith, and Beth, Main Street Books events coordinator

An Interesting Pair

Deadly Declarations next to Emily Henry’s clever Romcom at Park Road Books. Ha.

Matthews Glen Retirement Community

History loving retirees

“Have a good tour, Grandis”

Simon’s smile keeps the book tour happy and relaxed

Southminster Retirement Community

Mentor and good friend Larry Dagenhart a/k/a Vance Dagenhart in Deadly Declarations does the introduction

Oh the places we go

Charlotte locations featured in Deadly Declarations

That’s a Good Question

Fielding questions about the writing process

Sign me up

“Enjoy the ride. Huzzah! Landis”

The Meck Dec Thespians

Robert Ryals as Colonel Polk, Landis as Captain James Jack and Janet as Mrs. Jack

Mr. and Mrs. James Jack

The send off to Philadelphia

Huzzah at Olde Meck Brewery

Captain Jack and a taste of freedom

Olde Meck Brewery

Telling Meck Dec stories

Piedmont Club

Let’s talk local Meck Dec history

A Deadly Dec Stack for Sale

Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh

The Raleigh Scene

With Heather Bell Adams at Quail Ridge Books

A Deadly Declarations Reading

In the Hub City at Hub City Books, Spartanburg, S.C.