We are excited to welcome Attorney Adrienne Merriott to the Dye Culik team. Adrienne works with our business and franchise clients and handles litigation cases with Attorney Joe Dye Culik.
Before joining Dye Culik, Adrienne worked in-house at a private company where she learned from a first-hand perspective how businesses operate, anticipate, and respond to risk and what their priorities and goals are. After immersing herself in the unique needs of the business as her sole client, she came away with a broad yet nuanced understanding of what a business needs from a legal perspective.
Learn more about Attorney Adrienne Merriott with us:
Can you give me a little background on where you grew up, went to school, and majored in?
I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and grew up in the central Arkansas area. For my last two years of high school, I went to a boarding school called the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts to get a jump-start on college before starting at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 2014. There, I majored in Biology and was pre-med until my senior year of college, when I made a last-minute switch to law after actually enjoying preparing for the LSAT (while dreading MCAT preparation). After a gap year working at the University's on-campus health clinic, I attended the University of Arkansas School of Law (go Razorbacks!) and graduated in 2022. In law school, I was a member of the Women’s Law Student Association, and my favorite classes were Contracts, Antitrust, and a capstone writing class on Law & the Environment.
What are some of your passions (hobbies & interests)?
I am a total lover of water sports, hiking, and enjoying all the beautiful natural playgrounds North Carolina offers, from the mountains to the coast! In the summer, I am never happier than on the water skiing, swimming, or tubing. In the colder months I like to go on hikes and enjoy a good sci-fi novel by a campfire. This affinity for the outdoors has naturally created a passion in me about the environment and how we can care for it. Similarly, I still remain interested in biology, evolution, and the science of natural processes. I still like rooting for Arkansas’s basketball team and attending local sporting events here for Charlotte FC and the Hornets!
Who is the most influential person in your life?
Easily, the most influential person in my life is my fiancé. He keeps me grounded, helps me stay true to myself, makes me laugh, and gives me the best advice!
What do you value most and why?
I value genuine connection the most because I believe that we all need it! Good communication, good conversations, and the ability to reach a mutual understanding with someone or collaborate on a compromise is how I believe progress is obtained. Everyone likes to feel understood or that they’ve been heard on an issue, and I value that so much because of the unity it can provide.
What inspires you to work in this industry?
Good communication! Many legal issues stem from a lack of mutual understanding, and the data on how many cases are settled through arbitration or mediation supports that. The beauty of uniting good communication with well-counseled business ownership is that it can create systems that benefit everybody. While I am not hesitant to be aggressive on behalf of a client, I am also optimistic about what good communication can do for a business owner and their customer base.
What is your proudest achievement outside of your career?
Many lawyers would agree that passing the bar is one of their proudest achievements. However, outside of my career, I am proudest of the fact that I applied for and was selected to attend a highly competitive boarding school for my last two years of high school. Not only did I attend, but I was designated as a student ambassador for the school, where I represented it during its philanthropic endeavors and outreach projects. I am proud that I could leave home at the young age of 16, and while it was difficult, I was grateful for the opportunity to meet challenges in a leadership role. I am also proud of the fact that I consider myself a lifelong learner, and I am currently learning how to play the guitar.
What’s something on your “bucket list”?
I would absolutely love to hike the Appalachian Trail. I know it would be rigorous and require much planning, but I welcome the challenge.
Best piece of business advice?
Plan ahead and invest early. And, importantly, hire an attorney!
Dye Culik is a Charlotte, North Carolina, law firm. Our attorneys practice business and franchise law. Our mission is to take care of businesses and their owners so they can concentrate on growing and running their businesses with peace of mind. We are proud to be recognized as a firm that prioritizes our clients and community. Connect with us; we'd love to learn about your business.
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