Mike Dowling

mike@dowlingfirm.com

After graduating from Duke Law School, Mike Dowling began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Terrence W. Boyle, a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. During his clerkship, Mike assisted the Court in adjudicating hundreds of federal criminal and civil matters.

After leaving his federal clerkship, Mike practiced for nearly a decade with one of the oldest law firms in the State of North Carolina. Mike founded Dowling PLLC in 2021 in order to provide sophisticated, efficient legal services to clients in complex criminal and civil matters.

Mike has developed wide-ranging experience in all phases of complex civil and criminal litigation. Mike has successfully represented witnesses, subjects, and targets of federal grand juries. Mike has negotiated favorable resolutions in high-stakes criminal and civil matters. Mike has conducted extensive pretrial discovery involving millions of documents and hundreds of fact and expert witnesses. And Mike has tried cases to verdict.

Mike lives in Raleigh with his wife and five kids. When he is not practicing law, you will find him watching or coaching his kids’ sports teams.

Mike is a former Division 1 college athlete who thrives on competition. He gives everything he possibly can to obtain the best result for his clients.

    • Federal civil litigation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (appeared in over 300 cases)

    • Federal criminal defense in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (appeared in over 100 cases)

    • Complex civil litigation in North Carolina State Court (Superior Court and North Carolina Business Court)

    • Local Counsel in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina

    • Camp Lejeune Justice Act Claims

    • Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, Permanent Member

    • United States Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel concerning the reappointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II (appointed by the Court in 2022)

    • United States Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel concerning the appointment of a full-time United States Magistrate Judge at Greenville, North Carolina (appointed by the Court in 2022)

    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Local Criminal Rules Committee (Member since 2022)

    • Court-appointed Co-Lead Counsel in In Re: Camp Lejeune Water Litigation (appointed in 2023 and re-appointed in 2024 and 2025)

    • The Best Lawyers in America™ in the Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White Collar categories (since 2020)

    • North Carolina Super Lawyers™ “Rising Star” and “Super Lawyer” in the Criminal Defense category (2017-present)

    • Business North Carolina™ “Legal Elite” in the “Young Guns” category (2018, 2021 -2023) and the Criminal Defense category (2024-present)

    • Young Lawyer of the Quarter, North Carolina Bar Association YLD (2013)

    • “Mr. Dowling has proven he will face the most fierce opponents, and he will exhaust himself for the benefit of his client through the very end. Mr. Dowling retains a special gift of working outside the box, producing greater results.”
      — Client J.C.

    • “I want to thank you for everything you did for my case. All the energy you put into my case is highly appreciated.”
      — Client D.T.

    • “Mr. Dowling’s uncanny ability to quickly master the highly complex concepts involved in our business, and reduce those to clear, succinct, and easy-to-understand legal briefs and memoranda, frankly, amazed us.”
      — Client P.B.

    • “Mike is a brilliant lawyer who really listens to his clients’ needs and goals.”

    • “Mike Dowling is as dogged, thoughtful, smart and complete a lawyer as I have seen.”

    • “Thank you very much for all the help you’ve provided to me, my family and my case. I’ve never had anyone help me and I am truly thankful. . . . Thank you for everything.”
      — Client E.W.

    • “The Dowling Firm is doing an awesome job with our case. Mike Dowling is extremely responsive and dedicated despite being super busy. If he is able to take your case, consider yourself lucky!”

      —Client E.M.

    • Duke University School of Law, J.D. (2010), Duke Law Journal, Article Editor, Volumes 58 & 59

    • Duke University, A.B. in Psychology (2006) summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Dean’s List, Dean’s List with Distinction, Varsity Letterman and full athletic scholarship recipient (football), Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic team (2005), Mike Suglia student-athlete award winner

    • The Dowling Firm PLLC, Founder, federal civil and criminal litigation (2021-present)

    • Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard, LLP, Associate & Of Counsel (2011-2020)

    • Law Clerk to The Honorable Terrence W. Boyle, United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (2010-2011)

    • Represented a target in a federal export control/ITAR investigation—no charges filed.

    • Represented the spouse of a target in a wire fraud, public corruption, and money laundering investigation—no charges filed.

    • Represented a subject in a bribery and money laundering investigation—no charges filed.

    • Represented a target in a large, multi-state PPP loan fraud case—no charges filed.

    • Represented a subject in a federal healthcare fraud case—no charges filed.

    • Partial acquittal and downward variance granted at sentencing after week-long trial in complex marriage fraud and obstruction of justice case. United States v. S.A. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • Dismissal of all felony charges and probationary sentence obtained for a client who attempted to smuggle controlled substances into a federal prison and was originally charged with four federal felony offenses. United States v. A.S. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • 50 month sentence for client involved in substantial crack cocaine conspiracy, where the advisory guideline range recommended imprisonment for 22 to 27 years after conviction at trial. United States v. C.C. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • 48 month sentence for client charged with various crimes related to the production of methamphetamine. The client’s advisory guideline range was 100 to 125 months of imprisonment. United States v. J.R. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • 84 month sentence for client who faced a mandatory life sentence if convicted at trial on conspiracy to distribute cocaine charges. United States v. P.Q. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • 66 month sentence imposed for client convicted of trafficking methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, where the advisory guideline range recommended a term of 97-106 months. United States v. F.D. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • 130 month sentence imposed in firearm and drug trafficking case where the advisory guideline range recommended a term of 262-327 months of imprisonment. United States v. E.F. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

    • Probation for a client convicted of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, despite the advice of the federal sentencing guidelines recommending a term of imprisonment, and despite the government pushing for incarceration. United States v. D.B. (Eastern District of North Carolina)

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