DeWitt McCotter, III and Marvin Musselwhite
Poyner Spruill mourns the loss of DeWitt C. McCotter, III, who was a renowned attorney and influential member of the firm.
DeWitt attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received both his undergraduate and law school degrees. During law school, DeWitt served on the Board of Editors for the North Carolina Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif, an honor society for students who graduate within the top ten percent of their class. DeWitt was a partner of Spruill, Trotter & Lane in Rocky Mount, which was later known as Spruill & Spruill. He focused his practice on corporate law, contracts, purchases and sales of businesses, real estate transactions, and shareholder disputes. DeWitt also devoted a significant portion of his practice to municipal law. He worked as the City Attorney for the City of Rocky Mount and as the general counsel for North Carolina Municipal Power Agencies and ElectriCities of North Carolina. After retiring from active practice, DeWitt regularly mediated disputes among litigating parties as a Mediator certified by the NC Dispute Resolution Commission.
DeWitt was very involved in the legal community. He served as Chairman of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Corporate Law Committee and was an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Council of Commercial Banking and Business Law Section. In 1978, DeWitt was a lecturer with the North Carolina Bar Foundation Continuing Legal Institutes. He also served on the North Carolina Economic Development Board.
DeWitt worked closely with Marvin Musselwhite to spearhead the 1986 merger of Spruill & Spruill and Poyner, Geraghty, Hartsfield & Townsend. DeWitt served as Managing Partner for more than a decade after the merger. His strong and wise leadership has had a lasting impact on Poyner Spruill.
DeWitt, as a “founding father” of Poyner Spruill, leaves behind a rich legacy that continues to serve the firm well to this very day and for which we are deeply indebted.
May he rest in peace.
