Viral Mehta has called Charlotte his home for over 30 years. He attended and graduated from Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools. He then graduated from nearby Davidson College with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Mr. Mehta obtained his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and then returned home to Charlotte to begin his legal practice. Mr. Mehta spent the first decade of his legal career defending employers and large insurance companies in workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Mehta developed expertise in workers’ compensation law, but he felt a lack of fulfillment in representing insurance companies against injured workers. Mr. Mehta began representing injured workers when he founded the workers’ compensation practice group at a local law firm. Mr. Mehta then co-founded Mehta & McConnell PLLC. Mr. Mehta’s previous experience representing insurance companies gave him the insight necessary to effectively represent injured workers. He knows how insurance companies and adjusters handle workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Mehta is a North Carolina State Bar board-certified specialist in workers’ compensation law. He has obtained favorable decisions before all levels of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. Viral Mehta was a contributing author of the 2017 edition of the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation LexisNexis Practice Guide, and he was selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Mr. Mehta is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a Superior Court mediator. He enjoys mediating cases, especially workers’ compensation claims. In addition to practicing workers’ compensation law, Mr. Mehta also handles personal injury cases. Mr. Mehta is married with one son and a dog named Alfred. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, sports, and reading.

R. Steve Bowden grew up in Liberty, North Carolina, a product of the public schools. He was the first in his family to get a secondary degree. He attended Wake Forest University on an athletic scholarship. There he lettered in football, was named to the All ACC team in 1971 and played on Wake’s first conference championship football team. At Wake Forest, Steve met Carlyn Jeffries (a native of Burlington, NC) who he married in 1974; they have two daughters, Lori and Jennifer. After Steve's graduation from WFU, he taught school for two years at the Forsyth County Public Schools. Thereafter, he went to the Norman Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University. He graduated as a member of the law school’s first class. Steve is in private practice (R. Steve Bowden & Associates, PC) handling civil litigation. His primary areas of practice are Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation. Steve’s wife, Carlyn, is a two-time graduate of Wake Forest with a BA degree and an MBA. She currently manages the law firm. His daughter, Jennifer, is an attorney in practice with R. Steve Bowden & Associates. She graduated from the Elon School of Law. His daughter, Lori earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School and is currently employed by Ross Dress For Less in New York City.