Russell D. Babb - Raleigh, NC
Attorney at Tharrington Smith LLP
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Raleigh, NC
150 Fayetteville Street Suite 1900 Raleigh, NC 27601
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
27
Years
Experience
Raleigh Criminal Defense Lawyer
Updated: 03/10/2026
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Defense
- DWI & Traffic Matters
- Drug Crimes
- Domestic Violence Offenses
- NCAA & Sports Investigations
- Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
- Criminal Law And Business Crimes Defense
- N.C. State University Student Conduct Hearings
Attorney Information
Overview
Russell D. Babb was born in Wilson, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar and co-captain of the 1995 Carolina football team. A four-year starter as an offensive lineman for the Tar Heels, Mr. Babb was also the winner of the 1995 Jim Tatum Award, which is presented each year to the top Senior Scholar-Athlete in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
After college, Mr. Babb entered the University of North Carolina School of Law. During law school, he participated in the UNC Criminal Law Clinic and served as president of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. After receiving his law degree in 1999, Mr. Babb practiced civil litigation for several years before changing his focus to criminal defense.
Mr. Babb most recently worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Wake County, and has represented criminal defendants at all levels of state court in North Carolina. He has also defended clients in federal court and is admitted to practice in the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Mr. Babb is a member of the Wake County Bar Association, the Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers, the North Carolina Bar Association, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Bar Association, and the American Association for Justice.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Jim Tatum Award, 1995
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite Criminal Law Section, 2012
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Criminal Law Section, 2015
- Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Criminal Law Section, 2016
- Avvo Client Choice Award, 2016 - Present
- Best Lawyer, Best Lawyers in America, 2018
Other Sources of Feedback About Russell D. Babb
Included on the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2024 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
- University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1999
-
Non Legal Education
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Attorney
Past Positions
- UNC Criminal Law Clinic
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
Other Affiliations
- Wake County Bar Association (Member)
- Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers (Member)
- North Carolina Bar Association (Member)
- North Carolina Advocates for Justice (Member)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member)
- American Bar Association (Member)
- American Association for Justice (Member)
- 10th Judicial District Bar (Member)
- Wake County Bar Association, 2014 - 2016 (Board of Directors)
- Wake County Bar Association (Strategic Planning Committee)
- American Bar Foundation (Fellow)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Delta Phi
Photo
Contact
150 Fayetteville Street
Suite 1900
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919-821-4711
Fax: 919-829-1583
Email: Send a message
Website: http://tharringtonsmith.com
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