About Us
ABOUT JULIAN DOBY
I was born and raised in Alamance County, North Carolina.
After graduating from Western Alamance High School, I enlisted in the NC Army National Guard and served for 6 years. I got my undergraduate degree in Pre-Law from Campbell University in 1995, then my law degree from Campbell in 1998. I have been practicing law in North Carolina ever since.
My practice is focused on personal injury. If you have been hurt in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, or if you have lost someone, that is what I do. I handle cases in Alamance, Orange, Chatham, and Caswell Counties from my office in Graham.
I have served on several boards over the years, including the Burlington Housing Authority, Alamance County Transportation Authority, and Alamance County Planning Boards. I also served as Treasurer for the District 17 Judicial District Bar.
My office is at 110 W. Elm Street in downtown Graham, steps from the Alamance County Historical Courthouse where civil cases are filed. When I'm not working, I fly my plane. My son Dylan is studying business at UNC.
Lorena Meza
Paralegal | Bilingual English-Spanish
Lorena Meza brings more than 20 years of experience across paralegal work, professional interpretation, and community program leadership. Her background spans state and federal criminal defense, immigration, and personal injury law -- the same areas at the center of this practice.
Before returning to legal work, Lorena served as District Interpreter for the Alamance-Burlington School System, providing English-Spanish interpretation for 15 schools across the district. She has interpreted in court proceedings, legal consultations, and law enforcement interviews involving federal agencies including the DEA, FBI, and ATF. She has also managed early childhood education and parent engagement programs through LatinXEd and Alamance Achievers, where she led the Alamance Forward Project to expand civic participation among underserved families throughout Alamance County.
That combination -- legal knowledge, fluent interpretation, and deep roots in the local community -- is exactly what clients navigating the legal system in a second language need. Lorena is a Certified Notary Public and holds a North Carolina AOC Court Interpreter Orientation certification.
Returning to practice alongside Julian Doby is something she takes seriously. Every client gets the same attention, the same honesty, and the same quality of support -- regardless of what language they speak or how complicated the situation is.
Lorena Meza
Paralegal | Bilingue Ingles-Espanol
Lorena Meza tiene mas de 20 anos de experiencia como paralegal, interprete profesional y lider de programas comunitarios. Su trayectoria abarca la defensa penal estatal y federal, inmigracion y lesiones personales -- las mismas areas en el centro de esta practica.
Antes de regresar al trabajo legal, Lorena se desempeno como Interprete de Distrito en el Sistema Escolar Alamance-Burlington, brindando interpretacion ingles-espanol para 15 escuelas del distrito. Ha interpretado en procedimientos judiciales, consultas legales y entrevistas con agencias de cumplimiento de la ley, incluyendo la DEA, el FBI y la ATF. Tambien coordino programas de educacion temprana y participacion familiar a traves de LatinXEd y Alamance Achievers, donde dirigio el Proyecto Alamance Forward para ampliar la participacion civica entre familias del Condado de Alamance.
Esa combinacion -- conocimiento legal, interpretacion fluida y raices profundas en la comunidad local -- es exactamente lo que los clientes que navegan el sistema legal en un segundo idioma necesitan. Lorena es Notaria Publica Certificada y tiene la certificacion de Orientacion de Interprete Judicial de la AOC de Carolina del Norte.
Regresar a ejercer junto a Julian Doby es algo que toma con seriedad. Cada cliente recibe la misma atencion, la misma honestidad y el mismo nivel de apoyo -- sin importar el idioma que hable ni cuan complicada sea la situacion.
Pat Theakos
Paralegal | Office Manager | Bookkeeper
Pat Theakos has been a paralegal since 1978 -- which means she has been doing this work longer than most attorneys have been practicing law. Her experience covers personal injury, family law, criminal law, and estate planning, and she has used all of it at Doby & Griffis Law.
Beyond case work, Pat manages the day-to-day operations of the firm. Scheduling, client files, financial records, billing -- the systems that keep a practice running. She handles that side of the office with the same attention she brings to legal work, which means clients rarely have to follow up twice.
What people notice most about Pat is that she listens. Legal situations are stressful, and a lot of what clients need is someone who will take the time to hear them out without rushing to the next call. She does that consistently, for every client, and it shows in how the firm operates day to day.
Pat is the kind of person a firm is built around. She is committed to the work, to the people who walk through the door, and to the standards that Doby & Griffis Law holds itself to.
Why I Practice Personal Injury Law
I don't waste your time or mine. If you have a case, I'll tell you. If you don't, I'll tell you that too.
After 28 years, I know what insurance companies do when someone gets hurt. They move fast and they work in their own interest, not yours. I know how to deal with them. I've been negotiating with these companies for decades and I know their tactics. I'll fight for every dollar you're owed.
I was born here, I went to school here, and I've been practicing law here since 1998. I know the roads, the courts, and the people in them. That local knowledge makes a difference.
By The Numbers
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28+ Years
Practicing law in North Carolina
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4 Counties Served
Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Caswell
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NC State Bar #25407
Active since 1998
Credentials
Juris Doctor, Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, 1998
B.A. in Pre-Law, Campbell University, 1995
North Carolina State Bar, Bar #25407, admitted 1998, active
North Carolina Bar Association, current member
District 17 Judicial District Bar, Treasurer
NC Army National Guard, 1990-1996, honorable service
Community
Burlington Housing Authority, Board Member
Alamance County Transportation Authority, Board Member
Alamance County Planning Boards, Board Member
