Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 1993
Miami University, B.A., 1990
Education
Bar & Court Admissions
North Carolina
U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina
U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Areas of Practice
Criminal Defense
Professional Liability
White Collar Defense
Awards & Honors
Lawyer of the Year 2024 - Criminal Defense: White-Collar
AV® Preeminent Rating from Martindale–Hubbell (2003-present)
Best Lawyers in America (2010-Present)
Super Lawyers (2008-Present)
Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite (2006-2009, 2011, 2013-present)
Top 100 Trial Lawyers in North Carolina
Seminars
The Prosecution, the Defense and Ethics, North Carolina Bar Association (2022)
Speaking About Race to Juries, North Carolina Advocates for Justice (2021)
Cross-Examination, Mecklenburg County Bar All-Star Trial Advocacy (2020)
Avoiding Ethical Landmines in Criminal Cases During an Economic Recession, North Carolina Bar Association (2009)
Judicial Independence, Charlotte School of Law Spring Symposium (2009)
Eyewitness Identification Act: Cross-Examination Techniques, Public Defenders Conference (2008)
The Present State of Legal Ethics, Charlotte School of Law Ethics Symposium (2008)
Fingerprint Identification, Public Defender Conference (2005)
Associations
Mecklenburg Country Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Mecklenburg County Bar: Judicial Nominating Committee
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America.
In The Media
"He practices criminal law. Tin defended David Ghantt, convicted of stealing $17 million in 1997 from Loomis, Fargo & Fo. in Charlotte, the state’s biggest heist. Recently, he engineered the release of a Union County man who spent 15 years in jail after being wrongly convicted of molesting children. 'I’m not sure I would have thrived in the environment of a lot of big firms. I’m a trial lawyer. I like fighting for the underdog. I make my best contributions to the legal system in an advocacy role. I enjoy that.'"
"He resolved to find a lawyer. In the newspaper recently he'd read of one over in Charlotte winning some high-profile case, and he recalled the lawyer's name, Noell Tin. For a second opinion, he called a friend who lived over that way and happened to work in the district attorney's office. Did his friend know any particularly good lawyer? Noell Tin, the friend answered, unprompted. This was enough for Eddie. He called Tin's firm, made an appointment, and drove to Charlotte." - Benjamin Rachlin, Ghost of the Innocent Man: A True Story of Trial and Redemption
Attorney Noell P. Tin
Noell P. Tin cites the opportunity to champion the cause of the individual targeted by the government as the source of his tireless professional commitment. Since he started practice in 1994, Noell has represented clients in over 50 North Carolina counties and the three federal districts in North Carolina, as well as federal courts in New York, Florida, Virginia, South Carolina and New Mexico. He has successfully defended clients in state and federal jury trials and secured impressive victories in the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Noell has also successfully petitioned the United States Supreme Court and obtained summary reversals of lower court decisions three times.
Noell’s cases—which have attracted media coverage by The Charlotte Observer, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News’ 20/20 and CBS’ Sixty Minutes—include:
- The exoneration of a man falsely imprisoned for 11 years for a murder he did not commit. Read more
- A not guilty verdict for a public official facing federal environmental charges. Read more
- A not guilty verdict for a bail bondsman facing federal conspiracy and money laundering charges. Read more
- The release of a man falsely imprisoned for 14 years on child molestation charges. Read more
- The defense of the county manager of one of North Carolina’s most populous counties on public corruption charges. Read More
- The reversal of convictions and sentences in a multi-defendant case in which federal prosecutors alleged a 25 year conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Read more
- A not guilty verdict for a former town official on public corruption charges. Read more
- A not guilty verdict for an educator falsely accused of molesting students. Article 1 | Article 2
- The reversal of animal cruelty convictions, followed by dismissal of all charges and the return of animals to the client. Read more
- A voluntary dismissal of homicide charges on the eve of trial. Read more
- A successful petition to the United States Supreme Court resulting in a summary reversal of the lower court and a twelve year reduction in the client’s sentence. Read more
- The defense of the lead defendant in the Loomis Fargo heist, the third largest cash robbery in U. S. history. Read more
In addition to trial work, a significant portion of Noell’s practice involves representing people and businesses implicated in “white collar” regulatory and criminal investigations involving securities, health care, and banking.
Noell has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the areas of white collar and non-white collar criminal defense, Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Super Lawyers, and as one of the top 100 trial attorneys in North Carolina. He has maintained an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest possible for legal ability and ethical standards, from 2003 to the present. He is also a fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, an honorary society for trial lawyers.
Noell has served on numerous non-profit boards of directors. He is past co-president of the Mecklenburg County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and has served on two Merit Selection Committees responsible for selecting finalists for United States Magistrate Judge positions in the Western District of North Carolina.
Noell is married to retired Mecklenburg County district court judge Becky Thorne Tin.
