SMITHFIELD OFFICE
One Courthouse Square
P.O. Box 119
Smithfield, NC 27577
(919) 934-6187
CLEVELAND/GARNER OFFICE
5842 Hwy 42 West
Garner, NC 27529
(919) 661-2005
Our Staff and Our Community
Smithfield Office
LILLIAN “COOKIE” POPE
Cookie began working as a paralegal with the Mast law firm in 1984. She handles a variety of civil litigation matter, including domestic law. Outside of her work as a legal assistant, Cookie became the second woman to be elected and head the Johnston County Board of County Commissioners and first to become chairman. Cookie is a member of Elizabeth Methodist Church, is a Director of the Children’s Church, teaches Sunday school and sings in the choir. She is a Trustee at Johnston Community College, is on the Celebrate Cleveland Committee and Johnston County Ag. District and Agri-Business Committee, and member of the Johnston County Chorale.
Cookie was born, raised and still resides in beautiful Johnston County. Cookie married to her husband Jackie in 1959. They have three children together, Clay, Timothy, and Frank (who is also a practicing attorney). Despite her numerous obligations and commitments, she still manages to find time to fish and spend time with her grandchildren.
cookie@mastschulz.com
REBEKAH BASS
Rebekah Bass graduated from Johnston Community College in 1999 with an Associates Degree of the Arts for Paralegal Technology. Rebekah began working with our firm in the fall of that same year. Starting here as an office assistant she was able to learn what it takes to make an office work from the ground up. In 2001 she began her work as a Paralegal and now focuses mainly on working with preparation of Wills, Healthcare Power of Attorneys, Living Wills, and Estates. She also assists with Criminal and Traffic Matters.
Having been a Johnston County resident all her life and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses she has been able to become familiar with the many parts and people of the community. While enjoying the local treasures our State has to offer she would love to be able to eventually see what the rest of the world has to offer by visiting such places as Italy, Venezuela, and Greece.
Rebekah@mastschulz.com
JAMIE OWENS
Jamie Owens joined our firm in September 2001. Jamie began her career as a paralegal in 1996 and has worked in several plaintiffs’ personal injury law firms. Jamie has been an asset to our firm with her experience in personal injury law and her outgoing personality. She received her paralegal certification from the North Carolina State Bar in 2007.
Jamie and her husband John reside in Kenly and have three children, Amanda, Gage and Hunter. She and her family attend United Faith Christian Church. In her spare time Jamie enjoys spending time with her family, reading and hanging out by her pool on warm days.
Jamie@mastschulz.com
STEPHANIE MEDLIN
Stephanie Medlin joined our firm in February 2001. She brought with her experience in plaintiff and defense workers’ compensation, personal injury and medical malpractice. She has been working as a paralegal since she graduated from Johnston Community College in 1994 with an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Technology. While working, she returned to college and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Olive College. She is a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. She received her paralegal certification from the North Carolina State Bar in 2006. She is also a member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the North Carolina Paralegal Association.
Stephanie resides in Wilson’s Mills with her husband Anthony and their two children, Harley and Hailey. They are members of the Wilson’s Mills Baptist Church. They also have two dachshunds, Chase and Tootsie and a kitty, Katie. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, going to the lake or beach and reading.
Stephanie@mastschulz.com
BRENDA HARMLESS
Brenda Harmless is our Business Manager and takes care of the general office administration duties such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, client billing, payroll, etc. While working full time for a telecommunications firm, Brenda attended both Durham Technical Institute and N.C. Wesleyan College for General Studies with an emphasis in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems. Brenda continued to work for the telecommunications firm in various Project Management positions until she retired to stay home with her two youngest children. Brenda returned to work in June of 2003 when she began working for Mast, Mast, Johnson, Wells & Trimyer, P.A.
In her spare time, Brenda enjoys camping & fishing with her family, graphic designing, scrapbooking, genealogy and amateur photography. Brenda’s family includes husband Randy, four children and one grandchild. She has three sons: Roy, Andrew and Adam; one daughter, Gina; and her granddaughter, Chloe.
Brenda@mastschulz.com
TIFFANY CLARK
Tiffany began her career as a paralegal in September 2001. She joined our firm in October 2007. Her primary areas of concentration are domestic and civil litigation. Tiffany received her paralegal certification from the North Carolina State Bar in 2005 and served as the District Director of the North Carolina Paralegal Association for 2007 and 2008.
Tiffany resides in Clayton with her daughter, Reagan. Tiffany is an avid fan of N.C. State and enjoys going to the lake and spending time with her friends and family.
tiffany@mastschulz.com
Garner Office
APRIL CRAWFORD
April Crawford has been a member of the Mast firm since October 2003. She began working as a paralegal in 1998 after graduating from Wilson Technical Community College in 1995 with an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Technology. She earned her BA in Political Science from Meredith College in 1985, graduating magna cum laude. She received her paralegal certification from the North Carolina State Bar in 2006, and is a member of the North Carolina Paralegal Association.
April and her children, Cassie Danielle and Charles “Billy” William, live in the Selma area. When she’s away from the office, she loves spending time with her children and their four-legged family members including their dog Lena, cats Sweet Caroline and Tommy, Lizza the gecko, and their goldfish Mr. Bubbles. She also enjoys bird watching, gardening, and rock-n-roll.
April@mastschulz.com
DEBBIE CLAPP
Debbie Clapp joined our firm in September of 2005. She has experience in plaintiff and defense worker’s compensation, personal injury, domestic, general litigation and estate law. She has been working as a legal assistant and paralegal since 1993. Debbie attended Johnston Community College and received her North Carolina paralegal certification from the North Carolina State Bar in 2006. Debbie is a member of the North Carolina Paralegal Association.
Debbie and her husband Jimmy reside in Smithfield with their two children, Josh and Ashley and her four-legged family member, Abby. In her spare time Debbie enjoys spending time with her family, reading and camping anyplace near the beach or a lake.
Debbie@mastschulz.com
JONI TUTTLE
Joni Tuttle is originally from Hagerstown, Indiana and moved to North Carolina in 1994. She started out working as a loan officer in credit unions lending money for personal loans and mortgages. In 1998, she moved to working in the legal arena doing title searches and mortgage closings. Joni joined our firm in May 2006, is now a North Carolina State Certified Paralegal and a licensed North Carolina Realtor. Joni and her husband Mike have lived in the Cleveland area since 2003. They have four children, Miranda, Zachary, Quentin and Blake.
joni@mastschulz.com
BILLIE J. SHANK
Originally from Canton, Ohio, Billie and her husband Tim moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1995 after he accepted a Regional Sales position with his Ohio company. They have three sons, Brian, Tim and Wes, who all live in the Raleigh area. Billie has worked in the legal field since 1987. Billie and Tim relocated to the Cleveland area in September of 2008 when she began working as a Receptionist with the Mast Law Firm in the Garner office.
billie@mastschulz.com
Ava Gardner Museum
Johnston County Courthouse