About Mary Aiken
Mary Aiken Barrow built a foundation in psychology before turning to the law. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006. Six years later she completed her J.D. at Campbell Law School and moved into practice in North Carolina.
She began her legal career at Tharrington Smith LLP in 2012. Early on she joined several professional organizations and has maintained those ties. Her memberships include the Order of the Barristers, the Wake County Bar Association, the 10th Judicial District Bar, and the North Carolina Bar Association’s Family Law Section Young Lawyers Division. Those associations have been continuous since 2012 and reflect the professional network she has cultivated in the state.
Barrow pursued formal recognition in family law and earned board certification from the North Carolina State Bar Board of Specialization in 2018. That credential marks a later milestone in a practice that developed after law school. At Tharrington Smith, she has handled family law matters for individuals and families. Her certification indicates she met the state’s standards for experience and testing in that subject area.
Colleagues describe her as methodical in preparing cases and steady in court. She combines courtroom work with efforts to resolve disputes outside of litigation when possible. The work involves careful client counseling, document preparation, and negotiation. She has practiced in Wake County and the surrounding districts, which informs her familiarity with the local rules and court procedures.
Her undergraduate background in psychology informs how she approaches often-sensitive family law matters. That perspective shows up in client interviews and strategy sessions. It also underpins an awareness of how legal outcomes interact with family dynamics.
Barrow maintains an active role in the legal community. She has remained involved in the bar associations that supported her early career and continues to attend sectional events and professional programs. She began at Tharrington Smith in 2012 and remains there, handling family law matters. She practices family law at Tharrington Smith LLP.
