“I was a transactional paralegal, and I just fell in love with that area of practice,” she said. “And I felt I could practice in this area of the law as an attorney too.”She decided to take LSAT classes, then realized she was expecting her first child, so she put law school on the back burner in favor of motherhood while continuing to work as a paralegal. Then she had another Determinedchild.tokeep marching toward her goal of going to law school, Zirkle took the LSAT a second time to improve her score and was accepted into the UNC School of Law in Chapel Hill. By that time, her family had moved to Salisbury. Zirkle rented an apartment and had a roommate in Chapel Hill. For her first two years of law school, she commuted back and forth, spending a few nights a week at her apartment and long weekends at home.During her third year, she was able to get by with spending just one night a week in Chapel Hill. She also juggled her studies, kids, and family time with summer associate work and law clerk duties for Moore and VanAllen a couple of days a week. Her two children were toddlers, and to say she did it the hard way is putting it mildly. “I have always said there’s a fine line between courage and crazy, and for the three years I was in law school, I toed that line,” she said, laughing. “When I took my final exam, my childcare fell through, and I had to bring my daughter with me.” She offered to take the exam in the hall, but her professor stepped in to watch the two-year-old. Zirkle grows emotional when she recalls her law school experience and the support she had from friends, family, and even professors.
“I had such a community of people who wanted to see me succeed,” she said. “And honestly, I think that’s part of why I embraced pro bono work because how can I not want to see other people succeed who are trying just as hard as I was trying.”
Kimberly Zirkle
As co-chair of MVA’s Pro Bono and Public Service Committee, she has spread her giving spirit across the socio-economic spectrum, providing individuals much needed access to life-changing legal representation they could not otherwise afford.
By Teri Saylor Minority and underserved populations in Charlotte have a straighter path to justice and prosperity thanks to the efforts of Kimberly Zirkle, a member at Moore and VanAllen of Charlotte. Zirkle’s life experiences shaped her desire to help others through pro bono work. In April, she was honored as the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Lawyer of the Year. Growing up in rural west Georgia, Zirkle was a dreamer.“Wehad a front porch swing and a treehouse, where I would spend hours devouring books and daydreaming about all the places I would go one day,” she said in a recent Zoom call. One of the places she dreamed about was law school.Butfirst she was a paralegal. “I was a paralegal for almost 10 years before I went to law school,” she said. “As a paralegal in a variety of corporate law settings, I worked on many types of transactions and was drawn to the finance practice.”Zirkle, 48, graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and economics.
In 2021, Zirkle and others at MVA worked with the Robinson Bradshaw law firm to form CLIMB –■ See
After the case ended, Zirkle’s client thrived. She got a job, bought a house, and her child began excelling in school. Zirkle is also directing her pro bono efforts to contribute to the greater good and Charlotte’s economicFollowingwell-being.George Floyd’s death in 2020, Mecklenburg County Bar leaders, including MVP’s managing partner Tom Mitchell, began seeking ways lawyers could help advance racial justice and equity in the Charlotte area. They formed the Carolinas Social Impact Initiative to provide legal services to low-income entrepreneurs and small businesses owned by members of diverse communities, viewing this effort as key to advancing economic mobility and an important step toward economic equity. Along the way, Zirkle’s efforts, along with MVA and other firms were attracting attention.
“She was probably one of the most broken individuals I have ever met in my life,” Zirkle said. “It wasn’t just about getting her case resolved in court, it was about helping alleviate her worry and fear.”
“Coming out of undergraduate, I knew I was interested in a career in the law,” she said. But going to law school seemed out of reach. “In addition to lacking the financial resources, I didn’t feel like I had the stamina to invest in a law degree at that time,” she said. So, she enrolled in a paralegal program in Atlanta and joined a sales team at a legal services company. Soon, her husband, Erik, a school athletic trainer, landed a job just outside of Charlotte. There, the best option for Zirkle was to go to work as a paralegal in a traditional law firm, which set the trajectory of her career in high gear.
Zirkle is also known for giving back.
Two years ago, The Charlotte Pro Bono Triage, a collaboration among MVA, McGuireWoods and Charlotte-based corporate legal departments to support local legal aid organizations, received the Corporate Pro Bono Award from the national Pro Bono Institute, which recognizes innovative partnerships between law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations to raise awareness of the unmet legal needs in the community and drive volunteerism.
After receiving her law degree and passing the Bar Exam, MVA brought her in as a full time attorney. At the firm, she is known for her flexibility, communication skills, creative solutions and responsiveness to clients and colleagues. Lenders, private equity portfolio companies, and private companies in corporate finance and acquisition transactions make up her client base.
KIMBERLY Page 3
“I grew up in a very rural area for the most part, and in my early years, we didn’t have a lot,” she said. “It’s never lost on me that on any given day, sitting across from any one of my pro bono clients I realize that could be me, and I really think that for the grace of God go I.” Many of those pro bono clients are among the most vulnerable in society. They include human trafficking victims and victims of domestic violence. She finds inspiration in their success stories. She recalls one pro bono client she represented in a domestic violence case who did not speak English and was living in a shelter with her child.
Through collaborations with other law firms, MVA’s efforts to expand access to justice has led to a 60 percent increase in volunteers within its Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project. These efforts tapped into her deep well of empathy and a sense that this is a calling.
Q&A with Tina Barber Page 4 Q&A with Laura Kutcher Page 5 MAY 2022A Publication of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Q&AOverheard at the WaterPageCooler3 NewsPageBriefs6 E MPATHY HONED THROUGH LIFE EXPERIENCES ENABLES K IMBERLY Z IRKLE TO EXCEL
“I don’t do it alone,” Zirkle said. “I have an entire team standing with me, and I’m super proud of the firm for providing the resources that allow us to take on pro bono matters.”
Victims of human trafficking and domestic violence have benefited from the pro bono services MVA provides.
2 MAY 2022CAROLINA PARALEGAL NEWS INSIDE COLUMN Overheard at the Water Cooler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Post Pandemic Hybrid Work PARALEGAL PERSPECTIVE Q&A with Tina Barber, & Laura Kutcher ... 4, 5 FEATURE Empathy honed through life experiences enables Kimberly Zirkle to excel ... 1, 3 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CAROLINA PARALEGAL NEWS May 2022 ❖ Volume 16, Number INSIDE4 WWW.LAWYERSMUTUALCONSULTING.COM 1.800.662.8843 Learn more and see additional resources at WWW.DESIGNINGASUCCESSIONPLAN.COM HELPING LEGAL PROFESSIONALS EVOLVE AND THRIVE The insider’s guide to selling a law practice, transferring ownership, and designing a great Life After Law, written by two of the top authorities in succession planning. “ Practical. Readable. Motivating. “Designing a Succession Plan” is an invaluable resource and planning guide. Solo and small firm partners will be especially interested in the sections on valuing and selling a law firm. All lawyers will appreciate the practical, expert advice outlining the options that await lawyers in this next phase. — Joan H. Feldman, Editor/Publisher, Attorney at Work
3MAY 2022 CAROLINA PARALEGAL OverheardNEWSat the Water Cooler
“We’re still in the pilot phase, and we’re trying to open it up to more lawyer volunteers from different firms and serve more entrepreneurs,” Zirkle said. “We’re very excited about this, because we deal with a lot of clients who are going through hardships, economic struggles and other issues, and this project is one of the things we can do to start rewriting their stories.”
Survey Says A Webex report shows:
Many businesses who were still working from home returned to the office in Spring 2022. Lawyers Mutual was one of those. After 24 months working from home, we returned to work from the office with a hybrid plan.
• 58 percent of those working from home said they are using workplace collaboration tools more than they were pre-pandemic (Future of Work Research, Forbes, March 21)
Dane Atkinson, CEO of analytics software company SumAll didn’t always believe in salary transparency. Now he says, “salary secrecy is abusive. Many times, I paid two people with the very same qualifications entirely different salaries, simply because I negotiated better with one person than the other.” With his company SumAll, he created salary transparency from the beginning. He believes “salary transparency is the single best protection against gender bias, racial bias, or orientation bias.”
Maintaining firm culture is important to partners. But sometimes maintaining firm culture is a way to say, “let’s make sure nothing ever changes”. Firm culture is important, but so is flexibility and adaptability. Rather than lament the old ways, define what is important about your firm culture. Is it the collegiality? Is it the open-door policy? None of these things have to change. Collaborative tools allow for an open-door policy. At LM Title, Troy Crawford stays in contact with his remote work force through Microsoft Teams collaboration tool. Troy is available to answer questions and support his team by keeping the chat and video feature open all day. The employee experience is as though they are in the same office. Take the long view for retaining legal professionals through part-time and flex-time policies. Do you measure productivity by sitting in a chair for eight hours? Many partners do, but that’s an outdated measure. During the pandemic, you may have been unaware that your employee was at a parent-teacher conference in the middle of the day or taking a walk in the park at 3:00. But you were also unaware that they made up those hours after dinner or by logging on before office hours. Today, employees embrace work-life integration rather than work-life balance. Balance suggests that our work life and personal life are independent of each other. There needs to be balance as we exist in one world or the other. Integration recognizes that our work and life need to coexist. Reassess compensation systems. Compensation systems should be transparent. A 2010 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 23 percent of private-sector workers said pay discussions at work were banned and 38 percent said discussing salary with colleagues was discouraged.
Camille Stell is the President of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services and the co-author of Designing a Succession Plan for Your Law Firm available from Amazon. Continue this conversation by contacting Camille at camille@lawyersmutualconsulting.com or 800.662.8843.
There is no question that lawyers and team members are going to be interested in hybrid situations. Commute time can be significant for those living in metro areas or traveling into metro areas to work. I typically spend 1.5 – 2 hours a day on my commute. Having that extra time available to focus on myself and my family, or pending work projects when necessary, increased my wellbeing during the pandemic. Many lawyers and team members report the same while expressing a desire for hybrid opportunities. It seems we all want the best of both worlds, the ability to re-enter the world, collaborate with our colleagues, yet have some days during the week where we don’t fight the commute.
Post Pandemic Hybrid Work
Trends • 64 percent of people say the ability to work from anywhere affects whether they stay at or leave a job (Hybrid Work Index, Cisco, February 2022)
Compensation systems should also be evergreen. What worked five years ago may not work today. And what works today, may not work five years from now. Having someone in your organization who stays on top of salaries, perks, and benefits, and who knows what your employees are looking for will help you remain an employer of choice. Consider programs such as onsite daycare, elder care reimbursement, education reimbursement, and law school debt repayment. Make decisions which will have a real impact on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. Next Generation clients are going to expect more diversity in the services they buy. Employees are going to expect more DEIA in the places they work. DEIA is not an issue that can be resolved with one hire. Do you have a plan in place for becoming a more diverse and inclusive workplace? If not, create a plan now to see results in the next three-five years. Strengthen wellness and mental health programs. Mental health has always been a hot button topic in the legal profession and the pandemic has increased the need for wellness and mental health programs. This is an area where you don’t have to find the solutions on your own. The resources of the NC State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP), BarCares, hiring professionals such as Laura Mahr, using the Employee Assistance Programs that are part of your health insurance, or subscribing to an online wellness or mental health service are all steps you can take to create a more sustainable work environment. Implementing these tips will allow your firm to evolve and thrive.
• 57 percent of employees expect to be in the office 10 days or less each month • 77 percent of employees will embrace a flexible workstyle • 97 percent of employees want changes to make the office safer before they return Hybrid Work Schedules
Zirkle is also laying the groundwork for other lawyers to follow in her footsteps. She works with the MVA Attorney Development Committee to tie pro bono cases to associates’ training requirements and is increasing internal marketing of the good work the firm’s attorneys and staff are doing. She also believes the lessons she learns from her pro bono clients helps make her a better lawyer by instilling empathy for those she faces across her desk.“For many attorneys like me, it’s not hard to remember when we were the ones dealing with life’s circumstances and seeking better opportunities,” she said. “I think doing this work helps keep us grounded and helps us understand there are real people with real struggles out there, and we have the power to help.”
Partners are concerned about how Next Generation employees will be mentored and will learn substantive skills working on a computer from home. Partners wonder how to teach young professionals if they aren’t in the office available for casual drop-ins or lunch opportunities? Intentionality is the key. Create more structured training programs. Create skills boot camps with both virtual and in-person components. Schedule in-person lunch opportunities for internal networking followed by one-on-one meetings to collaborate on specific matters. Create collaborative work teams led by senior paralegals to teach associates how to work as part of a legal team and to fully utilize technology tools to build relationships.
Designing the Best Hybrid Workplace Firms express the same concerns about how remote work will impact law firms over time. Here are some best practices to implement.
■ BY CAMILLE STELL
KIMBERLY / Empathy honed through life experiences enables success
• 87 percent of executives expect to make changes to their real estate strategy in 2022 (Remote Work Survey, PWC, January 2021)
■ Continued from Page 1 Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses, a collaborative effort that provides eligible entrepreneurs and small business owners full-service representation on non-litigation business law matters. The coalition focuses on four areas: supporting minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs; advancing educational opportunities; supporting family stability and social justice; and improving access to social capital and career opportunities. In less than two years, CLIMB has served over 60 entrepreneurs in the Charlotte area.
• 81 percent of people either do not want to go back to the office at all, or would prefer a hybrid schedule (Future of Work from Home Research, Harvard Business School)
While lawyers have typically had flexibility and the tools to work remotely, paralegals and other team members are often not given the same opportunity. It’s not uncommon for firms to require support staff to work from the office and the technology and equipment provided for staff doesn’t accommodate remote work. During the pandemic, as law firms had to figure out how to have everyone work at home, Martindale-Avvo surveyed firms and 50 percent of those surveyed plan for their staff to continue working remotely in some fashion when the pandemic is over. For many firms, making this decision will help them remain an employer of choice in a tight job market where the best talent has many options.
Be intentional in mentorship and training.
Lessons Learned Since 2020 What companies found about work from home is that people are just as productive, if not more so, when working from home. There were plenty of articles and surveys confirming this result. Then in 2021, a strange thing begins to happen, people quit their jobs. The Great Resignation refers to the 33 million Americans who have quit their jobs since the spring of 2021. People are rethinking where, how, and why they work.
NPR’s Planet Money team uses the term, the Great Renegotiation, and says it’s not uncommon in a strong job market to see workers look for better pay, perks, and flexibility. During a strong job market, bargaining power shifts to employees. As a result, employees expect flexibility from their employers. As a result of the pandemic, business has technology systems in place that allow for remote work, we have collaboration tools that allow us to stay in touch, and we are able to look at our business results to know that our employees were productive.
PUBLISHER LIZ IRWIN lirwin@bridgetowermedia.comPublisher EDITORIAL JASON
4 MAY 2022CAROLINA PARALEGAL NEWS Q&A: Tina Barber
“Having worked as a professional paralegal for many years without a degree or certification, I wanted to study and earn my Professional Paralegal certification, just to prove I could do it,” she said.
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As you might guess from my choice of majors in college, I love business and accounting. Working in trusts and estates, I get to work in the areas that I love while helping clients with complicated concepts of law and accounting associated with trusts and estates. What area of law do you love? I’ve worked in trusts and estates since 1985. I really love what I do because I feel like I am helping people during a difficult time in their lives after the death of a family member. Who was/is your greatest mentor? Steve Wells, DVM who always believed I was smart and could do so much more, particularly going to college to further my education and enhance my career. He is like my foster dad, and when he attended my college graduation, he cried. He has always encouraged me and believed in me, and he is the smartest person I have ever known. What is your proudest professional accomplishment? Obtaining the NALS PP Certification. What do you love about North Carolina? I’ve lived here all my life. North Carolina offers the best of everything — the change of seasons, the beach, and the mountains. I have never traveled far but could not imagine living anywhere else. North Carolina is one of the only places in the world where your winter wardrobe might include shorts, flip flops, a heavy winter coat and snow boots. Where did you grow up? In the northwestern foothills of North Carolina. What was your favorite job? Why? Working as a veterinary assistant in high school and my early married life. I’ve always loved animals, and they will always be a big part of my life. I worked with some of my dearest and long-time friends, including Steve Wells, the veterinarian, who is still a big part of our lives. What did you want to be when you were a kid? A marine biologist. Who is your hero and why? My daughter because she has a heart as big as the ocean. She works hard and has accomplished a lot. She is a good friend to me and to all who know and love her, and she is a good mother and wife. What is something most people may not know about you? I was a tomboy. I climbed trees and ran foot races against the guys in elementary school, and I am a farm girl. I still love to dig in the dirt. What has been the best advice you have ever received? Learn how to run a computer when computers were still relatively a new thing. Had I not, I would not be doing what I do today. What is the most spontaneous thing you have ever done? My family would say that I am not spontaneous, but I would have to say to drop whatever I am doing to do something spontaneous suggested by either my husband or daughter. What are your favorite books? The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien. What is your biggest pet peeve? People putting things in my office chair when I am away from my desk. If you did not have to work, how would you spend your time? I would have a big greenhouse to grow and sell flowers and vegetables. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self? Always work hard but lighten up a little and don’t take things so seriously or personally. What is your favorite vacation destination? The beach. What is something most people may not know about you? I can speak fluent Appalachian dialect. I helped interview an elderly man from the northwestern N.C. mountains, both on video and audio. I was the only person in our substantially large firm who was able to transcribe the audio tapes.
T
Immediately after joining the Shore Hudspeth and Harding law firm in Yadkinville, N.C. Barber began learning about trusts and estates administration that led to her life’s work. She worked at that firm for 13 years before joining Womble Bond Dickenson in Winston-Salem where she has been for 24 years, starting as a legal assistant and later becoming a certified paralegal.
Barber has an associate degree in in business management and accounting and a paralegal technology certificate from Surry Community College in Dobson, N.C. She is a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants and a member of the new North Carolina Chapter of NALS.
“I was recruited by a lawyer who taught me to run an accounting program on an old Radio Shack computer in the 1980s,” she says. “I had never considered the legal profession as a career up until that point.”
What do you love about your profession and/or career?
ina Barber launched her paralegal career after the local veterinarian she worked for in her small community sold his practice.
Tina Barber
From vet clinic to law firm paralegal’s skills lead to a career she loves THOMAS,
“I originally planned on going to law school after college, but I wanted to work in a law firm setting first to see if it was the right career path,” she said. She dis covered she enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work and finds her role as a paralegal rewarding. She is a litigation paralegal at Regent Law in Charlotte, working primarily in family law with Chad Buckingham, a partner in the firm. Describe your current job. What attracted you to that position? What attracted me most to my current position was the firm’s belief that the antiquated structure of tradi tional law firms was ineffective. Today our culture resem bles a modern technology company’s team-based model than a traditional law firm. This lends itself to collabora tive work between our clients, attorneys and paralegals to develop creative solutions. By working this way, we build solutions together, and this makes me feel like I am making an important contribution to the team. What motivates you to get up and go to work in the mornings? What motivates me is the value I know I bring to the law firm and to each individual case. What skillset or knowledge would you like to add to your repertoire to make you a better paralegal?
Kutcher: Appreciates her role in a collaborative environment LEARN BY DOING AND BE A FORCE FOR GOOD. Complete your degree in 2.5 years Benefit from a tuition 20% below the national average for private law Learnschoolsfromattorneys and judges in a full-time residency-in-practice Advocate in immigration, business, guardian ad litem, wills drafting, and constitutional law clinics Attend a Top 25 law school for practical training, as recognized by PreLaw Magazine 336.278.9200LAW.ELON.EDU
Aside from psychic abilities, I wish I could have a stronger emotional agility to withstand my work being criticized. Being a paralegal is one of those profes sions where you have to accept that your work will be critiqued, and you can’t be offended by that. It doesn’t mean you didn’t draft a pleading or a letter well, it means there may have been a miscommunica tion and the attorney might have had a different idea in mind. Or it could be that you may start something, and by the time you finish it, an attorney changed their mind, or new developments happened that caused the attorney to take a different course of action. Even though I am mindful of this, criticism of my work is difficult for me to not take personally. Describe your desktop. When I started out in my first paralegal role in 2012, I had the organizational skills of a carrot. Luckily over the past decade, my organizational skills have not only come a long way, but so has the idea of a “pa perless office.” I do prefer to take handwritten notes on a legal pad and use sticky notes for reminders, but for the most part, our office is paperless, and so is my desk. I do keep photos of my husband and children on my desk along with some masterful artwork from my toddlers that I tend to bring in and showcase for my colleagues from time to time. If you were not a paralegal, what type of profes sion would you enjoy? If I weren’t a paralegal, I would be a lawyer. I am grate ful to have worked for intelligent and compassionate attorneys in my career but unfortunately, I don’t believe there are enough attorneys like that. Most attorneys claim to be “zealous advocates” and promise to “get you the outcome you deserve.” They think their job is to manage a war, not to manage peace. I’d like to see more attorneys help get the parties on the same side of the problem. Being on the same side of the problem doesn’t mean that you must see eye to eye with the other side, it just means identifying something as a shared goal within a disagreement. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends as much as I can and jamming out to Kidz Bop songs in the car with my two little ones.
5May 2022 Carolina Paralegal News Q&A: Laura Kutcher
Laura Kutcher
Laura
L aura Kutcher grew up in the Philadelphia sub urbs, and after graduating from high school, she moved to Charlotte where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 2010 and obtained her Certificate in Paralegal Studies from UNC-Charlotte in 2011. She earned her N.C. Paralegal certification in 2014.
The N.C. Paralegal Association’s Meredith R. Pollette, CLAS Scholarship Essay Contest is held annually from June through August and provides current NCPA members two scholarships toward payment of the examination fees for the CLA/CP and APC examinations given by the National Association of Legal Assistants. Visit www.ncparalegal.org to learn more and to apply.
NCADA HOLDS ITS 45TH ANNUAL MEETING IN WILMINGTON Registration is open for the N.C. Association of Defense Attorneys’ 45th Annual Meeting in Wilmington June 16-19. The headquarters hotel is Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront. Meetings and events will take place at the Wilmington Convention Center. This year’s CLE programming will in clude the Recent Decisions of Relevance Case Law Update led by Leslie Packer, Ellis & Winters, and substantive practice group breakout sessions. Thomas H. Dupree, Jr., and Alan Stein, Jr. are the featured speakers. Also on tap for the event is the NCADA’s biennial Judicial Candidates’ Forum on Friday, June 17. Visit www.ncada.org for more informa tion.
opportunities.aboutwww.nals.orgstillinatNationalbeProfessionalsnals-of-north-carolinahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/atNALS-NCandtheLegalStaffofSouthCarolinawillthelocalhostsfortheNALS2022ConferenceSeptember15-17theSonestaCharlotteExecutiveParkCharlotte.Conferenceorganizersareseekingspeakersfortheevent.Visitformoreinformationtheconferenceandspeaking
On May 6, the N.C. Bar Association Paralegal Division held its first in-person annual meeting since 2019 at the Holiday Inn, Wrightsville Beach. For those who were unable to attend, the Paralegal Division provided an online component to the annual business meeting and the continuing education sessions. The theme was “Transcending Today’s Paralegal” featuring topics pertaining to the Paralegal Division’s efforts to educate members on North Carolina’s underserved and marginalized popu lations. The Division’s CPE Committee identified and engaged legal profession als from across the state who are on the same mission and who have a passion for educating others about these issues. Topics at the annual meeting covered creating a more trauma-informed court system in North Carolina, bridging the access-to-justice gap with nonlawyers, and becoming a disability advocate.
6 May 2022Carolina Paralegal News CAROLINA PARALEGAL NEWS BRIEFS View Available Dates Calendars & Bios Online for the State’s Premier Mediators NAME Hon. Sharon Barrett Sarah V. Corley Michael W. Drye Anne M.KenScottMichaelRobertJeffreyJonathanLynnWilliamThomasRichardT.HenryReneDaileyJosephDonaldRobertRaymondJasonWayneSteveMelindaLeAnnJenniferDuvoisinS.BrearleyNeaseBrownM.EvansDunnP.HuckelB.JamesE.OwensJr.A.BeasonH.BeskindChamblissJ.DerrStempleTrehyW.GorhamAlanPittmanD.ConnerC.DuncanA.EaglesG.GullickRHarkavyT.MackieA.BrinsonA.SwannC.HartMcCotterJr.AnnAnderson PROFILE ONLINE AT ncmediators.org/ann-andersonncmediators.org/charles-mccotterncmediators.org/scott-hartncmediators.org/michael-swannncmediators.org/robert-brinsonncmediators.org/jeff-mackiencmediators.org/jonathan-harkavyncmediators.org/lynn-gullickncmediators.org/william-eaglesncmediators.org/thomas-duncanncmediators.org/richard-connerncmediators.org/alan-pittmanncmediators.org/henry-gorhamncmediators.org/rene-ellisncmediators.org/dailey-derrncmediators.org/joseph-chamblissncmediators.org/donald-beskindncmediators.org/robert-beasonncmediators.org/raymond-owensncmediators.org/jason-jamesncmediators.org/wayne-huckelncmediators.org/steve-dunnncmediators.org/melinda-evansncmediators.org/leann-nease-brownncmediators.org/jennifer-brearleyncmediators.org/anne-duvoisinncmediators.org/michael-dryencmediators.org/sarah-corleyncmediators.org/sharon-barrett PHONE (828) 768-5124 (828) 232-2800 (828) 298-1484 (828) 295-7469 (704) 533-5025 (919) 968-1111 (919) 593-5167 (888) 305-3553 (704) 333-0073 (704) 227-0124 (704) 295-4509 (919) 419-9979 (919) 613-7085 (919) 414-1808 (919) 419-1265 (866) 517-0145 (919) 805-5003 (910) 486-0992 (336) 691-9222 (336) 274-7243 (336) 433-9980 (336) 686-4336 (336) 370-4200 (828) 328-2596 (336) 889-8733 (336) 249-7777 (252) 633-3131 (252) 635-1005 (336) 368-9621 DATES BASED IN PilotNewNewLexingtonHighHickoryGreensboroGreensboroGreensboroGreensboroGreensboroFayettevilleEmeraldDurhamDurhamDurhamDurhamDurhamCharlotteCharlotteCharlotteCharlotteChapelChapelCaryBlowingAshevilleAshevilleAshevilleRockHillHillIslePointBernBernMountain † † Visit the Academy’s free roster of the nation’s premier neutrals at www.NADN.org NAME Virginia G. Adams Collins Barwick Asa L. Bell Jr. Richard T. EllenWilliamKennethWilliamShermanW.JessieS.RalphMarshallScottBarbaraReaganJamesKarenRobertMichaelJ.JosephPatriciaPaulKateJamesThomasJacquelineBoyetteR.ClareM.ClareL.ConnerIIDeiter-MaradeiT.FlickL.HollandT.HowellAndersonLittleE.McDanielA.MeynardieBrittPeelerS.SchenckIVH.WeaverB.WeyherM.TaylorA.GallopJr.W.MeekinsKentSmithM.ConleyLewisSaulsLeeCrinerA.BlancatoP.CarlsonJr.H.FreemanR.Gelbin PROFILE ONLINE AT ncmediators.org/ellen-gelbinncmediators.org/william-freemanncmediators.org/kenneth-carlsonncmediators.org/william-blancatoncmediators.org/sherman-crinerncmediators.org/lewis-saulsncmediators.org/jessie-conleyncmediators.org/kent-smithncmediators.org/ralph-meekinsncmediators.org/marshall-gallopncmediators.org/scott-taylorncmediators.org/bonnie-weyherncmediators.org/reagan-weaverncmediators.org/james-schenckncmediators.org/karen-peelerncmediators.org/robert-meynardiencmediators.org/michael-mcdanielncmediators.org/anderson-littlencmediators.org/joseph-howellncmediators.org/patricia-hollandncmediators.org/paul-flickncmediators.org/kate-deiterncmediators.org/jim-connerncmediators.org/thomas-clarencmediators.org/jackie-clarencmediators.org/richard-boyettencmediators.org/asa-bellncmediators.org/collins-barwickncmediators.org/virginia-adams PHONE (919) 838-8873 (919) 480-8738 (919) 755-1068 (919) 863-8729 (919) 755-9979 (919) 805 5007 (919) 313-4571 (919) 400-4087 (919) 809-7346 (984) 232-8014 (919) 365-6000 (919) 967-6611 (919) 610-7043 (919) 747-7373 (919) 272-7413 (919) 789-9242 (919) 828-0363 (919) 835-0900 (919) 949-4227 (252) 937-2200 (704) 487-1234 (910) 693-3411 (704) 871-1989 (910) 642-6559 (910) 251-0004 (336) 793-4238 (336) 721-6843 (336) 722-8872 (336) 945-0214 DATES BASED IN Winston-SalemWinston-SalemWinston-SalemWinston-SalemWilmingtonWhitevilleStatesvilleSouthernShelbyRockyRes.RaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighRaleighTriangleMountPines www.NCMediators.org Visited by over 1000 unique NC legal staff monthly • Over 4000 mediations expedited in 2021, for free • Cross reference date availability in seconds † Indicates if Available Dates calendar is activated NEWSPARALEGALBRIEFS NCBA PARALEGAL DIVISION FIRST IN-PERSON CONFERENCE SINCE 2019 HELD THIS MONTH
NORTH CAROLINA ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE HOSTS CONVENTION IN CHARLOTTE
NCPA SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY CONTEST CALL FOR ENTRIES IN JUNE
BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EX PERIENCE
The North Carolina Advocates for Justice is celebrating its 60th birth day this year and hosting its annual convention in person June 16-18 in Charlotte.Participating attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and others will hear case law updates from attorneys across a variety of practice areas, learn new strategies for trial from The Attorney Whisperer Sari de la Motte and enjoy an insider’s view to Election 2022 with strategists Paul Shumaker and Morgan Jackson. Visit www.ncaj.com for pro gram notes and registration.
NALA CONFERENCE & EXPO OFFERS
The North Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Legal Assistants is busy and growing. Most recently, its CLE programs were accredited by the North Carolina State Bar - Paralegal Certification.Comingup on May 19 is a NALS-NC networking social in Raleigh, hosted by Huesby and Ambassador Service Group. To learn more about NALS-NC, visit the chapter’s LinkedIn page
The North Carolina Paralegal Association held its 2022 Annual Meeting & Seminar virtually on May 6. The sessions were recorded and will be uploaded to the association’s online video library. All paralegals can visit the library to access other video replays dating back to 2014. The courses qualify for 1 CPE. The courses cost $10 for NCPA members and $25 for nonmembers. The video library is at www.ncparale gal.org.
N.C. PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION OF FERS CONFERENCE REPLAYS
N.C. STATE BAR PARALEGAL CERTIFICATION APPROVES NALS-NC EDUCATION FOR CPE CREDIT
The NALA Conference & Expo is com ing up in July. This year’s conference in both Phoenix, AZ and online will feature educational programming, skills training, and plenty of networking with friends and colleagues. Taking place July 14-16 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, the NALA Conference offers up to 15 hours of CLE. Visit www. nala.org for information.
7MAY 2022 CAROLINA PARALEGAL NEWS invtitle.com • Real-time underwriting support • Timely & relevant education • Best-in-class technology • Superior claims services • Excellent financial stability • Commercial Services Division • ClientCONNECT Software Integrations • SearchCONNECT Search Services • iTracs Trust ReconciliationAccountServices • §1031 Exchange Services 803.799.8650 | southeast@invtitle.com Capable. Committed. Experienced. Invested.
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