CHARLIE’S GIFT The Blanchard Community Law Clinic........................3 ___________________________________ _
VOL. XLIV • ISSUE 4 | FOURTH QUARTER 2018
BAR FLYER GO SIT WITH SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW BY MARIA M. LYNCH, PRESIDENT | TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT BAR THE THEME OF THIS ISSUE IS “I Am Proud to be a Wake County Lawyer.” I suppose I have technically been a Wake County lawyer all my professional life. I lived in Wake County during my first job out of law school – a clerkship – but I really became a Wake County lawyer when I joined Poyner, Geraghty, Hartsfield & Townsend as an associate. At that firm, I found plenty of mentors who believed it was part of the job to train new lawyers and a peer group of associates who became great friends. What I also received from that firm was a paid membership in the Wake County Bar Association. My participation in the WCBA and the Tenth Judicial District Bars has provided me with a wonderful group of friends and mentors outside of the lawyers with whom I have practiced. As a young lawyer, I would seek out tables of lawyers who I did not know at the monthly luncheons. I could list the lawyers I met this way, but I would certainly leave someone out. I did not undertake this effort to generate business, but over the years, I have received a lot of referrals from the lawyers I met at the luncheons. As I look out on the audience at our luncheons, I primarily see lawyers sitting with lawyers they know. Next month, go sit with someone you don’t know. Of the three colleagues in the photograph, I first met Nancy Grace when she was a member of the Grievance Committee during the time I served as its chair. I knew David Sherlin through my practice, but I would have met him eventually through bar activities. I did not know Judge Ned Mangum until we were nominated to be the Presidents-elect. Getting to know Ned has been one of the best aspects of serving as an officer. Serving as President-Elect and then as President of the Tenth Judicial District Bar has also given me the opportunity to meet many of the younger members of our Bar, which reinforces the pride I have always felt to be a Wake County lawyer. WBF
UPCOMING EVENTS WCBA BAR AWARDS November 1 | NC Museum of History GOLF TOURNAMENT November 12 | River Ridge Golf Club
SAVE THE DATE CLE BREAKFAST DISCUSSION SERIES November 14 | Campbell Law School WCBA LUNCHEONS November 6 | The Glenwood December 4 | North Raleigh Hilton WCBA HOLIDAY PARTY December 7 | The StateView Hotel
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 5 DESIGN YOUR LIFE 6 RAYMOND MASON TAYLOR: THE HISTORY COMMITTEE’S VIDEO SERIES 7 DIRECT EXAMINATION: KIMBERLY THOMAS 8 ELECTIONS 13 HITTING YOUR STRIDE AS A NEW ATTORNEY 14 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 14 YLD NEWS 15 TENNIS TOURNAMENT RESULTS 16 MEMBER NEWS 17 WCBA CLASSIFIEDS
NOTICE OF ELECTION TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT BAR IN EARLY 2018, the Board of Directors voted to move to a slating process for the selection of board members. The Nominations Committee reviewed all submitted applications and member recommendation forms and selected the Director candidates for the Board. There will be a voice vote to affirm the slate at the December Annual Meeting and Luncheon. The officers of the Tenth Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association hereby give notice pursuant to Article XII of the By-Laws of the North Carolina State Bar:
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Visit our website: www.wakecountybar.org 919.677.9903 phone • 919.657.1564 fax
WAKE BAR FLYER
VOL. XLIV No. 3 | THIRD QUARTER 2018 Presidents JUDGE NED MANGUM, WCBA MARIA LYNCH, TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT BAR Presidents-elect DAVID L. SHERLIN, WCBA NANCY L. GRACE, TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Secretary MEGHAN N. KNIGHT Treasurer ADAM M. GOTTSEGEN Immediate Past President ASHLEY H. CAMPBELL Board of Directors LISA M. ANGEL DANIEL T. BARKER JULIE L. BELL WILLIAM B. BYSTRYNSKI ANNA BAIRD CHOI MARGARET P. CURRIN STEPHANIE D’ATRI JUDGE ASHLEIGH P. DUNSTON REBECCA A. EDWARDS JUDGE KEITH O. GREGORY JUDGE JEFFERSON G. GRIFFIN JAMES M. HASH AIDA DOSS HAVEL DEAN J. RICH LEONARD CHRISTINA MEDLIN MCCOY JOHN E. MCKNIGHT JEFFREY R. MONROE ATIYA M. MOSLEY EDD K. ROBERTS III MEGAN W. SHERRON JOHN R. SZYMANKIEWICZ JOHN “BO” WALKER Young Lawyers Division President LAUREN A. GOLDEN Young Lawyers Division President-elect LEAH M. HERMILLER ABA Delegate JOHN I. MABE Executive Director WHITNEY von HAAM Wake Bar Flyer Editor ALEXANDRA DAVIS Communications SARAH L. JUSTICE Tenth Judicial District Bar Councilors HEIDI C. BLOOM WALTER E. BROCK NICHOLAS J. (NICK) DOMBALIS THEODORE C. EDWARDS II KATHERINE FRYE JUDGE ROBERT B. RADER DONNA R. RASCOE WARREN SAVAGE © 2018 Wake County Bar Association & Tenth Judicial District Bar.
NOTICE OF ELECTION: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 1.That the annual election of Officers will be held on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown, 3415 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh at 12:15 p.m. Lunch will be served and the cost of lunch will be borne by the Tenth Judicial District Bar at no additional cost to members. 2. The election is for the purpose of choosing Officers for both the Tenth Judicial District Bar and the Wake County Bar Association, an open Bar Councilor position due to the end of Nicholas J. Dombalis’ third term and Badger-Iredell Foundation Board Members. 3. The following officers will be elected: President-elect, Treasurer, Secretary PRESIDENT-ELECT (ELECT ONE) Carmen Bannon Adam Gottsegen TREASURER (ELECT ONE) Ashleigh Parker Dunston SECRETARY (ELECT ONE) Crystal Carlisle 4. The following State Bar Councilor positions will be elected by the Tenth Judicial District Bar: One Councilor (to fill the Nicholas J. Dombalis seat at the end of his term) STATE BAR COUNCILOR | DOMBALIS SEAT (ELECT ONE) Fred Morelock Theresa Rosenberg The following State Bar Councilor positions will be elected by the Tenth Judicial District Bar and are running unopposed as a continuation of their current position: STATE BAR COUNCILOR | BROCK SEAT Walter E. Brock, Jr. STATE BAR COUNCILOR | EDWARDS SEAT Ted Edwards STATE BAR COUNCILOR | FRYE SEAT Katherine Frye STATE BAR COUNCILOR | SAVAGE SEAT Warren Savage 5. The following Directors have been selected by the Nominations Committee and will be affirmed by voice vote (three-year term): Yvonne Armendáriz Jean Carter
Bill Finn Evin Grant
Katie H. King Vince Rozier
Jessica Vickers
6. The following Badger-Iredell Foundation members will be elected by the Wake County Bar Association: Two Foundation Members. BADGER-IREDELL FOUNDATION | WCBA MEMBERS VOTING (ELECT TWO) Fred Parker, III Leonard Jernigan Please see biographical information on each of the candidates inside this issue of the Bar Flyer. We look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting and luncheon on December 4 at the North Raleigh Hilton. WBF
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CHARLIE’S GIFT BY ASHLEY CAMPBELL | DIRECTOR, BLANCHARD COMMUNITY LAW CLINIC
IN 2016, I began working with Campbell Law School to start its newest clinical program, the Community Law Clinic. The clinic was located in downtown Raleigh in the beautiful old HortonBeckham-Bretsch House, one block from the NC State Bar. The clinic’s mission was to train law students while also helping clients of local nonprofits deal with outstanding legal issues that were preventing those clients from moving out of poverty and into more stable lives. Z. Smith Reynolds gave the law school a grant to start the program, but it was not enough to sustain the clinic. We knew we would need another substantial gift if the Community Law Clinic were to survive. It was in a meeting with Dean Rich Leonard in late 2016 that I first heard him mention Charlie Blanchard. I am embarrassed to admit now that I did not know Charlie and had never heard of him, despite the fact that I was about to become president of our bar association, and Charlie had been president in 1977. He was a legal legend, but before my time. I graduated from UNC law school in 2003; Charlie from Duke in 1949. Dean Leonard knew Charlie well. He said Charlie was a wonderful man with a passion for pro bono and that we should talk to Charlie and see if he would like to make a naming gift to the clinic. Soon enough, I was scheduled to meet with Charlie, along with his brilliant daughter Anne Neal (also a lawyer) at Springmoor, where Charlie was then living.
Blanchard ribbon cutting with Dean Rich Leonard, above. Left, Ashley Campbell speaks at the ceremony. Below, Blanchard with David Long; the Blanchard Community Law Clinic.
Charlie and Anna Neal were waiting for me – I was nervous. I did not know what to expect from this towering legal figure – founding member of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, the first Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, Chair of the Litigation Section of the NC Bar Association, President of the Wake County Bar Association and Tenth Judicial District Bars, recipient of the Joseph Branch Professionalism Award – our Bar’s highest honor. I could go on. But it was soon apparent to me that there is no need to be nervous about a meeting with Charlie Blanchard. Even at 93 years old, he was the most charming and intelligent man. We talked about the Wake County Bar. We talked about our shared love of books. We reminisced about the great Nancy Olsen and Quail Ridge bookstore. I asked Charlie stories about the famed “Study Club,” a group of six Wake County lawyers and their wives who wrote papers and gave yearly talks on the subjects of the day. I later told Dean Leonard that Charlie told me how important pro bono was to him and that, as bar president, he and his board instituted a rule requiring that Wake County lawyers participate in pro bono. Within an hour, I knew that I adored Charlie. I later told the Dean that Charlie Blanchard and I went together like peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots. In 2017, Charlie made his gift. In exchange, he challenged us to grow the clinical program to provide opportunities for Wake County lawyers to perform pro bono legal services for our clients. We are in the process of implementing that program now and hope to roll it out to members of the Bar Association in the next few months. Last year, we had a ribbon cutting and the clinic was renamed the Blanchard Community Law Clinic. Charlie’s friends came from far and wide to celebrate him, his gift and his vision for our community. Many wrote letters to the dean and me, telling us how much Charlie meant to them and made gifts to the clinic in his honor. I called my mother on the telephone the day I met Charlie and said “I have just met the most wonderful man.” I knew immediately what a gift it would be to name this clinic after a man like Charlie, a lawyer who has meant so much to so many and who has served the profession with great dignity. His legacy will live on through the work of the clinic. Every life we touch, every person we help, can look to Charlie and say “thank you.” WBF
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
PAGE 3
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But Bill and Dave gave me the courage to have the conversation. And the conversation was received in just the manner I hoped: lots of probing questions, opportunity to throw out a variety of ideas and at the end of the Because of my work with Lawyers Mutual, I’ve gotten to know many of the legal first meeting, there was a real interest in exploring a consulting company that professionals that practice in Wake County. I find there are many similarities to the Wake County Bar Association and Lawyers Mutual. We are relationship Lawyers Mutual would support. This Camille Stell is the president seemed to me to be the best possible oriented. We are member centric and we look to provide value to all our of Lawyers Mutual Consulting outcome. members, but there are many services that are particularly appealing to solo & Services. Continue this and small firm lawyers. We inspire loyalty in our members. conversation by contacting Since that day in March, the Camille at camille@ We are offering a new service that I believe Wake County Bar Association conversation has gone in many ways lawyersmutualnc.com or members will be interested in learning more about. I’m excited to catch you up I did and did not expect. My idea of 800.662.8843. on what’s going on with me. And I’m going back to the beginning, because I doing it all? Well, that is the part of the think you may find the story interesting and applicable to you as well. conversation that is not viable. I cannot be the Vice-President of a four-person In January 2018, I read the book, “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Welldepartment responsible for our content creation, risk management resources, Lived, Joyful Life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Designing Your Life is personally speaking at more than 50 speaking engagements and CLE programs described as “a book that shows you how to build – design – a life you can a year, while at the same time launch and develop a consulting company. That thrive in, at any age or stage.” was disappointing to me in some small way as it represented the ending of This book describes using design thinking, an approach to creative problem something that I loved. solving, to build your best life. The method involves the practical, creative resolution of a problem using strategies that designers / engineers use during However, being the president and CEO of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services the process of designing. In Bill and Dave’s case, the initial problem to solve was exceeds my expectations of where I thought the March conversation would how to help graduating students find jobs and careers. lead me. The opportunity to consult and coach legal professionals about the Bill and Dave wrote a book and teach students at Stanford how to answer that big questions in the practice of law has long been a dream, one that I had not formally identified until I spent time defining my problem, researching ideas and very question for themselves. But the book and class didn’t arrive in a neatly prototyping ideas. My “Designing Your Life” book is full of ideas written in the tied-up package. Using the concepts of design thinking, they developed a prototype of a class they were considering. They invited eight students over for margins that have already been crossed off the list, but many more notes that I a two-hour, two-night session during the summer. The students were engaged will be developing in the weeks and months to come. and didn’t want to leave, they felt the discussion was important and impactful. I look forward to working with Wake County Bar members and answering the Fast forward to today: Bill and Dave teach one of the most popular courses at tough questions: Stanford, an open enrollment class with exercises, as well as an atmosphere • How do I find a job that I like where I can fit in? in the class that provides a place to answer the question, “What should I do • How do I build my career, my law practice and develop clients and referral with my life?” They also offer workshops. For more information, visit www. designingyourlife.com. sources? Of that number, 25,000 reside in North Carolina, and 44% of those practice in Raleigh and Charlotte. That’s a lot of lawyers for the City of Oaks and surrounding communities in Wake County. But isn’t it interesting how the Wake County Bar doesn’t seem to be filled with strangers? But rather, with many, many lawyers that you know.
As I read the book, I began to think about my next phase.
• How do I balance my career with the rest of my life?
During a week, it’s not unusual to have multiple conversations with various legal • How do I know when it’s time to wind down my career? colleagues about their dissatisfaction at work, how to discover their passion or Using the design your life theory, you’ll discover that there are multiple great their concern about when and how to retire. plans, careers and pathways and that we have the choice to design the life we want. Here’s what Bill and Dave say: After reading the book, I couldn’t stop thinking about how to apply my knowledge to lawyers who were raising these pressing concerns. My first “Designers don’t agonize. They don’t dream about what could have been. exploration of the topic lead me to think perhaps, I could start a business on They don’t spin their wheels. And they don’t waste their futures by hoping the side while continuing to do a job that already seemed to require more hours for a better past. Life designers see the adventure in whatever life they are than I had in a week. But if I was passionate about all of it, maybe I could make currently building and living into. This is how you choose happiness.” it work. Finally, I got up the nerve to talk with my boss. It was scary to say any Good luck as you design your life. Let me know if you want to talk about how to of this out loud. I wasn’t sure if I was asking for something or just starting a conversation. get there. WBF
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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RAYMOND MASON TAYLOR | THE HISTORY COMMITTEE’S VIDEO SERIES BY LEONARD T. JERNIGAN, JR., HISTORY COMMITTEE CHAIR | JERNIGAN LAW FIRM
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER Raymond M. Taylor, the former marshall and librarian of the N.C. Supreme Court from 1964 to 1977, you will no doubt recall the booming Southern voice and the gracious manner in which he conducted himself as a lawyer and a gentleman. In February 2016, Nick Fountain interviewed him on behalf of the History Committee. Taylor, 83 at the time he was interviewed, had an amazing memory for justices on the court and other lawyers with whom he interacted over his career of more than 55 years. He died peacefully on March 26, 2018, and left behind a treasure trove of law books, newspapers and legal artifacts. Since most of the law-related items were not sold at the estate sale, History Committee members Gene Davis, John Szymankiewicz and I took a look. It was like walking back in time... what was going to be a few brief minutes of looking around a poorly lit basement turned into a couple of hours of magic, as we peered into books from the 1800’s, saw autographed photos of famous justices and marveled at Taylor’s collection of election material. Taylor grew up in Washington, NC, and was an undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill. After graduating from UNC Law in 1960, he worked as a clerk for Justice Clifton L. Moore from Burgaw. Two of his classmates, Jim Exum and Louis Meyer, were also clerks and both eventually became justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court. He finished his clerkship and then worked for three years for Gardner, Connor and Lee in Wilson, and enjoyed challenging work in the private sector. One morning, Taylor received a call from Justice Emery Denny, offering him the job of marshall and librarian of the Supreme Court. He accepted that offer and stayed in that position for 13 years. He also worked on a major research project for the federal court system, was a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and was appointed the superintendent of documents for the United States. He did not like Washington, D.C., so he returned to Raleigh in 1983, and practiced here until he retired. Although he had various jobs that exposed him to the highest levels of the state and federal judiciary, and he was well traveled because of these jobs, his advice to young lawyers was the following: “Get with a good firm with some good lawyers who are both good lawyers and good people, and stay there and become as good a lawyer as you can be.” WBF
Wake County Bar Awards Thursday, November 1 5:30 - 9:00p.m. | NC Museum of History Join us to support Legal Aid of NC's Raleigh office! Silent auction, wine roulette and an entertaining evening with your colleagues. Tickets and sponsorships available at www.wakecountybar.org. Don't miss out on the best night of the year! WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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DIRECT EXAMINATION: KIMBERLY THOMAS DIRECT EXAMINATION IS THE FIRST opportunity for the jury to meet a witness. An effective lawyer will use the opportunity to personalize the witness, making the witness appear both likeable and credible. At the end of the day, the direct examination is a party’s best chance to tell his or her story. 1. When you were in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up? An attorney since the fifth grade. 2. What was the most important lesson your parents taught you? Honesty and compassion which go hand in hand. 3. Who was your favorite teacher and why? My high school Latin teacher because she cared about her students beyond simply being in class for an hour. 4. Did you love or hate law school? Loved it. 6. What was your best courtroom experience? Being told I won the case but that I did not do it correctly (which by the way the client only cared that she had won the case, which I also thought was the goal).
10. What is your most marked characteristic? Sometimes I am too honest with people. They respect it but do not necessarily like what they are hearing.
7. Why did you become a lawyer? To help people.
11. What is your hidden talent? I can make great spaghetti sauce (or at least that’s what my family says).
8. What has been the most surprising or unexpected development in your career? How much I absolutely still enjoy what I do after all these years.
12. Who are your real life heroes? Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Catharine Arrowood and all the other female attorneys who came before me who allowed me to be able to do what I love to do.
9. What is your favorite book? The “Harry Potter” series.
13. When and where were you happiest? At the beach and always. WBF
You know how it feels to be ready. So do we. Let’s talk.
230 Fayetteville Street, Suite 100 919.723.2300 NMLS# 411971
PRESIDENT-ELECT
ELECT 1 OF 2 CANDIDATES
CARMEN BANNON North Carolina State Bar University of North Carolina School of Law, 2005 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Umstead State Park Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: My mentor taught me (by example, more than explicit advice) to treasure being part of the legal community, treat those I encounter on the job with dignity, and balance principle with compassion. WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • WCBA/Tenth Judicial District Professionalism Committee: Vice-Chair, 2014-2016 Programs Subcommittee Chair, 2009-2018 • WCBA and Tenth Judicial District Bar Boards of Directors, 2012- 2015 • Campbell University/Tenth Judicial District Bar Connections Mentoring Program, 2014-2018 • WCBA Bar Awards Committee Member/Performer, 2015-2018 • WCBA/Tenth Judicial District Bar Spotlights on Professionalism Award, Sept. 2014
• WCBA President’s Award of Excellence, 2011 & 2014 Other Bar-related Activities: • Perennial ethics CLE presenter • Adjunct Associate Professor, UNC School of Law
ADAM GOTTSEGEN Nicholls & Crampton, P.A. Wake Forest University School of Law, 2002 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Players Retreat Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Know when to stop talking and listen. WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • Wake County Bar Association Treasurer 2015-16 • Wake County Bar and Tenth Judicial District Board of Directors 2013-15 • Professionalism Committee • Wake County Bar Awards/Legal Aid Fundraiser Committee (2014-16) • Wake County Bar Awards Sponsorship Chair (2015-16) • Tenth Judicial District Fee Dispute Committee Mediator (2015-16)
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
Other Bar-related Activities: • NCBA Bankruptcy Section Council Member 2013-16 • Speaker/Presenter Bankruptcy and Real Property Law (January 2014 and October 2015)
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STATE BAR COUNCILOR
ELECT 1 OF 2 CANDIDATES
FRED M. MORELOCK Tharrington Smith, LLP University of North Carolina School of Law, 1976 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: The Raleigh Greenway and Dix Park (on a bicycle) Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Growing up professionally my mentors were Judge Pretlow Winborne, Robert L. McMillan and Judge George Bason. Early on I was so fortunate to be practicing law across the hall from Mr. McMillan where I could stop by almost anytime and listen to courthouse stories, ask questions and get advice. There were so many learning experiences regarding professionalism during those early years. I wrote about one such experience in the Wake Bar publication “Practicing Law” (2007). The short version is that the obligation to our clients far outweighs any obligation of congeniality toward our fellow lawyers. WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • Past member of the Board of Directors of the Wake County Bar Association and its Professionalism Committee • Tenth Judicial District Bar Appreciation Award, 2010 • Past member and chair of Grievance Committee, Tenth Judicial District Bar • Past member Professionalism Committee, Wake County Bar • Wake County Bar Association Presidents Award of Excellence, 2009
Other Bar-related Activities: • Member, North Carolina Bar Association • Member, North Carolina Bar Association, Family Law Section • Member, North Carolina Disciplinary Hearing Commission since 2010, chair since 2016 • NCBA Construction Law Section (past officer, councilor & committee chair) • NCBA Call 4ALL Task Force (now, Lawyer on the Line) • NCBA Professional Wellness Committee (formerly, Transitioning Lawyers Commission (TLC)) • NCBA Senior Lawyers Division (Communications Committee) • Legal Aid of NC volunteer attorney (former “recruiter” for Lawyer on the Line)
THERESA JOAN ROSENBERG Theresa Joan Rosenberg Architect & Attorney University of North Carolina School of Law, 1999 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: NC Museum of Art Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Take a “second chair” with you. WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • WCBA/Tenth JD Fee Dispute Resolution Committee • WCBA Lawyers Read • Former Board member and Bar Awards committee member, WCBA
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
Other Bar-related Activities: • NCBA • NCBA Construction Law Section (past officer, councilor and committee chair) • Original NCBA Call 4ALL Task Force • NCBA Transitioning Lawyers Commission • NCBA Senior Lawyers Division (Communications Committee) • Legal Aid of NC volunteer attorney (former “recruiter” for Lawyer on the Line)
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TREASURER
ELECT 1 CANDIDATE
ELECT 1 CANDIDATE
ASHLEIGH PARKER DUNSTON
CRYSTAL S. CARLISLE
Wake County District Court Judge North Carolina Central University School of Law, 2012
The Brocker Law Firm, P.A. Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 2009
Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Gonza Tacos on Hillsborough Street
Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Any of the Wake County parks with my husband and daughter.
Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Never sacrifice who you are for where you want to be.
BADGER-IREDELL
• • • •
SECRETARY
Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Kindness and empathy are key to a truly successful career. They are not “soft” skills – but the skills of effective professionals and leaders.
ELECT 2 CANDIDATES
LEONARD T. JERNIGAN, JR.
FRED P. PARKER, III
Jernigan Law Firm North Carolina Central University School of Law 1976
Retired University of North Carolina School of Law, 1964
WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • Former Wake County Bar Association Memorials Committee Chair Served on WCBA Board on two prior occasions Vice Chair of the History Committee Currently serving on History Video Project Committee Recipent of the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award, 2014
Other Bar-related Activities: • Author of NC Workers’ Compensation Law & Practice • Adjunct Professor of Workers’ Compensation Law at NCCU School of Law • Past President of Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy gropu (WILG), a national organization of workers’compensation attorneys
Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Player’s Retreat Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Pay attention to the court calendar and stand up before addressing a judge. WCBA/Tenth JD Bar Activities: • Past member, Board of Directors (1997-1998) • Fee Dispute Resolution Committee (2007-2011) • Athletics Committee (1992-1993, 1997-1998, 2000-2007) • Public Service Committee (1997-2003) • Social Committee (2003-2006) • Current member: History Committee (1992-1993, 1997-present, chair 1997-1998), • Membership Services Committee (2002-present) • Past member of the WCBA/Tenth Judicial District Bar Board of Directors, • Past chair and member of the History Committee • Current member of the Membership Committee Other Bar-related Activities: • Badger-Iredell Foundation, member and past president
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SLATED
YVONNE ARMENDÁRIZ Armendáriz Law Office, PLLC Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis, 2006 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Bond Park in Cary for morning walks Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Nothing worth having comes easy.
JEAN GORDON CARTER McGuireWoods, LLP Duke University School of Law, 1983 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Any place with good friends Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Don’t worry so much—you are smarter than the IRS
BILL FINN Sandman, Finn & Fitzhugh Campbell Law School, 1999 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Falls Lake Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Prepare for everything and wait for the other side to make a mistake.
EVIN L. GRANT Campbell University School of Law Campbell University School of Law, 2016 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Haymaker and Morgan Street Food Hall Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: “Being a leader takes three things: being informed, being engaged, and inspiring.” - Dr. Jerry Wallace
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CONTINUED
SLATED
KATIE HARDERSEN KING Wake Family Law Group Campbell University School of Law, 2002 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: North Hills (but not at my office!) Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: Develop relationships with colleagues that go beyond a particular case. It’s much more difficult to treat a colleague unkindly or to get bogged down in nasty facts/positioning when you have a personal relationship. And, as a result, I’ve made some amazing friends and met wonderful, interesting people in the practice of law. (from the Nancy Grace “Kill them with kindness” school of thought)
JUDGE VINCE ROZIER, JR. Wake County Resident Superior Court Judge NC Central University School of Law, 2001 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: At home with my wife and daughter or Neuse River Trail Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: “Don’t expect attorneys to do things you didn’t do as an attorney.” - Judge Carl Fox
JESSICA VICKERS Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A. Campbell University School of Law, 2012 Favorite Place to Hang Out in Wake County: Hereghty Bakery and Coffee Shop Best Piece of Advice a Mentor Ever Gave You: You cannot control everything that happens to you, but you can control the way you respond.
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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HITTING YOUR STRIDE AS A NEW ATTORNEY BY EMILY HURTT | BAGWELL HOLT SMITH PA
EVERY MAY, SCORES OF LAW STUDENTS from the Triangle’s area law schools graduate and are ready to put theory to practice as they begin their legal careers. In 2017, my own graduation from law school was no exception; memories of the students bounding out of the doors eager to set aside the books and start practicing come to mind. It was about two months into my first job out of law school when a colleague took care to point out that this enthusiasm would not last and that all attorneys become jaded not long after they enter practice. I remember hoping this wasn’t the case and thinking forward to what I could do to ensure I would not burn out prematurely. Now that I am concluding my first year of practice, here are my suggestions. 1. Network, Network, Network Your career development office in law school was not kidding about the power of networking. By “networking,” I mean developing a circle of professional contacts where you can gain access to information and resources you otherwise would not have. One of the most interesting suggestions I heard came a few months into my first year of practice from a very successful attorney, who wished she had made more of an effort to network during her first job out of law school. This admission surprised me because I viewed her as a well connected and accomplished attorney in her own right. The point she was trying to make, however, was that she believed she would have been far more successful if she had tried to expand her professional network early. Being newly licensed and eager to do well at her new job, she focused all her energy on her immediate circle of influence—the law partners in her firm and her fellow associates. A few years down the road, when she wanted to transition jobs into another field of law, she realized she had no connections outside of her firm or field that could help her in this search. 2. Get Involved The power of networking brings about a second point: the importance of becoming involved in organizations outside of work. This can be as simple as joining your local bar organization and attending the monthly luncheons, or it can be as involved as joining a committee in your bar organization or joining a non-legal activity. Campbell University, in conjunction with the WCBA, offers a wonderful mentorship program for new attorneys to connect with practicing legal professionals. The Connections program was one that I participated in during my first year of practice, and I found it to be an invaluable way to learn about various ways to get involved. Even if your involvement takes you outside the field of law—such as volunteering with Habitat for Humanity or Triangle Beagle Rescue, whatever it may be—know that you will be making connections that could lead to future referrals. Another benefit of being involved is that it helps you remember that there is and will always be more than the practice of law. Having that perspective early can help avoid burnout later.
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
3. Find Your Balance Achieving a work/life balance in the legal profession may be easier said than done, but it is important to set boundaries for yourself early. I have had two friends from law school burn out in their first year of practice (and they only graduated in May 2017). There are things that you can do to improve your daily well-being while still committing yourself fully to the job you were so excited to start upon graduation. For example, set a time in the evening where you stop checking your messages, voicemails and emails; or, perhaps you try changing out of your work clothes and into something comfortable once you arrive home from work to signify a transition from “work mode” to personal time. 4. Understand It Is Sometimes a Thankless Job As I am rounding third and heading for home on my first year as an associate, I have had the ability to step back and look at what a whirlwind the first year of practice has been. Here is what I can tell you about my experience: there will be hard days. There will be difficult (very difficult) clients. A great saying that relates to these struggles is, “When you work at a job you love, you will never work a day in your life.” While this is a great statement, in my opinion, it is not totally accurate. There’s another saying that I think is more appropriate for someone in their first year of practice: “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” In other words, when you’re having a bad day, don’t tell yourself that you’re not cut out for the legal profession and that you must have graduated law school through an oversight by the dean. A friend and colleague recently told me that in his first few years of practice, he never received a question he already knew the answer to. In fact, the attorneys that he worries about are the ones who believe they have to make their clients think they already know everything and who give out answers without first checking the law. New attorneys, you will do great and clients will trust you more for letting them know you care enough to get them the right answer. You are in the right profession, and if you ever have those days where you feel that you are not, try following these steps before you throw in the towel on your legal career. Reach out to your network (this is what a network is for), get involved in an organization and take a step back to take care of yourself. WBF
If you would like to read more great content from the Professionalism Committee, visit their blog on our website at www.wakecountybar.org
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS WE WELCOMED THE NEWEST MEMBERS APPROVED AT THE AUGUST 2018 MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Tara Anstett | Campbell University School of Law
Cara Ludwig | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Amanda Bryan | Supreme Court of North Carolina
David Mason | Henson & Fuerst PA
Tiffany Burba | Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP
Amily McCool | Scharff Law Firm
Kevin Cleys | Womble Bond Dickinson
Suzanne Patinella | Stuart Law Firm PLLC
John Earnhardt
Lillie Seifart | Marshall & Taylor PC
Chelsea Flynt | The Coolidge Law Firm
Anderson Shackelford | Williams Mullen
Susan Grimes
C. Allen Shaffer
Zachary Infinger
Steven Thomas
Emily Jeske | Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers LLP
Frank “Marshall” Wall | Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP
Abraham Jones
Molly White | Hayes Barton United Methodist Church
Sa’Metria Jone | Legal Aid of North Carolina
Jonathan “Brian” Winslow | The Doyle Law Group, PA
YLD NEWS
UPCOMING YLD EVENTS
2018 YLD OFFICERS
11/8 | November Social
PRESIDENT: LAUREN A. GOLDEN SECRETARY/PRESIDENT-ELECT: LEAH M. HERMILLER TREASURER: JULIE CRONIN
11/12-11/30 | Holiday Clothing Drive Our longest-running public service project needs your helpand your clothes! Items will be collected Monday, November 12 through Friday, November 30. Sorting and delivery will take place on Saturday, December 1. Please join us as we help those in need this holiday season. 12/13 | December Social & Elections
FROM JANE PAKSOY, YLD PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR Congratulations to the 2018 WBCA YLD Food Drive Competition Winners McGuireWoods (largest gross donation of 4,020 items, organized by Elizabeth Timmermans) and Ellis & Winters (largest donation per capita of 72 items per capita, organized by Cam Kirby)! Ten firms and organizations participated to donate the equivalent of 6,887 items to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC during a critical time of need. The winners will be recognized at the November WCBA Luncheon on Tuesday, November 6. Thanks everyone for your participation.
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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WCBA TENNIS TOURNAMENT | OCTOBER 5 | CAROLINA COUNTRY CLUB After losing in the title match in 2017, Randy Whitmeyer and Webster Harrison reclaimed the Championship Division Doubles title with a 7-6(5), 6-1 win over John McCabe and Vance Jennings in the finals. In the Open Division, David Beatty took the 2018 crown. Congratulations to all! Championship Division Doubles 1st: Randy Whitmeyer and Webster Harrison 2nd: John McCabe and Vance Jennings 3rd: Whitney Butcher and Gabe Jimenez 4th: Jeff Monroe and William Plyler
Below: Doubles Runners-Up Vance Jennings and John McCabe
Below: Judge William Pittman and Judge Lori Christian
Open Division 1st: David Beatty 2nd: Duane Hall
Above: Open Division Winner David Beatty
WCBA GOLF TOURNAMENT RIVER RIDGE GOLF CLUB | NOVEMBER 12 The WCBA Golf Tournament will be held November 12 at River Ridge Golf Club.The cost to play is $75 per player and includes your entry fee, greens fee, cart fee, lunch and a donation to the Wake County Bar Association’s Endowment Fund, which benefits recipients of the WCBA Foundation’s scholarship program. The format will be Superball/Captain’s Choice. You can pay your entry fee online at www.wakecountybar.org. WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
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WCBA MEMBER NEWS The Raleigh law firm of Tharrington Smith LLP is pleased to announce that 15 of its lawyers have been included in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America©. In the Bet-theCompany Litigation Section: Douglas E. Kingsbery (Recognized in Section since 2010; Included since 2005-06)
- Wade M. Smith (Recognized in Section since 2014; Included since 1983) In the Commercial Litigation Section: - Douglas E. Kingsbery (Recognized in Section since 2010)
In the Family Law Mediation Section: - Fred M. Morelock (Recognized in Section since 2013)
In the Litigation - First Amendment Section: - Daniel W. Clark (Recognized in Section since 2019; Included since 2018)
In the Litigation - Intellectual Property Section: - Daniel W. Clark (Recognized in Section since 2018) - Randall M. Roden (Recognized in Section since 2013; Included since 2013)
The Raleigh-based firm of Smith Debnam announced that nine Smith Debnam lawyers are named in the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. Smith Debnam congratulates the following attorneys named in the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers® in America:
In the Criminal Defense: General Practice Section: - Russell D. Babb (Recognized in Section since 2018; Included since 2018)
- Roger W. Smith, Jr., (Recognized in Section since 2016; Included since 2016)
- Wade M. Smith (Recognized in Section since 2007) In the Criminal Defense: White-Collar Section: - F. Hill Allen (Recognized in Section since 2012; Included since 2012)
- Melissa Hill (Recognized in Section since 2010; Included since 2010)
- Douglas E. Kingsbery (Recognized in Section since 2007)
- Wade M. Smith (Recognized in Section since 2007) In the DUI/DWI Defense Section: - Roger W. Smith, Jr. (Recognized in Section since 2018)
In the Education Law Section: - Jonathan A. Blumberg (Recognized in Section since 2013; Included since 2013)
In the Family Law Section: - Lynn P. Burleson (Recognized in Section since 2001-02; Included since 2001-02)
- Evan Horwitz (Recognized in Section since 2016; Included since 2016)
- Steven D. Mansbery (Recognized in Section since 2016; Included since 2016)
- Jaye Meyer (Recognized in Section since 200102; Included since 2001-02)
- Fred M. Morelock (Recognized in Section since 2006; Included since 2006) - Alice C. Stubbs (Recognized in Section since 2010; Included since 2010)
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- Thurston Debnam, Jr. – Listed in Best Lawyers for Commercial Litigation / Corporate Law Debnam is one of the firm’s founding partners and has more than 30 years of experience in commercial planning and business litigation. - Franklin Drake – Listed in Best Lawyers for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law Drake is a nationally recognized speaker on financial services regulation and compliance-related matters, with over 30 years of experience representing clients in the financial services industry. - Alicia Jurney – Listed in Best Lawyers for Family Law Jurney is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist by the North Carolina State Bar and serves as a collaborative attorney with the Integrated Accountability and Collaborative Transparency Program (IACT). - Lynn W. McNally – Listed in Best Lawyers for Family Law McNally is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist by the North Carolina State Bar and Certified Family Financial Settlement Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. John W. Narron – Listed in Best Lawyers for Family Law Narron is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist by the North Carolina State Bar and leads the firm’s Family Law section. - Lauren V. Reeves – Listed in Best Lawyers for Real Estate Law Reeves is a partner inside Smith Debnam’s real estate, foreclosure, and creditors’ rights sections. She represents
lenders, individuals, and businesses in real estate matters, including real estate closings, purchasing, leasing, selling, financing and all issues of title arising in both residential and commercial real estate transactions. - Jeff D. Rogers – Listed in Best Lawyers for Real Estate Law Rogers has 30 years of experience representing creditors, lenders, and businesses of all sizes on matters of foreclosure, bankruptcy, and collections. - Byron L. Saintsing – Listed in Best Lawyers for Banking and Finance Law Saintsing leads the firm’s construction law practice group and has written and lectured on many topics about construction and equipment leasing. - Bettie Kelley Sousa – Listed in Best Lawyers for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Corporate Law Sousa is a Board-Certified Specialist in Creditors’ Rights and has over 35 years of experience representing companies and their owners in business litigation and employment law.
Seth E. Barefoot has joined The Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr., practicing primarily in the areas of environmental litigation, intellectual property, civil litigation, and business law. Prior to joining the Brice law office, Barefoot practiced in Harnett County focusing on civil litigation and real estate matters. Barefoot graduated from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University as a Merit Scholar in May 2016. Prior to the study of law, Barefoot received his Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. His work was published in an Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry article titled, “Photodegradation of the Antihistamine Cetirizine in Natural Waters.”
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WCBA MEMBER NEWS, CONTINUED Three Raleigh attorneys from Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law) were recently named the Best Lawyers® 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for their respective practice areas. (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC) George Autry, Jr. was named the Best Lawyers® 2019 Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law “Lawyer of the Year” for Raleigh.
Richard Boyette was named the Best Lawyers® 2019 Mediation “Lawyer of the Year” for Raleigh.
Ted Smyth was named the Best Lawyers ® 2019 Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year” for Raleigh.
WCBA classifieds Corporate Senior Associate/Of Counsel (Raleigh Office)
Manning Fulton & Skinner, P.A. is seeking a senior associate or Of Counsel candidate with 4+ years of corporate law experience to join our Corporate Practice Group in the firm’s Raleigh office. Qualified candidates should have experience in complex corporate transactions, including mergers & acquisitions. We are seeking a well-rounded, organized, and highly motivated candidate who seeks significant client contact, and is able to work independently without significant oversight. We also expect this candidate to be involved in the community and work hard to develop and grow their practice. A demonstrated commitment to business development is required. To be considered, a candidate must hold a JD from an ABA-approved law school. A strong academic record is required. Prior experience with a sophisticated law firm is preferred. Compensation package is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Corporate Of Counsel/Partner (Durham Office)
Manning Fulton & Skinner, P.A. is seeking Of Counsel or junior partner candidates with 7+ years of corporate law experience to join our Corporate Practice Group in the firm’s Durham office. Qualified candidates should have experience in complex corporate transactions (including mergers & acquisitions), corporate finance, and general business law representation. Special consideration will be given to candidates with health care law experience. We are seeking a well-rounded, organized, and highly motivated candidate who seeks significant client contact, and is able to work independently without significant oversight. We also expect this candidate to be involved in the community and work hard to develop and grow their practice. A portable book of business and demonstrated commitment to business development is required. To be considered, a candidate must hold a JD from an ABA-approved law school. A strong academic record is preferred. Prior experience with a
WAKE BAR FLYER • FOURTH QUARTER 2018
sophisticated law firm is preferred, but not required. Compensation package is competitive and commensurate with experience and book of business. Interested candidates should submit their resumes to Alan R. Dickinson at dickinson@manningfulton.com.
About Manning Fulton
Manning Fulton & Skinner, P.A. is a full service law firm with 41 lawyers in their Raleigh and Durham offices. The firm and its corporate and M&A practices have experienced significant growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest law firms and corporate practices in the Triangle and North Carolina. We are particularly proud of our team of extremely experienced corporate and M&A attorneys, who average more than 25 years of complex corporate transaction experience. Additionally, each corporate partner at Manning Fulton has been recognized by their peers, with honors and accolades ranging from Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, to Business North Carolina’s ‘Legal Elite’. Each of our attorneys brings a creative and business-minded approach to complex commercial and M&A transactions. We provide practical and client-driven results. Our M&A attorneys are also heavily involved with the Business Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, which works with state government to propose and monitor changes across the business law and regulatory landscape. Our involvement with this influential group has ranged from primary leadership — serving as NCBA Business Law Section Chair — to a number of our attorneys currently serving as members of the Section Council as well as 5 former Chairs of the NCBA Tax Section. Our involvement is significant for a middle-market regional law firm and demonstrates both our commitment to professional involvement and the scope and size of our M&A and corporate practice.
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BarCARES
®
BarCARES can make a difference for Judicial District & Local Bar Members! BarCARES is a confidential short-term counseling, coaching and crisis intervention program created as a cost-free way of helping attorneys locate assistance to deal with the problems that might be causing stress. BarCARES is provided cost-free to members of bar groups that establish a BarCARES program. A number of judicial district and local bars, law schools and other bar related groups across the state have already chosen to offer this program. BarCARES of North Carolina, Inc, (BCNC) is a nonprofit corporation that works to expand the program to attorneys throughout North Carolina, and it monitors the overall BarCARES program operation. BarCARES, endorsed by the North Carolina Bar Association, is made possible by funding from bar groups that establish a BarCARES program, BCNC, the North Carolina Bar Association and its Foundation, and Lawyers Insurance Agency. BarCARES can be used for problems such as: Personal Issues • crisis intervention • depression and anxiety • substance abuse (drug or alcohol) • financial concerns • career counseling
Family Issues • marriage or relationship issues • children or adolescents • parenting • family conflict
Work Functions • professional stressors • course related stress • conflict resolution
BarCARES provides members of established programs in judicial districts, bar associations, law schools and organizations up to three free visits each year. In some programs the visits may be available to family members. Contact the BarCARES Program Coordinator for information about which BarCARES services are available to you. BarCARES Initiative extends a statewide program offer to any member of the NCBA who lives in an area where BarCARES is not yet available. This is a one-time benefit of three sessions under the program. You may contact the BarCARES Coordinator for information about which BarCARES services are available to you. BarCARES sessions can be used to provide assistance in resolving problems or accessing the appropriate source of help. Sometimes three sessions will be enough to take care of a problem. If it looks like the problem may require a longer term solution, the initial visits may be used to help identify the problem, to develop goals and a plan, and to access an appropriate resource, often covered under your health insurance plan. Every effort will be made for you to see a counselor who is also an approved provider under your group insurance in the event you wish to continue after the program visits are used. BarCARES is a confidential program, no one will know if you access the program but you and anyone you choose to tell. No personally identifiable information is shared with the BarCARES Board; the associated state, local voluntary or judicial district bar association; or any other entity without the permission of the BarCARES client/ user. Additionally, any health related information included in the sessions will follow federal HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules as stated in HRC’s HIPAA Privacy & Security statement. BarCARES program benefits are accessed by contacting the BarCARES Program Coordinator at HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, PA, at 1.800.640.0735. You may also contact the BarCARES Program Coordinator just to ask questions about the program and the services it provides.
confidential counseling for the legal community and their families 1-800-640-0735 | barcares.ncbar.org