WAKE BAR FLYER
HANDS-ON CONFERENCE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Third Annual Rule of Law Conference Through the Eyes of a Senior • PAGE 3 XXXIIX No. 3 • MAY/JUNE 2012
Message from the President: TED EDWARDS, Wake County Bar Association WE ALL KNOW that the economic recession has been difficult for everyone over the past few years. The impact of the recession has been especially hard on law students and recent law school graduates who are looking to find work and begin their careers during a time in which many law firms, nonprofits and governmental agencies have dramatically reduced or completely frozen their hiring of new attorneys. This has resulted in a number of new attorneys who are opening their own firms. Edwards While there is little we can do to impact the economy, we can assist our new colleagues and help them succeed. The Wake County Bar has earned a great reputation for our commitment to professionalism, collegiality and civility within our bar. If we are to continue to enjoy the fruits of these ideals, we must continue to embrace the young attorneys and teach them the same lessons that the previous generations taught us. We must be willing to invest our time and effort so that young attorneys learn the right way to practice law in Wake County. I have fond memories of my time as a summer clerk, judicial law clerk and young lawyer here in Wake County. From simple lessons about finding my way around the clerk’s office to more complex issues regarding how to effectively advocate for my clients’ interests while building trust and relationships with opposing counsel, I was blessed to have been surrounded by more experienced lawyers who were willing to take the time to show me what to do and tell me when I was going off-course. I have heard many similar stories from my peers who also had mentors who were available to foster their growth and development. This is a tradition that must continue. A new group of attorneys was sworn in on April 23. The Wake County Bar Association is working to provide mentors for each new attorney that desires to have one. Please consider volunteering to assist one of these new attorneys as they make their way into our profession. Even if you are not participating in a formal mentorship role, you can be a resource for a young attorney. If you see a young attorney who seems to be struggling, take the time to offer your assistance. If you see a young attorney who seems to be doing well, offer your assistance anyway! Remember what it was like when you were starting your practice and how grateful you would have been for help from someone who had more experience. The WCBA monthly breakfast series focuses on topics that are relevant to inexperienced attorneys. The topics for recent months have included best practices for managing a law firm, the art of jury selection and what you need
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WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
Upcoming Meetings WCBA SOCIAL • May 17 Join us on the patio at Cary’s Carolina Ale House to enjoy camaraderie and a cold beverage with friends and colleagues, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. WCBA LUNCHEON • June 5 Justice Willis Whichard will present a talk on the life of N.C. Governor David Swain, the state’s youngest governor. A supporter of the Confederacy, Swain surrendered Raleigh to General Sherman.
Inside this Issue... 3 • HANDS-ON CONFERENCE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 4 • VLP - A NUTS AND BOLTS PRIMER 6 • SENIOR MOMENTS: A LOT TO LEARN 7 • BASKETBALL LEAGUE CELEBRATES FIRST SEASON IN NEW LOCATION 9 • A PEEK INSIDE THE MIND OF YOUR CORPORATE CLIENT 11 • 35 NEWLY LICENSED LAWYERS SWORN IN 12 • WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 13 • YLD NEWS 15 • SUMMER CLERK ORIENTATION
Visit our new website: www.wakecountybar.org 919.677.9903 phone 919.657.1564 fax
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WAKE BAR FLYER XXXIIX No. 3 •MAY/JUNE 2012 President, Wake County Bar Association THEODORE C. EDWARDS II President, Tenth Judicial District Bar THEODORE B. SMYTH President-Elect THOMAS H. DAVIS, JR. Secretary JENNIFER A. MORGAN Treasurer ALLAN B. HEAD Immediate Past President CHRISTIE SPEIR ROEDER Board of Directors P. COLLINS BARWICK III HEIDI C. BLOOM ASHLEY K. BRATHWAITE MADISON (MATT) E. BULLARD, JR. JUDGE LORI G. CHRISTIAN MICHELLE S. COFIELD HOWARD J. CUMMINGS MARK A. FINKELSTEIN STEPHANIE A. GASTON NANCY L. GRACE ROBIN M. HAMMOND ELIZABETH R. HARRISON GREGORY L. HINSHAW THOMAS C. KILPATRICK E. HARDY LEWIS MARIA M. LYNCH STACI T. MEYER R. DONAVON MUNFORD, JR. ASHLEY MATLOCK PERKINSON WILLIAM W. PLYLER PAUL A. SUHR BETTIE KELLEY SOUSA BO THOMPSON THOMAS C. WORTH, JR.
Message from the President, continued to know about practicing law in the Wake County Courthouse. The goal of each of these programs is to provide a forum for more experienced attorneys (both those that are serving as speaker and those who are in attendance) to share their knowledge and experience with young attorneys in our Bar. We are pleased to report that many of our young attorneys have become regular attendees at our breakfast series. We would welcome the presence of additional experienced attorneys who would be willing to share their insights and knowledge. Wake County is a great place to practice law because we have developed an environment where professionalism, courtesy, collegiality and mutual respect are both valued and expected among attorneys. If we expect to maintain these values and traditions, we must be proactive and intentional in our effort to pass them on to the next generation of attorneys entering the practice. I hope that you’ll take the time to reach out to young attorneys and help them; chances are that someone did the same for you. WBF
WCBA Community Service Project
Young Lawyers Division J. T. CROOK ABA Delegate ROGER W. SMITH, SR. Executive Director WHITNEY von HAAM Wake Bar Flyer Editor LUCY AUSTIN Tenth Judicial District Bar Councilors NICHOLAS J. (NICK) DOMBALIS CARLYN G. POOLE JOHN M. SILVERSTEIN CYNTHIA (CINDY) L. WITTMER JOHN N. (NICK) FOUNTAIN DAVID W. LONG SALLY H. SCHERER DONNA R. RASCOE © 2012 Wake County Bar Association & Tenth Judicial District Bar.
Come rain, sleet, or snow, WCBA members deliver service to their community! On Saturday, March 3, volunteers Debbie Hildebran (left), (above, from left) Nick Verna, Michelle Cofield, Ted Edwards and Bria Cofield helped spruce up the Salvation Army’s local Community Center on Wake Forest Road in Downtown Raleigh. They spent the morning planting flowers and painting speed bumps. Special thanks to Lowe’s in Cary for donating the flowers. Our next event will be at the Food Bank on May 19 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sign up on our website under calendar item “May 19.”
NEXT BAR FLYER DEADLINE: JUNE 15, 2012 WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
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HANDS-ON CONFERENCE GIVES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF RULE OF LAW BY JOHN CAMERON CROWDER, GARNER HIGH SCHOOL IT IS CERTAINLY NOT EVERY DAY that I have an opportunity to be deeply immersed in constitutional law during a conference that lasted for such a short period of time. It is with great excitement and honor that I am able to share the indispensable experiences I had during the Wake County Bar Association’s Rule of Law conference, held at Campbell Law School, a cosponsor of this event. The conference was eye-opening, informative and uplifting. The facilitators made an effort to remind the students that if we felt as if our constitutional rights were infringed upon, we have a right as students to let the authorities know. The main theme of the evening was, undoubtedly, to learn American precepts and how the effectiveness of it has ushered its citizens towards the highest levels of civility and order. Serving as our moderator for the day was Christie Hinson Norris from the UNC School of Government. Luminaries such as N.C. Supreme Court Justice Mark Martin, Former Chief Judge of the N.C. Court of Appeals Sidney S. Eagles, Jr., Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby, WCBA President Christie Hinson Norris, of UNC School of Government, moderTheodore C. Edwards II, Court of Appeals Judge Donna Stroud, ated the students’ discussion about issues pertaining to the Bill Amanda Martin, a partner with Stevens Martin Vaughn & of Rights and its application in today’s society. Tadych, and other lawyer volunteers helped the students gain a individual groups tackling different sections of the Constitution’s more complete understanding of how our forefathers constructFirst Amendment. Ted Edwards, along with other lawyers serving as ed a Constitution that balances elasticity with stability. volunteers, led a group of about 50 students into serious discussions One of the best things about attending the Rule of Law conferabout ways the First Amendment is applied and the myriad of its ence was that the facilitators found a way to discuss the knotty and interpretations. We engaged in an open dialogue that zeroed in on a more arduous aspects of our Constitution, the chief focus being the citizen’s right to petition without inhibitions, the broad freedoms to divisions of the First Amendment, in an open forum separated into protest guaranteed by the First Amendment as well as instances in which those broad freedoms could be restricted. The forum served as an effective and memorable representation of the Constitution and gave me a more comprehensive understanding of the First Amendment’s liberties and how matchless the United States of America is as a beacon of justice and civil autonomy. Following the open discussion forums, students performed skits pertaining to the Amendments within the Bill of Rights. This activity called upon students to act out an instance in which rights were violated and the peers in the audience had to explain the issues raised. The didactic exercise was definitely a stark shift from the note-taking method we tend to use in school, and it was very entertaining to see prospective law students enthusiastically embrace their inner thespians with admirable brilliance and wry humor before a crowded room. I feel as if the Rule of Law conference gave me a more complete understanding of the inner workings of the Bill of Rights within those few hours than perhaps a week of History class. The Wake County Bar Association and Campbell School of Law organized a Students explored violations to their rights through skits fine program that does what it sets out to do: raises students in a and discussions about the Bill of Rights. Above, two newfound appreciation of the United States Constitution. WBF students are “arrested.”
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VLP - A NUTS AND BOLTS PRIMER? You are the nuts and bolts that make it strong! BY MARK LA MANTIA (Editor’s Note: This article is the second in a series from the Professionalism Committee intended to inspire attorneys in the Tenth Judicial District to assist Legal Services of North Carolina through the Volunteer Lawyers Program.)
MARK LA MANTIA is is a sole practitioner in Raleigh, and a member of the Professionalism Committee and Articles Subcommittee of the Wake County and Tenth Judical District Bars. He can be reached at mark@ lamantialaw.com and 919-676-5600.
WHEN I EMBARKED UPON THIS ASSIGNMENT, I must say I was envisioning a very mechanical process pursuant to which all I needed to do was collect the detailed information on VLP and its processes and then simply synopsize what I had collected for others - i.e. giving the “nuts and bolts” like a detailed instructional manual for building something or very specific procedures to follow. I have come to discover that any reference to the “nuts and bolts” of VLP is a little misleading, albeit in a good way. As it turns out, like much in the law, VLP too involves a very fluid opportunity and framework for assisting others with legal problems that, although they may be more generally categorized into areas of the law, are themselves factually dependent, fluid and dynamic and whose possible outcomes could involve a variety of possible strategies and application of the law (almost as limitless as the imagination and skills that we all possess as to how to problem solve or regarding the best way to “skin a cat”). Therefore, the real nuts and bolts of VLP are simply the Legal Aid Attorneys and personnel that support it and the volunteer attorneys themselves, like you, that together make it work and are always helping to extend its reach. VLP. This acronym doesn’t just stand for the Volunteer Lawyers Program. It represents a means for all Wake County Lawyers to do their part in Validating the Legal Profession and providing a Voice for Less-fortunate Persons - the voice of Vindication, Liberty, and Power with Very Little Pain or Participatory cost. GET ON BOARD - HERE’S HOW SIMPLE IT IS AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT 1) JUST VOLUNTEER. All you really need to do is give Celia Mansaray or Victor Boone even an inkling that you are willing to consider volunteering to offer counsel or undertake the handling of cases and you will be on your way. Any discussion of VLP in Wake County would not be complete without specific reference to (and our own acknowledgment of the unwavering efforts of) Victor and Celia - they are not only the engineers, the mechanics, and conductors on the train, they are even the coal that burns to make the engine go. Together Victor and Celia have some 70 years of combined experience with Legal Aid and VLP efforts in Wake County and together can help you begin to find your way to greater fulfillment in this profession - there is virtually nothing that they will ask you to do that they have not already done or been involved in at some level in the past. There is a form you can fill out indicating your qualifications, general experience and level of willingness to participate (see www.legalaidnc.org ), or you can just contact Celia by e-mail at Celia@legalaidnc.org or by telephone at 919-863-1446. Once you have done this, Celia will certainly get you individual assistance opportunities to consider. 2) BE OPEN MINDED AND EMBRACE THE MISSION. DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF. While there are clearly some core areas that Legal Aid focuses on and the overall demand helps to identify at times (e.g. foreclosure and other fair housing and/or landlord and tenant matters; domestic and family matters - especially violence and custody problems; wage payment, unemployment benefits and eligibility contests, and other employment related matters and disputes; consumer rights problems and claims; educational access and other public benefits matters), you certainly do not have to be an expert in these or any other particular area of the law to get involved. Without meaning to denigrate or minimize any area of the law, or the intricacies and depth of understanding that may be involved in any area from time to time or from matter to matter, or the overall skills
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level of any segment of the Bar or any areas of legal specialization, many of the matters processed through Legal Aid do not involve a rocket science level of understanding of the law to provide a valuable level of assistance - just an open mind and a willingness to learn and help. The cases are many, the need is great, and the availability of any help is certainly better than no help at all. Seize the opportunity to help out and surprise yourself at the same time! Besides, you might just be the missing link and resource for Legal Aid to help someone with a more unique circumstance or type of problem. 3) IN VLP, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NEVER ALONE - HELP AND SUPPORT ARE EVERYWHERE. Although there is not a specific “how to” that can be provided in addition to the basic skills and experience you may already possess, between the combined experience of the Legal Aid staff and other VLP volunteers, and given the access to the wide variety of materials that are online through the Bar, Legal Aid of North Carolina and/or the 4All or Call4All programs, you can easily increase your own competence and abilities to effectively help evaluate and handle cases in a number of the areas needed. Once again, the most direct route to direction and assistance is through Celia and Victor. From my own experience, I can tell you that they are both more than willing to take the time to sit down with you or otherwise communicate as much as you feel you need to discuss any matters or case specifics and available resources (including other attorney volunteers who may be willing to mentor). 4) ULTIMATELY, YOU DECIDE WHAT MATTERS YOU WILL GET INVOLVED IN AND WHAT THE LEVEL OF YOUR PARTICIPATION WILL BE. Although I would quite confidently say from my own participation and discussions with others who have participated in VLP, and from reading some of the quotes that Leanor Bailey Hodge included in her Bar Flyer article several months back, that you will likely receive far greater fulfillment as a professional from extending yourself further than what you might have thought you could be able through VLP than through what you do for profit day in and day out, the choice of how much you want to extend yourself is always up to you. Sure it would be great if every volunteer would take every call opportunity or keep every call and referral and take the matter through to conclusion, we know that this is not very realistic. A good case plan can also involve coordinating efforts between volunteers to co-work a case or take particular steps if and when necessary (e.g. evaluation and negotiation versus litigation). Frankly, not many of the lawyers I know are fearful or shrink from confrontation, like to feel powerless themselves, or do not believe deep down that they are better able to solve a given problem than anyone else might be, or at least as equal to the task as anyone else. All VLP realistically hopes for is more volunteers to initially take the calls and consider the cases - experience has demonstrated the basic human nature of attorneys more often than not helps to do the rest. 5) NO RISK OR FINANCIAL COST IS REQUIRED. The services of Volunteer Lawyers handling cases for and through Legal Aid of North Carolina through the Volunteer Lawyers Program are automatically covered under Legal Aid of North Carolina’s malpractice insurance. You do not need to have your own malpractice coverage, although obviously it is likely not a bad idea to have it as a back-up as well if you can afford it. Interestingly, neither Victor Boone nor Celia Mansaray could even recall any case that Legal Aid and the VLP in Wake County had ever been involved in where a malpractice claim had been made (or anywhere else in the State for that matter). Also, should you decide to get more involved in a particular matter further than just providing an evaluation and some advice, there is no requirement that you agree to personally advance or otherwise undertake any case related costs. To the extent that the necessary or most advisable course of action for any person FOR THE WCBA referred will require any costs to be expended, it is best to simply have a sit down or telephone conference with Victor or Celia to COMMUNITY develop a case plan and discuss what level of costs may be needed SERVICE DAY and what level of assistance the program is able to provide. Legal Aid of Wake County receives a limited donation/conAT THE tribution from the Wake County Bar each year and receives other FOOD BANK. similar limited funding to try to help fund litigation expenses and support the VLP and Legal Aid’s mission. They also have some SATURDAY, understandings with and access to various service providers that MAY 19 provide discounts and more favorable fees for VLP matters. Everyone understands, and generally expects, that most cases will 1-4 P.M. have to be handled on a shoestring budget and will not be able CHILDREN 12+ to be pursued in the same manner as if you were working with a WELCOME deep pockets client. Obviously, you are free to contribute whatever money and resources you decide you want to in any case or matter and can get those amounts back (on a pro rata basis with SIGN UP AT WWW.WAKECOUNTYBAR.ORG Legal Aid) to the extent that any settlement or legal proceeding results in a reimbursement for or award of costs . WBF
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WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
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SENIOR MOMENTS: A LOT TO LEARN BY BETTIE SOUSA, SMITH DEBNAM THERE IS A STARBUCKS tucked inside the Cameron Village Harris Teeter. Recently, I met there with two of the leaders of Wake County’s Senior Survivors. You’ve heard of them. They tout themselves as a lawyers’ group that welcomes anyone willing to admit his or her age of 60 or above. Frankly, I suspect this congenial group may be a bit flexible about the sole criterion for membership. What I learned from Bob Smith and Bo McDonald that morning is that I have a lot to learn from them and their fellow seniors. They speak of their members with respect and loyalty and admiration and good humor. They have reached the point where competition has been left in the courtroom, and advocacy isn’t personal. Maybe their mortgages are paid. Vibrant and funny, our seniors have room for more members. And our bar has a lot of eligible members, if you know what I mean. They say a relationship is a good one when you leave from a visit feeling better than when you arrived. I had a warm feeling all day after my Starbucks meeting. Not yet eligible for senior status, I just
might show up at a Senior Survivors’ gathering…..and learn something from these delightful folks. Here’s the scoop if you want to give it a try. • • • • • • •
WHAT: Senior Survivors WHEN: 3rd Tuesday each month except June/July/August NEXT MEETING: May 15 WHERE: University Club (fka/Faculty Club) TIME: 12:15 p.m. for lunch and a program COST: $150 annual dues (includes lunches) GUESTS: Welcomed, with $20 guest fee.
Contact Bob Smith, rsmith@smithlegal.com, if you want to be a guest, to let him know you are coming. For regular members, you know to contact him if you are not coming. And look for future articles in the Bar Flyer about our senior members. We have a lot to learn from them. WBF
Upcoming Meetings for Wake Women Attorneys WAKE WOMEN ATTORNEYS invites you to attend its upcoming monthly luncheons on Thursday, May 10, 2012 and June 14, 2012. Lunches are held at 12:00 pm at Sitti located at 137 S Wilmington St. Raleigh, N.C. 27601. Telephone: (919)239-4070. In May, August Cohen, an executive resume writer, will join us and speak about how to use LinkedIn to market ourselves and put our best foot forward. For our June luncheon, Erik Mazzone from the Center for Practice Management at the NC Bar Association will be speaking about the social media aspect of law practice, including yelp reviews, using facebook to your advantage, etc. Please RSVP to Kathleen Putiri at kputiri@attorneysnc.com by noon on Friday, May 3 or by Friday, June 7 for the June lunch. Lunch is $13.00/members; $17.00/non-members. WBF
Do you have an idea for a Bar Flyer article? Are you always looking for a chance to let out your inner Shakespeare? We are always looking for WCBA members wanting to share experiences for the Bar Flyer. Pitch your idea to Editor Lucy Austin - No idea is too crazy for consideration. ltaustinlegal@gmail.com. Upcoming deadlines: June 15, August 15 and Oct. 5.
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
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A WINDOW INTO THEIR TIMES HISTORICAL NOTES FOR THE WAKE COUNTY BAR THE WAKE COUNTY BAR Association was formed in Raleigh in May 1925. Its constitution, published that month, stated the WCBA's aims to be: "To promote a closer union and fellowship between the practicing lawyers of Wake County, maintain, promote and carry out the ethics of the profession, facilitate the trial of causes, extend and further the principles of justice, and [] assist the judges holding courts in Wake County in the transaction of the business of the court." The new association's first president was James Hinton Pou, its first vice president was Murray Allen, and Carroll W. Weathers served as the first secretary-treasurer. A brochure published by the WCBA in 1925 listed 105 members that first year. It cost seven dollars to join the association, and annual dues were five dollars. WBF (SOURCE: KATHLEEN KEARNS AND MICHAEL J. DAYTON, CAPITAL LAWYERS)
Don’t Forget: May 17 WCBA Social Carolina Ale House, Cary 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Team Efird claimed the 2012 Basketball Tournament trophy. Team members include: (Bottom row, from left) Doug Noreen, Hart Miles, Daniel Nunn. (Top row, from left) Jesse McCoy, Will Webb, Les Bowers, Team Captain David Efird, Byron Dunning, Jeff Monroe and William Plyler. Not pictured: John South and Andrew LeLiever.
BASKETBALL LEAGUE CELEBRATES FIRST SEASON IN NEW LOCATION THE 2012 WCBA BASKETBALL LEAGUE was once again a great success with more than 80 attorneys participating. The J.D. Lewis Multipurpose Center proved to be a great new venue and was an upgrade to the league by providing two referees per game and a scorekeeper/clock operator. Each of the eight teams played seven regular-season games on Saturday mornings throughout January, February and March. The regular season was followed by a league tournament, held March 10 and 17. Special thanks to the captains this year: David Efird, Lawrence Cameron, Geary Knapp, Brian Meacham, Hugh Harris, Caleb Thomas and Cory Howes. Team Efird was the regular season and tournament champion beating Team Meacham in a close back and forth championship game. Following his tournament victory as a member of Team Efird, William Plyler announced his retirement from the Lawyers’ League after helping his son-in-law, Jeff Monroe, win the championship. Noticeably absent from this year’s league was veteran and former champion John Benjamin. WBF
N.C. SUPREME COURT HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEEDS YOU THE NORTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT HISTORICAL SOCIETY is a private, non-profit organization organized 20 years ago and dedicated to preserving legal history in North Carolina. In 2011, we enjoyed another successful year, as our Executive Director Danny Moody continued to obtain, restore and catalogue important papers, books and artifacts for our collection, including portraits of the Justices. Current projects include cataloguing the portraits and significant artworks in each county courthouse; underwriting the publication of new volumes of legal and private papers of Justice James Iredell; and creation of an exhibit on the original law academies in North Carolina, which existed prior to our modern law schools. Please help them continue the important work of the Society by joining or renewing your membership. Go to www.ncschs.net in order to renew, join or learn more. Thank you for your past and anticipated future support of the Society. WBF
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A Peek Inside the Mind of Your Corporate Client BY CAMILLE STELL A QUESTION I FREQUENTLY ASK IS WHAT DO OUR CLIENTS WANT? Because of the correlation between disgruntled clients and ethics issues and malpractice problems, it would seem to be a question worth asking. For the lawyer representing corporate clients, asking this question may mean the difference between whether they continue to retain you or not. A panel of corporate general counsel spoke at the recent Legal Marketing Association Conference in Dallas and offered valuable insight. Here’s a “behind the scenes” view of the corporate client mindset. These are not exact quotes, but as close as possible based on the notes I took. My additional thoughts based on their comments follow in parentheses. Ron K. Barger, Archon Group, L.P. Jeffrey W. Carr, FMC Technologies, Inc. Janet L. Dhillon, J.C. Penney Company, Inc. UNDERSTAND MY BUSINESS Carr: Understand, I am not a lawyer first, I am a business leader and executive first. I need you to think about my business objectives and my company’s mission as part of every option you give me and every decision you and I make together. I am charged with delivering shareholder value every day. If you don’t understand EPS (earnings per share), you are in the wrong practice area. Dhillon: The most important thing you can do for me is to balance my legal needs and my business needs. Barger: Keep in mind that your client (the General Counsel) may serve in roles other than legal. They have a broader view of the business. You must understand that and their view in order to be successful. HOW TO BE OUR “GO TO” LAW FIRM Dhillon: Share our passion for our business. Know who we are and what we stand for. If you represent J.C. Penney, go to a store, walk around, and experience the shopping. Read our 10K and our proxy. Do google news alerts on us. Offer us advice based on what you read in the news. (Follow the trends surrounding your client’s business or industry.)
CAMILLE STELL is the Director of Client Services for Lawyers Mutual. Recently selected as a Lawyers Weekly 2011 “Leaders in the Law” award recipient, Camille has more than 20 years of experience in the legal field, as a paralegal, legal recruiter and business developer. Contact Camille at 800.662.8843 or Camille@lawyers mutualnc.com.
Barger: Create intelligence about your clients. Use news aggregators. Create a dossier on your client and share with your firm client team. Stay abreast of global news if applicable. View competitor news items and share. (Have your librarian or paralegal assist with this project. If the client represents a large enough portion of your firm’s business, you should consider dedicating a client team to them and this information is shared on a quarterly basis with the entire team). Dhillon: Here’s an example of the gold standard. One of our law firms called to say, “We see you have a crisis going on out of country. We have a lawyer in that country on vacation. How can we help you on the ground over there?” There wasn’t really anything we could ask her to do at that time, but that offer was tremendous and it brought that firm to the top of my list. Barger: Our business is a living, breathing organism, always moving and changing. Stop thinking like a lawyer and start thinking like a business person.
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
CONTINUED PG. 10
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UPCOMING BREAKFAST DISCUSSION SERIES TOPICS MAY DISCUSSION Using New Technology in your Legal Practice Wed. May 16 – 7:30 a.m. The Mecca Restaurant 13 E. Martin St., Raleigh Join David Stradley of White & Stradley, PLLC, and Erik Mazzone from the NCBA’s Center for Practice Management to talk about how using new technology in your practice can save you time and money and make you a more effective and efficient lawyer.
JUNE DISCUSSION
PHOTO CAPTION | In March, the discussion about jury selection was very well attended and featured (from left) Steve Epstein, Donna Rascoe, David Kirby and Joe Cheshire, sharing their tactics in selecting a jury.
Women in the Practice of Law Wed. June 20 – 7:30 a.m. The Mecca Restaurant 13 E. Martin St., Raleigh Please join us for an informal discussion on stressors, problems and solutions in the practice, including managing the work/life balance with a panel offering observations and suggestions for success. WBF
CONTINUED FROM PG. 9 WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT Barger: My business doesn’t keep me up at night. The things I worry about are the things I don’t know about. What is over the horizon? If you can help be my “eyes and ears in the market”, that would be helpful. If you see something or become aware of something you think would be helpful, share it. Be my business partner. Dhillon: Tell me what I’m missing, what I’m not seeing. Tell me about trends, new cases, and new regulations. If I already know it, I’ll say “we’re on it”. We are not offended by you calling things to our attention. Carr: Don’t raise a bogeyman and say “hire me”. Tell me the issues you see and let me decide if we have a problem. UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE Barger: Our company culture is so important, but no firm has ever asked me about culture. If your firm culture doesn’t match ours, the relationship is dead. Carr: Be careful how you ask. Don’t come in and say, “Tell me about your culture.” Rather ask questions: how is our business organized,
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
what is the reporting structure, what kind of people do you hire, what is most important to your executive team, what is most important to you? TRUST Carr: I lose trust in you when you don’t deliver and when I get surprised. Don’t forget we are the client. Only in the legal world do buyers act like sellers and sellers act like buyers. I lose trust when you refuse to take responsibility for problems. I do not want to argue with you. I want you to make the problem better. Dhillon: I do not want surprises. I lose trust with unexpected bills or failures in communication. Don’t delay in telling me about a mistake. Barger: I lose trust when you breach my confidence. You have to be very careful about representing a competitor of mine. In a word, important relationships come down to trust. Make trust a foundation of your client relationships. Because of the volume of topics covered during the panel, I’ve saved some comments for a future issue. Stay tuned. WBF
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35 NEWLY LICENSED LAWYERS SWORN IN BY LISA LEFANTE, SWEARING-IN CEREMONY COMMITTEE EVENT COORDINATOR ON APRIL 23, THE WAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION sponsored a ceremonial session of the Superior Court for Wake County. In this session, held in the James K. Dorsett Auditorium of the North Carolina Bar Center, the Court was opened and called to order so that the Honorable Paul Ridgeway could hear motions for the admission and subsequent swearing-in of individuals who passed the February Bar examination. These 35 individuals are now fully and duly licensed to practice law in the courts of the State of North Carolina. Cynthia L. Wittmer, the recipient of the 2011 Joseph Branch Professionalism Award from the Wake County Bar Association, delivered an inspiring call to arms on the meaning of professionalism. Professionals are distinguished by their academic preparation, continuing education, ethical standards and their commitment to put humanity and society above professional gain, explained Wittmer. Historically, she said, there were only three professions, the law, medicine and divinity. Over the years, the number of professions grew, but the term became perverted to include such individuals as “professional athletes” and “professional safecrackers.” Over the last 15 years, Wittmer explained, the profession of law has become more of a business focusing on profitability, rather than ethics, service to clients and quality of work. Citing both a letter written by the former Chairman of Goldman Sachs to the New York Times and a speech by North Carolina Bar Association President Martin Brinkley, Wittmer noted a correlation between the decline of professionalism in the law and an increase in the general dissatisfaction of the legal community.
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
Wittmer challenged the newly admitted attorneys to decide what kind of lawyer they wanted to be, hold on to their values, find their place in the world and measure their success, not by any financial means, but by whether they have accomplished their values. In the end, service to clients, honesty, courtesy, respect and integrity are the measure of a true professional. A reception followed the ceremony hosted by the Swearingin Ceremony Committee of the Wake County Bar Association. Members of the Wake County Young Lawyers Division helped with the festivities and were available for new lawyers who did not have a personal sponsor. The Swearing-in Ceremony Committee wishes to extend its heartfelt appreciation not only to Judge Paul Ridgeway, but also to Ted Smyth, president of the Tenth Judicial Bar, and Ted Edwards, president of the Wake County Bar Association for their welcoming remarks. We are fortunate to have the dedication of the WCBA staff whose part is significant in making this event a success each year. Please thank Whitney von Haam, Stephanie McGee, Kathy Ruppert and Shaula Brannan as well as Kristen Fetter, the Trial Administrator of the Superior Court of Wake County. A special thank you also goes to all of the members of the Swearing-in Ceremony Committee for their help in organizing this event, Christina McAlpin Taylor and Lauren V. Reeves, committee co-chairs; Lisa LeFante, event coordinator; James Hash and Allen Thomas, YLD sponsor coordinators; and Nan Hannah and Debbie Hildebran for their invaluable assistance. WBF
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS OF THE WCBA SINCE DECEMBER 2011, THE WCBA HAS WELCOMED 119 NEW MEMBERS, APPROVED BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ELLIOT SOL ABRAMS Cheshire Parker Schneider & Bryan PLLC KARL J. AMELCHENKO Whitfield Bryson & Mason
JASON TODD CAMPBELL NCDOJ THOMAS JAMES CAMPBELL
BRANDI FARANTATOS MERAB FAULKNER
JEFFREY ALAN CARR
ANDREA LAUREN FOWLER Hyland & Padilla, PLLC
WILLIAM H. BAILEY McAngus Goudelock & Courie
TIMOTHY P. CARRAWAY Rose Rand Wallace
TIMOTHY GERALD FOWLER Law Offices of Tim Fowler
DAVID KELSEY BAKER Solo Practitioner
JEFFREY N. COLE The Law Offices of Jeffrey N. Cole
EMILY GIBSON McCoppin & Associates
ELIZABETH A. BARNHILL CHRISTOPHER STEPHEN BATTLES Shanahan Law Group, PLLC COLBY TILTON BERRY Law Office of Colby Berry RUTH SIMPSON BHAKTA Howard Stallings From & Hutson, PA BRIDGET ALISON BLINNSPEARS K & L Gates, LLP MARK C. BOLIN K & L Gates, LLP JENNA CARROLL BORDERS Wyrick Robbins Yates and Ponton, LLP JEFFERY PERCELL BOYKIN DAVID BRANNON Solo Practitioner JAMES BROOKS Law Office of James Tyler Brooks DOUGLAS RAY BROWN STEPHEN AARON BROWN Young Moore and Henderson, P.A. LAWRENCE JASON CAMERON Wake County DA's Office
SEAN A.B. COLE Hoomani & Cole, PLLC EDWARD E. COLEMAN, III McAngus, Goudelock & Courie
WILLIAM GILKESON Bailey & Dixon CHARLES PHILLIPS GILLIAM ELIZABETH GOLD
BRYAN COLLINS Wake County Public Defender
ASEKESAI ARNETTE HARRIS Arnette Law Offices, PLLC
STEVE LAWRENCE COMBS
RASHAD HAUTER Wake County DA's Office
TROY CRAWFORD Lawyers Mutual JOHN W. CRONE, IV Lewis & Roberts AMY E. DAVIS Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton MEGHAN W. DEUTSCH Legal Aid of NC DAVID DONOVAN WILLIAM M. DOWLING Brooks Pierce SEAN DOYLE CARA DUDEK LEILA EARLY DAPHNE D. EDWARDS Alamance County DA's Office JANELLE ELROD
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
DAVID L. HAYDEN Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan JARRETT HAYES JESSICA LYNN HAYES PRA International CURTIS R. HIGH Curtis High, Attorney
KRISTEN E. JANICEK Yates McLamb & Weyher, LLP JENNIFER MCGUIRE JONES RUSSELL KATZ The McGrann Law Firm TED N. KAZAGLIS Jackson Lewis LLP JOHN T. KIVUS Wood Jackson PLLC JOHN MICHAEL KOTZKER Solo Practitioner WILLIAM ANDREW LELIEVER Solo Practitioner KIMBERLY A. LICATA Poyner Spruill LLP MOLLIE MCQUEEN LIVINGSTON Bailey & Dixon LLP PAUL LUCEY Law Office of Paul R. Lucey, PLLC JOSEPH M. LUZZI CHRISTOPHER JOHN MANN Hitch & Mann
DAVID S. HINSON Law Offices of David Hinson
MALCOLM MOSELEY MATHESON Matheson Law Office, PLLC
DORRIAN H. HORSEY Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard
RICHARD A. MCAVOY Alston & Bird
JOSEPH EDWARD HOUCHIN Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham LOGAN DOUGLAS HOWELL
MARK THOMAS MCCULLOUGH JULIANNA MCNEELY PRA International PAULINE M. MEOLA PAGE 12
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS OF THE WCBA CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE CRYSTAL BLACKMAN MEZZULLO
WILLIAM DAVID OWENS Owens & Miller, PLLC
RYAN M. TARRANT Marshall Dubree Attorneys
MONICA EILEEN WEBB McGuireWoods LLP
DAWN TIFFANY MISTRETTA Strauch Fitzgerald & Green, PC
JENNIFER CATHERINE LEWIS OXFORD
CANDACE A. WEHR Bank of America
PARKER MOORE Everett Law Firm, P.A.
ALLISON HOLMES PANT
ROBERT MATTHEW VANSICKLE Wall Templeton & Haldrup, PA JAMIE L. VAVONESE Solo Practitioner
KIM WIERZEL NC Dept. of Justice, Attorney General's Office
SAMANTHA Y. MOORE Janvier Law Firm JENNIFER BONILLA MORENO Wake Family Law Group NANCY P. MOUNTCASTLE Currin & Currin
VADDRICK QUANTELES PARKER Vaddrick Q. Parker Law Firm CAROLINE B. PAUL McAngus, Goudelock & Courie ELLIS GLENN PAYNE Hurley Law Office
HOPE DENISE MURPHY NC Central University
MEGHAN E.B. PRIDEMORE Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
PAULA E. MURRAY McGill & Hampson, PA
SARAH PRIVETTE Legal Aid of North Carolina
AMANDA NEWBY Red Hat, Inc.
WALTER BROWN RAND Solo Practitioner
PAUL M. NEWBY NC Supreme Court
NATASHA ASHLEY RICHARDSON PRA International
CAROLINE EDWARDS NICKEL Stam & Danchi PLLC DANIEL MCPHERSON NUNN
ORLANDO LUIS RODRIGUEZ Brown Crump Vanore & Tierney, LLP
COURTNEY M. O'BRIEN
J. SKYLER SAGER Herring Mills & Kratt, PLLC
DANIEL PATRICK O'BRIEN Alston & Bird, LLP
MINDI L. SCHULZE Yates, McLamb & Weyher
HUNTER O'BRIEN The Williams Law Group
RYAN SHORT Kurtz & Blum
JUSTINE S. O'CONNORPETTS Janvier Law Firm
BENJAMIN D. SIMPSON Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
JAMES A. OLIVER Hatch, Little & Bunn
JULIE J. SONG Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard
WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
ANDRU E. WALL Alston & Bird
RAY HALFORD WOMBLE Shirley & Adams, PLLC
TERRY T. WARREN AKC Canine Health Foundation Inc
PETER MARSHALL WOOD Solo Practitioner
KATHLEEN MARY WAYLETT
McKINLEY WOOTEN
MELISSA H. WEAVER Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard
RAMI Y. ZOUBI Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC
YLD NEWS 2012 YLD OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: J.T. CROOK VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY: CHARLES HUNT TREASURER: KATHLEEN PUTIRI
HEALING PLACE SEMINARS The YLD’s Poverty Issues Committee provides legal seminars on landlord/tenant, criminal and family law at The Healing Place, a shelter that provides a detoxification and rehabilitation program for homeless men. This year’s seminars have been scheduled, and we are looking for volunteers to help on the dates below. In particular, we need traffic, criminal defense and tax expertise. All seminars are scheduled on Tuesdays from 4-5 p.m. at the Healing Place’s location, 1251 Goode Street, Raleigh. JUNE 19 SEPTEMBER 18 NOVEMBER 13 If you are able to provide assistance on any of the above dates, please let committee chairs Meredith Cross (MeredithCross@ gwhlaw.com) or Jaime Davis (jdavis@gwhlaw.com) know, specifying your area of expertise and date(s) available. WBF
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WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
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2012 Wake County Bar Association – Young Lawyers Division SUMMER CLERKS PROGRAM REGISTRATION FORM Online form also available on our website at www.wakecountybar.org
*Please fax, mail or reply online by May 25, 2012* Law Firm / Agency Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Contact Name & Title:___________________________________________________________________________ Contact Email:________________________________ Contact Phone: __________________________________ Clerk Name (add additional names, if necessary)
Clerk Email or Phone
June 7th Seminar ONLY
Full Summer YLD*
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. SUMMER CLERK ORIENTATION PROGRAM Thursday, June 7, 2012 | 1 p.m. – 5 pm. North Carolina Museum of History Auditorium (5 E. Edenton Street) The YLD is pleased to continue the tradition of providing Wake County’s summer clerks with a true insider’s view into our local legal community. Outstanding speakers from various aspects of the profession are slated to speak on topics of interest to our summer clerks! The program will begin after lunch (on your own) with registration starting at 12:45 p.m. This program is provided by YLD free of charge but courtroom attire is suggested and advance registration is required. For additional details, please contact Ashleigh Black (ablack@rl-law.com).
FULL SUMMER YLD The YLD offers additional opportunities for the area’s summer clerks to meet their fellow clerks as well as attorneys and other members of the legal community at a nominal cost* per clerk. This includes access to four monthly socials connecting young lawyers from all over Wake County. It is a great way to complement each firm or agency’s own summer program, by providing a venue to meet clerks, attorneys from other firms and groups as well as local judges. MONTHLY YLD SOCIALS (business casual attire): • May 3 | Natty Greene’s (505 W. Jones St.) 6 p.m. • June 7 | Tyler’s Taproom (Seaboard Station, following the Summer Clerk program) 5 p.m. • July 12 | The Oxford 6 p.m. • August 2 | Place TBA 6 p.m.
*Full Summer YLD registration is $30 per intern/clerk. Please complete this form and enclose a check payable to WCBA-YLD (Memo: 2012 YLD Summer Clerk Registration) to: Whitney von Haam, Executive Director, Wake County Bar Association | P. O. Box 3686, Cary, NC 27519-3686. Registration forms not requiring payment can be emailed or faxed to Whitney von Haam’s attention at whitney@wakecountybar.org or 919-657-1564. WAKE BAR FLYER • MAY/JUNE 2012
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