Awards

Every year NCAJ honors legal professionals and others who advance the cause of justice in exemplary ways with awards presented at the NCAJ Convention in June. Attorney members, paralegals, judges, legislators and journalists are eligible. 

Annie Brown Kennedy Award
Given for commitment to acquiring full freedom for all citizens of North Carolina and exceptional advocacy that protects individual liberties. Recognizes active service in their local community with a focus on the status and welfare of families and minority citizens.

Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
Given for excellence in the teaching of trial advocacy.

Excellence in Journalism Award
Recognizes a print or broadcast journalist whose work has contributed to protecting people’s rights.

Founders Award
The highest award given by the Advocates for Justice. For extraordinary service to justice and to the Advocates for Justice in the tradition of our founding members, Allen Bailey, Charles Blanchard, James Clontz, Eugene Phillips and William Thorp.

Henson McCabe Miller Leadership Award
Given in circumstances such as outstanding leadership during a legislative session or outstanding leadership/assistance in a public service project.

Kellie Crabtree Award
Given to an attorney and his or her client in cases where the client’s story and the attorney’s representation has made a real difference in protecting people’s rights.

Robby Price Award
Presented to a paralegal that has made significant contributions in the fight for justice on behalf of their clients and the citizens of North Carolina.

Thurgood Marshall Award
Established to recognize extraordinary and selfless service to the people of North Carolina in keeping with the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall.

2025 RECIPIENTS

• Wade E. Byrd – Wade E. Byrd Lifetime Justice Award
• Bill Mills – Founders Award
• Philip Isley – Henson McCabe Miller Leadership Award
• Lennie Jernigan – Thurgood Marshall Award
• Valerie Johnson – Annie Brown Kennedy Award
• Chris Nichols – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Lisa Lanier, Robert O. Jenkins, Dustin McKinney, George McKinney and James Robert Tate – Kellie Crabtree Award
• Leslie Leake – Robby Price Award
• Judge Mike O’Foghludha – Outstanding Trial Judge Award

2024 RECIPIENTS

• Sen. Dan Blue – Annie Brown Kennedy Award
• Hank Patterson – Founders Award
• David Henson – Henson McCabe Miller Leadership Award
• John McCabe – Henson McCabe Miller Leadership Award
• Stacy Miller – Henson McCabe Miller Leadership Award
• Sen. Warren Daniel – Outstanding Legislator Award
• Rebecca Britton – Thurgood Marshall Award

2023 RECIPIENTS

• Rep. Robert Reives – Annie Brown Kennedy Award
• David Henson – Founders Award
• Paige Pahlke and The Greene Family – Kellie Crabtree Award
• N.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Donna Stroud – Outstanding Appellate Justice Award 
• Rep. Destin Hall – Outstanding Legislator 
• Judge Gale Adams – Outstanding Trial Judge Award 
• Jay Trehy – NCAJ Special Award 
• Dan Bryson – Thurgood Marshall Award

2022 RECIPIENTS

• James E. Williams Jr. – Annie Brown Kennedy Award
• Ames Alexander – Excellence in Journalism Award 
• Phil Baddour – Founders Award
• Elliot Abrams/Raymond Tarlton, GAL/Henry McCollum and Leon Brown – Kellie Crabtree Award
• Justice Robin Hudson – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award 
• Sen. Sydney Batch – Outstanding Legislator Award
• Judge Steve Warren – Outstanding Trial Judge Award 
• Scott Heldman – Robby Price Award
• Chuck Monnett – Thurgood Marshall Award
• C. Douglas Doug Maynard Jr. – NCAJ Special Award

2021 RECIPIENTS

• Cheri Beasley – Annie Brown Kennedy Award
• Janet Ward Black – Founders Award
• Valerie Johnson – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Sean Campbell – Excellence in Journalism Award
• Jamie Lau – Kellie Crabtree Award
• Ronnie Long – Kellie Crabtree Award
• Justice Anita Earls – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Rep. Sarah Stevens – Outstanding Legislator Award
• Judge Marvin Blount – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Debbie Dante – Robby Price Award
• Tom Maher – Thurgood Marshall Award

2020 RECIPIENTS

• Rick Glazier – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Senator Danny Earl Britt Jr. – Outstanding Legislator Award
• Judge Paul C. Ridgeway – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Chief Justice Cheri L. Beasley – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award

2019 RECIPIENTS

• Judge Richard Dietz – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Judge Robert N. Hunter, Jr. – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Judge Valerie J. Zachary – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Judge Thomas H. Lock – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Burton Craige – Thurgood Marshall Award 
• Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy & Kennedy LLP – NCAJ Special Award in recognition of their status as the oldest law firm of African American attorneys in our state and their 65 years of service to the people of North Carolina.

2018 RECIPIENTS

• Joseph B. Cheshire V – Founders Award
• Ernest L. “Buddy” Conner, Jr. – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Annemarie Pantazis – New Lawyers Division Award
• Bernadine S. Ballance – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Judge Rickye McKoy-Mitchell – Outstanding Trial Judge Award

2017 RECIPIENTS

• Leonard Jernigan – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Belen Gomez-Jordana – Excellence in Journalism Award
• Judge Carl Fox – Outstanding Trial Judge   
• Christine Mumma – Thurgood Marshall Award

2016 RECIPIENTS

• Seth Langson – Kellie Crabtree Award 
• Robby Price – Kellie Crabtree Award  
• Judge Linda Stephens – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Judge Orlando Hudson, Jr. – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Franiece Thresher – Robby Price Award
• James E. Williams, Jr. – Thurgood Marshall Award   

2015 RECIPIENTS

• Laura Leslie – Excellence in Journalism Award
• Richard M. Taylor, Jr. – Founders Award
• Janet Ward Black – Kellie Crabtree Award
• Graham Yates – Kellie Crabtree Award (posthumously)
• Judge Linda McGee – Outstanding Appellate Judge Award
• Judge Mary Ann Tally – Outstanding Trial Judge Award
• Rebecca Britton and M. Gordon Widenhouse, Jr. – NCAJ Special Award

2014 RECIPIENTS

• David Pishko – Charles L. Becton Teaching Award
• Chris Nichols – New Lawyers Division Award
• Judge Lucy Inman – Outstanding Trial Judge Award 
• Hoppy Elliot, Griff Morgan and Frank Goldsmith – NCAJ Special Award in recognition of their tremendous work advocating for the civil rights of Guantanamo Bay detainees.

EBBIE AWARD

The president of NCAJ gives this award to members in recognition of service and inspired commitment to the organization. The awards are named after Ebbie Bailey, the First Lady emeritus of NCAJ, who helped founding member Allen Bailey establish the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers more than 60 years ago. Past President Janet Ward Black established the Ebbies during her tenure in 2003.

2025 Recipients
Kelly Boswell, Drew Culler, Zach Deason, Anabel Rosa, Gabe Snyder

2024 Recipients
Sen. Danny Britt, Courtney Jones, Hallie Kennedy, Sam McGee

2023 Recipients
Dan Bryson, Kristen Dewar, Lindsey Granados, Shannon Leskin, Courtney Mann, Paige Pahlke, Ben Whitley

2022 Recipients
Doug Abrams, Michele Cybulski, Allison Garren, Anna Pishko Kalarites, Lauren McAndrew, Stacy Miller, Lauren Newton, Aindrea Pledger 

2021 Recipients
Helen Baddour, Kristen Beightol, Abby Hammond, Scott Harris, Jon Moore, Matt Sullivan, Hank Teich

2020 Recipients
Michael Adkins, Kim Crouch, Carmaletta Henson, Jennifer Lechner, Jason Orndoff, Kimberly Wilson White

2019 Recipients
David Henson, Valerie Johnson, Lou Ann Vincent

2018 Recipients
Janet Ward Black, Joseph Cheshire V, Narendra Ghosh, Mary Lee, Karonnie Truzy

2017 Recipients
Andrew Banzhoff, Katie Bryant, Bartina Edwards, Chris Fialko, Darrin Jordan, Philip Miller, Ann Ochsner, Stewart Poisson, Toussaint Romain, Jason Taylor

2016 Recipients
Eric Doggett, Philip Isley, Laura Noble, Sonya Pfeiffer, Michael Rothrock, Amy Page Smith, Laura Wetsch

2015 Recipients
Matt Ballew, Kevin Bunn, Tom Comerford, John McCabe, David Rudolf

2014 Recipients
Andrew Banzhoff, Charlie Blanchard, Burton Craige, Sarah Olson