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Meet Our Sponsors
C. Melissa “Missy” Owen is a partner at the law firm of 
Serenity N. Hargrove is an Associate Attorney at NC Prisoner Legal Services in Raleigh, NC. She received her J.D. at NC Central University School of Law, during which time she worked at the NCCU School of Law Civil Litigation Clinic and interned at the NC Administrative Office of the Courts, the NACCP, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Currently, Serenity's focus is on providing inmates who are in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Safety, Division of Adult Correction with their constitutional right of meaningful access to the courts. Ms. Hargrove evaluates the criminal convictions of those who are currently incarcerated to determine whether there were any legal errors made and, when necessary, brings post-conviction claims on behalf of her clients.
Pooyan Ordoubadi practices at 
Cheryl Sullivan is the Senior Staff Attorney at the 
Blia Vang received a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a minor in History and then attended the University of Wisconsin Law School, earning her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2005. During her education, she interned for the National Labor Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. She also worked for the Wisconsin Domestic Violence Coalition, focusing on immigration cases, where she oversaw funding for battered women seeking citizenship while escaping their abusive spouse. Additionally, she also served as a clerk for the Dane County Circuit Court. After graduation, she took a job with Recka and Joannes Law Firm in Greenbay, Wisconsin, serving as an associate with concentration in bankruptcy, personal injury and family law for several years. In October 2009 she opened 
Karonnie Truzy is a litigation attorney at the Greensboro, NC, office of Crumley Roberts, Attorneys at Law. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg and his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law. While in law school, he was a member of the ATLA Trial Team as Captain, was active in the Black Law Students Association, was a member of the Order of Barristers and was named a 2001 Outstanding Advocate. Karonnie was recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40” lawyer. Karonnie is a member of the NCAJ Executive Committee, serving as NCAJ's first Diversity Officer, and is also co-chair of NCAJ's new Diversity+Inclusion Task Force.
Karonnie Truzy,
Crumley Roberts LLP
-NCAJ Executive Committee member
-NCAJ Diversity + Inclusion Task Force Co-Chair
-NCAJ member since 2001
Here’s what others are saying about Karonnie Truzy:
Karonnie is a fierce fighter for his clients! He will take the battle where it needs to go – and has recently argued an important civil rights case in front of the Fourth Circuit, creating new case law that will help future clients across the state. Karonnie works hard and is dedicated to the profession. He has served in many capacities at NCAJ, including taking on co-leadership of the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. Karonnie’s sense of justice helps him and those around him keep issues in perspective. I enjoy brainstorming various and sometimes obscure litigation issues with Karonnie because I truly value his opinions and insights. I am proud to count Karonnie as a long-time friend and colleague in our fight for justice.
Adrienne Blocker, Law Offices of Adrienne Blocker, Durham, NC
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I practice in the area of civil litigation including personal injury cases, wrongful death cases, commercial motor vehicle cases and 1983 police excessive force cases.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
The career accomplishments I am most proud of would have to be my involvement in litigation and trial work throughout the state. The case specific accomplishment I am most proud of actually comes from a case that I lost at the Fourth Circuit but the case created a change in when a TASER can be used on individuals. The case established that all officers are placed on notice now that the use of a TASER as a pain compliance tool against a resisting subject is prohibited by the Fourth Amendment unless the officer can articulate an “immediate danger” to the officer apart form the fact of resistance alone.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
I value my NCAJ membership because of the connection with the attorneys throughout the state who have the same commitment to justice as I do.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not working, I am home enjoying my family or participating in / practicing for my next BBQ competition!
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see a more diverse group of judges that sit and hear the arguments of counsel. Because the clients we represent come from such varied backgrounds, I feel that a judiciary that is more representative of our clients within this state is critical.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
The best career advice I have received is that there are attorneys out there who have better case facts than you, better clients than you and sometimes are just better than you. The difference that turns the tide is what you can control, your preparation.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
If I had the chance to spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure it would have to be Martin Luther King, Jr. He created the model for so many pioneers that followed and created a following not because of his rhetoric, but because those around him knew that those were his beliefs and core values.
R. Maria Hawkins
Rosalia “Maria” Hawkins is a native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She attended Jacksonville University for undergraduate school and majored in Political Science and Communications, with a minor in Spanish. Maria moved back to North Carolina for law school and attended Campbell University School of Law where she was a member of the Mock Trial team. At Kurtz & Blum, Maria represents clients in matters of Landlord/Tenant, Family Law, Construction Law, Personal Injury and Real Estate (not closings).
Maria Hawkins,
Kurtz & Blum, PLLC
-NCAJ Consumer/Commercial Rights Section Secretary
-NCAJ member since 2012
Here’s what others are saying about Maria Hawkins:
I have known Maria for a number of years and the thing that has always impressed me, has always inspired me, was her unfailing drive to give back to the local legal community. While pursuing her career in family and consumer litigation, Maria never stopped coaching the award-winning Campbell mock trial team, never stopped volunteering to take Legal Services cases. Her passion represents the best part of our local Bar.
Jack C. Lloyd, Legal Aid of North Carolina
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
Civil Litigation and Family Law. I enjoy being in the courtroom and advocating for my clients. In law school I was on the mock trial team and I fell in love with litigation. Although it is stressful and fast-paced, the work is rewarding.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The members. This organization is full of members who are eager to help others and are always willing to take time out of their day to offer advice. Any time I feel lost, or just need to know I am on the right track, I know I can reach out to anyone on the listserv or someone I have met at an NCAJ event for guidance.
Do you have any pets?
I have two amazing dogs, both rescues. Mimi is 5 pounds of sass and spunk, and Atlanta is 50 pounds of love and happiness. They are best friends and usually are on their best behavior.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I love being outdoors and with my family. My husband and I try to camp, hike, fish, and go to the beach as much as we can. I also love just playing catch in the backyard or going to the driving range. I have recently become obsessed with gardening and planting flowers in my yard. Seeing flowers bloom and adding a pop of color to our home makes all of the hard work worth it!
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I want the general public to have a better view of attorneys. To get away from the notion that all attorneys are ambulance chasers or greedy people. While every profession has a few bad eggs, I feel as though attorneys get more of a bad rap.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
The best career advice I have ever received is from my mentor/trial team coach from law school. He told me that he could not stress enough the importance of being true to myself, knowing my own worth, and to always try MY case. As a young attorney in a market where jobs are hard to come by, you often see the excuse “I have to practice this way” or “this is as good as I can get.” What I have learned in my short time as an attorney is to never close a door, understand that no case is perfect, and always work to achieve more. Trying MY case, as opposed to battling my opposition’s, has allowed me to win in the courtroom—even if my position was not great. It keeps the trier of fact focused on my theory, rather than the other. I try to offer the same advice to others, as it has worked very well for me!
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
Helping people. I grew up in a very modest family, with a lot of support from my local community. My job allows me to help others and give them a voice. Whether it is advocating in or out of court, I strive to give my clients my all. I also have truly enjoyed coaching for Campbell Law’s mock trial program. My teams have had great success (including a national championship), but being a part of a future lawyer’s growth and law school career has been extremely rewarding.
Anne Duvoisin Fisher
Anne Duvoisin Fisher received her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Duke University in 1973. She then received an honorary scholarship to the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor in 1978. Anne has an extensive background litigating a wide variety of cases from murder (as a former public defender) to medical negligence to inverse condemnation. Anne joined Henson Fuerst in 2003 and founded the firm’s Land Law Division in 2011. She now serves as the division’s practice leader. She focuses her practice on land condemnation, land contamination, and related claims, while also serving as an arbitrator and a mediator.
Anne Duvoisin Fisher,
HensonFuerst, P.A.
-NCAJ Eminent Domain Section CLE Chair
-NCAJ member since 1986
Here’s what others are saying about Anne Fisher:
Anne’s distinguished career encompasses a long tenure as a public defender handling all levels of criminal cases, then to the world of representing victims of nursing home abuse and neglect, and finally to representing land owners in eminent domain matters. In each of those areas, she has been a trail blazer with her critical analysis of the law, uncanny ability to find the weaknesses of opposing counsel’s theories, and creativity to advance unique legal arguments to best serve the interests of her clients. Anne has served as a mentor to countless members of NCAJ and has dutifully served in numerous leadership positions within the Bar throughout her career. Anne is the quintessential lawyer’s lawyer - she is passionate, driven, brilliant, methodical, persistent, and can always be counted on to out-work her opponents.
David Henson, HensonFuerst, PA
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I currently practice condemnation law. I particularly enjoy inverse condemnation cases because of the constitutional issues that drive them. I went to law school to help the little guy against powerful institutions and I have continued that focus during my entire legal career -- that is what attracted me to trial work, whether it be in criminal defense, tort work, or now condemnation.
I left many years of practice in the nursing home abuse and neglect arena when tort reform took effect on October 1, 2011. At that time, I started our firm’s land law division. I was brokenhearted about leaving nursing home work, because I felt that I and my partners had been making a real difference in the type of care the elderly received in nursing and rest homes. Several of my partners (Carma Henson, Rachel Fuerst and Thomas Henson) still work in this arena despite the obstacles tort reform has injected into their efforts to help the frail elderly. But I came to love my new practice area -- condemnation work is intellectually challenging. The constitution is front and center. The variety of clients and their land uses are fascinating and unpredictable (who knew people kept pet pigs in cribs in their homes, or had Christmas lights and décor up in every room of their home 365 days a year?) And I am lucky enough to still be helping the little guy against powerful institutions with the help of our state and federal constitutions.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
There are several: I am proud of having been the principle drafter of the 2000 NC Medicolegal Guidelines, which revised a short credo and turned it into a footnote driven detailed guidance for attorneys and physicians interacting in cases involving medical issues for their respective clients/patients. Those revised guidelines were published for the first time in Thompson Reuters NC Rules of Court and have continued to be revised, improved and published since 2000. As with all accomplishments, this could not have been done without the significant help of others – Victor Farah and Ann Hale were instrumental in making the revision successful.
I am also proud of bringing accessible low or no cost CLE to bar members in the 23rd, 24th, and 25th Judicial districts. I moved to the northern Blue Ridge (Boone and Blowing Rock area) in 2012 and quickly saw that local practitioners were struggling to get their mandatory CLE hours in due to cost and travel issues. I decided that I would try to give back to my new community by establishing a Watauga County Bar Association program to provide 13 hours of CLE each year locally to mountain lawyers – including two ethics and one mental health/substance abuse hour. Since then, the WCBA has done so each year. I am proud that the WCBA has carried on this tradition now that I am no longer in its leadership.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
Undoubtedly, networking with other trial lawyers. For decades, I have enjoyed the fellowship and generous support of other NCAJ members as mentors and co-collaborators. I also value the amicus committee and its generous commitment to help fellow attorneys. And the CLEs have always been great.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I love the outdoors. I spend almost all of my free time playing tennis, hiking and gardening. I also love to cook and to read. When I retire, I hope to operate a part time catering business, and have been laying the groundwork for that enterprise for about a year now, doing occasional catering and food sales under the d/b/a Anne’s Garden Kitchen.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see it return to a simpler time, when there were fewer rules and less discovery. In recent years, I have felt like the civil legal system was nearly collapsing under its own bureaucratic weight. I like the idea of timed trials, assuming the time limits are realistic, as one way to get us back to simpler times. It is ironic to me that, despite the boons of the internet and wordprocessing, when we could get less work done because we had to use type writers and liquid paper, somehow we did not have to work as hard. It is as if the laborsaving devices just compel more labor. I probably am a luddite in that regard, but I do miss the days when I walked into a courtroom to try a civil case or defend a criminal case by the seat of my pants. To address the changes I would like to see in criminal practice, I would have to write a book but suffice it to say that I think that our criminal justice system has problems which are baked in: The racial disparities in our criminal defendant and inmate population are staggering, and until that is fixed, nothing will make our system fair. For now, we have a system which, in my view, is compromised by institutional racism.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
The best career advice I received as a young trial lawyer was from Adam Stein, my mentor, who emphasized the importance of “making the courtroom yours,” not that of your opponents, nor the parties, nor the Court officials, but yours. It sounds strange but it was a huge confidence booster that helped me maneuver the courtroom with an ease I would otherwise not have enjoyed. As a young lawyer, I would tell myself as I began to pick a jury or argue a motion, “This is my courtroom,” and away went my stage fright just like that. I’m pretty sure the best advice I have offered to young lawyers is “Less is more.” I’ve noticed over the years that when I or others spout off at the mouth at length, it is because we don’t have much to say.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
That is a hard question to answer because there are so many people that I would like to spend a day with – but for some of the folks I admire most (e.g., Nelson Mandela) I think the day would be sad, focusing on the ills of the world. After a lot of reflection, I have settled on the first name that came into my head, which was Barack Obama. I know that he has been a lightning rod, but to me he has been a president to whom history will be very kind. I admire his intellect, his idealism, his patience, and his calm temperament. I felt for most of his two terms that, as our first African American president, he was deliberately hampered by a hostile congress such that he was operating with one leg and two hands tied behind his back, and still managed to get things done without losing his temper or calling names. I admire him greatly but also I think spending a day with him would be fun – his comedic timing is excellent, we share many values and goals, and we could always play HORSE if we got bored.
Raul Pinto
Raul Pinto is a Staff Attorney within the NC Justice Center's Immigrants and Refugees Rights Project. Prior to joining the Justice Center in 2014, Raul worked as an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, where he investigated violations of civil rights with an emphasis on immigrants’ rights, racial justice and community interaction with law enforcement. He currently serves on the NC Commission on Ethnic and Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System and as Vice Chair of NCAJ's Hispanic-Latino Legal Issues Division, where he supports various initiatives to reach out to the Latino community including the NC Justice Center's efforts setting up Power of Attorney clinics across the state this Spring. Raul received his BA from Rutgers University and his law degree from the City University of New York School of Law.
Raul Pinto,
NC Justice Center
-NCAJ HLD Vice Chair
-NCAJ member since 2011
Here’s what others are saying about Raul Pinto:
Raul Pinto is one of the savviest, most determined civil rights advocates in the state of North Carolina. I had the great pleasure of working with Raul when he was a staff attorney at the ACLU of North Carolina. In that role as well as in his current position as staff attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center, I have leaned on his near comprehensive knowledge of the immigrant rights landscape in our state more times than I can count. But more than just the most strategic way forward on particular issues, I have also learned a lot from Raul about the best way to do this work. Despite myriad frustrations, Raul approaches every client and campaign with an optimism that undergirds and strengthens his persistent and powerful advocacy.
--Christopher Brook, ACLU of North Carolina
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I practice immigration law at the North Carolina Justice Center, a state-wide non-profit organization. As an immigrant myself, I know first-hand the day to day struggles of immigrants in this country. My own experience, and that of my family, helped me answer what I wanted to be when I grow up. I went to law school with the goal of providing others with the legal counsel that my parents and I lacked as we navigated through our own immigrant story.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am not sure this classifies squarely as an accomplishment, but the opportunity to serve in the NC Commission on Ethnic and Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System has been a great honor. Having the ability to discuss critical issues about equality in areas such as policing, sentencing, juvenile justice, among many others, with such a learned and diverse group of individuals has been a humbling experience and I consider it an accomplishment.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
There are two things I appreciate from my NCAJ membership. The first is the ability to meet other attorneys and network with colleagues from different parts of the state and from various practice areas. So often, attorneys are siloed into our niches and it is interesting to discuss with colleagues the intersectionality of our different disciplines. The second is taking advantage of the plethora of opportunities NCAJ offers its members to gain CLE credits on issues that impact North Carolinians. I always enjoy both attending and presenting CLE courses hosted by NCAJ because of the information shared during those sessions by individuals who are experts in their respective fields.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not working, I like spending time with my wife and our dog. I will also admit a guilty pleasure of watching re-runs of 80s and 90s sitcoms. I firmly believe that Golden Girls was a show ahead of its time that remains relevant 30 years after it aired, and I dare anyone to disagree.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I believe that access to justice needs to vastly improve in the coming years. Statistics show that in immigration court, the chances of obtaining a favorable outcome improve exponentially if a person is represented by an attorney. Representation can often mark the difference between a person remaining in the safety of the U.S. or returning to a perilous life in their country of origin. All too often, however, access to adequate legal representation is contingent on financial resources and the doors of justice remain shut for those who are disadvantaged. Given that our justice system is an integral part of our democracy, we must do better as a profession to make sure that each and every person in this country is able to obtain a lawyer when needed.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
As a first-year intern during law school, I represented a woman in immigration court where the judge granted her legal permanent residence. When I got to the office after the hearing, I curbed the enthusiasm because she had as close to a slam dunk case as one can have. One of my supervisors told me to celebrate even the smallest of victories because, “You make the world better one case at a time.”
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
It would be fascinating to sit down and talk to Jackie Robinson. I am a big baseball fan, but Robinson’s career transcends sports. I would want to know what motivated him to succeed amidst so much adversity and hate, his views on civil rights today, and how the heck was he able to steal home from third all of those times.
Sonya Pfeiffer
Sonya Pfeiffer currently chairs NCAJ's Criminal Defense Section and also serves as NCAJ’s Membership Vice President on the NCAJ Executive Committee. She began her legal career in the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office, where she served in both the Misdemeanor and Felony Drug Unit. She joined Rudolf Widenhouse after working in the business litigation division of Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge and Rice, where she was involved with both civil and criminal cases. In addition to her legal experience, Sonya Pfeiffer is an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker.
Sonya Pfeiffer,
Rudolf Widenhouse
-NCAJ Membership Vice President
-Chair of the Criminal Defense Section
-NCAJ member since 2008
Here’s what others are saying about Sonya Pfeiffer:
Everything Sonya Pfeiffer does, she does exceptionally well. As the criminal section is fortunate enough to know, her leadership is thorough, thoughtful, inspired and beautifully executed. She defends her clients with the same tenacity, dedication, and excellence. But when I say “everything”, I really mean everything. Take a yoga class from her, watch her with her family, become her friend. She is so well grounded in her values and principles, that always doing the right thing flows naturally. She is one of the most talented attorneys I know, but she is also one of the finest people. –C. Missy Owen, Tin, Fulton, Walker, & Owen
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I am a criminal defense attorney and represent people charged with state and federal crimes. I also work on civil rights cases related to wrongful convictions, and I focus most of my pro bono work on civil rights cases: I was involved in the Racial Justice Act litigation and I am currently representing two declarants in the federal government’s HB2 suit against North Carolina. I became a lawyer almost unexpectedly, but criminal defense and civil rights were obvious fits for me once I decided to practice law. For more than a decade I was a television reporter and anchor, but I became disillusioned with what was happening in local television news - a lack of focus on quality content, and an increasing fixation on sensationalism. I thought that getting a law degree would enable me to specialize and do more in-depth, investigative reporting. Once I was accepted and enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill School of Law, however, I became involved with the public defender mentor project, the innocence project organization and the criminal clinic, through which I represented indigent kids in juvenile court. I quickly realized there was a way to tell stories that made a real difference, and that was in the courtroom speaking on behalf of those who are marginalized too frequently.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
When I was a public defender, in my first year of practice, I represented a man who had a history of minor misdemeanor convictions like intoxicated and disruptive and simple marijuana possession, but nothing violent. In my case, he was in jail on a misdemeanor assault charge and could not make his $500 bond. My client was about 60 years old, tall and frail-looking, with a weathered face that showed every difficulty he had lived through. He was accused of assaulting a convenience store clerk, unprovoked, by hitting the clerk, after which he allegedly tried to run away but was held by a passerby. During my first jail visit, my client, who spoke with a speech impediment that caused some slurring, was adamant that the charge was made up, and that it was he who had been assaulted – by being hit with a metal trashcan! He begged me to get the store videotape so we could prove his innocence. I was skeptical. Nonetheless, I subpoenaed the tape and watched four and half hours of jerking surveillance video – both inside and outside the store - until I came to the alleged incident. I was shocked. I have no idea what the back story was between my client and the store clerk, but what happened on this day was not what the warrant alleged. My client walked to the convenience store in broad daylight from across a busy street. He walked into the store. As soon as my client walked in, the clerk came out from behind the register and grabbed my client, then shoved him out the door. The clerk rammed my client onto the ground, put a foot on his leg, grabbed a big, round metal trashcan and whacked my client on the back and head with it. The clerk and a passerby held him there until two cop cars showed up. My client was roughly handcuffed, then literally hauled into the patrol car and taken down to the magistrate. Wow. I immediately went to the DA’s office, showed the videotape, got a handwritten dismissal, made several copies, then went to the jail so my client could be released. He wept. So did I.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The value of having supportive, encouraging colleagues who lift you up when you are down, who assist in every way when you are in a bind of any sort, and who intimately understand how it feels to fight Goliath, is truly immeasurable.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I love to travel, because I think it is critical to having understanding and compassion. I love to bike, run, swim and throw weights around at the gym. I meditate and practice yoga regularly – even if it’s just a few minutes a day. I really enjoy a bone dry, well-shaken vodka martini. And, of course, I love any downtime I get with my family, particularly if it involves baking something chocolate. Or chocolate and peanut butter.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see changes in the way law schools educate, with more of an emphasis on the actual practice of law. Rather than 3 years of classroom work, I would like to see classroom work compressed into one year, with two years of apprenticeship. We all know that nothing compares to practical experience – even the best CLEs for the longest-practicing lawyers are the ones involving mock casework.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Never be afraid to say “I don’t know. But then go figure out the answer.”
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
I would spend a day with Michelle Obama and I’d make sure we were up at the crack of dawn to get an early morning workout in together, after which I would try to just let her talk so I could take in all of her magnificence. Michelle Obama is a model of grace, strength and intelligence. She has given the world a breathtaking example of how to meet adversity with ease and elegance, how to speak passionately and use your own voice to effect change, and how to embrace the challenges of balancing work, family and self. I hold her up as an extraordinary role model and am grateful she has given so much of herself so that we can all point to her and say to the children in this country: “Look. Just look at how you can live a life of meaning, and how you can use your power to sow kindness, caring and compassion.” She is an endless source of inspiration.
Jon R. Moore
Jon Moore received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001. A partner at Brown, Moore and Associates in Charlotte, NC, Jon was named as a Rising Star by North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine in each year from 2012 through 2016 in the field of Personal Injury, making him the only Charlotte lawyer to be named on this list for each of those years. Jon also serves on the Litigation Section Council for the North Carolina Bar Association, and on the Amicus Curiae committee for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, where he has assisted other attorneys by writing multiple briefs to the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court on issues affecting all North Carolinians. He also currently chairs NCAJ's Products Liability Section.
Jon Moore,
Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC
-NCAJ Board member
-Chair of the NCAJ Products Liability Section
-NCAJ member since 2003
Here’s what others are saying about Jon Moore:
Jon Moore is the first person I call whenever I have complex questions involving procedure, evidence, trial strategy or case evaluation. In the span of just fourteen months, his trial team obtained two multimillion dollar med mal jury verdicts using strategies and techniques learned at cutting edge trial presentation seminars. I continue to be amazed by his ability to synthesize and communicate complex subject matters in ways that a jury can understand. I consider him to be one of the best PI lawyers in the state, and I’m glad I don’t have to face him in court! – Annemarie Pantazis, Pantazis Law Firm.
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation and Medical Malpractice. Toward the end of law school, I ditched my long-term plans and followed my heart by turning down a couple of job offers at large firms to move to Springfield, Missouri, where I could live in sin with the woman who later became my very-patient wife. I figured she would not want to support my bad habits, so I found work at a small plaintiff's firm that specialized in automotive crashworthiness cases. Coincidentally, this was also my first introduction to the backwaters of North Carolina jurisprudence known as "contributory negligence," as Comerford & Britt had associated the firm on a case. Tom and Cliff probably began second-guessing their decision when they began receiving briefs that were obviously written by a recent law school grad who was unlicensed in any State. The best part about the job, though, was that I didn't have to keep my time for hourly billing purposes. At that point I realized plaintiff's work was the right line of work for me. Only later would I learn that sometimes it meant I would not get paid.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I only have one accomplishment I'm more proud of than being in this "Member Spotlight." I had been practicing about five years when a Queens College volleyball player somehow landed in our office after a couple of big-firm lawyers had hit a dead end on appealing her health insurer's denial of treatment. This young woman had suffered an unusual and severe hip injury which left her mobility impaired and left her in a great deal of pain. I don't even remember the health insurer's excuse for the denial, but I started digging deep into the insurer's Medical and Drug Policies and Coverage Determination Guidelines, as well as the insurer's Clinical Policy Bulletins. Through the appeals process I was able to get the denial reversed. When I told the young woman her surgery was approved, she came to my office. As soon as I walked into the lobby to greet her she burst into tears, and told me how important this had been to her, and how grateful she was someone had helped her. I took no pay for handling her appeal, and as a constant reminder of why I do the work we all do, it is the accomplishment of which I am most proud.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The thing I most value is the community of members who are not only willing to share their knowledge and experience, but are also unbelievably supportive of one another. We recognize that we are all in this together, and that a victory for one of us is a victory for all. I also greatly value that my membership gets me such wonderful food at the annual President's Gala.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
Cooking. It allows a creative outlet that I feel practicing law sometimes stifles.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
The increasingly larger number of lawyers churned out by law schools. I recognize that I was probably on the cusp of this phenomenon, but I believe the constant competition for work on the defense side of the bar has resulted in a lot of turnover, and the level of professionalism is not what I had expected. A close second that I would want to see changed is Kirk Burton's wardrobe.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Two pieces, one given and one received:
"I have never been paid for being nice."
Jon Moore
"I have been rich, and I have been poor. But neither for very long."
Wade Byrd
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Mark Twain. His witty matter-of-fact writing and wry observations are humor I enjoy. We would bounce around town, and I would spend the whole day endlessly entertained.
Anabel Franceschini Rosa
Anabel Rosa joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2010 in the Personal Injury Department. Ms. Rosa received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in Brooklyn, New York in 1996. She obtained an MA in Spanish Literature from Syracuse University in 1988. Ms. Rosa has more than 20 years of legal experience, three years as a paralegal and the rest as an attorney. In addition to personal injury, she has practiced in the areas of civil rights, employment discrimination and sexual harassment in such locations as Puerto Rico, Upstate New York and New York City. She currently chairs NCAJ's Hispanic/Latino Legal Issues Division through which she helps organize free legal clinics and other community service activities.
Anabel Rosa,
Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
-NCAJ Board member
-Chair of the Hispanic/Latino Legal Issues Division
-NCAJ member since 2010
Here’s what others are saying about Anabel Rosa:
I I’ve known and worked with Anabel for more than seven years. Her dedication to her clients – particularly those in the Latino community – is unmatched. Anabel understands the unique challenges faced by Latinos and puts her money where her mouth is by contributing a great deal of her personal time outside of the office to provide counsel and assistance in the Latino community. Our firm, and the community at large, are privileged to have her. –-Eric Haase, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
Since before I graduated from law school in 1996 I’ve handled mostly torts and civil rights violation cases, such as sexual harassment and discrimination for both the plaintiff and defense sides. My background as a member of the New York press and later as press secretary, naturally attracted me toward civil rights cases. That practice was always accompanied by tort cases everywhere I went. It’s certainly rewarding to be able to help many different people every day by simply doing my job.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am proud to be admitted and to be able to work in four different U.S. jurisdictions: New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Upon my arrival to mainland USA, (from the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico), I did not speak fluent English. At the tender age of 17, I was admitted to Syracuse University and left my family behind in pursuit of a mainland education. Today, as a fully bilingual attorney, (with a master’s degree in Spanish Literature), I am able to help individuals and families who would otherwise be unable to seek legal relief or maybe even a helping hand. Knowing I have been in their shoes, my clients clearly understand that I am in their corner.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
By far, the candid and ample sharing of information that is enjoyed by NCAJ members. Second, being able to get together and being able to work in community volunteer efforts. Networking, whether work related or social, is always welcome.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not dancing or running, I am volunteering. I am the current chair of the City of Durham Mayor’s Hispanic Latino Committee, and the NCAJ’s Hispanic Latino Legal Issues Division. I am also a member of the subcommittee on Special Populations of the Partnership for a Healthy Durham; Durham ESL; and others.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see a greater amount of equality among race and income lines, in the way cases are decided, as well as in the ways laws are written and applied. Whether these inequities are proven or simply perceived, they should not exist.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
To embrace constructive criticism. If you are receiving it, chances are someone is investing in you and wants to see you succeed.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
My old boss David Dinkins used to say that in order to rise up, we stand on the shoulders of others who came before us, opened paths of opportunities, and gave us their example. Since I have already been blessed to spend time with Nelson Mandela upon his release, I would choose to spend time with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Like my mother, she overcame many obstacles as a Latina and a woman, and I wish to continue learning from her example and "standing on her shoulders.”
Frederick Poisson III
Davis Poisson of Poisson, Poisson and Bower, PLLC in Wadesboro, NC, focuses his practice on civil litigation. He graduated from North Carolina Central Law School, Magna Cum Laude, in just two and a half years. During law school, he worked with the Financial Protection Law Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. Prior to attending law school, Davis owned and managed two real estate companies in Raleigh, North Carolina. Davis’ knowledge of the real estate market and customs gives him great insight into foreclosure defense and mortgage litigation. Davis follows in the footsteps of his father and sister in joining the law firm of Poisson, Poisson and Bower, PLLC. Like his sister, Stewart Poisson, he joins the firm as a third generation lawyer to practice law in Anson County and a fifth generation lawyer to practice in North Carolina since 1857. He currently chairs NCAJ's new Consumer/Commercial Rights Section, which merged the previously separate Consumer Areas of Practice and Commercial Litigation Sections.
Davis Poisson,
Poisson, Poisson and Bower, PLLC
-NCAJ Board member
-Chair of the Consumer/Commercial Rights Section
-NCAJ member since 2014
Here’s what others are saying about Davis Poisson:
I I was recently reviewing a case with Davis Poisson and was surprised by his command of even the subtlest theories and facts. Then, it occurred to me that he is a fifth generation attorney, and that he had started studying law at the supper table, during family discussions, far earlier than most attorneys even began thinking of the law. It had grown to be a part of him. Also, he has the same dedication to helping all members of the community that is the family hallmark of the Poisson Firm. As with his father, Fred, and his sister, Stewart, I look forward to working together on cases with him for years to come. –John Green, Hall and Green, L.L.P.
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I practice primarily personal injury law and various areas of consumer law. I started a consumer practice at my family’s firm because there was a large need for someone that could offer legal assistance to the consumers of Anson County whether it is in the form of landlord/ tenant law; mortgage relief; used car fraud; or unfair debt collection practices. Each of these areas of law offers different challenges and I enjoy the complexities of litigating personal injury and consumer cases.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I have only been practicing about two and a half years. One of my proudest accomplishments would have to be my first summary judgment hearing in a pro-bono case involving a mobile home repossession. My client was in the process of applying for social security disability because of a heart condition. He was unable to work and was living off a meager pension from a company that closed after he worked there for 25 years. He was living in the home with no power. Counsel for the creditor filed a summary judgment motion to repossess the home. He indicated that the motion was routine and he had never lost a motion of this sort. I saw no way around the repossession, but put forth two equitable arguments outlining the unfairness of repossessing one’s home after paying on it for 17 years. We argued back and forth for over an hour and Judge Wallace ultimately dismissed their motion for summary judgment. I was able to negotiate a good deal and save this gentleman’s home. A more recent accomplishment that I am proud of is a recent award in a personal injury case with difficult causation issues. My sister, Stewart Poisson, and I tried the case and received a great award for a well deserving client. It was the first trial Stewart and I tried together.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
I value the insight and willingness of the other members to share their opinions and experiences with their respective list serve and with each other directly. This makes all NCAJ members better attorneys and has served as a great resource during the first few years of my practicing law.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I try to take some time off each year to travel somewhere new. Last year, my wife and I went to Thailand and Cambodia for three weeks. I also enjoy weekends at the beach fishing, boating and relaxing on the beach. During the fall, I try to attend all of the Carolina Panthers home games.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see the public’s perception of attorneys improve.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
My grandfather passed away before I decided to pursue a law degree, but he always said there are much easier ways to earn a living than being a lawyer. This is one piece of advice I did not follow. If I were to offer advice to someone interested in the profession I would give that same advice and let them know that they need to be serious about it. It is challenging and stressful work, but also meaningful and rewarding if you are diligent and care about what you do.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
I would choose to spend the day with Jim Valvano “Jimmy V”. The way he approached life and the energy he displayed on a daily basis has also been inspirational. His 1993 ESPY speech has to be one of the best speeches I have ever heard and still makes the hair standup on the back of my next every time I hear it.
Janet Lyles
Janet Lyles, a partner at the law firm of Davis, Murrelle & Lyles, P.A. in Morehead City, NC, is a board certified Workers’ Compensation Law and Social Security Disability Law Specialist. She is a former chair of the NCAJ Disability Advocacy Section and currently serves as the section’s Amicus Curae and Ethics Chair. She has also long served on the NCAJ Board of Governors (2005-2015) and on NCAJ's Legal Affairs Committee. Janet Lyles received an Ebbie Award recognizing her for her inspired commitment and service to NCAJ in 2007.
Janet Lyles,
Davis, Murrelle & Lyles, P.A.
-former Board member
-NCAJ member since 1988
Here’s what others are saying about Janet Lyles:
I first started working with Janet Lyles thirty years ago at the Legal Aid office in Wilmington, North Carolina and, though we both ultimately left that office, I continued to work with her on several committees of the NCAJ disability advocacy section. No matter the context, my experience is that Janet will do whatever it takes to improve the organization of which she is a part, including not only taking on difficult tasks herself, but inspiring others to do so as well. Janet has done these things for purely unselfish reasons: to make sure that our clients at Legal Aid got the best representation possible and to make sure that disabled claimants in North Carolina are similarly well served by section members. Janet has worked hard to make us all better so that we could serve our clients better. It is this fierce commitment to legal excellence on behalf of the poor, vulnerable, and disabled that marks Janet’s professional career and makes me proud to call her both a friend and a colleague.
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
Social security disability and workers’ comp law. I just stumbled into them. The firm I joined needed someone to do these areas of the law, so there I was. Mason Hogan was the biggest help and influence on me getting more involved in social security, and everyone in the workers’ comp section helped with the comp work.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I think I’m proudest of my Ebbie Award.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
I value the members of NCAJ the most. I am very lucky to be in a profession and in in an organization with people who are bright and dedicated and have such integrity.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
Go to the gym, have coffee and intense political conversations with friends, read, go to movies.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
Change the political climate.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Make new mistakes.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Either Abraham Lincoln or Eleanor Roosevelt, I can’t decide. I want to know how they accomplished so much while contending with personal struggles.
Darrin Jordan
Darrin Jordan is a partner at the Salisbury, NC law firm of Whitley & Jordan, P.A. He is a Board Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law by the North Carolina State Bar (since 2004). Darrin is a State Bar Councilor for Judicial District 19C (Rowan County) (since 2010), a Commissioner on the North Carolina Indigent Defense Services Commission (since 2014), and a Commissioner on the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law & Justice (since 2015).
Darrin Jordan,
Whitley & Jordan, P.A.
-NCAJ member since 2003
Here’s what others are saying about Darrin Jordan:
One of the greatest benefits of membership in the North Carolina Advocates for Justice is the ability to get to know lawyers across the State who are admired and respected not only for the work they do on behalf of their clients, but for what they give back to the profession. Darrin Jordan is one of those lawyers, and I am proud to know him as a colleague and a friend. If you spend any time at all on the NCAJ criminal law listserv, you will see Darrin chiming in at all hours of the day and night with answers to difficult questions from lawyers both young and old who are in a bind and need help quickly. I am one of those lawyers. And my clients have benefitted greatly from Darrin's unselfish desire to help other lawyers. If you have had the privilege of attending one of Darrin's seminars that he sponsors annually on behalf of the Rowan County Bar, then you have come away with information that you can immediately use the next time you are in court to help your client. Darrin's ability to attract some of the top lawyers in the State to speak at his annual seminar in Salisbury, N.C. is a testament to how favorably he is viewed by the entire criminal defense bar. If you are represent people accused of a crime, then you have benefited by the tireless hours Darrin devotes to the Indigent Defense Services Commission, as a commissioner, and to the North Carolina Administration of Law and Justice as a member of the Criminal Investigation and Adjudication Committee. But most of all, If you like to hang around good ole fashioned trial lawyers, then you are like me, and you enjoy spending time with Darrin Jordan.
-David Teddy, Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, PLLC
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
At this time, my practice is almost exclusively criminal law and I have been a Board Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law since 2004. I don’t think it would be fair to say that I was “attracted” to the area of criminal law, but my choice was a result of having served as an assistant district attorney for 6 years very early in my career and becoming comfortable with the area of criminal law; naturally I decided to practice in an area where I had the greatest comfort and knowledge when I finally left the DA’s office. I feel extremely fortunate that God put me in different situations and positions during my legal career that allowed me to get the experience I needed to do what I really enjoy doing.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am extremely proud of a number of accomplishments. First and foremost, I am proud to be a criminal attorney who tries to find a solution when the situation calls for a solution and who fights hard and gives it his all when the situation and justice calls for a trial or some other resolution to a problem. I am also proud of my 7 years of service as a State Bar Councilor on the North Carolina State Bar where I serve a chair of the Ethics Committee and of the Lawyer Assistance Program. Finally, I am humbled that the leadership of the NCAJ allowed me to represent this organization as the appointee to both the Indigent Defense Commission and the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The greatest asset of my NCAJ membership is relationships and contacts I’ve made with really great attorneys across the state who will pick up the phone whenever I call looking for an answer to a question or help for a client. It is like practicing in a firm with branch offices in virtually every county of North Carolina.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I have a number of interest which include fly fishing in a remote location, planting and caring for a nice size vegetable garden, beekeeping and spending time at a house my law partner and I own in Hillsville, Virginia where I spend some real quality time with by wife, son and daughter.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I wish lawyers could re-establish themselves as leaders in our communities. One way we can do that is by bringing civility and professionalism back to the practice of law, both inside and outside the courtroom. Lawyers do too many things because they can without regards to whether they should. One example of this thought is that while I understand and appreciate the arguments for lawyer advertising, I still believe that direct mailing to potential clients negatively impacts how our profession is perceived. The law says we can but in view of this negative impact, should we?
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
If you can’t leave court without shaking the hand of your opponent, you probably shouldn’t be a trial attorney.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Since retired Superior Court Judge Forrest Ferrell doesn’t qualify as a celebrity and he is a few years from being a historical figure, I’d have to say I’d like to spend the day with the late Senator Sam Ervin, who not only was a great North Carolina attorney and U.S. Senator, but a hero of the first great battle of World War I, the battle for Cantigny. (See Matt Davenport’s book, “First Over There”)
Charles F. Hall, IV “Charlie”
Charlie recently started his own practice in Winston-Salem and focuses on Disability Law. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Social Security Disability Law by the NC State Bar, and enjoys teaching and learning in his free time. He has served as co-chair for three Disability Advocacy Section CLEs.
Charlie Hall,
The Law Office of Charles F. Hall, IV
-Co-Chair of several NCAJ Disability Advocacy Section CLEs
-NCAJ member since 2007
Here’s what others are saying about Charlie Hall:
I've always found Charlie to be professional, friendly and conscientious. He is very knowledgeable regarding SSD practice, but at the same time emits no arrogance regarding his extensive experience and intellect. He is always willing to help people find the answers they need and is a regular contributor to our CLE’s. I believe that the profession needs more people like Charlie.
-Charlotte Hall, Charles T. Hall Law Firm, P.C
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
Disability Law. I practice primarily in Social Security Disability Law, where I have handled well over 1,000 disability cases since my first case at Legal Aid nearly ten years ago. My Social Security practice includes representation from initial application to Federal Court. I handle all types of SSD and SSI cases, including child SSI, Continuing Disability Reviews, Reinstatements, and Overpayments. I also handle Medicaid Disability, Long Term Disability, and VA Disability. My practice will soon be expanding to handle Workers Compensation as well. I really wasn’t attracted to Disability Law. However, after my Legal Aid boss, R. Yvette Stackhouse, noticed that I was unhappy when dealing with highly litigious areas of the law, she assigned me to her benefits unit. At first I resisted, but without her decision I would not be practicing law today. I love everything about Disability Law. I really enjoy getting great results for my clients. For me it is a profound privilege to help folks navigate the legal obstacles to disability benefits as they battle medical and financial problems.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the many sacrifices I have made over the decades to earn my education, to obtain my board certification, and to start my own practice. I am so grateful for my father instilling in me an extremely strong work ethic and deep appreciation for the simple things in life; for my mother instilling in me a belief that I can achieve anything if I give myself the chance to succeed; for my great grandfather instilling in me the importance of intellectual curiosity, despite his second-grade education; and my great grandmother instilling in me a strong sense of integrity, humility, and honor. These four figures guide me in my profession every day. Starting my own practice is the career accomplishment of which I am most proud. I hope to create a practice that focuses on helping well-deserving North Carolinians with my unique brand. I hope that through my practice (in a small way) I can influence the practice of law in our state and public perception of our profession.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The Disability Advocacy Section and its awesome Listserve! I am so lucky that Legal Aid got me hooked on the NCAJ. I have been a member since I earned my law license in April 2007, and it is the most important membership for me. What other state organization anywhere in the country has nationally recognized Disability Law giants who regularly participate in its Listserve?! The CLEs are awesome, too. With the NCAJ I have been able to network with the legends in Disability Law and other experienced colleagues, and many of them have been immensely helpful in guiding me. I would not be the attorney I am today without the NCAJ and its Disability Advocacy Section.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
For the last ten years I have devoted 65-90 hours per week to our profession, so free time is a luxury that I do not have. However, I like to spend what little free time I do have with my family doing any number of activities, like watching movies, talking, playing, laughing, going out to the park or woods, working in our large vegetable garden, and eating. I really enjoy eating good food with good people—that perhaps is the thing in life I cherish most. There is something so special about that. I also like to play strategy games like chess and othello. I obtain great joy when I play a hard fought game against a worthy opponent, win, draw, or lose. Finally, I enjoy studying new practice areas (right now I am studying Workers Compensation) and taking free classes online (studying website design, anatomy, and psychology).
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like attorneys overall to be better paid. Our profession works longer hours than other professions, but our overall pay is quite low and our debt loads high. I am worried about how politics and outside businesses are carving away aspects of what was once sacred space for attorney practice. While the business law lingo now is to adapt, it seems that too often adapting has more to do with some combination of increasing volume, lowering overhead, and lowering price, but nothing to do with increasing the quality of our legal services. This can only be done for so long before damage is done to the quality of our work, our profession, and the public.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Be confident. Be fearless. Be prepared. (my parents)
Don’t be judgmental of clients. (Liza Baron)
Don’t negotiate from a position of weakness. Fight for your clients. Level the playing field. (Hazel Mack-Hilliard)
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Chess International Grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi. He was known as Viktor the Terrible primarily because of his relentless fighting spirit on the chess board. He was a professional chess player for just over 60 years, ranked in the top 100 for nearly 60 years (from April 1951 to March 2007), was ranked in the top 10 for nearly thirty years, in the top two for about 15 years, number one for about a year, and defeated 9 world champions. While he never obtained the title of World Champion, he might have had he not had to battle unfair treatment from his native USSR in the 1970s. He later defected to the West in 1976, and during his World Championship matches in 1978 and 1981, his wife and son were held captive by the USSR. During his last match his son was sentenced to 2.5 years of hard labor, instead of being allowed to leave the USSR as promised. Despite the persecution, isolation, and political pressure, he dug deep within himself and fought valiantly. His small team of seconds in his matches for the world championship paled in comparison to the USSR’s army of experts and advisors that were aiding his opponent. I also admire how as generation after generation of younger players came up and his younger peers retired, he remained fiercely competitive by adapting and learning. His work ethic, drive, passion, intellectual curiosity, sense of integrity, and longevity are something I hope to emulate in my life and my practice.
Lauren o. Newton
Lauren Newton practices law at Charles G. Monnett III & Associates in Charlotte, NC. She serves on the 2016-17 NCAJ Executive Committee as an American Association for Justice (AAJ) Board member and also serves as Chair of the NCAJ Women’s Caucus.
Lauren Newton,
Charles G. Monnett III & Associates
-NCAJ Executive Committee Member
-NCAJ member since 2011
Here’s what others are saying about Lauren Newton:
”I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Lauren for some time and watching her legal knowledge and trial skills grow. Most recently I had the opportunity to sit on a moot court panel for a workers’ compensation case she was preparing for a Court of Appeals argument. The direct issue – on which she ultimately prevailed – was one of great importance to her and her client; however, the case also involved a more tangential issue of significance to all workers’ compensation practitioners. While the COA ultimately ducked that issue, I was very happy to see that Lauren grasped the import of that issue and was keenly aware of the consequences it could have. Lauren was thoroughly prepared for questioning on that avenue and thoughtfully responded to the questions and advice of the panelists, others of whom are some of the best workers’ compensation lawyers in the State. Lauren’s passion, perseverance and understanding of issues are critical strengths which are not only going to serve her clients well in the years ahead, but which will also be of great service to our wonderful community of trial lawyers.
-Jon Moore, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I practice in the area of personal injury and handle cases that run the gamut from premises liability and assault cases to car wreck cases and bad faith. I also handle workers’ compensation and some social security and employment cases. Right out of law school I accepted a job on the defense side doing mostly workers compensation defense work. I quickly realized within my first year of practice that I was not meant to be on the defense side. During a mediation where I was on the opposite side of the negotiation table from my now fellow NCAJ member, Valerie Johnson, I recall coming to the realization that I wanted to be on the other side of the table fighting for the injured worker.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my recent success at the Court of Appeals and appreciate the help I received from NCAJ in mooting me for that oral argument.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
I very much appreciate the comradery of this organization and the wealth of information that is at my fingertips anytime I have a question. There has never been a time that I have not received help when I have reached out to fellow NCAJ members either through a listserv post, a telephone call or being mooted in preparation for an oral argument at the Court of Appeals. I also value my connection to AAJ that I made through NCAJ and the invaluable experiences and connections I have made across the country. My involvement with the AAJ Women’s Trial Lawyers Caucus is what motivated me to ensure that NCAJ had something similar. The NCAJ Women’s Caucus is in its inaugural year and I am thrilled for what we have in store for Convention and for the future for the female attorney members of NCAJ.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
In my time away from the office, I enjoy being with my husband and my 2 year old son and being as active as possible. I am an avid runner and crossfitter. I like doing anything that keeps me active and challenges me because I cannot sit still.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see Rule 414 of the NC Rules of Evidence repealed.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
When I first started trying cases, as a woman, I was very concerned with what I wore to court and how what I chose to wear or what color I wore would be viewed by the jury. The best piece of advice I received was to just be myself in front of the jury. That has made all the difference and I find I am more comfortable in front of the jury.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
I’m a bit of a historical junkie and love old books and pictures. While I was working in Washington, DC, I had dinner at a restaurant called Signatures. The walls at Signatures were covered with autographed photographs of countless historical figures. I could not stop looking at this photograph of William Howard Taft in a full length fur coat. From that moment, I have been fascinated by him. He was the only person in history who has served as both our nation’s President as well as the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Because Roosevelt was his predecessor, his administration was largely overshadowed. He later went on to say: "I don't remember that I ever was President." I highly recommend reading “President Taft is Stuck in the Bath” if you enjoy funny takes on historical rumors like the rumor that President Taft had a bathtub commissioned for the White House that was seven feet long and three and a half feet wide.
CHRIStine C. MUMMA
For over a decade, Chris Mumma has served as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence. As the Center's Executive Director, she represented Dwayne Dail, Joseph Abbitt, Greg Taylor, Willie Grimes, Larry Lamb, and Joseph Sledge in their successful post-conviction proceedings. She received NCAJ's Kellie Crabtree Award in 2010, serves on the NCAJ Board of Governors and also serves on the board of NC-CRED, the NC Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System.
Chris Mumma,
North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence
-NCAJ Board Member
-NCAJ member since 2005
Here’s what others are saying about Chris Mumma:
"If you stacked up and swabbed all the laws passed in the last decade to protect innocence in North Carolina, you’d surely find a mixture of various people’s DNA on them, but no profile would be stronger than Chris Mumma’s. Those of us familiar with Chris and North Carolina’s criminal justice system know she could have used her talents and tenacity to pursue any interest in the law, but the system has benefitted immeasurably from her choice to focus on innocence. Most importantly, so have the innocent and wrongfully convicted themselves. In addition to the freedom she has achieved for her own wrongfully incarcerated clients, Chris has worked tirelessly as a lawyer to make sure the system avoids or remedies that fate for countless others. There’s no telling how many people and families she’s helped."
-Brad Bannon, NCAJ Vice President of Communications
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
My work focuses on post-conviction claims of actual innocence and the reform of systemic issues in the criminal justice system that impact the reliability of convictions, judicial efficiency, and equal and fair justice. Although I intended to practice corporate law after law school, I became interested in the reliability of convictions during my clerkship with the NC Supreme Court, where I saw first-hand the limitations of the appellate process. My former criminal procedure law professor, Rich Rosen, was the driving force behind my full immersion into this area of the law.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am proud of the fact that I had the courage to leave a successful career in finance to attend law school, despite the fact that I had three young children at the time. Having a law degree has allowed me to pursue a career that has an impact on lives.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The listserve provides invaluable advice and connections. Even if an exchange does not impact an issue I’m working on at the time, I learn from the posting and may use the information in the future. I have also enjoyed serving on the NCAJ Board and I greatly value the professional and personal relationships I’ve made and enhanced through that opportunity.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
There’s no question that I’ve always been pretty obsessed with my work. A friend of mine bought me a t-shirt once that said, “Relaxing stresses me out!” When I do take time, I have three fantastic grown children that I love spending time with, as well as my sister, who is my best friend, and my parents who live in the area. To truly relax though, I need to hear the sound of the waves and feel the ocean air.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see more cooperation between prosecutors and defense attorneys in their efforts to achieve justice, particularly when there is a credible post-conviction claim of innocence. The overloaded, underfunded, and often inefficient adversarial system doesn’t have to be the approach when common sense and a shared interest in justice can more quickly address injustices for the convicted and victims of crime. Prosecutorial conviction integrity units around the country have made that clear, but the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys seems to be encouraging less cooperation, not more.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Don’t be afraid to take chances and the truth is worth fighting for.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Of course I’m overthinking this, but I feel like I should pick someone who is living because to spend a day with someone who is already dead would mean they would be gone after the one day and I wouldn’t have the ongoing benefit of having them in my life. I’m also not so taken with any celebrity that I’d want to spend a day with them, except maybe Morgan Freeman. So, I’m going to change the rules a little bit, which I can do because I’m answering the question, and say that I’d like to spend the day with North Carolina’s future Attorney General, whoever that may be, because there are a lot of opportunities for cultural and practice changes in that office which could benefit our justice system.
Laura Wetsch
Laura Wetsch, a partner at Winslow Wetsch, PLLC in Raleigh, has focused almost exclusively on employment law issues and litigation throughout her career. She has also served as chair of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice Employment Law Section and as the Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Council. Laura has been named to both North Carolina Super Lawyers and N.C. Legal Elite for employment law. She is the author of the popular Practitioner's Guide to North Carolina Employment Law. (2nd Edition is now available).
Laura Wetsch,
Winslow Wetsch, PLLC
-past chair of the NCAJ Employment Law Section
NCAJ member since 1993
Here’s what others are saying about Laura Wetsch:
"Laura literally wrote the book on employment law in North Carolina – the Practitioner’s Guide to North Carolina Employment Law. As the title to her book suggests, her encyclopedic knowledge of the law is complemented by her extensive practice experience. She is the go-to person in NCAJ’s Employment Law section and listserve for questions of law and legislation. Laura has actively served in key roles both in NCAJ’s section and the NC Bar Association’s employment law section. She is always willing to help out fellow practitioners and NCAJ. Indeed she has freely and patiently provided me advice over the years despite my dumb questions! Everyone in the section considers her a key resource, treasure, and more importantly, a friend."
-Eric Doggett, Doggett Law Offices
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
In the early years I dabbled in a lot of areas, but for the past 20 years or so I've done pretty much only employment law. As a child I was always most interested in what was "fair," which led me to an interest in civil rights, and then made me the default person for employment law cases as a federal law clerk in N.D. I've always thought that employment law cases were the most factually interesting, and the law can often provide an opportunity to achieve some measure of justice.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
I think I'm most proud of my firm and having friendly relationships with other lawyers, including opposing counsel.
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
That's a no-brainer: the collaboration and friendship of the very smart and talented lawyers in NCAJ's Employment Law Section. It's amazing to me that membership in this section gives you access to the very best plaintiff's employment lawyers in the State, who are more than willing to share their insights, pleadings, etc.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
Besides cleaning the house, doing laundry, and managing a teenager? I read books, and knit while binge-watching Netflix. My oldest grandchild is now 7 so this year I've started taking her on "special dates" to the NC Symphony, with dinner and "the best cake in the world" at Hayes Barton Grill, afterwards, which has been a joy. I've also started designing and sewing vestments for my husband, who is a Catholic deacon. It's going to sound terrible, but my favorite days are when I don't have to go anywhere or do anything except normal housewife-y chores around the house.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would love to see lawyers and judges better informed on employment law issues, so that case law develops without the hiccups I've seen occur when lawyers don't address, or appellate judges aren't informed of relevant issues or controlling decisions. (For example, I still hear lawyers saying that filing deadlines after issuance of a Notice of Right to Sue are "jurisdictional" -- they're not. Arrrggghhh.)
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Don't do it for the money; do it because you love it.
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
Only one? Those who immediately spring to mind are Thomas Jefferson, Dr. King, Bobby Kennedy, any Roosevelt (FDR, Eleanor, or Teddy), Harriet Tubman, Jesus -- any of whom would have fascinating things to say about society and justice, how we relate to each other, the purpose of government, the goals of a meaningful life.
Adrienne Blocker
Adrienne Blocker practices at the Law Offices of Adrienne Blocker, PLLC in Durham, NC. A 2011 Ebbie Award Recipient and current BOG member, she served on the NCAJ Executive Committee as Education Vice President in 2012-2013 and is a past Chair of the Auto Torts Section. Adrienne is co-editor of the best-selling Personal Injury Practice in North Carolina manual. She also very involved with the Carolina Center for Civic Education, which presents the annual NCAJ High School Mock Trial Program, a state-wide educational program that provides an opportunity for students to learn about the legal system from legal professionals.
Adrienne Blocker,
Law Offices of Adrienne Blocker, PLLC
-NCAJ Board member
-NCAJ member since 1997
Here’s what others are saying about Adrienne Blocker:
"I would go into the trenches with Adrienne Blocker any day. Adrienne is one of those colleagues and friends that you know you can rely and count on and, if things get bad, her calm demeanor and her wonderfully dry sense of humor will help you keep perspective and persevere. I have worked with Adrienne in connection with the NCAJ High School Mock Trial Program and the Carolina Center for Civic Education (which operates the NCAJ HSMTP), as well as through various projects for NCAJ. Adrienne is a tremendous client advocate, she works hard and she is dedicated to the profession. She has served in many leadership capacities at NCAJ and is often one of the first people to step up with helpful information, cases or forms when questions hit the auto torts list serve. I enjoy brainstorming various and sometimes obscure litigation issues with Adrienne because I truly value Adrienne’s opinions and insights, as well as her friendship."
--Rebecca Britton, Britton Law, PA
What area of law do you practice and what attracted you to that area of law?
I practice civil litigation, primarily personal injury and wrongful death. When I first began law school, I thought I would practice debtor-creditor law, on the creditor side. Then, the summer between my 2L and 3L years, I interned at a personal injury firm and found that I really enjoy helping people. Better yet, over the years, I have found that I am good at helping people. The “counselor at law” definitely applies to personal injury law.
What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
Over the last almost 18 years, I’ve had many verdicts and settlements that make me proud. However, the one thing that always makes me smile is when I get a call from a potential client saying that Joe Smith, your former client, said I HAVE to call you. That personal recommendation means everything!
What do you value most about your NCAJ membership?
The ListServe is an automatic business partner, resource, and focus group. I cannot imagine practicing law today without this resource.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I enjoy cooking and entertaining and hanging out with my family and friends. To help offset some of that food, I go to the gym most days.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like civility and congeniality to be the norm, not the exception. We are zealous advocates for our clients, but we do not have to be storm troopers to accomplish this.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Never put anything in writing you wouldn’t want the whole world to read. This applies to professional and personal life. A corollary to this, quoting Dr. Seuss is: “I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”
If you could spend the day with one celebrity or historical figure, who would you spend time with and why?
It’s tough to narrow this down to one person, but I would have to say Martin Luther King, Jr. I write this on March 21st. Fifty-one years ago today, Dr. King began the march from Selma to Birmingham for voting rights. Thinking of all the people he taught and led in trying to achieve a nonviolent end to inequality is inspiring. Many of his lessons are still timely today.
Sarah Preston
Sarah Preston is the Acting Executive Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina and has been with the organization since 2006. After receiving her bachelor’s degree cum laude from St. Catherine University in Minnesota, she attended Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa, receiving her law degree with certificates in Constitutional Law and Civil Rights and Legislative Practice.
Sarah Preston,
ACLU of North Carolina
-NCAJ member since 2008
Here’s what others are saying about Sarah Preston:
"I've never seen anyone better than Sarah Preston at navigating individuals with differing opinions. While I worked with her at the ACLU of NC, I always remarked that I was glad that I was the litigator and she was the person charged with going to Jones Street every day. My job was the easy one - suing the legislature for passing ridiculously unconstitutional laws. Her job is the hard one - trying to persuade legislators not to pass those unconstitutional laws in the first place. She does it consistently with a positive attitude, and more importantly, a well-prepared argument."
--Katherine Lewis Parker, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC
What kind of law do you practice?
As the acting Executive Director and before that, the Policy Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, my focus tends to be more on the legal implications of proposed policy and some involvement in our legal docket. Our focus is on civil rights and civil liberties, which can range from criminal justice matters to sign ordinances to equal protection matters.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
Legal work is so much about problem solving. I actually trained as a mediator and worked in that capacity a little before joining the ACLU-NC and I think that just furthered my focus on analyzing the problem at hand and figuring out solutions. That has served me well through my career, regardless of whether I am advocating at the legislature, working with the ACLU-NC staff, or helping to develop legal strategy. Practicing law is also about figuring out all possible outcomes and avoiding harm to your clients. That is critical to policy work as well. You have to be thinking more than two steps ahead to engage in policy advocacy, as well as in legal practice.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
The real answer to this is probably caffeine, but I am also a political junkie. I love participating in the legislative process, reading about it and debating all the possible “what ifs” that come up in policy work with other lobbyists. Developing strategies and considering outcomes is a challenge that drives me to keep up the work.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
I have had so many amazing experiences with the ACLU-NC. I think the thing I am most proud of is my contribution to the passage of the Racial Justice Act in 2009. Since I came to North Carolina in 2006, I was advocating for passage of that law and standing on the floor of the Senate with our legislative champions, coalition partners, lawyers, and exonerees after that bill passed is a memory that has stuck with me.
Do you have any pets?
I have a little big dog. He weighs about eight pounds, but thinks he weighs 80.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I have heard others talk about how few lawyer legislators there are these days and it is true. In my 10 years operating in an around the North Carolina General Assembly, I have seen the number of lawyers running for and being elected to office decline and it is a shame. I can’t blame folks for not wanting to serve. It is a huge time commitment and can make continuing to practice difficult. That being said, lawyers can really offer a lot of insight and information to legislators and I would love to see more lawyers engaging in policy work, even if they can’t commit to running for office. There are so many bills and proposals being considered that will affect our clients as well as the state as a whole and the input and expertise attorneys can offer could really have an impact on public policy.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Early in my career, I was told to always make sure I return phone calls, especially from clients. It is simple, but important. Whether it is a fellow attorney, a client a legislator, or some other ally or colleague, I try to follow this advice.
Sheryl T. Friedrichs
Sheryl Friedrichs is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and represents clients in both Wake County and Franklin County. She is a Certified Superior Court Mediator and a trained Collaborative Law attorney.
Sheryl Friedrichs,
Law Office of Sheryl T. Friedrichs
-Past Chair of the NCAJ Family Law Section
-NCAJ member since 1999
Here’s what others are saying about Sheryl Friedrichs:
"I've always found Sheryl to be personable, professional, and conscientious. One of the cases we had years ago involved two former spouses that had little to no good will remaining between them, and they acted like it. But, Sheryl was never a conduit of ill will or her client's emotional state; instead she was a conduit of his legal interests. Even though ultimately we had to ask a judge to decide the matter, it was never personal or contentious. I admire that about her and think she serves as a model for all attorneys as to how advocacy need not create animosity between professionals. I firmly believe that the profession needs more people like Sheryl."
--Randolph Tré Morgan, Law Office of Randolph Morgan III
What kind of law do you practice?
My area of practice is family law, with litigation being only a small percentage of my work. I have always encouraged negotiation and mediation, and now I am encouraging my clients to consider Collaborative Law. Most of my clients have never heard of Collaborative Law and I have to explain the process to them. I predict that as Collaborative Law becomes a more mainstream form of Alternative Dispute Resolution in other areas of law, there will be an increased awareness of the process and a growing demand for more Collaborative Family Law attorneys.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
I enjoy my work and am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to practice law. I have learned a lot from my clients who have collectively enlarged my life and broadened my horizons beyond anything I would have expected.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
I cannot live without coffee and chocolate. A friend once described me as living a “coffee centric life.”
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
If I had to pick a favorite, I would choose my experience as a peer counselor volunteer with the Lawyers Assistance Program. I have many close friends among the other volunteers, most of whom I would never have crossed paths with otherwise. I have been privileged to be of service to attorneys who are hurting and see many of them rebound and rebuild their professional and personal lives. Additionally, the training I received as a peer counselor volunteer has made me a better family law attorney because so many of my cases involve issues of substance abuse or mental health.
Do you have any pets?
I am fortunate to live on acreage that was formally a farm, and over the last twenty years I have had the privilege of providing a forever home to dozens of rescued dogs, cats and various livestock. At the moment, I share my home with four large dogs and one aging, diabetic tom cat.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like us to find a way to improve access to justice for those litigants who cannot afford an attorney. It is no longer only indigent people who cannot afford to hire an attorney. Many hard-working people live month to month with no savings and with no access to credit. In Wake County, we have a pilot program with volunteer mediators serving two days each week in Family Court, helping to resolve disputes between pro se litigants. Although it seems a bit like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon, the feedback from our judges has been positive, and we have been able to resolve quite a few cases.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
The best advice I received was from a seasoned judge when I was first licensed. He told me to do what I say I will do, and do it within the time I say I will do it. Initially, I did not take that as particularly helpful advice, because it seems so obvious that it would go without saying. Over time, however, I have grown to appreciate the wisdom. I must be continually on guard against being overly optimistic when calculating the time I will need to complete a particular task. Everything takes longer than expected, and it is better to be realistic with clients than to disappoint them by not meeting my self-imposed due date.
SUZANNE BEGNOCHE
Suzanne Begnoche practices law at the Law Office of Suzanne Begnoche in Chapel Hill, NC. Suzanne Begnoche earned a B.A. from Duke University, and a J.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She is past chair of the NCAJ Consumer Areas of Practice (CAP) Section.
Suzanne Begnoche,
Law Office of Suzanne Begnoche
-Former Consumer Areas of Practice (CAP) Section Chair
-NCAJ member since 2004
Here’s what others are saying about Suzanne Begnoche:
" When I want to go outside of our firm to bat around ideas about how to approach a consumer litigation issue, I ask Suzanne Begnoche. When I need an expert on a consumer law case, I ask Suzanne Begnoche for input on who to retain. When I need an attorney fee affidavit to provide to a court, I ask Suzanne Begnoche to inform the court that she thinks we do good work. I’m sure you’re sensing a pattern and I know I’m not alone with that sentiment. Suzanne has repeatedly provided insight and guidance to myself and other lawyers at NCAJ while asking nothing in return. Her knowledge on this area of law is second to none and I know her commitment to her clients is second to none as well. All of us in the consumer bar are lucky to have her on our side."
--Ed Maginnis, Maginnis Law
What kind of law do you practice?
I’m a consumer attorney. I sue debt collectors, creditors, and credit bureaus for violations of state and federal consumer protection laws. I also represent victims of identity theft and security breach.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
I became an attorney in my mid-30’s, so I and my views were already pretty well-shaped. Almost every day, however, I realize just how little I do know about lawyering and about life and how much more I have to learn.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
Chocolate. Preferably the kind with some mixture of nuts and caramel.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
Second-chairing a two-week personal injury trial in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribal Court. Coming from Central North Carolina, it was a unique experience to litigate in that jurisdiction-within-a-jurisdiction with its amalgamation of federal, state, and tribal law.
Do you have any pets?
Not at present, but I’m partial to pugs.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I’m very concerned to witness the steady de-funding of Legal Aid of North Carolina. No one knows better than we attorneys the complexity of the civil justice system, the impenetrability of the law to the unschooled, the obstacle course that the rules of procedure present for a pro se litigant. We need to speak up, more and louder. We must support and advocate for the provision of professional counsel to the weakest and neediest in our state, to give them some chance of discerning their rights and winning justice.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Leave your work at the office. Not that I always follow it, but I do my best.
BUTCH JENKINS
Walter I. “Butch” Jenkins III is a Board Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law by the North Carolina State Bar.
Butch Jenkins,
Thigpen & Jenkins
-NCAJ Criminal Defense Section Chair
-NCAJ member since 1987
Here’s what others are saying about Butch Jenkins:
"It's hard to say exactly why I love and care for Butch Jenkins so deeply. Is it because he is a moral compass and dear confidant? Is it because of his legal abilities, ethics and steadfast dedication to the North Carolina Advocates for Justice? Is it because of his bone-dry wit and self-deprecating humor? Is it because of his deep, abiding faith and love for people? Butch embodies the highest aims of our legal profession. One would be wise not to conflate a quasi-obsessive, encyclopedic knowledge of Mean Gene Okerlund, the Gagne brothers and the AWA with simplicity. He is brilliant. He is kind. He is genuine. He makes me a better person just by knowing him. That's why I love and care for Butch Jenkins "
--Bill Powers, NCAJ President-Elect
What kind of law do you practice?
My firm is a general practice firm but I do exclusively Criminal Defense, with an emphasis on DWI defense.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
It has made me realize that we are all crazy in one way or another and that no family is immune from trouble, whether it be substance abuse, mental illness or just poor decision-making.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
What can you not live without? Riding my bicycle, watching Trailer Park Boys and watching you-tube videos of old school professional wrestling.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
Making friends that have shaped my life. I also love the humor of practicing law.
Do you have any pets?
Sproodle named Penny and a cat named Ricky.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
A return to the practice of law as a profession as opposed to a business.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
When I finish court, dictate in minute detail the results of every case, including why a particular disposition was reached, what the DA told me about a case, and why a case was continued. It is invaluable to be able to look in a file and read contemporaneous notes about what happened with a case.
VALERIE PEARCE
Valerie Pearce,
Office of Indigent Defense Services
-NCAJ Juvenile Defense Section Chair
-NCAJ member since 2014
Here’s what others are saying about Valerie Pearce:
"Whenever I talk with Valerie it seems like I learn of another area of expertise that she has mastered. For example, she has a wealth of knowledge about cases involving any type of abuse, including both the physical and scientific aspects and the mental health aspects. As a Regional Defender, Valerie understands the needs and pressures that trial lawyers face and responds with excellent training programs and assistance to attorneys. It is a pleasure to work with Valerie and I know when I go to her with a question or problem she’s going to have a thoughtful and insightful response that will help me find the right solution!"
--Sarah Rackley Olson, Indigent Defense Services
What kind of law do you practice?
I am currently a Regional Defender with Indigent Defense Services supervising attorneys handling court-appointed adult criminal cases under contract. Prior to this position, I was the Managing Attorney of the Council for Children’s Rights in Charlotte, NC for seven years from 2006 to 2013 where we represented children charged in juvenile delinquency, truancy, committed to a mental health facility, involved in a child custody dispute, special education and school suspensions. I have been a solo practitioner; an Assistant Public Defender; a Guardian ad Litem Administrator; and an Assistant District Attorney. I have been an advocate for the poor and disadvantaged my entire career and I am a certified specialist in Criminal Law-Juvenile Delinquency and in Child Welfare Law.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
I went into the practice of law because I wanted to give a voice to people who often feel unheard and helpless. The system can make people feel like a number. I have become more cynical since becoming a part of this system. I had to learn that you have to celebrate the small victories and keep chipping away little by little to make any difference. Systems and cultures do not change quickly.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
I have to have my calendar and my pajamas. I keep my entire life organized in my calendar. I would be lost without it. I have learned over the years that I have to draw the line between the stress of the job and my home life. When I get home after a long day and put on my pajamas, it is a signal that my work day is over and that it is time to relax.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
I loved being an advocate for victims of abuse. There is no greater feeling than to know that you are helping someone in need. When you tell someone that you work for them and that you want to be sure that their side is heard in a process where they feel like no one has listened or will listen to them, it is incredible to see their eyes light up. Whether I was representing juveniles that were charged in delinquency, patients in a mental health facility, or adults charged with a crime, you could see a difference when they knew that you cared and took the time to listen.
Do you have any pets?
We have a mixed breed dog named Patrick that we adopted from a shelter in Cabarrus County ten years ago.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I would like to see court-appointed attorneys treated with respect. I have represented indigent people my entire career. There is a perception that court-appointed attorneys “work for the state” and provide less quality representation than someone that they can pay to represent them. I am on a mission to change that image. The public defenders that I have worked with over the years work hard to fight for their clients. Their roles are often misunderstood. Attorneys are not out there just trying to get a guilty man off. Without strong advocacy on both sides of the courtroom, there can be no assurance of fairness and justice.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Angus Thompson, who is retiring as the Public Defender of Robeson County, taught me that we have to show every client that we care. We have to demonstrate our zealous advocacy at every stage of the case. We must earn their trust by showing them that we are willing to stand up and fight for them. Our clients are human beings that deserve our best, even if we do not like them or we do not feel like it that particular day. We invest time into our clients and that investment will pay dividends in their lives, even though we may never see it.
Crystal Rouse
Crystal Rouse joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2010 and handles Social Security Disability claims. She is the current Chair of NCAJ's Disability Advocacy Section.
Crystal Rouse,
Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
-NCAJ Disability Advocacy Section Chair
NCAJ member since 2010
Here’s what others are saying about Crystal Rouse:
"It is a privilege to work alongside Crystal Rouse. Crystal always displays a high degree of integrity, responsibility, and ambition. She’s smart, self-motivated and capable of achieving any goal to which she sets her mind. Social Security Disability work takes a great deal of patience, compassion, and attentiveness. It’s very frustrating and strenuous at times, but Crystal does it with a smile and a joke to boot. She’s personable and a most dependable team player – continuously providing excellent written work product, research, and litigation results. She quickly establishes rapport with clients, colleagues, and the judiciary. She’s a favorite among clients and coworkers, and is quickly becoming a thought-leader in the Social Security Disability community. To top it all off, she dedicates a great deal of time to the community. I am proud to count her as a colleague and believe that hiring her was one of the best decisions I ever made."
--Rick Fleming, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
What kind of law do you practice?
Social Security Disability
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
Practicing law has given me a better balance between empathy and advocacy. It has been a great benefit in helping the population of clients whom I serve: people whose lives have been altered by sickness or injury, but who may or may not qualify as “disabled” under the law. My years of work in Social Security Disability have given me the experience to distinguish a viable case from one that is not, and has also given me resources and contacts throughout many communities in North Carolina that can provide assistance or vocational rehabilitation for individuals who are unlikely to qualify for disability. Ultimately, people just want help to re-take control of their lives when unfortunate/unforeseen events have knocked them off their paths.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
Cake. I would rather eat cake than a real meal. It doesn’t even matter what kind of cake, or whether it is any good. I love cake.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
By far, the favorite experience of my career has been as part of the claims counsel team for the class action lawsuit In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, 08-mc-0511 (D.D.C.). The lawsuit asserted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA") had systematically discriminated against African-American farmers on the basis of race, in violation of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. I had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States from November 2011 to May 2012, meeting with farmers affected firsthand and, sometimes, the families of those farmers who died before justice was realized, and helping fulfill an idea that I hold true: that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.
Do you have any pets?
No pets.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
When I took my first case to federal court, the assistant U.S. attorney whom I faced extended some guidance to help me get the right documents filed the right way. In response to my gratitude, he replied with a sentiment that I would like to see more often: We are adversaries, not enemies.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
Keep your blood-caffeine level optimal.
Sally Davis has been practicing criminal defense in the Wimington area for over 5 years. She handles a variety of criminal matters as well as personal injury.
Sally Davis, Attorney
-Hall & Green LLP
-Small Office Practice Section Chair
-NCAJ member since 2009
Here’s what others are saying about Sally Davis:
"One of the best career choices that I have ever made during my 37-year career was hiring Sally Davis to join our firm. Immediately, she took to practicing law like a duck takes to water. She has taken the pressure cooker off of me by handling anything or any case that I throw at her. DWI defense is a large part of my practice. The first DWI jury trial that I assigned to her to try (a 0.08 BAC) resulted in a hung jury and dismissal. Sally is able to communicate well with jurors and has the perfect balance of friendliness and aggressiveness needed to be a successful trial lawyer."
--Alex Hall, Hall & Green, LLP
What kind of law do you practice?
On a day-to-day basis I handle mostly criminal defense cases, but our office handles all injury related cases including personal injury, worker's compensation and social security disability.
How has practicing law shaped you or your views?
I think every lawyer would agree that practicing law is a hard way to make a living. However, I enjoy being able to help those who have never been involved with our criminal justice system before, and I hope this journey has made me a more understanding person.
Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?
My husband has pushed his love of sweets on me. I must have something sweet after dinner.
What's your favorite experience of your career so far?
Jury trials. They are so stressful, yet so much fun at the same time.
Do you have any pets?
Two dogs too many.
What do you want to see changed in the practice of law today?
I think the practice of law is changing rapidly with the integration of technology. Trying to keep our firm on the cutting edge is time consuming enough with updates such as a cloud-based client-management system, websites, and automatic texts to clients to remind them of court dates.
What’s the best career advice you've received or offered?
If you're not nervous before trial anymore, you're doing something wrong.
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