Law School Student Resources

The North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ) is a nonpartisan association of legal professionals dedicated to empowering a strong community of trial lawyers by protecting people, preventing injustice and promoting fairness through community, education, and advocacy.

This mission extends to future generations of NCAJ members and trial lawyers through our active law student community and division. Membership is free for all three years that you’re in law school.

New Lawyers Division

Once you have graduated and passed the bar exam, you can convert your law student membership into a general membership and join the New Lawyers Division of NCAJ. Additionally, NCAJ offers its attorney members a wide variety of continuing legal education courses and opportunities. The Allen A. Bailey Professional Development Fellowship is a scholarship awarded to two attorneys twice a year, and provides them with free attendance to the NCAJ’s Annual Convention. This scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for young recipients to make connections with other like-minded lawyers and to learn in a collaborative environment while earning their required CLE credits.

Are you a leader of a student organization on a North Carolina law school campus?

NCAJ can help connect you with potential presenters and speakers on several fascinating topics. NCAJ members include attorneys and paralegals all over the state practicing in areas such as:

• personal injury
• civil rights litigation
• consumer rights
• criminal defense
• family law
• immigration
• workers compensation
• medical malpractice
• employment law

Reach out to NCAJ today and let us help connect you with a NCAJ member speaker event for your law school student organization.  

Recognition of North Carolina Law Students

Campbell University School of Law

2023 | Calhoun Advocacy Award
Jacob Nathaniel Byrd

2023 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Student Advocacy Awards
Sofia Peri Baneth
Kyle Anthony Conway
Christian Smith-Bishop

2022 | Calhoun Advocacy Award
Justin B. Lockett

2022 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Student Advocacy Awards
Hunter Grey Pethel
Ryan Marie Cooke
Claudia Barcelo

2021 | Calhoun Advocacy Award
Jordan Ariana Arroyo

2021 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Student Advocacy Awards
Lauren Ashley Wilson
Alayna Marie-Poole Elmore
Carter Benjamin Cole

2020 | Calhoun Advocacy Award
Madeline Clark Lipe

2020 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Student Advocacy Awards
Regina Lashaun Chavis
Merideth Alexis Harrison
Mary Celeste Skinner

2018 | Calhoun Advocacy Award
Meredith Jo Kittrell

2018 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Student Advocacy Awards
Derrick Colby Foard
Larry Michael Koonce, Jr.
Cydney Paige Joyner
Savannah Brooke Perry
Taylor Mizelle Scruggs-Smith
Madison Crae Skeens

Elon University School of Law | NCAJ Appellate and Trial Achievement Award

2022
Morgan Marie Tompkins

2021
Goodrich August Thiel III

2020
Melenni Ballach

2019
Ahmed Mohamed

2018
Jeffrey Lynn Porter Jr.

2017
Jackson Allan Barnes
Melissa Lee Watkins 

Wake Forest University School of Law | Most Outstanding Advocate Awards
The program began in 1980 and was awarded to a student in each section of trial practice who achieves the highest grade. Today, students are nominated by the instructor of each trial practice section whom they consider to be the “most outstanding advocate” in their section. 

2018

Michael Jacob Stephens
Ashley V. DiMuzio
Paige N. Tucker
Briana Antoinette O’Neil
Sophia Blair
Mary Grace Carey
David Michael Layman
Evan William Weltge
Matthew Brian Hoyt
Kyle Francis Heuser
Raven Ash

What Comes Next?

Once you have graduated and passed the bar exam, you can convert your law student membership into a general membership and join the New Lawyers Division of NCAJ.

Additionally, NCAJ offers its attorney members a wide variety of continuing legal education courses and opportunities. The Allen A. Bailey Professional Development Fellowship is a scholarship awarded to two attorneys twice a year, and provides them with free attendance to the NCAJ’s Annual Convention. This scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for young recipients to make connections with other like-minded lawyers and to learn in a collaborative environment while earning their required CLE credits.