NCAJ Awards Grants, Recognizes 2025 Recipients

Grant Money Available For Applicants In 2026

NCAJ Executive Director Shannon Leskin presented the Center for Death Penalty Litigation with a $15,000 grant from the NCAJ Foundation and the Allen Bailey Endowment on Wednesday night during its Wake County Sidebar Social. Shelagh Rebecca Kenney, Interim Executive Director of the Center for Death Penalty Litigation, accepted the grant. NCAJ has been a stalwart support of CDPL since its founding.

NCAJ also recognized other foundation grantees in attendance at the social on Wednesday. Taylor Scruggs-Smith, president of Capital City Lawyers Association, and Aaliyah Russell, of CCLA’s Event Planning Committee, which will host the Black Lawyers Ball this weekend, represented the CCLA. NCAJ is a proud sponsor of the event, which raises money for Capital City’s law school scholarships and programs.

Whitney von Haam, executive director of the Wake County Bar Association, represented the association in thanking NCAJ for its continued support of the Wake County Bar Awards. This year’s awards campaign raised more than $100,000 for Legal Aid of North Carolina.

The NCAJ Foundation is still accepting applications for grants through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2026. To apply, please email Amber Nimocks.