Schofield Honored with Wally Award at Public Defender Conference

NCAJ member Matthew Schofield was honored with the Wallace C. “Wally” Harrelson Public Defender Award for Excellence at the 2026 Spring Public Defender Conference. Schofield is Assistant Public Defender in District 42, Transylvania County. Schofield, below center, received the award from Chief Public Defender Beth Stang of District 43 and Chief Public Defender Tommy Routten for District 1.

He was among five recognized at this year’s conference, held May 6-8 in Cherokee.

Jimbo Perry presented the Chief Justice’s Professionalism Award to Assistant Capital Defender Jason Crump of District 21/Forsyth County.    

Bert Kemp and Jerald Pafford presented the Mary Ann Tally Award for Excellence in Advocacy Award to Assistant Public Defender Stephan M. Hagen of District 3/Pitt County.  

The John Rubin Award for Excellence in Training went to Chief Public Defender Laura Gibson of District 2.

James E. Williams Jr. presented the James E. Williams Award for Dedication in Fighting for Racial Equity in the North Carolina Criminal Justice System to Ian Mance.