Taylor Hammonds, NCAJ NEXT Leadership Program

Taylor Hammonds is one of the 11 members of the NCAJ NEXT Leadership Program class of 2025. The program identifies the state’s emerging trial lawyer leaders. 

Lives in: Fuquay-Varina

Law degree from: University of North Carolina School of Law

Works as: Attorney at Henson Fuerst Attorneys

In what ways are you involved in NCAJ or other legal organizations?

I am a newly admitted NCAJ member, and I have previously been a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, and I am hoping to renew that membership as soon as I can. I am looking to join other organizations in the near future as well.

Why do you want to participate in the NCAJ NEXT Program?  

I would like to expand my leadership skills as a young attorney, and I feel that this opportunity would allow for more professional growth and development. Since graduating law school, I have had the opportunity to serve as a judicial law clerk at the N.C. Supreme Court, and the N.C. Court of Appeals, and I have also been able to practice law for one full year. During that stretch of time, I have realized how crucial it is to seize as many opportunities as I can in order to grow professionally.

Why is the idea of civil or criminal justice important to you?

The idea of civil and criminal justice is important to me because I am originally from Robeson County, North Carolina. Many individuals that were born and raised in my hometown do not have very much faith in the justice system, and this is largely due to the fact that many of them do not have the resources to access the system, at least not in a meaningful way. However, I believe that access to justice is a critical tool that should be available to all people, no matter their background or socio-economic status. As lawyers, we possess a special power within society to defend and protect the innocent, and those who have suffered at the hands of injustice, both in the civil and criminal context. Therefore, my hope is to join the fight in ensuring that every community in the state enjoys the protections that the justice system affords.

Where do you see NCAJ as an organization in five to 10 years?

In five to 10 years, I could see NCAJ making great strides in the state of North Carolina. These improvements could be in the areas of trial advocacy, legislative policy, continuing education for practicing attorneys, or even in the context of political engagement within the U.S. at large. The organization provides a place for attorneys to develop new skills, which they will then carry back to their firms or organizations and use those skills to zealously advocate for their clients. For these reasons, I believe that the NCAJ, and similar organizations, are critical to shaping the legal landscape within the state.

Through my participation in NCAJ’s NEXT Leadership Program, I hope to … not only grow as a legal professional, but I also hope to make connections that I will carry into the rest of my career. I’d like to sharpen my leadership skills, which would also allow me to build upon my confidence levels, especially considering I am still quite new to the practice of law. I am excited to learn as much as I can from others, and I truly hope to broaden my interpersonal skills, as well as help others to do the same. I enjoy meeting new people and taking on new challenges, and although it can be daunting to take on new roles, I believe that it is imperative to challenge our comfortability in order to grow.

Outside of work … I really enjoy going to the gym, listening to music, shooting billiards, playing pickleball, and watching a good movie. I spend a lot of time with my family and friends, and I try to take on as many adventures as I can whenever I have the time and freedom to do so. I also really love traveling to new places and trying new foods.