Vincent “Vince” Varano, NCAJ NEXT Leadership Program

Vincent “Vince” Varano 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: Charlotte

Law degree from: University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law

Works as: Associate attorney at Wilder Pantazis Law Group

Why do you want to participate in the NCAJ NEXT Program? I want to participate in the NCAJ NEXT Leadership program because I believe that connecting with a diverse array of young attorneys and learning valuable leadership skills will help me develop into a better attorney, allow me to better advocate for my clients, and assist me in upholding the ideals of civil justice in the state of North Carolina.

In what ways are you involved in NCAJ or other legal organizations? I have been an NCAJ member since May 2024 and am a member of the New Lawyers Division, Workers’ Compensation Section and Auto Torts & Premises Liability Section. I have attended Convention, CLEs, and other connecting events in my time as an NCAJ member in order to expand my network and learn all I can about the practice areas in which I participate.

Why is the idea of civil or criminal justice important to you? Civil justice is important to me because I believe all people who are wrongly injured, whether financially or physically, deserve the opportunity to be made whole or as near to whole as possible. It is my belief that in order to have a just and fair society, the rules of civil law must promote fairness and have advocates to defend and promote those values. It is my hope that as an attorney in the state of North Carolina, I can be an advocate for fairness in our civil law system, and defend the rights of those who are taken advantage of by those who have wronged them.

In your opinion, where do you see NCAJ as an organization in five to 10 years? I believe the NCAJ will continue to seek out young and diverse attorney members, adding fresh perspectives to the organization. NCAJ will continue to advocate for justice by prioritizing both legal and political avenues to justice and equality.

Through my participation in NCAJ’s NEXT Leadership Program, I hope to… connect with a diverse group of young attorneys to expand my legal knowledge and network and learn valuable leadership skills that will allow me to develop into a more effective counselor for my clients so that I can better promote civil justice and protect their rights and interests.

Outside of work … I am quite a social person who likes to spend quality time with my friends and family. I am very passionate about the study of history. I often read about history to better understand modern-day political and societal motivations and because I find the subject incredibly interesting to analyze. I am also a very big football and basketball fan. During the fall, one can find me rooting for my South Carolina Gamecocks and Dallas Cowboys and during the winter and spring, you will find me rooting for the Boston Celtics. I have made a hobby of scouting college football players and creating my own player evaluations and draft boards for the NFL draft each year.