Citizen Lawyer Shirley Fulton
Article Date: Friday, June 26, 2009
Written By: by Trish Hardy Wray
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Shirley Fulton
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As a traveling Superior Court judge in search of a community located close to
the interstate, Shirley Fulton stumbled across the Wesley Heights community in
1990. The tree-lined, wide streets and the architectural style of the homes
immediately caught her attention.
However, Wesley Heights had its problems. “I would see drug dealers on the
corner on my way to work,” says Fulton. “I would then see them in my
courtroom.”
In spite of the rising criminal activity and grim condition of the
neighborhood, she moved in with the thought that she “could make a
difference.”
Because of that ability to make a difference in her community, in addition to
her law practice, Fulton was selected by the North Carolina Bar Association as
one of 12 outstanding citizen lawyers.
Fulton’s impact on Wesley Heights was almost immediate. After settling in,
she helped the residents form a homeowners association. “They were
looking for a leader,” says Fulton. With her help, the association obtained a
revolving loan fund from the city of Charlotte. They purchased and restored five
homes in the community, formed an after-school program for latch-key kids in the
neighborhood and hosted festivals to promote community unity.
“I am amazed in many ways at how far the community has come because of our
efforts,” says Fulton. Helen Kirk, resident of Wesley Heights since 1968, cannot
say enough about Fulton’s impact on the community. “I could talk for days about
Shirley Fulton and what she has done for Wesley Heights,” comments Kirk. “She is
a low-key, quiet person, but she is also very active and compassionate. She
helped this community make a complete turn around.”
In 2001, Fulton purchased the Wadsworth House, one of the earliest houses in
Wesley Heights, and transformed it into a special events meeting facility.
Fulton attributes her passion for community development to her grandparents’
efforts to help others become homeowners. “As sharecroppers in South Carolina,
my grandparents owned many acres of land,” says Fulton. “My grandparents sold
land to others for dirt cheap so that they could build their own homes.
Witnessing my grandparents’ efforts shaped my character.”
In addition to her service to Wesley Heights, Fulton co-chaired the Justice
and Public Safety Taskforce and served as a member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Education Taskforce.
Fulton is currently focusing on her work at the Charlotte School of Law. She
served as chair of the board of trustees and is now a professor. Fulton has
brought her passion for community development to the law school by helping to
develop a tax-exempt organization that will facilitate the law school’s
community involvement and a community and economic development clinic.
Now retired from the bench, Fulton is a partner with Charlotte law firm Tin,
Fulton, Greene & Owen, PLLC, where her practice includes alternative dispute
resolution, community and economic development and business law. She is a native
of Kingstree, S.C., and a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University,
Duke University School of Law and the McColl School of Business at Queens
University.
Provided by the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar
Association in conjunction with the Citizen Lawyer Task Force in recognition of
recipients of the 2009 Citizen Lawyer Awards. The awards were presented on
Friday, June 26, at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Asheville.