Gene Pridgen Installed As 116th NCBA President

Article Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010

Written By: Russell Rawlings

With his wife, Jamie, holding the Bible, Gene Pridgen, left, is sworn in by Chief Judge John C. Martin of the N.C. Court of Appeals.

Eugene C. Pridgen, administrative partner for K&L Gates in Charlotte, was sworn in on Saturday night, June 26, as the 116th president of the North Carolina Bar Association. The installation took place at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside in conjunction with the 2010 NCBA Annual Meeting.

With his wife, Jamie, holding the Bible, Pridgen received the oath of office from Judge John C. Martin of the N.C. Court of Appeals. Pridgen then accepted the ceremonial presidential gavel from fellow Charlotte attorney John R. Wester, outgoing president.In his installation address,

NCBA President Eugene C. Pridgen

Pridgen outlined four particular areas in which he plans to focus his attention in the coming year: diversity, pro bono service, the judiciary and young lawyers. He has appointed a task force to address the changing needs of young lawyers with special emphasis toward leadership training and mentorship.

He has also scheduled a summit conference that will focus on issues of mutual interest to lawyers and North Carolina’s seven law schools.Pridgen said the past year, during which he served as president-elect, afforded him the unique opportunity to meet with lawyers from all parts of the state.

“Lawyers across our state are heavily engaged in bar and community activities as well as public service,” Pridgen said. “When community organizations look for volunteer leadership –people who will willingly spend long hours to solve difficult and sometimes controversial issues – they overwhelmingly go to the citizen lawyers in their communities.

“I have had the chance to observe firsthand the dedication and commitment that so many of our lawyers have to our profession, dedication and commitment expressed often, thank goodness, through their efforts for our bar association.

“I have been personally inspired by so many people.”

           
Pridgen is a 1969 graduate of North Carolina State University and served in the U.S. Army from 1969-73, attaining the rank of captain. He earned an MBA from Wake Forest University in 1975 and graduated magna cum laude from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1978.

He joined Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman in 1978 and has remained with the firm, which combined with K&L Gates in 2008, throughout most of his career. Pridgen served as executive vice president and general counsel of Glenayre Technologies from 1997-99.           

Pridgen has an extensive record of involvement within the NCBA, including service on the Board of Governors from 2003-06. He also served as chair of the Development Committee and, most recently, as chair of the Citizen Lawyer Task Force.           

Pridgen and his wife, Jamie, have a daughter, Laura (now Laura Taylor), and two sons, Blake and Jack. He is the son of Georgia Pridgen and the late T.C. Pridgen of Troy. Pridgen was born in nearby Asheboro and graduated from West Montgomery High School in 1964.