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Public: Recent News

Click here to register online for the 2005 North Carolina Bar Association Annual Meeting. Click here to view the 2005 Annual Meeting Registration Brochure. Click here to view the complete 2005 Annual Meeting program.

Expected attendance has already topped the 1,000-mark, but it’s not too late to register for the 2005 NCBA Annual Meeting and special events taking place later this week in Asheville.

Tickets remain available for Friday’s President’s Luncheon featuring the Pro Bono Awards and professionalism speaker Steve Mikita, for Saturday’s 25^th Anniversary of NCBA Sections featuring ABA President Robert Grey, and for most other events.

Online registration is closed, but staff members and volunteers are making their way to the Grove Park Inn to ready Convention Central and the NCBA Registration Desk for on-site registration beginning Thursday afternoon at 4.The North Carolina Bar Association returns to beautiful Asheville this summer for the association’s 107^th Annual Meeting.

Festivities are scheduled Thursday through Sunday, June 23-26.

Highlights include the swearing-in ceremonies for the NCBA’s 111^th president, Mike Colombo, and the election of a new president-elect who will lead the NCBA in 2006-07. The Annual Meeting also marks the culmination of Gray Wilson’s tenure as the 110^th president of the NCBA.

The 6:30 swearing-in ceremony will launch Saturday evening’s gala program that includes food, drink, entertainment and dancing.

The new president-elect will be elected during the Saturday morning General Session which begins at 9. The session will also feature presentation of the annual State of the Judiciary address by N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr.; presentation of the Young Lawyers Division survey report, “Staying Power: Work-Life Balance Initiatives for Retaining Young Lawyers;” and presentation of the first Dr. I. Beverly Lake Public Service Award.

Grey will be the featured speaker during Saturday's luncheon celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the establishment of NCBA Sections.

All past section chairs and section members are encouraged to attend the 12:30 celebration luncheon, with special recognition planned for the NCBA’s five original sections: Bankruptcy, Business Law, Estate Planning, Real Property and Tax Sections.

The luncheon is but one of numerous special events scheduled throughout the extended Annual Meeting weekend, which gets under way Thursday afternoon with a number of meetings and the opening of Convention Central (registration desk and exhibit hall) and the Art by Lawyers Exhibition and Silent Auction.

Convention Central will be open from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday. The art exhibition and auction, sponsored by the YLD Arts, Entertainment and Sports Law Committee to benefit Legal Aid of North Carolina, will be housed in Convention Central and operate under the same schedule.

Click here to learn more about the Art by Lawyers Exhibition and Silent Auction.

The focal point of Thursday’s activity is the annual dinner and induction ceremony of the General Practice Hall of Fame. This event begins at 7:30, preceded by a reception at 6:30 honoring inductees and members of the judiciary.

This year's are Henson P. Barnes of White Lake, Stephen E. Culbreth of Wilmington, Thomas G. Dill of Rocky Mount, M. H. Hood Ellis of Elizabeth City, John C. W. Gardner Sr. of Mount Airy, Richard M. Hutson II of Durham, William R. Sigmon of Hickory and Lonnie B. Williams Sr. of Wilmington.

The Friday morning agenda includes the final meeting of the 2004-05 NCBA Board of Governors at 8:30 and the Exhibit Hall grand opening and grand prize drawing at 10:30. The first of six CLE programs offered during the Annual Meeting will also take place on Friday morning (programs will also be offered Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon).

The Friday afternoon schedule kicks off at noon with the President’s Reception and President’s Luncheon (12:30). The luncheon features presentation of the 2005 Pro Bono Awards and presentation of the Willis Smith and Willis Smith Jr. Professionalism and Ethics Speech by Steve Mikita, assistant attorney general for the State of Utah.

Click here for more information about this year's recipients of the Pro Bono Awards.

An afternoon of entertaining events follows, including the Platt D. Walker Society Event, the tennis tournament and the Convention Central Popcorn Party at 2:30 and the Harrah’s Casino Trip at 3.

In addition to the YLD’s quarterly meeting at 3:30, Friday afternoon also marks the beginning of the law school alumni events. The Wake Forest University School of Law Reception begins at 5 with the North Carolina Central University School of Law Reception scheduled at 5:30.

Dining options on Friday evening include the Family Dinner at the Grove Park Inn Country Club at 6:30 featuring A Carnival of Fun for the Kids. Invitation-only events are planned for the NCBA Past Presidents (6:30) and YLD Fellows (7:30), while the Blue Ridge Dining Room Seafood Buffet will be open to all from 4-9:30.

Law school events continue on Saturday morning with breakfasts hosted by the Campbell University School of Law (7), the UNC School of Law (7:30) and the Duke University School of Law (7:45). The Legal Assistants Division will also host a breakfast reception beginning at 8.

Saturday will also be a day for activity and exercise, beginning with the annual 5K Run & Fun Walk at 7:30. Youth is served at 10 with Michael’s Arts and Crafts Stores Kids Club for ages 4-7 and 8-12, followed by family fun for all ages at noon with the Blue Ridge Parkway Hike. The Annual Meeting Golf Tournament and white-water rafting on the Pigeon River are slated at 12:30.

An eventful evening begins with the Senior Lawyers Division Reception at 5:30, followed by the swearing-in festivities.

Billed as the highlight of the convention, Saturday evening’s lineup includes a special visit from baseball’s legendary Dizzy Dean. The legendary Hall of Famer – baseball, not General Practice! – will be portrayed by actor Ben Jones.

Jones, who gained notoriety as the good-natured “Cooter” on television’s “Dukes of Hazzard,” is also a former U.S. Representative from Georgia who lost his seat in Congress via a redistricting process that pitted him against none other than Newt Gingrich.

An even lesser-known fact about Jones is that he is a North Carolina native and hails from Tarboro.

Following “Dizzy’s” performance, dessert and coffee await with a dance band provided in one ballroom and jazz in another.

The Annual Meeting concludes on Sunday with the annual Family Prayer Breakfast sponsored by Campbell’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law and the inaugural meeting of the 2005-06 NCBA Board of Governors.

Additional details and registration information has been mailed to all members of the NCBA.

See you in Asheville!