Member Focus

Alex Gwynn Selected as a YLD Star of the Quarter

Alex Gwynn is no stranger to being selected as a Young Lawyers Division Star of the Quarter. She was honored with this award in August 2022 and again in January 2026. Each year she continues to transcend what it means to be in YLD and carries that same overachieving attitude into her personal career journey.

Gwynn graduated from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2019 and afterward took a nontraditional path to a law firm. She began in a JD-preferred role as a tax research analyst at Avalara in Durham, where she worked full time while studying for the bar exam. She then transitioned into an in-house role with a construction company from 2021 through 2024, followed by a brief role with a renewable energy startup in 2024.

Gwynn now serves as in-house counsel for Parsons Corporation. Her work focuses on drafting and negotiating complex agreements for critical infrastructure projects, including design-build contracts, teaming agreements, joint venture agreements and subconsultant agreements across the U.S. West Region in transportation, aviation and water market sectors.

Additionally, she teaches Negotiation and the Art of Transactional Lawyering at NCCU School of Law, which allows her to stay connected to students while reinforcing the practical skills needed to navigate complex deal environments.

Gwynn got involved in YLD while she and her husband were planning their move back to North Carolina from Kansas City. During that transition, she knew it was important to build a sense of community, not just personally, but within the legal profession. YLD provided a natural entry point to reconnect, build relationships and contribute in a meaningful way.

She served as division director for both the NCBA Law Student Division and the Civic Engagement and Pro Bono Division, where she learned important lessons to carry with her into future leadership roles.

Know your audience. Before planning any event, be clear about who you are trying to reach and the outcome you want to achieve. Equally important is building relationships and collecting feedback and data before making decisions or planning events. Thoughtful engagement and strong collaboration are what ultimately drive successful programming and sustained member involvement.

Being in YLD has been the best opportunity for Gwynn to connect with and mentor law students and young lawyers across the state. That experience came full circle this year when she and Sheila Spence co-created the Pro Bono Leadership Cohort, allowing her to reconnect with recent graduates and new lawyers she first met during her time as a Law Student Division director.

It has been especially rewarding to help create spaces where emerging attorneys can build relationships, gain clarity and see pathways for their own leadership.

On April 25, a group of Pro Bono Leadership Cohort members joined the Georgia YLD in Asheville for a half-day leadership program. The program included a lunch discussion with the mayor of Asheville and the city attorney on “Resiliency in Crisis: Lessons from Tropical Storm Helene,” as well as participation in a housing pro bono event with Legal Aid of North Carolina. Gwynn loved this opportunity to connect with young lawyers across state lines, provide law students and young lawyers with access to civic leaders and continue building awareness around the ongoing needs in Western North Carolina.

Outside of NCBA, Gwynn’s exceptional leadership and dedication to serving the legal community continues. She is chair of the City of Durham’s Human Relations Commission, a board member for Alliance Health (and sits on its Finance Committee) and is a member of the Durham Rotary Club and the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties, where she serves on the Strategic Planning Committee for the 2026-2027 League Year.

Gwynn’s advice for new NCBA members is to understand your “why” for getting involved and identify where you can make the greatest impact with your time.

You do not need to be involved in everything to make a meaningful difference. Just be intentional.

Over the past bar year, Gwynn has authored several blog posts that may provide additional insight:

When Gwynn isn’t busy being a YLD leader, you can find her playing pickleball (or at least learning the rules) and trying to stay out of the kitchen.

The Young Lawyers Division is often referred to as the service arm of the NCBA because so many young lawyers are involved in a multitude of worthwhile projects and public service endeavors. YLD provides a pathway into both the legal profession and the NCBA, with countless opportunities to lead and serve. Learn about upcoming opportunities.

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