Legal Legends of Color Award: The Honorable Loretta Copeland Biggs
Loretta Copeland Biggs was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from Spelman College in 1976, cum laude, and from Howard University School of Law in 1979, with honors, ranking fifth in her class. Appointed in 2014 by President Barack Obama, Judge Biggs made history as the first African American woman to serve as a United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Prior to her appointment to the federal bench, Judge Biggs was a partner in the law firms of Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler, PA., and Davis Harwell and Biggs, P.A. (2003–2014). She served as an Associate Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals (2001–2002) and as State District Court Judge for the 21st Judicial District, Forsyth County (1987–1994). Judge Biggs was appointed Executive Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina (1997–2001) and Assistant District Attorney for the 21st Judicial District in Forsyth County (1984–1987). Judge Biggs also served as an Adjunct Law Professor at Wake Forest School of Law, 1984-87. She began her legal career as staff Counsel for The Coca Cola Company (1979– 1982).
In 1999, United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, presented Judge Biggs with the Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety. This was the first such award presented by the United States Attorney General and Judge Biggs was one of only three recipients nationwide.
While in the United States Attorneys’ Office, Judge Biggs led, with others in her office, a juvenile violence reduction initiative that led to a 50% reduction in juvenile crime and a 70% reduction in firearm use by juveniles. The success of this program resulted in a $6 million Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant to address violence in schools and the community and a $1.8 million grant from a local foundation to create “The Center for Community Safety” at Winston- Salem State University. Judge Biggs’ work on these efforts reflects her belief that to really impact crime, we must concentrate on preventing crime, not just reacting to it.
Judge Biggs is the mother of two adult children, their spouses and five beautiful grandchildren.