Thorp Pro Bono Service Award: Mark Holt
Mark Holt represented individuals and families in negligence cases across North Carolina for over 35 years. He also served as President of the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Foundation and State Chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Now, Mark focuses his practice on volunteering with pro bono programs of the North Carolina Bar Foundation. Since 2022, Mark has served clients in these areas of the state through NCBF programs:
- Disaster Legal Services in Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Madison, and Yancy Counties
- Name Change Clinics in Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, and New Hanover Counties
- Wills for Heroes/Teachers clinics for Cumberland, Davie, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Mecklenburg, Nash, Orange, Wake, and Wayne Counties
- 4ALL – Lawyers on Call, statewide via Telzio
- NC Free Legal Answers, statewide via email
In addition, Mark has volunteered with programs of the NC Pro Bono Resource Center, including the Housing Stability Pro Bono Project and the Driver’s License Restoration Program, and serves alongside volunteers and staff of Pisgah Legal Services and Legal Aid of NC at Disaster Legal Services clinics in WNC.
Through his pro bono work, Mark has enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer with law students from Wake Forest, Elon, NC Central, and Duke. Mark also has mentored law students from UNC and Campbell during recent years.
Mark volunteers at Central Prison, helping lead a worship service and Bible study for men on Death Row through the prison ministry of Church on Morgan. Mark and his wife, Joanna, read with Hispanic students from Millbrook Elementary School through the Neighbor to Neighbor Aprendo Mentoring Program.
In 2024, Mark began serving as Chair of the Board of Visitors of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Mark and Joanna live in Raleigh and have four adult children and one grandchild.