Tia Overway Selected as a YLD Star of the Quarter
Tia Overway decided to become involved with the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) when she was selected to participate in the Minorities in the Profession (MIP) Committee’s 1L Summer Associate Program, where she was able to facilitate several networking opportunities that were pivotal during such an early stage of her career. She is honored to have been selected as a Star of the Quarter.
I regard other YLD members with deep admiration and respect, so much so that I’m equally as surprised as I am honored. It motivates me to continue doing valuable work for our legal community.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Overway relocated to Raleigh during the peak of COVID with zero connections to the state of North Carolina.
I was very concerned about creating meaningful connections, but thankfully I found NCBA, which made me feel right at home throughout law school at Campbell. After passing the bar in August 2023, I knew that staying involved with NCBA as a practicing attorney was a given.
Overway has already cemented herself as an established young attorney. You can find her on the Best Lawyers’ 2026 Ones to Watch list for government relations practice, land use and zoning law and real estate law. Furthermore, she has been an attorney with Poyner Spruill LLP’s Raleigh office for the entirety of her career, where she practices zoning and land use law and civil litigation. Some highlights with the firm include when her internship during her rising 3L summer transitioned into a full-time offer and the time she assisted in a trial in which Poyner secured a motion for directed verdict in favor of their client.
I am fortunate to be with a firm that is profoundly dedicated to my professional growth on all fronts. In addition to supporting me within my practice, Poyner encourages me to be involved with organizations that I am passionate about, including NCBA.
Overway is in her second year as a YLD liaison to the Government and Public Sector Section, and she is currently serving as the co-chair of the DEI Committee alongside Taylor Gibbs, fellow YLD Star of the Quarter.
I’m surrounded by amazing attorneys doing amazing things in amazing places. The positive impacts of the work we all do reach far and wide.
Overway felt this way during the DEI Committee’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC. The food bank graciously reserved 15 slots for YLD, which were all filled, and every single volunteer showed up. It was a very successful event where she had the opportunity to connect with a variety of YLD members who are involved with other divisions within NCBA as well.
Some of her other notable NCBA involvements include the DEI Committee’s first virtual event in November, “Bridging the Gap: Wisdom From the Bench and Bar.” Overway and Gibbs invited judges and attorneys to share their professional experiences with attendees, including how to navigate aspects of practicing related to diversity, equity and inclusion, resulting in a lively and inspiring discussion. Another was when she partnered with MIP for a Black History Month Trivia Night. Attendees played Jeopardy, Finish the Song and line danced, creating such a positive and well-attended event that the committee may make it a yearly get-together.
Looking ahead, Overway is most excited for the NCBA Annual Meeting in June to celebrate everyone’s hard work and dedication. Her future goals with YLD can be boiled down to the advice given to her by YLD Chair Sheila Spence: “Whatever you decide to do, figure out how to take it to the next level.”
YLD shaped me into an innovator. The transformation from maintaining the status quo to effectuating positive, lasting change requires a significant level of creativity. From planning to leveraging relationships within YLD to identifying needs within our community — I’m much more comfortable thinking outside the box.
When Overway isn’t busy taking her legal career to the next level, she is busy being a proud mother to a 9-month-old baby girl and spending her free time with family. She also enjoys music and all forms of art, having played the cello for many years.
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.