Minorities in the Profession Committee

The Minorities in the Profession Committee (MIP) is dedicated to promoting an increased presence of minorities in the legal profession; the ongoing education of minorities in the legal profession; the betterment of life for those minorities in the legal profession; providing the public with quality information regarding issues of concern to minority lawyers; and educating the public about the contributions of North Carolina’s minority lawyers. To this end, the MIP has developed two subcommittees that provide programs and events to promote these purposes.

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Awards & Recognitions

Legal Legends of Color Awards (LLOC) are presented at the Legal Legends of Color Reception during the NCBA Annual Meeting. Previous honorees are: former Chief Justice Henry E. Frye, James E. “Fergie” Ferguson II, and Chief Justice Cheri Lynn Beasley (2016); Judge Albert Diaz, former Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson, and Professor Irving Joyner (2017); Judge Shirley Fulton, Judge Paul Jones, Attorney Glenn Adams, Attorney Victor Boone (2018); Professor Charles Daye, Former U.S. Attorney Janice McKenzie Cole, Former Legislator H. M. “Mickey” Michaux Jr., Judge Sammie Chess and Attorney Julius Chambers (2019); Judge Yvonne Mims Evans, Attorney Anthony Fox, Attorney J. Kenneth Lee, Senator Dan T. Blue, Jr., and Professor George R. Johnson Jr. (2020); Judge Elreta Melton Alexander, Attorney Karen Bethea-Shields, Judge Wanda G. Bryant, Professor James E. Coleman Jr., Attorney Julian Pierce (2021); Judge Ola M. Lewis (posthumously), Attorney Arlinda F. Locklear, Attorney Margaret Dudley, Attorney Georgia Jacquez Lewis (2022); Pamela B. Cashwell, Attorney Brenda Ford Harding, Judge Addie M. Harris Rawls, Judge Joe L. Webster, Annie Brown Kennedy (posthumously) (2023).

Preparing to Practice Subcommittee

Provides law students with the skills necessary to prepare them for a successful legal career through the following:

• Attorney-Student Diversity Socials | Facilitates networking and mentorship between law students and practicing attorneys
• Minority Pre-Law Conference | Offers valuable information to undergraduate and high school students who are considering a career in the law
• 1L Summer Associate Program | Provides corporate legal departments and major law firms in North Carolina with a recruiting vehicle through which to interview and offer summer internship positions to diverse 1L law students from each of North Carolina’s law schools.
• ¡Adelante! Moving Forward Program | Teaches law students the skills necessary to successfully transition from law school into the workforce as a well-rounded attorney

Promoting the Practice Subcommittee

Formed to increase practicing minority attorneys’ visibility in the community; foster success for minority attorneys; encourage minority longevity in the legal profession; and increase diversity in the profession. These goals are achieved, in part, by the following:

• Minority Corporate Counsel Program | Brings together in-house counsel with minority attorneys and their law firms to further diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal profession typically through CLE sessions and networking events
• Attorney Diversity Socials | Provides a networking opportunity for diverse attorneys
• CLE Panel Diversity | Encourages and promotes greater diversity on CLE panels
• Minority Attorney Recognitions | Raises awareness of recognitions available to attorneys and encourages an increase in minority attorney nominations for same
• Diverse Attorney Recognitions & Blog Communications | Raises awareness of recognitions available to attorneys and encourages an increase in diverse attorney nominations, as well as drafts and manages content for the MIP blog
• Diversity & Inclusion Symposium | This event, started in May 2018 and held every other bar year, targets attorneys of color and their allies to energize them with new ideas about diversity and inclusion, overcoming challenges in the legal environment, and provides attendees with content that creates a lens through which to better understand and become involved in diversity and inclusion issues