Legal Feeding Frenzy Smashes Goal, Record

The 2021 Legal Feeding Frenzy was a record-setting success.

The 2020 Legal Feeding Frenzy was also a record-setting success.

Let that sink in for a second, and if you contributed to the success of either or both events, please give yourself a pat on the back and accept a well-deserved round of applause. In back-to-back years, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, donors, volunteers and sponsors have risen to the challenge in support of their fellow North Carolinians, many of whom are going through the toughest times of their lives.

Led by the NCBA Young Lawyers Division in collaboration with the North Carolina Bar Foundation, Feeding the Carolinas Food Banks and the N.C. Attorney General’s Office, this year’s Legal Feeding Frenzy generated $230,000 in donations.

“This was a record-breaking year for the Legal Feeding Frenzy, and the equivalent of 922,160 pounds of food we were able to raise will make a real impact in the fight against hunger in North Carolina,” said YLD Chair Kristen Kirby. “We could not have had such a wonderful outcome without the generosity of our legal community and the outstanding leadership of our Legal Feeding Frenzy co-chairs, Michele Livingstone and Erin Ball, and Communities Manager Cheyenne Merrigan.”

Last year’s record of $150,000 – the equivalent of more than 600,000 pounds of food – served as the goal for this year’s event.

“We are so grateful to the NCBA Young Lawyers Division for leading and inspiring our profession to fight hunger and support local food banks,” said NCBA + NCBF President Mark Holt. “Congratulations on another record-breaking effort with this year’s NC Legal Feeding Frenzy.”

Congratulations were also extended by Attorney General Josh Stein, who announced the overall champion of this year’s competition and the winners of each division on April 23 during the awards ceremony presented on Facebook Live.

Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers of Kill Devil Hills earned the Attorney General’s Cup for having the highest average donation. Category winners were: Large Firm – Moore & Van Allen (Charlotte); Medium Firm – McGuireWoods (Charlotte/Raleigh); Small Firm – Morningstar Law Group (Raleigh); Solo Practitioner – Fisher Law (Raleigh); Corporate/In-House – Atrium Health (Charlotte); Public Interest/Government – Legal Aid of North Carolina; and Law School – Campbell Law School.

The Altruist Award, which recognizes a “volunteer, participant, and/or partner who has given selflessly and made a significant impact” on the event, was presented to Communities Manager Cheyenne Merrigan who serves as staff liaison to the Young Lawyers Division.

“Cheyenne is receiving the Altruist Award this year because she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help bring us together despite the continued, ongoing challenges of COVID,” Attorney General Stein said. “She helped brainstorm, create bonus opportunities, made marketing materials and generally acted as a co-chair to the effort.”

Stein added a special word of thanks to his fellow legal professionals for their contributions to this worthy cause.

“I want to thank the lawyers from all across North Carolina for continuing to give and give generously amid all of the uncertainty that the coronavirus pandemic has created,” Stein said.

“As we begin to see here in North Carolina more of our friends and neighbors get vaccinated,” Stein added, “as we see spring coming … we’re all starting to feel a little bit more hopeful about what can be in our future after an incredibly difficult year.

“I know that there are still people out there struggling financially in our state, but I want to tell you that the effort of everybody who made this Legal Feeding Frenzy happen – all of the lawyers, law firms, public interest entities, law schools – you all inspired in me a great deal of hope and appreciation. It is heartening and reassuring to remember that we can all come together to take care of one another when we are in need.

That’s what neighbors do. And I am proud say that’s what lawyers do.”

The Legal Feeding Frenzy was conducted throughout the month of March. The following is a breakdown of contributions provided by top finishers in each category and the overall champion. Bonuses were awarded for early registration, online donations in excess of $1,000 on Feb. 26, and social media posts about the event or food security in North Carolina on Feb. 26. This year also featured bonus Fridays for the last three Fridays of the competition that offered 2,500 bonus points to teams that achieved various goals on those days.

2021 Legal Feeding Frenzy Award Winners

Attorney General’s Cup

Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers – average donation: $1,423

Large Firm Category
  1. Moore & Van Allen (total pounds with bonuses – 191,644; total dollars raised – $43,995.85)
  2. Womble Bond (total pounds with bonuses – 123,070; total dollars raised – $28,922.80)
  3. Smith Anderson (total pounds with bonuses – 102,363; total dollars raised – $21,008.25)
Medium Firm Category
  1. McGuireWoods (total pounds with bonuses – 30,359; total dollars raised – $5,421.31)
  2. Rose Harrison Gilreath & Powers (total pounds with bonuses – 17,512; total dollars raised – $4,270)
  3. Blanco Tackabery (total pounds with bonuses – 12,140; total dollars raised – $3,035)
Small Firm Category
  1. Morningstar Law (total pounds with bonuses – 47,100; total dollars raised – $8,215.25)
  2. Anderson Jones (total pounds with bonuses – 31,536; total dollars raised – $5,546.50)
  3. Gardner Skelton (total pounds with bonuses – 30,767; total dollars raised – $5,191.75)
Solo Firm Category
  1. Fisher Law (total pounds with bonuses – 16,481; total dollars raised – $3,757.25)
  2. Mason Law (total pounds with bonuses – 8,254; total dollars raised – $1,934.75)
Public Interest/Government Category
  1. Legal Aid of North Carolina (total pounds with bonuses – 93,580; total dollars raised – $20,220.75)
  2. Wake County Judges (total pounds with bonuses – 15,266; total dollars raised – $2,566.50)
Corporate/In-House Category
  1. Atrium (total pounds with bonuses – 21,166; total dollars raised – $4,694.66)
Law School Category
  1. Campbell Law School (total pounds with bonuses – 48,705; total dollars raised – $9,469.83)
  2. Wake Forest University Law School (total pounds with bonuses – 48,237; total dollars raised – $9,415.55)
  3. Duke Law School (total pounds with bonuses – 8,630; total dollars raised – $1,003.38)