Leading Off

Welcome to the August 2023 edition of North Carolina Lawyer magazine, the flagship publication of the North Carolina Bar Association.

The 2023 NCBA Annual Meeting, held June 22-24 in Wilmington, will be prominent throughout this edition, beginning with the President’s Perspective, which includes the installation address of President Patti Ramseur. We are also pleased to provide coverage from the annual meeting regarding the election of President-elect Kimberly Stogner and the presentation of programming built upon ties between the Wilmington Coup and the founding of the NCBA (‘Powerful Lineup of CLE Sessions’ Spans NCBA’s Founding and Future).

Feature coverage is also devoted to a longstanding NCBA initiative, “Co-Chairs Lead MIP 1L Summer Associate Program, 12 Law Students Selected,” and an emerging issue, “Startup NC Law Clinic Director Shares Insight on ChatGPT and the Law.”

Columns include the first YLD Column from Jonathan Bogues following his installation as chair of the NCBA Young Lawyers Division, the latest from Catherine Sanders Reach of the Center for Practice Management on “The ABCs of LPMS” (law practice management software), and the latest installment of “Writing That Works” from Professor Laura Graham of Wake Forest University School of Law on “(Cleaned Up) Citations: A Bold New Option to Bluebook Rule 5.”

Zi, an Asian American woman with blond hair, wears a black blouse and navy jacket, Clayton, a Black man with a shaved head, wears a grey suit, and Tavaria, a Black woman with black hair, wears a white blouse and dark grey pantsuit.

President Clayton Morgan joins Open Door Fellows Zi Zhou, left, and Tavaria Smith on the stage at the NCBA Annual Meeting.

The annual meeting also marked the introduction of newly installed members of the NCBA Board of Governors and the NCBF Board of Directors, and a tribute to outgoing President Clayton Morgan in “Incoming President Reflects on Her Predecessor.”

Rounding out the annual meeting coverage is our tribute to this year’s award winners, including the Legal Legends of Color Awards, Pro Bono Awards, Citizen Lawyer Awards, YLD Awards, Distinguished Paralegal Award, and the H. Brent McKnight Renaissance Lawyer Award. And stay tuned for the November edition when we highlight the initial Open Door Fellows (pictured above) and newest members of the Legal Practice Hall of Fame, all of whom were recognized in Wilmington.

We close out the August edition in fine fashion with additional awards and recognition, beginning on the judicial front with “Albert Diaz Becomes Chief Judge of Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals” and “Portrait of a Public Servant: Judge John C. Martin,” whose portrait was unveiled during a ceremonial session of the N.C. Court of Appeals. Awards have also been presented by the Military and Veterans Law Section (Ellie Morales), the Tax Section (C. Wells Hall III) and the Dispute Resolution Section (Jody Minor), and numerous members are included in the latest edition of “Recognition.”

Pick and choose from the August 2023 issue page, or scroll conveniently from article to article through the entire edition utilizing the Previous Article – Next Article option at the end of each piece.

Russell Rawlings is director of external affairs and communications for the North Carolina Bar Association.