Leading Off

Welcome to the November 2024 edition of North Carolina Lawyer magazine, the flagship publication of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Beginning with the President’s Perspective, “North Carolina Bar Association’s Response to Hurricane Helene,” President Kim Stogner pays tribute to the Disaster Legal Services volunteers who are answering the call to serve in the aftermath of this fall’s unprecedented natural disaster.

The Disaster Legal Services pro bono program is also included at the outset of our Featured Coverage in “The Long Run: Helene Response, Recovery, Resources And More.” Turning the spotlight on individual members, feature articles are also devoted to “Lauren Clemmons’s Path to Flight In A Public Service Career,” “Jennifer Knight Scores Pro Bono Patent Victory for ‘Stroke Warriors,’” and “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants – An Interview With Coleman Cowan.”

Columns begin with the YLD Column, in which YLD Chair Collins Saint provides firsthand insight from the co-chairs of Disaster Legal Services Committee in “Boots on the Ground: Brooks Savage, Brad Piland Lead YLD DLS Efforts.” Catherine Sanders Reach, director of the Center for Practice Management, focuses her column on “Social Media Marketing for Law Firms: Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How,” and Professor Laura Graham, in her latest installment of “Writing That Works,” provides “A Reading List For The (Legal) Writer.”

National Leadership Roles is a tribute to four individuals who have earned leadership positions in four national organizations. Afi Johnson-Parris is currently serving as chair of the ABA Law Practice Division; Julian Mann recently completed service as chair of the ABA Judicial Division; Mary Irvine recently began her service as president of the National Association of IOLTA Programs (NAIP); and Alison Ashe-Card is the president-elect of NALP (National Association for Law Placement).

Awards and Recognitions starts with presentation of the Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section’s Distinguished Service Award to Jean Gordon Carter, followed by the NCBA Legal Practice Hall of Fame induction ceremony and recognition of this year’s recipients of the Hubert B. Humphrey Justice Fund Scholarships selected by the YLD.

NCBA+NCBF News begins with a tribute to Past President James Maynard (Jim) Talley Jr. of Charlotte, who died on October 16 at the age of 87. The Open Door Fund Ambassadors are doing their part in support of the $1 million campaign to endow the NCBF Open Door Fund, and the NCBA continued its longstanding relationship with PBS North Carolina (formerly UNC-TV) to produce the 2024 Judicial Candidates Forum in advance of the general election.

Pick and choose from the November 2024 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.