2025 Pro Bono Awards Presented at Annual Meeting

August 20, 2025

The 2025 North Carolina Bar Association Pro Bono Awards were presented on Friday, June 27, at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Asheville. The group awards were presented by Allison Constance during the Annual Meeting Luncheon and Business Meeting. The individual and law firm awards were presented by Alexa Whiteside during the Awards Dinner and Presidential Installation.

The honorees are:

• Greenblatt Outstanding Lawyer Award – Jonathan Perry, Legal Aid of North Carolina
• Thorp Pro Bono Service Award – Mark Holt, Raleigh
• YLD Pro Bono Award – Elizabeth (Brooks) Savage and Brad Piland, North Carolina Dept. of Public Safety
• Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Service Award – Gennell Curry, North Carolina Central University School of Law
• Law Firm Pro Bono Award –
  • Small and Medium Law Firm Award – Sneed & Stearns (Anna Stearns)
  • Large Law Firm Award – Robinson Bradshaw (Ethan White and Julian Wright)
• Law School Pro Bono Service Award – Duke University School of Law Civil Justice Clinic, Charles R. Holton and Jesse H. McCoy II
• The Filling the Justice Gap Award – NCBA Paralegal Division
• Outstanding Collaborative Pro Bono Award – NCBA Young Lawyers Division, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Pisgah Legal Services, North Carolina Bar Foundation, NC Pro Bono Resource Center, NCBA Paralegal Division, ABA Young Lawyers Division, and FEMA

Recognition of each recipient by the presenters included the following remarks, which have been edited for publication. Additional coverage, including full descriptions of each award, is accessible on NCBarBlog.

“I’m honored to present two of our 2025 Pro Bono Awards,” Allison Constance stated during the luncheon ceremony. “These group awards are presented to organizations that made a profound impact in our communities this past year following Tropical Storm Helene.”

Filling the Justice Gap Award

This award is presented to an attorney, law firm, or organization making innovative strides in providing legal services to close the legal services gap in North Carolina. The legal services gap exists when clients of limited means do not qualify for free civil legal services/representation in matters affecting their basic needs by a legal services provider, and cannot afford to retain an attorney.

This year’s recipient of the Filling the Justice Gap Award is the NCBA Paralegal Division. The Paralegal Division plays a vital role in supporting attorneys and advancing access to justice across all 100 North Carolina counties. This year, the division has contributed to a range of impactful pro bono initiatives, but the defining effort for the 2024–25 bar year is its partnership with NC Disaster Legal Services to support families in Western North Carolina affected by Tropical Storm Helene.

Through a collaborative effort within the division’s Pro Bono Committee, a tailored case management system was developed and implemented, enabling volunteers to effectively coordinate and manage disaster relief cases. This initiative highlights the division’s dedication to innovation, teamwork, and meaningful service during times of crisis.

The work was led by an exceptional team of six North Carolina paralegals: Yazmeen O. Gadalla, Dr. Alicia Mitchell-Mercer, Peggy Pardue, Natalie Porter, Katie Riddle and Rachel Royal.

This team has been instrumental in advancing Disaster Legal Services across the state. As case managers and group leaders, they have collectively overseen and supported more than 160 disaster relief cases through the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s Pro Bono Disaster Legal Services Program.

Outstanding Collaborative Pro Bono Award

This award is presented to a group of law firms or attorneys, or a local, district, statewide bar organization, whose members have engaged in significant and notable legal services or have contributed outstanding support and assistance to the maintenance of pro bono legal services for low-income individuals.

This award recognizes creativity in the provision of pro bono legal services as well as innovative approaches to engage and encourage North Carolina attorneys to participate in pro bono legal services. Honorees will have demonstrated a commitment to pro bono service by engaging a group of attorneys in a cooperative pro bono effort that has a deep impact on the lives of low-income North Carolinians.

This year’s Outstanding Collaborative Award goes to the disaster legal response coordinated between the following organizations: NCBA Young Lawyers Division, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Pisgah Legal Services, North Carolina Bar Foundation, NCBA Paralegal Division, NC Pro Bono Resource Center, ABA Young Lawyers Division, and FEMA.

North Carolina Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (NCBA YLD)

The NCBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has played a foundational role in Disaster Legal Services (DLS) across North Carolina. In partnership with FEMA, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and the American Bar Association, the YLD led efforts to deliver legal aid to disaster survivors after federally declared emergencies. The YLD helped coordinate legal clinics, train volunteer attorneys, and ensure survivors could access help for housing, insurance disputes, and public benefits.

The program grew into a nationally recognized model under the leadership of Brooks Savage and Brad Piland, who served as statewide DLS coordinators. Their stewardship during events such as Tropical Storm Helene mobilized hundreds of attorneys across the state and established crucial relationships with emergency management.

Under recent leadership, including YLD Chair Collins Saint, the division continued prioritizing access to justice, with the Pro Bono Committee working collaboratively to expand services and strengthen statewide disaster response infrastructure.

Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC)

Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) is a statewide nonprofit providing civil legal services to low-income individuals across all 100 counties. Following Tropical Storm Helene, LANC played a central role in the DLS partnership, managing the helpline, conducting intakes, supporting in-person clinics, and offering direct legal services to disaster-affected clients.

Multiple units, including the Disaster Relief Project, Central Intake Unit, Asheville, Foothills, High Country, and Sylva offices, worked in tandem to meet survivor needs.

Their efforts were further empowered by a coordinated case management system developed in partnership with NCBA YLD and other stakeholders, allowing for smoother referrals and tracking of complex cases. In 2024 alone, LANC’s Pro Bono Team of 13 staff managed over 1,200 cases with volunteer support, reflecting their enduring commitment to justice and community recovery.

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS)

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), based in Western North Carolina, provides free civil legal aid to low-income residents in the region. After Tropical Storm Helene devastated the mountain communities, PLS launched its Disaster Recovery Program to respond to urgent legal needs in areas often underserved. Staff and volunteers provided immediate legal help with FEMA appeals, housing issues, insurance disputes, and scams targeting survivors.

The Pro Bono Team at PLS coordinated more than 250 volunteer attorneys, including retired and out-of-state lawyers authorized to provide pro bono services, hosting clinics across the region to ensure accessibility. Julia Horrocks, Managing Attorney for the Pro Bono and Disaster Recovery Programs, and Katie Russell, Managing Director of Community Engagement, led these efforts with strategic oversight and local engagement. Max Gibbons, Pro Bono Services Program Director, contributed further by managing volunteer assignments and directly handling complex disaster-related litigation. Their collaboration with Legal Aid NC and the NC Bar Foundation helped increase capacity and extend their impact throughout the region.

North Carolina Bar Foundation (NCBF)

The North Carolina Bar Foundation has been a cornerstone of the state’s legal community’s response to Tropical Storm Helene, playing a central role in the North Carolina Disaster Legal Services partnership.

In the wake of the storm’s devastation in Western North Carolina, the Foundation helped lead a coordinated, statewide effort to provide pro bono legal assistance to low-income survivors. By working closely with Legal Aid of North Carolina, the NCBA Young Lawyers Division, the ABA YLD, FEMA, Pisgah Legal Services, and the NC Pro Bono Resource Center, the Foundation helped recruit over 1,600 volunteer legal professionals and support more than 330 clients with pressing legal needs through remote referrals and in-person clinics.

From housing and FEMA appeals to consumer and benefits issues, the Foundation’s leadership ensured that survivors had access to legal professionals when it mattered most. Through outreach, volunteer mobilization, and educational resources, the North Carolina Bar Foundation exemplified its mission of uniting the power of the law with the power of purpose—uniting the talent and generosity of our profession to be a power of greater good for the people of North Carolina.

North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC)

Founded in 2016 by the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission, the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) connects legal professionals to volunteer opportunities addressing critical legal needs. PBRC supports DLS and other statewide projects by recruiting and equipping pro bono attorneys, coordinating training, and offering technical assistance to partners like Legal Aid NC and Pisgah Legal.

NCBA Paralegal Division

The NCBA Paralegal Division plays a vital role in supporting attorneys and advancing access to justice across all 100 North Carolina counties. This year, the division created a tailored case management system and took the lead on coordinating and managing referrals for disaster relief.

American Bar Association Disaster Legal Services (ABA DLS)

The American Bar Association plays a pivotal role in national disaster legal response through its Disaster Legal Services program. Amanda Brown, executive director of Lagniappe Law Lab, currently serves as director of ABA YLD’s DLS Program. A leader in legal technology and innovation, Amanda has helped shape national DLS strategy through her work with triage portals, legal navigation tools, and direct disaster response. Her contributions have strengthened coordination between national and local partners, enabling efficient and scalable service delivery in times of crisis.

The ABA’s commitment to DLS ensures that national legal frameworks support local efforts like those in North Carolina and that disaster survivors across the country have access to trained, compassionate legal advocates during recovery.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA has been a foundational partner in the success of Disaster Legal Services across the country. Through its Individual Assistance program, FEMA collaborates with the legal community to make civil legal aid accessible to disaster survivors. Staff members such as Barbara Sadhana, Tammy Lynn Barajas, and Dorrie Durand have brought decades of experience in emergency management and survivor services, helping bridge the gap between legal aid and federal assistance.

From managing field deployments to identifying systemic issues in aid delivery, FEMA’s DLS liaisons work hand-in-hand with local legal providers to ensure timely, effective support. Their commitment to coordination, innovation, and compassion reflects FEMA’s mission to help communities recover and rebuild with dignity.

“Each year,” Alexa Whitehead continued during the evening ceremony, “the Awards Subcommittee of the NCBA Pro Bono Committee has the privilege to review NCBA Pro Bono Award nominations and select the annual honorees. Every year this is a rewarding experience – to learn about the exceptional pro bono work happening across the state. We are very pleased to share with you this year’s slate of individuals who are being honored with NCBA Pro Bono Awards.

Thorp Pro Bono Service Award

This award is presented to an NCBA member attorney who has provided substantial and extended legal services with no expectation of receiving a fee, to a client or client group that could not otherwise afford legal counsel.

This year’s recipient of the Thorp Pro Bono Service Award is Mark Holt. Mark has spent over 35 years representing individuals and families in negligence cases across North Carolina. A respected leader in the legal community, he has served as president of both the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Foundation, as well as state chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Today, Mark devotes his legal expertise to public service through pro bono work with the North Carolina Bar Foundation.

Since 2022, Mark has volunteered with numerous NCBF programs, including Disaster Legal Services in counties across Western North Carolina, Name Change Clinics in urban centers like Durham and Charlotte, and Wills for Heroes and Wills for Teachers clinics in over a dozen counties. He also contributes his time to statewide programs such as 4ALL–Lawyers on Call, NC Free Legal Answers, and the Housing Stability Project.

Beyond the Foundation, Mark has volunteered with the NC Pro Bono Resource Center’s Driver’s License Restoration Program and regularly partners with Pisgah Legal Services and Legal Aid of North Carolina to assist with their disaster clinics.

While Mark’s commitment to pro bono service cannot be overstated, he also has a knack for bringing others along in service. Mark mentors law students through his clinic work and has also presented the keynote address at the annual NCBA Pro Bono Kick-Off meeting, inspiring other bar leaders into pro bono service and leading by example.

Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award

This award is presented to a legal services lawyer who has made exemplary contributions to the provision of legal assistance to help meet the needs of the poverty population in North Carolina.

This year’s recipient of the Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award is Jonathan Perry. Jonathan holds dual roles as the managing attorney of Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Foothills Office in Morganton, and as the Western Regional Manager. He received his J.D. from Elon University School of Law in 2010 and has over a decade of experience serving clients in Western North Carolina.

As a general practitioner, Jonathan has litigated in North Carolina State Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and the Tribal Court of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). He also represents Legal Aid on the Board of Directors of NC LEAF.

Jonathan has led the charge in disaster relief efforts this year, particularly in Legal Aid’s response to Tropical Storm Helene. His leadership ensured that displaced and affected individuals received essential legal assistance, housing support, and advocacy in a time his community needed it the most.

 

Younger Lawyer Pro Bono Service Award

This award is presented by the NCBA Young Lawyers Division to a YLD member who has demonstrated a significant commitment to pro bono service by providing exemplary legal services that increased access to justice on behalf of persons of limited means and/or charitable groups or organizations.

This year, we are honoring two young lawyers for their tireless pro bono work to serve individuals impacted by Tropical Storm Helene, Elizabeth (Brooks) Savage and Brad Piland.

Brooks Savage practices workers’ compensation and construction litigation as an associate attorney with Wilson, Jones, Carter & Baxley P.A. in Raleigh. Previously, she served as assistant general counsel for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, where she provided legal counsel on emergency management and disaster recovery. Her work included compliance, contracts, grants, risk management, and public health-related legal issues, helping to strengthen safety and well-being across the state. Brooks also worked with Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Project, representing disaster survivors statewide.

She also practiced administrative and business law in private practice. Her wide-ranging experience includes civil rights, housing, insurance, wills, and contractor fraud.

Brooks is an ABA YLD Disaster Legal Services Program member where she leads DLS implementations across the nation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, helping with disaster and humanitarian relief. At the state level, Brooks co-chairs the NCBA YLD Disaster Legal Services Committee, co-chairs the NCBA YLD Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Committee, is the ABA YLD District 9 representative for the NCBA YLD, is an NCBF Open Door Fellowship Committee member, and is a volunteer for the NC Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance and 4ALL– Lawyers on Call programs.

Brad Piland serves as assistant general counsel with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, where he advises on natural disaster-related issues. Before his work at NCDPS, he worked at Legal Aid of North Carolina as a member of the Disaster Relief Project.

In that role, he advised individuals and community organizations in seeking recovery assistance and guidance.

Since 2019, he has been a member of the NCBA YLD Disaster Legal Services (DLS) Committee. In his role as co-chair of the DLS Committee in Helene, he coordinates and provides support to volunteer attorneys as well as provides on-the-ground advice in impacted communities.

Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Service Award

This award is presented to an outstanding NCBA Paralegal Division member who has volunteered a substantial amount of time in pro bono legal service to increase access to justice on behalf of persons of limited means and/or charitable groups or organizations.

This year’s Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Award goes to Gennell Curry. Gennell earned her bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University in criminal justice and earned her master of public administration from North Carolina Central University.

She is a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal and Notary Public at the North Carolina Central University School of Law Clinical Legal Education Program. She has been with the law school since 2015.

She started as an administrative support associate and transitioned to the legal clinic as a paralegal in November 2018.  She has been supporting the clinical directors in the areas of intellectual property, criminal defense, juvenile law, family law, civil litigation, and veterans law since 2018.

She also supports the Pro Bono Clinic in various projects, such as the Elder Law Project, where students prepare wills and advance directives for seniors, by serving as a Notary Public.

Law Firm Pro Bono Award

This award recognizes law firms for their commitment to pro bono service through the contribution of pro bono hours, the percentage of billable hours devoted to pro bono work, the number and percentage of firm attorneys providing pro bono legal service, the firm’s creative approach to pro bono engagement, the consistency and sincerity of its pro bono program and the presence of a law firm culture that is grounded in the observance of Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

This year, we honor two categories of firms – small and medium law firm and large law firm.

The recipient of the Small and Medium Law Firm Pro Bono Award is Sneed & Stearns. Anna Stearns is the owner and managing partner of Sneed & Stearns, P.A., a boutique law firm based in her hometown of Black Mountain. Anna worked for 15 years as a paralegal to esteemed local attorney Ronald Sneed before attending Campbell Law School.

After earning her law degree, she went on to serve as chief of staff and general counsel to Chief Justice Cheri Beasley at the North Carolina Supreme Court. Anna later returned home to the mountains to take the reins of the law firm from her long-time mentor and carry on his legacy of providing quality, affordable legal services to the Swannanoa Valley.

Her legal practice focuses on real property, estate planning and administration, small business formation and management, and civil litigation. Deeply committed to community development and disaster recovery, Anna has been actively engaged in both organizational and grassroots relief efforts following Tropical Storm Helene.

She partners closely with Legal Aid of North Carolina, Pisgah Legal Services, and the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance to deliver legal support and advocacy to impacted residents.

The recipient of this year’s Large Law Firm Pro Bono Award is Robinson Bradshaw.

Robinson Bradshaw provides pro bono services to individuals and organizations that assist underserved populations, including matters referred to by Legal Aid of North Carolina, the NC Justice Center, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB), and the Council for Children’s Rights. Lawyers at the firm also provide pro bono assistance to charitable nonprofit organizations in the community.

While the firm is well known for its pro bono service, two attorneys stand out in their commitment to pro bono.

Ethan White advises and represents clients in complex civil disputes at Robinson Bradshaw. He maintains diverse practices, including contract disputes, trade secret litigation, and employment issues, and has experience throughout the litigation process, including preliminary motions, discovery, dispositive motions, and appeals. Ethan has made pro bono service a meaningful and consistent part of his legal career at Robinson Bradshaw.

His work has advanced tenants’ rights statewide, including a notable victory in the North Carolina Supreme Court. In 2024, Ethan dedicated 144 hours to representing Mona Lisa Danzy in a complex housing dispute in Mecklenburg County. He helped secure a trial court judgment in Danzy’s favor, resulting in over $29,000 in damages for violations related to unfair rental practices and unsafe housing conditions. His dedication and advocacy continue to have a tangible impact on the lives of vulnerable North Carolinians.

Julian Wright is an employment attorney at Robinson Bradshaw. He provides counseling and litigation guidance to employers and executives around the country, and assists clients with disputes over breaches of contract, shareholder rights, business valuations, landlord-tenant issues, unfair competition, and securities matters. Julian also represents clients in SEC, DOL, and other government investigations, and he is a certified Superior Court mediator.

Julian H. Wright Jr. has woven pro bono service into the very fabric of his distinguished legal career.

As both a leading business litigator and Robinson Bradshaw’s director of pro bono services, Julian has championed justice for clients ranging from death row inmates to evicted tenants in substandard housing. His work includes securing the vacating of a decades-old death sentence, winning a $550,000 settlement for displaced Lake Arbor tenants, and advocating for victims of discrimination and harassment. With a commitment as deep as it is broad, Julian’s decades of service reflect a profound dedication to equity, compassion, and the transformative power of the law.

Law School Pro Bono Service Award

This award is presented to an outstanding law student group whose pro bono project advanced access to justice in North Carolina.

This year’s award is presented to the Civil Justice Clinic at Duke University School of Law. We’d like to highlight two individuals with this award, Charles Holton and Jesse McCoy.

Charles Holton served as founding director of Duke Law School’s Civil Justice Clinic, in which he taught a seminar, mentored students in basic civil litigation skills, and oversaw their handling of actual cases for clients who are not able to obtain adequate representation in the civil justice system in close collaboration with lawyers from Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC). He retired in May 2024.Established in 2014, the Civil Justice Clinic operates in partnership with LANC, where Holton is a former chair of the board of directors and a longstanding member of the local advisory committee for its Durham office.

Holton is president of the non-profit Caris Foundation, which provides education, housing, and health services in Honduras, Africa, and Durham. He also serves as an arbitrator on the National Panel of Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association and the American Health Law Association, and previously served on the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Holton worked as a litigator in private law practice for over 40 years, handling cases involving product liability, construction, unfair trade practices, and professional negligence defense. He has tried numerous matters in state and federal courts of North Carolina and appeared in the courts of Virginia, Georgia, New York, and New Jersey.

Holton graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University and received his J.D, with distinction, from Duke Law School in 1973.

Jesse Hamilton McCoy is the clinical professor of law and director of the Duke Law Civil Justice Clinic. In that capacity, he teaches a seminar course, mentors students in developing and improving basic civil litigation skills, and oversees their handling of cases for indigent clients who are often unable to obtain adequate representation in the traditional civil justice system through the clinic’s partnership with Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC).

A Durham native, McCoy operated a boutique solo practice in Raleigh for four years before becoming a LANC staff attorney in the agency’s Winston-Salem and Durham offices. He has litigated cases in a variety of practice areas, including criminal defense, personal injury, public housing evictions and voucher terminations, landlord-tenant matters, and foreclosure defense.

McCoy has also served as an advocate for victims of domestic violence in Wake, Durham, Granville, Vance, and Forsyth counties, and has taught at both the North Carolina Central University and Wake Forest University Schools of Law.

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

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