2018 NCBA Annual Meeting Synopsis

The North Carolina Bar Association held its 2018 Annual Meeting on June 21-24 in Wilmington. The following synopsis includes links to coverage of major events transpiring at the NCBA’s 120th Annual Meeting.

New NCBA President Installed | Jacqueline D. Grant of Asheville has been installed as the 124th president of the North Carolina Bar Association. Chief Justice Mark Martin of the N.C. Supreme Court administered the oath of office on Saturday evening, June 23, at the Wilmington Convention Center. She will also serve as president of the North Carolina Bar Foundation.

NCBA Elects New President-Elect | LeAnn Nease Brown of Chapel Hill is the new president-elect of the North Carolina Bar Association. She was elected by acclamation on Saturday morning, June 23, at the 2018 NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. Brown is a member/manager of Brown & Bunch, PLLC, which has offices in Chapel Hill and Raleigh. She will serve as president of the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Foundation in 2019-20.

Board Members, Officers Assume Office | Seven new members of the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors were elected by acclamation on Saturday, June 23, at the 2018 NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. Their terms will run from 2018-21.

H. Brent McKnight Renaissance Lawyer Award │J. Rich Leonard, dean of Campbell Law School in Raleigh, is the 2018 recipient of the NCBA’s H. Brent McKnight Renaissance Lawyer Award. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

John G. Medlin Jr. Award │Dr. Charles Cooper of Pittsboro is the third recipient of the NCBA’s John G. Medlin Jr. Award, which recognizes contributions to the administration of justice and judicial independence by a North Carolina citizen who is not a lawyer. Cooper serves as executive director of HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake, Jr. Public Service Award │Douglas Carmichael (“Mike”) McIntyre II was honored as the recipient of the 2018 Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake, Jr. Public Service Award at the NCBA Annual Meeting Awards Dinner. McIntyre, who served nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, now serves as senior advisor and director of government relations for Poyner Spruill in Raleigh. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

Legal Legends of Color │The NCBA Minorities in the Profession Committee recognized its third class of Legal Legends of Color honorees on Friday, June 22, at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. The honorees are Glenn B. Adams of Fayetteville, Victor J. Boone of Raleigh, The Hon. Shirley L. Fulton of Charlotte and The Hon. Paul L. Jones of Whitsett.

General Practice Hall of Fame │The North Carolina Bar Association inducted three new members of the General Practice Hall of Fame at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington: Wesley Bailey of Winston-Salem, Nancy Black Norelli of Charlotte and J. Gary Vannoy of North Wilkesboro. The awards were presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

Pro Bono Awards │The winners of the NCBA’s 2018 Pro Bono Awards were honored at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. The awards were presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21 and the Annual Meeting President’s Luncheon on June 22 (presentation dates indicated below).

The recipients of the 2018 Pro Bono Awards are:

  • William Thorp Pro Bono Service Award: Rod Kight, Kight Law, Asheville/Waynesville (June 21)
  • Chief Justice Award: Randolph County Bar Association (June 22)
  • Deborah Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award: Susan “Susy” Pollitt, Disability Rights North Carolina, Raleigh (June 22)
  • Law Firm Award: Law , Durham (June 21)
  • Law Student Group Award: Wake Forest Law School LGBTQ Project (June 22)
  • Younger Lawyer Pro Bono Award: Nicki Applefield Engel, Patla, Straus, Robinson & Moore, Asheville (June 21) (this honor is also reflected in the YLD article below)

CLE Volunteer of the Year │Christopher L. Parrish of Oak Ridge was recognized at the CLE Volunteer of the Year at the NCBA Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington. Parrish serves as an assistant district attorney for the 18th Prosecutorial District (Guilford County). The award was presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

Distinguished Paralegal Award │Sarah L. White of Ragsdale Liggett in Raleigh was honored by the NCBA Paralegal Division as the 2018 Distinguished Paralegal Award winner. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

Citizen Lawyer Awards │The NCBA recognized the 11th class of Citizen Lawyer Award winners at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. The awards were presented at the Annual Meeting Awards Dinner in Wilmington on June 21.

The 2018 Citizen Lawyer Award winners are:

  • Daniel R. Green Jr., Daniel R. Green Jr., Attorney at Law, Hickory
  • Dustin T. Greene, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, Winston-Salem
  • Nicholas Long Jr., Old Republic National Title, Raleigh
  • Robert B. Norris, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte
  • Sylvia K. Novinsky, NC Pro Bono Resource Center, Raleigh
  • Linda R. Oldham, Crockett Oldham Pope & Donadio, Southern Pines
  • Donald C. Prentiss, Hornthal Riley Ellis & Maland, Elizabeth City
  • T.J. Solomon II, Gray Layton Kersh Solomon Furr & Smith, Gastonia
  • Donald R. Vaughan, Donald R. Vaughan & Associates, Greensboro
  • Carlton F. Williamson, Williamson Walton & Scott, Whiteville

YLD Members Honored │Three members of the Young Lawyers Division received awards during the 2018 NCBA Annual Meeting in Wilmington. Leah Hermiller of Raleigh received the Charles F. Blanchard Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Martha Bradley of Asheville received the Robinson O. Everett Professionalism Award, and Nicki Applefield Engel of Asheville received the Younger Lawyer Pro Bono Award (this honor is also reflected in the pro bono awards article above).