Three Brooks Pierce Attorneys Recognized by the North Carolina Supreme Court for Pro Bono Work
Three Brooks Pierce attorneys and Greensboro Bar Association members have been honored by the North Carolina Supreme Court for providing 50 or more hours of pro bono legal services in 2020. Bill Cary, Jamey Lowdermilk, and Sarah Saint were among 589 attorneys statewide named to the 2020 North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society.
Cary has been practicing for 45 years, and his experience includes counseling employers through difficult employment decisions, litigation and mediation, especially in employment and environmental disputes. In recent years, he has focused on the emerging legal field of climate change and resilience, particularly in coastal areas. His 2020 pro bono work primarily supported the North Carolina Coastal Federation and The Pew Charitable Trusts in efforts to advance the North Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan. He facilitated 16 workshops that convened experts in stormwater management to create specific recommendations to promote the use of nature-based systems to reduce flooding and improve water quality.
Lowdermilk brings her experience as a law clerk in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to guide her clients through the complicated bankruptcy process. She also represents businesses and individuals in complex commercial matters in state and federal courts. In her pro bono work, she helped a public health organization develop vendor agreements for a new food hub, designed in part to reduce food insecurity exacerbated by the pandemic. She also advised a music organization on its annual festival and related events, including its first ever virtual programming. Additionally, she served as pro bono defense counsel for several individuals arrested during protests against police brutality and for voting rights.
Saint focuses her practice on broadening awareness of diversity issues within organizations. She counsels companies, educational institutions and other organizations on compliance with state and federal civil rights regulations, including Title VII and Title IX, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. She defends businesses in civil rights litigation when necessary. Her pro bono activities in 2020 focused on representing a prisoner in Section 1983 cruel and unusual punishment litigation against North Carolina Department of Corrections employees. She also represented trans* North Carolinians seeking legal name and gender marker changes on their government identification documents.
