The Greensboro Bar Association saves the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed on a member, for the last award of the year.
The awardee, a native North Carolinian, graduated from Mather School in Beaufort, South Carolina, a private boarding academy for Black females which provided her with a uniquely sound foundation. She then matriculated at Howard University and its law school in Washington, D.C. Following graduation from Howard University School of Law in 1974, she became the third Black woman to practice law in Guilford County (joining the late Elreta Alexander-Ralston, a/k/a ‘Judge A’ , the first Black woman elected District Court Judge and Attorney Barbara Gore Washington, the first Black woman elected Clerk of Court). They were close confidants and encouraged one another in the practice of law. In like manner, she has been a mentor, encourager, and confidante to judges and lawyers through the years, humbly but firmly suggesting doing things right and to do the right thing. She is a zealous advocate and seeks the truth for the win.
Her strong and abiding faith has enabled her to help others to achieve their goals as well as to achieve her own. Her mother was a teacher and passed on placing a high value on faith, discipline, and education. Her work as an attorney has been recognized for ‘ceilings being broken for all attorneys who follow in her footsteps and whose impacts on the legal profession are undeniable’.
She was the first Black woman to hold the position of Deputy County Attorney in Guilford County. In her capacity as the Deputy County Attorney, she worked closely with the County Attorney in advising the Board of County Commissioners, the County Manager, and the heads of various departments. During her tenure with the county, she had the responsibility of representing seven county departments. She was also Counsel to the Guilford County Board of Adjustment as well as the Mental Health and Social Services Board.
Thereafter, Attorney Dudley achieved success as a partner at a private firm in Guilford County, and in 1994, she set out to be a solo practitioner. Her practice has focused on civil litigation with an emphasis on family law and has included all levels of the North Carolina Court System. In addition, she taught Constitutional Law at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for twenty-two years.
In January of 2017, Attorney Dudley joined Elon Law’s Emergency Legal Services Program as the Founding Director. The program, which works in conjunction with the Family Justice Centers of Guilford County and Alamance County, seeks to drastically reduce gaps and unmet needs for legal advocacy and support for victims of domestic violence. In the last five years, Attorney Dudley has assisted nearly 5,000 people in crisis.
She is a member of the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers and the legal committee of the Alliance for Hope International, the flagship organization for Family Justice Centers. She has served on community and civic boards including the United Way, Legal Aid, Guilford County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Board, the Guilford County Board of Adjustment, YWCA, and Hayes-Taylor YMCA.
Further, Attorney Dudley is a member of The Links, Incorporated, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and has served the sorority at the local, regional, and national levels. Notably, she served with distinction on a national Anti-Hazing Task Force and Mock Trial helping to guide the sorority as a leader in anti-hazing education and prevention.
Kudos to Attorney Margaret A. Dudley!
