New Member Approved December, 2022
Melvin Lamont Holland, Jr.
CR Legal Team
Endorser: Elizabeth Ray
Editor’s note: Last month we mistakenly listed new member Sydney ter Avest as Sylvia. We apologize for the error.
Melvin Lamont Holland, Jr.
CR Legal Team
Endorser: Elizabeth Ray
Editor’s note: Last month we mistakenly listed new member Sydney ter Avest as Sylvia. We apologize for the error.
BarCARES is a confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of the 24th Judicial District Bar and other participating judicial district bars, voluntary bar associations and law schools. If you would like additional information about the program and/or its availability in your area, please contact the BarCARES coordinator at 919.929.1227 or 1.800.640.0735 or click on the icon below.
January 7 – YLS CLE, 12:00 PM, Zoom
January 11 – GBA Board Meeting, 4:00 PM, Self Help Building
January 18 – YLS Board Meeting, 12:00 PM, Sigmon Klein
January 19 – Member Lunch, 12:30 PM, Greensboro Country Club
January 20 – Submission Deadline for February Newsletter
Dear Members,
Thank you all for attending the Holiday Party held on December 7, 2022. We hope each of you enjoyed being back in person! We are actively working to fulfill our mission and still need help to finish the Habitat House Build.
As we embark on 2023 let us remember that we are charged
with doing good for mankind and being of service
Stay tuned for our Annual CLE which will be held on February 16, 2023. If you have not signed up to assist a committee and you are interested, please visit our website and find a committee that suits your interests. I look forward to seeing each of you at our next meeting which will be held on January 19, 2023, at 12:30pm at the Greensboro Country Club.
Sincerely,
This year is Ward Black Law’s 15th year as the Triad’s kick-off location for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign!
Our event here at the office- 208 West Wendover Avenue in Greensboro- will be Friday, December 2nd from 7 am to 6 pm! New unwrapped toys, checks made out to the Toys for Tots Foundation or cash are welcome!
Active duty Marines in dress blues will be on site all day long to collect contributions and meet our visitors. Come by and thank a Marine for their service!
We will have Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Special Blend coffee and Biscuitville biscuits available in the morning.
From about 11:30 to 12:30, we will have delicious grilled chicken lunches, courtesy of the non-profit “Grill 4 God” from Statesville.
Santa Claus and the Marines’ “Gunny Claus” will be on site in the afternoon and available for pictures.
We would love for you to stop by on Friday, December 2nd. Can’t come by that day? We are collecting toys and donations now through December 9th.
The North Carolina State Bar quarterly meeting, held in Raleigh in October 2022, included recognition for the lawyers licensed in 1972. They were honored at the 2022 50 Year Lawyers Luncheon which was open to the honorees and their families.
The list below is everyone in the class of 1972 who have Greensboro addresses and are members of the GBA.
Active Members:
Dennis E. Boring
Robert A. Franklin
Hunter Galloway
John T. Higgins, Jr.
Robert S. Hodgman
Edwin Tom Maddox
Howard L. Williams
Inactive Members:
Walter L. Beavers
Michael D. Meeker
Terry L. Weatherford
Carruthers & Roth has added two new associates to its team. James R. Paul has joined the firm’s Commercial Real Estate practice, where he will support clients as they buy, sell or develop a property, negotiate leases, resolve title claims or navigate other real estate-related matters and disputes. Sydney ter Avest has joined the firm’s Business, Tax and Estates practice, where she will support clients in matters involving corporate and business law, estate planning, and wealth transfer and preservation.
A native of Burlington, NC, James is a magna cum laude graduate of East Carolina University where he earned a B.S. in criminal justice. He earned his J.D. degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he gained experience through a variety of internships and externships. He represented indigent juvenile justice clients in St. Joseph County, IN, and worked in the public defender’s office in Forsyth County, NC. He also received a faculty excellence award for his work involving end-of-care orders, advance directives, healthcare powers of attorney and their compliance with Catholic canon law.
“We are pleased to have James join us and look forward to the contributions we know he will make to our team and the clients we serve,” says Chris Vaughn, managing director at Carruthers & Roth.
James can be reached at 336.478.1150 and by email at jrp@crlaw.com.
A native of Chapel Hill, NC, Sydney earned a B.A. in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then earned a J.D. degree from the Campbell University School of Law – serving as both a teaching scholar and research assistant and achieving multiple academic honors in civil and criminal law. She also was president of the Health Law Association.
“We look forward to working with Sydney to address the unique needs of the many individuals, businesses and corporations our practice serves,” says Scott Dillon, a senior member of the Carruthers & Roth Business, Tax and Estates practice.
Sydney can be reached at 336.478.1187 and by email at sta@crlaw.com.
James C. Adams, II
Michael J. Allen
J. Alexander S. Barrett
Vance Barron
June L. Basden
Jack B. Bayliss, Jr.
Marc D. Bishop
Stacey A. Brady
Doris R. Bray
Barbara R. Christy
Charles W. Coltrane
Sally B. Cone
William O. Cooke, Jr.
John M. Cross, Jr.
Wanda Bracks Daughtry
W. B. Rodman Davis
Kearns Davis
Rachel S. Decker
Paul M Dennis
Daniel L. Deuterman
M. Jay DeVaney
J. Scott Dillon
Robert D. Douglas, III
Robert H. Edmunds, Jr.
Edgar B. Fisher, Jr.
K. Michelle Fletcher
John M. Flynn
Jamie Lisa Forbes
W. Erwin Fuller, Jr.
Richard W. Gabriel
James L. Gale
Michael John Garrigan
Tomakio S. Gause
Michael H. Godwin
Harry G. Gordon
Garland G. Graham
Kenneth M. Greene
Charles T. Hagan, III
Carrie A. Hanger
Eloise Hassell
J. Patrick Haywood
Richard H. Hicks, Jr.
Jack Hicks
John T. Higgins, Jr.
Thomas P. Hockman
George W. House
Micah Huggins
Henry H. Isaacson
Marc L. Isaacson
Sharon O. Johnston
Paul L. Jones
Kenneth L. Jones
Daniel P. Karlsson
Kenneth R. Keller
Adam G. Kerr
April E. Kight
Amy H. Kincaid
Anita Jo Kinlaw-Troxler
Robert O. Klepfer, Jr.
Jennifer L. J. Koenig
Kenneth Kyre, Jr.
D. Beth Langley
Bruce A. Lee
Kathryn S. Lindley
Paul H. Livingston, Jr.
Jamey M Lowdermilk
Anne B. Lupton
Howard Arthur MacCord, Jr.
Martha C. Massie
Jonathan V. Maxwell
Thomas E. Medlin, Jr.
John B. Miles
Larry I. Moore, III
John R Morgan
Maureen Demarest Murray
Michael Dana Nash
Jeffrey E. Oleynik
Justin N. Outling
John Covington Overfield
Seldon E. Patty
Christina Freeman Pearsall
Galina “Allie” Petrova
Jim W. Phillips, Jr.
Andrew Pinto
Richard L. Pinto
John P. Reilly
Crystal Richardson
Sarah H. Roane
Russell M. Robinson, III
Stanley L. Rodenbough, IV
Mr. Kevin Alan Rust
E. Steve Schlosser, Jr.
Robert L Scott
Kurt A. Seeber
Desmond G. Sheridan
John H. Small
Donald K. Speckhard
Stanley E. Speckhard
Scott K. Tippett
Dennis Toman
Marc Ernest Trigilio
William S Trivette
Randall A. Underwood
Richard L. Vanore
Christopher J. Vaughn
Nicholas Vazqueztell
Thomas C. Watkins
Robert A. Wicker
Howard L. Williams
Gregory S. Williams
Charles H. Winfree
Edward C. Winslow III
Keith A. Wood
Carolyn J. Woodruff
S. Kyle Woosley
Charles P. Younce
Elizabeth Zook

Robert Trimble
is President of the Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section and is an associate attorney with Sigmon Klein, PLLC.
As 2022 comes to a close, the YLS is grateful for all of the support received from its members and members of the GBA throughout the past year. The Young Lawyers Section is excited for what we have planned for the remainder of the year and for what we have upcoming in 2023. We are planning even more opportunities for young lawyers to socialize and network, as well as opportunities to support our community and those in need. Keep an eye out for CLEs, speaker luncheons, and community service projects which are being planned for the upcoming year.
At the end of October, the Young Lawyers Section held its Fall Swearing-in Ceremony for the admission of newly licensed attorneys to the state and federal courts. Congratulations to the 14 newly licensed attorneys who took their oaths and were admitted to practice in State and/or Federal Court. The YLS would like to thank Judge Eagles, Judge Albright, and Judge Vincent for presiding over the ceremony, as well as all the State Court and Federal Court clerks who helped to organize the event. We also want to thank all the Young Lawyers Section members and GBA members who were able to join us to support our newly licensed attorneys!
Spread some holiday cheer with the YLS while also supporting a good cause! The Young Lawyers Section is hosting its annual holiday party on Thursday, December 15th, 2022, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The party is being held at Ward Black Law located at 208 W. Wendover Ave. in Greensboro. This will be a great opportunity to socialize with other young attorneys in Greensboro while enjoying food, drinks, and games. The Young Lawyers Section will also be collecting donations of children’s shoes and children’s winter clothes at the event. These donations will be delivered to Backpack Beginnings in Greensboro, where they will be distributed to children in need in our community. Spouses are welcome to join; please RSVP to Robert Trimble at robert@sklawnc.com by December 8th if you plan to attend. We hope to see you there!
The Young Lawyers Section is recruiting for its 2023 Kickball team! In 2022, the YLS premiered its coed beginner league kickball team, “Torts Illustrated.” 21 members strong, the team had a fun-filled season and was celebrated at the YLS End of the Year Party! We look forward to growing our team and camaraderie in the 2023 spring season. Membership and jerseys are FREE, courtesy of the YLS. SPOTS ARE LIMITED, so sign up today at YLS Kickball Team Interest Survey (surveymonkey.com). We are also accepting submissions for the 2023 team logo/t-shirt design. Please submit all suggestions to Team Manager, Elizabeth Robertson, at earay@crlegalteam.com. We look forward to seeing you on the field! Let’s play ball!
YLS is in the process of scheduling a social event for our members. An e-mail blast will be sent out in the coming weeks regarding this event. We hope you can join us!
Do you have an idea for a future YLS event, service project, and/or social activity? Please share by emailing Robert Trimble at robert@sklawnc.com.
Do you want more information about upcoming YLS events or to find out how you can get involved? Check us out and follow our Facebook page (Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section).
If you would like to be added to the YLS email list, please email Robert Trimble at robert@sklawnc.com.
YLS would like to celebrate life’s milestones with our members. Email info@greensboroyls.org to share personal and professional updates about yourself that you would like celebrated on the YLS Facebook page.

Camille Stell is President and CEO of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services. Continue this conversation by contacting Camille at camille@lawyersmutualnc.com or 800.662.8843.
Today I felt my confidence ebb.
“We don’t know you. We haven’t seen you present. We don’t trust you yet because you’re an unknown entity to us. We’ll need to see your materials in advance and have time to make adjustments if needed.”
Now, lest you think the law firm found me by a Google search or they hired me after I cold called them, let me give you some background.
Someone on the professional staff had been asked to find a speaker. This person had asked many professional colleagues and was given my name by all of them.
Once the firm reached out, I sent over an expanded bio (seriously, it goes back to the time when dinosaurs wandered the earth) and we had an introduction call. Then I had two more calls with other professional staff and with multiple lawyers. And on the fourth call when they said they were 95% sure they were going to hire me, they hit me with the comments above and then they asked me to drop my price.
Here’s where the confidence dipped, today at 3:00 on a Zoom call.
I kept a bright, shiny smile. I told them why my price was my price and was not negotiable. I told them I’d be thrilled to have their input on my materials – though what professional is thrilled for their client to redo their work??
I didn’t remind them that I had already invested three hours in being vetted, set aside time for four Zoom calls, that I prepared a proposal and a draft agenda, only to revise it twice because the law firm parties could not agree on the content they wanted.
I told them how excited I was about the opportunity and how much I appreciated their trust in me – though they had just reminded me that in fact they did not trust me.
In other words, I faked it. But the call did shake my confidence. What if I was charging too much? What if I didn’t have the right skill level? What if my content was no good? What if I wasn’t an effective presenter? What if I was untrustworthy?
I’ve been in the legal profession since my junior year of college. And that was more than a minute ago. Many of you reading this know me and you would say, “What?? You had a crisis of confidence? I can’t believe it!”
That’s why I’m sharing the story. No matter where you are in your career, you will have those moments when you wonder if you are up to the task. You will wonder if you’ll ever get hired. You will wonder if you will ever be 100% confident. The answer is yes to all. But, sometimes, you will fail the task. Sometimes, you won’t be right for this particular job. And sometimes your confidence will take a hit.
What are the lessons learned from this?
1. Know your strengths. I am not good at everything; I don’t pretend to be. But I’m a good speaker. I prepare. I know my material. I know my audience. I work hard to be relatable, a little funny, tell stories that are impactful, and I always try to leave the audience wanting a little more. So when this firm who hasn’t heard me speak makes me feel less confident because they question my abilities, I rely on the knowledge of my strengths. I know I am a good speaker and that has been reinforced by evaluations, attendees speaking with me after programs, and being asked to speak frequently. Everyone can have an off day, but unless I fall off the dais and can’t get back up, I will do a good job for this firm.
2. Surround yourself with support. I immediately reached out to a supportive colleague and shared my feelings. I asked them to review my agenda and provide feedback. My colleague confirmed I was on the right track. He thought my content would be a great fit for the firm training. And he reaffirmed my own believe that public speaking is one of my strengths.
3. Keep it positive. While I took a moment to feel all my (bruised) feelings, I moved on to the next pressing item on my ‘to-do’ list. I have other clients and other projects who inspire and motivate me. Getting their feedback on my work will inspire me to tackle this new project with enthusiasm.
Everyone experiences a blow to their confidence from time to time. Sitting alone with your feelings may cause you to over-exaggerate the situation or to ruminate. “I’m no good at my job.” “I’ll never get another project.” “I’m a failure.”
Don’t allow negativity to overcome you. Take the criticism, work on what needs to be corrected if anything, but also believe in yourself enough to know that sometimes, it’s not you, it’s them.
Camille Stell is the President of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services and the founder of the online community, Leading Law. Continue this conversation by contacting Camille at camille@lawyersmutualconsulting.com or 919.677.8900 or join Leading Law at Leading Law – Lawyers Mutual Consulting.
Kionie James
Endorser: Sarah H. Roane
Armitra Renee Harris Moore
Endorser: Margaret A. Dudley
Tyler Charles Jameson
Ellis and Winters LLP
Endorser: Marcus A. Shields
Robert H. Levin
Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard, LLP
Endorser: S. Leigh Rodenbough, IV
Sylvia ter Avest
Carruthers and Roth, P.A.
Endorser: Sarah H. Roane
BarCARES is a confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of the 24th Judicial District Bar and other participating judicial district bars, voluntary bar associations and law schools. If you would like additional information about the program and/or its availability in your area, please contact the BarCARES coordinator at 919.929.1227 or 1.800.640.0735 or click on the icon below.
December 7 – Holiday Party, 5:30 PM, Elon Law
December 14 – GBA Board Meeting, 4:00 PM, Self Help Building
December 15 – YLS Holiday Party, 5:30 PM, Ward Black Law
December 20 – Submission Deadline for January Newsletter
December 21 – YLS Board Meeting, 12:00 PM, Sigmon Klein, PLLC
Members,
As we bring 2022 to a close, I want to thank each of you for your continued commitment to the GBA. We are well underway with the Habitat for Humanity House Build. Your continued support is needed to finish the house and we ask those who are willing to volunteer. We would like to thank the President of the North Carolina Bar Association, Attorney Clayton Morgan, for being our distinguished guest speaker at the November Member Meeting. We hope to see each of you at the Holiday Party that will be held on December 7, 2022. Registration closes December 2nd at 5:00 PM so Register Today. Be on the lookout for information related to the Legal Aid Fundraiser as well as the Annual CLE event.
Marcus Allen Shields
President, Greensboro Bar Association 2022-2023
August 28, 1945 – September 28, 2022
William (“Hark”) Welch Jordan died in the company of family after several years of chronic illness. He was born on August 28, 1945, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to Welch Oliver and Marietta “Raggie” Credle Mann Jordan. He attended Emory University and was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1967) and UNC School of Law (1970).
He practiced family law for 50 years with the firm founded by his father and now known as Hill Evans Jordan & Beatty, PLLC. He was a member of the Greensboro Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Association. He served from 1978-1980 as chair of the NCBA Family Law Committee, forerunner of the Family Law Section, from 1988-91 as a member of the Section council, and from 1986-2000 as a member of the Section Curriculum Committee. He also served as a member of the Special Services Committee of the Greensboro United Way, the boards of the Mental Health Association in Greensboro and The ARC of Greensboro, and as a vestry member and senior warden of St. Francis Episcopal Church, where he was a long-time member. He was the Democratic candidate for the seat from the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina in the 2004 general election.
William spent many years dedicated to the Greensboro Power Squadron helping others to develop their boating skills and build their confidence in boating. He loved stories, both telling them and reading them. Retellings of adventures in boating, fishing and coastal camping, pranks, and family histories were among his favorites. He shared his love of fishing and time on his boats with his family, friends and dogs. He was a lifelong ardent fan of the UNC Tarheels.
His intellectual curiosity, evidenced by his love of books, art, media and culture of all types, is reflected in his extensive library and wide travels. His love of history and global studies led him to enroll in Russian history classes through Wake Forest University as recently as spring of 2022.
William was predeceased by his parents and by his sister, Martha “Marty” “Trot” Welch Jordan Holderness and his niece, Melissa “Missy” Claire Beavers. He is survived by his wife, Olive Beavers Jordan; his four children, Robert Wiley Hutchison, Jr. (Chris), William Patrick Jordan (Christopher Edick), Carol Welch Jordan, Mary Credle Jordan (Jeff Smith); ten grandchildren, Ashley Louise Hutchison, Corey Rees Jordan (Jacob Martin), Charles Wallace Hutchison, Robert Wiley Hutchison, III, Olivia Jordan Fitzsimons, John Steele Hutchison, Georgina Welch Fitzsimons, Wren Walker Smith, Mia James Holt, and Oliver Scott Smith; three great-grandchildren, Willow Faith Jordan, August Lionel Jordan, and Atlas James Jordan; sister, Janet B. Alberty (Buddy); nieces, Laura Holderness Payne (Clinton) and Sarah Turner Hancock (William); and nephews, Howard Holderness, III (Jennifer), Eddie James Alberty (Meghan), Carlson Reid Turner (Rana Lee), and Douglas Christopher Turner.
December 12, 1927 – August 21, 2022
Lucien W. Pullen, age 94, passed away on August 21, 2022, from the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. Surrounded by family and friends, he remembered his life with fondness and was kind to everyone he encountered. In 2021, after surviving Covid, he was deemed “an absolute southern gentleman” by the doctors and nurses. With the help of Elizabeth Residence in Bayside, Wisconsin, as well as Badger Hospice in Wisconsin and Transitions Hospice of Raleigh, he was cared for and transported back to North Carolina where he spent the last month of his life with his daughter, Kiki.
Born December 12, 1927, Lucius grew up in Roanoke Rapids and Nash County with his parents, Robert and Emily Pullen. He is predeceased by his parents, his wife Jane Scales Tucker Pullen, as well as all of his siblings: Phillip (Julia) Pullen, Charlie (Peggy) Pullen, and Betty (Broadus) Rose. He is survived by his son Stuart (Katherine) and his daughter, Kiki. Both grew up in Raleigh and live in North Carolina. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Garrett (Kacey) West, Gill (Avery) West, Nicholas West, and Anna West. In addition, he has one great granddaughter, Rosemary, and one great grandson on the way, and he enjoyed many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Lucius graduated from Wake Forest University in 1951 and UNC Law School in 1954. After beginning his law career in Asheville, North Carolina, he worked with Allen, Steed, and Pullen in Raleigh before serving as counsel for the North Carolina Department of Insurance. He was Assistant Attorney General for the State of North Carolina, and later Vice President and Head Counsel for Texasgulf Chemicals Co. After retiring from Texasgulf, he continued to work in mediation as well as taking part in North Carolina legislation for associations such as the American Cemetery Association, the American Mining Association, and the American Medical Association. He was an avid tennis player and racquetball player until he was 88 years old, and stopped playing when he sustained a knee injury. He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh and, later, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro. He gave tirelessly to the community of North Carolina through his time and dedication to many civic and charitable organizations over the years, and he loved his family.
A special joint meeting of the 24 and 24H Judicial District Bars was held on Wednesday, October 26 for the purpose of selecting five nominees for the District Court judicial vacancy occasioned by the resignation of the Honorable Marcus A. Shields.
The five elected nominees:
Walter W. “Trip” Baker – 112 votes
Tomakio S. Gause – 72 votes
Brenton J. Boyce – 68 votes
John Parker Stone – 67 votes
Susan Yu O’Hale – 62 votes
Other results:
William H. Hill – 54 votes
Taniya D. Reaves – 38 votes
Rebecca Perry – 23 votes
Lisa Maria Grigley – 6
Law Firm Carolinas has been named by the Triad Business Journal to its “Fast 50 List,” which consists of the 50 fastest growing businesses in the Triad. Managing Partner Carole Albright points to several examples of the firm’s growth over the past three years, including the purchase of a larger Charlotte office, renovations in the Greensboro office, and the opening of several new offices, for six total—Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, Columbia (SC), and Greenville (SC).
Jim Slaughter, a partner at Law Firm Carolinas, has a follow-up book to his Robert’s Rules of Order Fast Track, released earlier this year. Notes and Comments on Robert’s Rules, Fifth Edition is a user’s guide to meetings and Robert’s Rules of Order that uses a question-and-answer format to cover the most misused and asked-about provisions. Notes and Comments previously received the Phifer Award from the National Communication Association.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by the Greensboro Bar Association and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, members, legal professions featured or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
Physical Address:
Greensboro Bar Association
24th Judicial District Bar
122 North Elm Street, Suite 805
Greensboro, NC 27402
(336) 378-0300
Mailing Address:
Greensboro Bar Association
24th Judicial District Bar
PO Box 1825
Greensboro, NC 27402
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