On Wednesday, November 9th, the Greensboro Bar Association’s Membership Committee hosted a Happy Hour Social at Joymonger’s Brewery in downtown Greensboro. The event was planned in an effort to increase membership, while also offering an additional opportunity for Greensboro Bar Association Members to gather, socialize and network. In addition to the craft beers that were available, the GBA provided delicious appetizers prepared by the Baconessence Food Truck. The beers and food received favorable reviews by those who attended. In addition to the great food, beverages and fellowship, the evening was very successful as the membership committee signed up six new GBA members.

Stay tuned! The Greensboro Bar Association Membership Committee will be hosting a similar event in the spring.

Contract GAL Attorney Advocate

SALARY: Contract will be for a monthly flat rate, based on annual caseload. Currently the rate will be $2,823.50 per month, for 1-1-2017 – 6-15-2017.  This contract can be renewed for the upcoming fiscal year, July 1, 2017-June 15, 2018.

LOCATION: Judicial District 15A (Alamance County)

POSITION TYPE: Contractor – no benefits
(Beginning date: January 1, 2017)

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The statewide Guardian ad Litem Program (GAL) provides legal representation of abused, neglected and/or dependent children in juvenile court proceedings. This advocacy is through trained volunteers, staff, and attorneys.  The Attorney Advocate is mandated by statute to protect the legal interests of children and represent their best interests in these proceedings.  The Attorney Advocate also counsels and meets with the GAL volunteers and staff on a weekly basis regarding the legal interests of child clients to promote their safety, well-being, and permanency.  The Attorney Advocate is expected to be in court for all DSS court sessions in Alamance County.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have a Juris Doctor degree with a license to practice law in North Carolina and be a member of the NC State Bar in good standing.  Strong litigation experience is required.  Experience in juvenile court is essential and candidates should have a thorough understanding of the North Carolina Juvenile Code and relevant case law.   Excellent oral and written communication skills are required.  Effective court advocacy is essential with good negotiation skills and the ability to draft any necessary motions or memorandum of law.  In addition to legal advocacy, successful candidates should have the ability to maintain effective working relationships and be available to meet with volunteer GALS and staff on an as needed basis.

HOW TO APPLY:  Submit a cover letter and resume by December 11, 2016 to:

Valerie Chaffin, GAL District Administrator at valerie.g.chaffin@nccourts.org

For more information contact Valerie Chaffin at 336-570-5278

Former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye, who was of counsel with Brooks Pierce before retiring this spring, and associate Justin Outling were honored at the Guilford County Black Lawyers Association’s Inaugural Scholarship & Recognition Gala on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Frye was presented with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” and Outling was recognized with the “Outstanding Young Lawyer Award.”

“Henry and Justin truly exemplify what it means to be a leader, both in the legal profession and in the community. We are very proud that Guilford County Black Lawyers Association has chosen to recognize them and their accomplishments,” said Reid Phillips, Brooks Pierce’s managing partner.

Frye began his career in private practice handling a variety of legal matters. In 1963, he was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, one of the first African-Americans to be appointed to that position in the South. In 1968, Frye became the first African-American to be elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in the 20th century. He served in the state House for 12 years and was then elected to a two-year term in the North Carolina Senate. In 1983, Frye became the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and in 1999 he was appointed Chief Justice, another first. After joining Brooks Pierce in 2001, Frye focused his practice on appellate advocacy, mediation and commercial arbitration.

“I am honored the Guilford County Black Lawyers Association has chosen to recognize me with this award,” Frye said. “I have been fortunate throughout my career to have a strong network of people who believed in me and encouraged me to continue to take on new challenges and new roles, and I am very humbled to have served as a role model for so many.”

Outling focuses his practice on business litigation and white-collar criminal defense. He helps businesses and professionals in a variety of industries, and has successfully brought and defended lawsuits in a wide range of matters. Outling is also a member of the Greensboro City Council, representing District 3, and is very active with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, his alma mater.

“It is such an honor to receive this award from the Guilford County Black Lawyers Association and to be recognized by a group of attorneys whom I admire,” Outling said. “I look forward to continuing to grow in my career and finding new ways to give back to this community that means so much to me.”

The Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers consists of licensed attorneys practicing or living in Guilford County. The purpose of the organization is to provide a forum for the discussion and advancement of ideas to promote the general welfare of the black community.

Clinton H. Cogburn
Tuggle Duggins P.A.
Endorsed by Blake P. Hurt

Regan Michelle Gatlin
Burton, Sue & Anderson, LLP
Endorsed by Walter K. Burton

Stephanie Marie Goldsborough
Dummit Fradin
Endorsed by Megan E. Spidell

Joshua O. Harper 
Smith Moore Leatherwood, LLP
Endorsed by Whit D. Pierce

Mary Grace Roberson Linthicum
Oxner & Permar, PLLC
Endorsed by Eric A. Richardson

Kelvin D. Smith
Cuadra Smith Legal Group, PLLC
Endorsed by Tiffany D. Atkins

Andrew David Steffensen
Schell Bray PLLC
Endorsed by Doris R. Bray

Matthew Brady Tynan
Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard, LLP
Endorsed by Andrew L. Rodenbough

John D. Wooten, IV
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP
Endorsed by Stephen F. Shaw

Correction – October New Members:
Wilson F. Fong, Hensel Law, PLLC was incorrectly identified as William Fong.

Jennifer Noble, a longtime estate planning and estate administration attorney, has joined the business law firm Connors Morgan PLLC in Greensboro.

“After working in my own practice for many years, I am excited to join the vibrant group of attorneys at Connors Morgan,” Noble said. “There is a synergy in the office, because we all are focused on one goal – really listening to our clients and providing focused legal services to businesses and individuals.”

Connors Morgan, founded in 2005, provides services across the spectrum of business law, including business formation, business litigation, employment law and healthcare law, as well as estate and family law. With the addition of Noble, the firm includes seven attorneys.

Noble offers complete estate planning services, including preparation of wills, revocable trusts, special needs trusts, and healthcare and general powers of attorney. She also offers services in estate and trust administration and guardianship.

She frequently assists business owners, who may have special needs for succession planning, but also works with individuals – ranging from young parents with children to older individuals with complex estates.

“I enjoy spending time with my clients to ensure that I understand their goals, whether they’re concerned about protecting their business assets or want to make sure that their children are provided for after their death,” she said. “I love putting people at ease while talking about topics they find stressful.”

After receiving an undergraduate degree from the College of William & Mary, Noble went on to earn a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. She practiced with the trusts and estates group at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago for two years before moving to Greensboro, where she joined Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP. Prior to joining Connors Morgan, she had operated her own estate planning law practice for seven years.

Connors Morgan is located at 1175 Revolution Mill Dr., Suite 8, in Greensboro.  Noble can be reached via phone at 336-333-7907, via email at JNoble@ConnorsMorgan.com or on the web at www.ConnorsMorgan.com.

Tuggle Duggins P.A. partner Robert C. Cone was recently honored by the North Carolina State Bar with its John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award.   The award, which was presented to Cone by State Bar President Margaret Hunt at the meeting of the Greensboro Bar Association held October 20, 2016, recognizes North Carolina lawyers who have demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession.

“There is no one more deserving of this award”, said Nathan Duggins, managing partner of Tuggle Duggins. “We stand in awe of all that Bob has contributed to Greensboro and to the state in general, through his selfless work on behalf of others, all while maintaining a busy and successful law practice.”

Below are the full remarks delivered by Margaret Hunt at the GBA meeting:

Robert Cone is a life-long resident of Greensboro and was a Morehead-Cain Scholar at Chapel Hill where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in 1974 and his law degree in 1978.  He is married to the former Sally Boyette and they are the proud parents of two children.

He has been a litigator for over 35 years and is a member of the Tuggle Duggins Law Firm.  Bob has represented clients in all North Carolina state and federal trial courts and has argued cases on appeal in the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court and the 4th Circuit.  He is also a certified mediator in North Carolina state and federal courts.

His contributions to our profession are many including:

His service as a State Bar Councilor from this District where he was a member of various State Bar committees including the Grievance, Legislative and Executive Committees.

Bob helped to organize and lead the Guilford Inn of Court that promotes ethics, civility and excellence within the Bar and served as treasurer and Master of the Bench.

His pro bono services include volunteering with the Lawyers on Line Legal Service Program and as co-founder of the Herb Falk Society of the Greensboro Bar Association that promotes pro bono work by its members.

Bob has chaired the UNC Law Foundation, served as a Preceptor at Elon Law School, served as a member of the Greensboro Bar Association’s Board of Directors and as president, and chaired the Fee Dispute Resolution Committee of the GBA.

Bob’s service to his community is also exemplary and includes his services as:

• Chair of the Greensboro Public Library Foundation Board.
• Board member and vice-chair of the
  Greensboro Urban Ministry.
• Member and president of the Rotary Club of Greensboro.
• Trustee of the Greensboro Jewish Federation
  and Chair of its Men’s Campaign.
• Trustee of the Jewish Foundation of Greensboro.
• Trustee of Temple Emanuel, Inc.
• Chair of the North Carolina Regional Advisory Board
  of the Anti-Defamation League.
• Member of the Advisory Board of the UNCG Program for Conflict and Resolution.

He was the recipient of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America for his work in promoting diversity and bringing scouting to lower-income neighborhoods in Greensboro and of the Centennial Award that is presented jointly by the Greensboro Bar Association and the NCBA for exemplary community services.

Bob has also contributed countless hours to Cone Health, a private, not-for-profit health care delivery system in Greensboro, having served on the Board of Trustees for 20 years and as Chair of the Foundation where he worked tirelessly to assure that the marginalized, underserved and others had access to appropriate health care.

Throughout his career Bob has used that unique body of knowledge and skills we all have as lawyers to help his clients resolve legal problems, to help in the self-regulation and improvement of the legal profession, to actively mentor young lawyers, to serve as a role model for all lawyers, and to be actively engaged in the civic and philanthropic life of his community.  The State Bar is honoring Bob not just for all that he has done, but also for the manner in which he has accomplished so much.  The words written by Susan Shumaker, President of the Cone Health Foundation, in describing Bob’s service to that Foundation are also true of all of his legal and civic endeavors.  She wrote, “Bob’s gentle nature, wisdom, vision, kindness, keen intellect, knowledge, humor and persistence informs his work.”  Bob is truly the personification of the citizen lawyer who has brought credit to our profession and we can all honor Bob by simply following his example.

It is an honor for me to present to Bob, on behalf of the State Bar, the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award for a lifetime of exemplary service to his clients, his profession and his community.

The North Carolina Bar Association, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division are partnering to provide free legal services to low-income survivors of Hurricane Matthew.

Volunteer pro bono attorneys are needed to address the legal needs of the survivors.

The types of legal assistance available to survivors include:

• Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims;
• Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster;
• Assistance in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
• Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
• Counseling on landlord-tenant problems.

To serve as a volunteer attorney, email both Cabell Clay (cabellclay@mvalaw.com) and Rachel Blunk (RMB@sharpless-stavola.com) with your name, email, phone number, and the areas of law with which you are willing to assist (i.e. insurance claims, property issues, landlord-tenant issues, general, etc.)

It is anticipated that the largest needs will relate to insurance, landlord-tenant and FEMA issues. Volunteer attorneys with experience in these areas are especially needed.

A special toll-free telephone number has been established at North Carolina Bar Association to receive requests for legal help. Storm victims needing help with legal problems may call the NCBA, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1-800-662-7407. All calls are screened, and then referred to volunteer attorneys who agree to offer a telephone consultation, providing free legal advice for disaster-related problems.

The Disaster Legal Services Hotline was activated Monday, Oct. 10, by the declaration of a federal disaster by President Obama for the following North Carolina counties: Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt and Robeson. Additional designations, the declaration order stated, may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Volunteer lawyers must agree not to accept fee generating cases from the disaster victims they help. Volunteer lawyers will answer most legal questions by telephone. Training resources will be available. Callers who need representation in court or who have issues requiring fee-generating services should be referred to the NCBA Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-662-7660 or www.NCFindALawyer.org.