Message from the President, September 2026

It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to a new Bar Year with the Greensboro Bar Association. Whether you are a longtime member returning after a busy summer, a new member joining us for the first time, or someone reconnecting with the GBA after time away, I am grateful that you are part of this professional community. The strength of our Bar has always come from the people who show up for one another, for our profession, and for the broader Greensboro community, and I am excited for all that we will do together in the year ahead.

As I begin my term as President, I do so with deep appreciation for those who have led before me and with great enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead. The Greensboro Bar Association has long been a place where attorneys can build relationships, strengthen their practices, serve the public, and support the rule of law. This year, I hope we will continue that important work while also placing intentional emphasis on the health and wellbeing of the lawyers who make that work possible.

My focus for this Bar Year is attorney health and wellness in its fullest sense. That includes personal mental health and well-being, the connection and purpose that come from pro bono service and community involvement, and the professional well-being that helps us practice with excellence, resilience, and integrity. The demands of our profession are real. Many of us are balancing heavy caseloads, client needs, court obligations, family responsibilities, leadership roles, and the constant pressure to be responsive and prepared. In the midst of those demands, it is easy to put ourselves last. But our well-being is not separate from our work as attorneys; it is essential to sustaining it.

This year, I hope the GBA will create space for honest conversation, practical resources, and meaningful opportunities to support one another. We will look for ways to encourage healthy practices, reduce isolation, and remind each other that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. We will also continue to lift up the value of service, including through pro bono and community work, because service connects us to the reasons many of us entered this profession in the first place. When we use our skills to help others, we strengthen not only our community, but also our own sense of purpose and belonging.

Professional well-being also means building a Bar culture where attorneys can thrive at every stage of practice. New attorneys should feel welcomed and supported. Experienced attorneys should feel valued and engaged. Solo and small firm practitioners, government attorneys, in-house counsel, nonprofit lawyers, judges, and attorneys in every practice setting should see the GBA as a place where they can find connection, encouragement, and practical support. I hope this year brings new opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, leadership development, and fellowship across our membership.

Of course, the success of this year will depend on all of us. I encourage you to attend a meeting, join a committee, invite a colleague, participate in a service project, volunteer for a pro bono opportunity, and make time to connect with one another. If you are new to the GBA, we are glad you are here. If you have been part of this organization for many years, thank you for helping build the foundation we continue to rely on. If you are looking for a way to become more involved, I hope this is the year you take that step.

I am honored to serve as your President and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside you. I look forward to a year of connection, service, wellness, and renewed energy

for the work we do together as lawyers and as members of the Greensboro community. Thank you for being part of the Greensboro Bar Association, and welcome to a new Bar Year.

Abigail E. Peoples
President, Greensboro Bar Association
and the 24th Judicial District Bar