NCAJ Blog

By David Henson As I sit and write my final column as your 2020-2021 president, it is not lost on me that my entire term has been virtual. A modern-day Max Headroom. No shaking of hands or hugging friends at … Continue reading →

Every year in June, NCAJ members take time during Annual Convention to recognize those among us who lead by example and whose examples set the bar high. This year we will present awards to these leaders at the June 11 … Continue reading →

By Abby Hammond The State Bar Ethics Committee continues to consider potential inclusion of anti-discrimination language in the Rules of Professional Conduct. A subcommittee studying these changes has recommended the publication of a new provision in the

Greetings NCAJ Members, NCAJ is currently seeking volunteers to serve on its committees. Volunteers are at the heart of NCAJ’s work. Together, we accomplish incredible things and guarantee the continued protection of North Carolinians’ rights.

By Abby Hammond The State Bar Council at its meeting on April 16 adopted one new ethics opinion:  2021 Formal Ethics Opinion 1, Contemporaneous Residential Real Estate Closings (opinion addresses conflicts of interest, communication, funding issues, a

By Erwin Byrd For incarcerated people, with little control over their environment, the coronavirus pandemic has been particularly deadly, and NCAJ members have been deeply involved in helping North Carolina inmates gain release from confinement during thi

Roderick Allison graduated valedictorian of his class at North Carolina Central University, "probably because I made my professors laugh," he jokes.  It’s doubtful that Allison's sense of humor influenced his undergraduate academic performance, bu

Campbell School of Law honored four graduates with awards from the North Carolina Advocates for Justice at its 43rd annual hooding and graduation ceremony on May 7. The Calhoun Advocacy Award went to Jordan Ariana Arroyo of Holly Springs. The Trial ̷

Congratulations to the NCAJ members who earned membership in the 2020 North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society by completing 50 or more hours of pro bono legal services and reporting their hours to the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center. … Continu

By Kim Crouch When I look back to this time last year, back when we were still measuring the length of the COVID-19 pandemic in days rather than months or years, chaos and uncertainty loom large in my memories. But I also find myself 

By Phil Dixon and Stephen Lindsay Introduction Perhaps your case involves evidence obtained in a warrantless probation search. Perhaps you have a probation violation case. If you are like most criminal defense attorneys, you have looked at the relevant c

From NCAJ President David Henson and NCAJ Executive Director Kim Crouch For nearly sixty years, NCAJ has fought for fair treatment of those accused of crimes in North Carolina. Our members work tirelessly to prevent police brutality and the use … Co

By Amber Nimocks One bit of advice Kim Olsinski would pass along to a newly minted attorney: Saying no to the wrong clients can be as important to a successful legal career as saying yes to the right ones. "There … Continue reading →

By Sylvia Novinsky COVID-19 has affected us all in some way or another. For many of us, it's been balancing work and homelife, child care, homeschooling, mental health, anger, frustrations, and risk/reward calculations about every day activities. We've al

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we recognize NCAJ member Susan Olive, one of  North Carolina’s groundbreaking woman lawyers, with this profile published originally in Trial Briefs in July 2020. By Amber Nimocks Firsts are nothing new f

By Leah Kang On Feb. 25, the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and other organizational and individual plaintiffs represented by the ACLU of North Carolina, Emancipate NC, Forward Justice, Disability Rights North Carolina, and National Juvenile

NCAJ Diversity and Inclusion Officer Stewart Poisson interviewed NCAJ member Margaret Rowlett, attorney at Hodgman, Rowlett & Jahnes, P.A. in Greensboro, about NCAJ's upcoming inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Book Club meeting, where the selection

By Amber Nimocks Charles Blanchard, the last living founder of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, died Wednesday, leaving a legacy of kindness that equaled his commitment to justice and resonates throughout North Carolina and beyond. "It was the ho

By Amber Nimocks You've no doubt heard Stuart Paynter's name in the news. He has a record of playing to win in high-stakes cases against big-name clients. Among those whose details can be shared: He served as a lead counsel … Continue reading →

"Certainly, life as a lawyer is a bit more complex today than it was a century ago. The ever-increasing pressures of the legal marketplace, the need to bill hours, to market to clients, and to attend to the bottom line, … Continue reading →

By John McCabe Among the many vital ways NCAJ serves you is by advocating on your behalf for fair laws and a level playing field in all branches of government. Late last year, we began developing a new plan to … Continue reading →

By Amber Nimocks Chief Justice Paul Newby sketched out his vision for the North Carolina courts during a Zoom call on Thursday, describing a future where Monday calendar calls in superior court disappear, the Supreme Court breaks for lunch on … Cont

By Stewart Poisson Happy Black History Month to all of you. I hope that everyone is doing well and steering clear of COVID-19 as we see some local courts allowing jury trials to move forward. In 2020, the Diversity and … Continue reading →

In observance of Black History Month, we asked some NCAJ members to reflect on why it is still important to mark this occasion and which historical figures we know too little about. Member Micheal L. Littlejohn Jr. shares his thoughts … Continue rea

By David Weiss The current issue of the N.C. Law Review Forum features an article by former North Carolina Chief Justice James Exum that makes the case that the North Carolina death penalty is not only morally abhorrent but unconstitutional. Exum …

By Amber Nimocks Ari Sibrey's father, James Sibrey, inspired her to pursue a law degree with his own career as a family law attorney in her hometown of Gainesville, Florida. "He passed away right before I started law school," she … Continue reading

During its Jan. 29 meeting, the NCAJ Board of Governors unanimously approved a request from the section formerly called Products Liability and Construction Defects to take a new name: Products Liability, Class Actions & Mass Torts Section. Section Cha

The Board of Governors has approved an Advocacy Strategic Plan to guide NCAJ’s legislative, judicial, legal affairs and PAC activities. Here’s how it came together. By David Henson  Finally, 2020 is in the rearview mirror. And now, we are all

By Abby Hammond  Ten NCAJ members joined their colleagues in the N.C. General Assembly to begin the work of the 2021 Long Session on Wednesday. Five serve in the Senate and five serve in the House of Representatives. We greatly … Continue reading &

By Alex Rogers   January is a time for resolutions and hope for new beginnings. January (and February) are also prime time for CLE programming across North Carolina. Despite the challenges we are all facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NCAJ … Con

A year of working under the constraints of the pandemic has changed the way many lawyers look at how they practice law. When we asked for your reflections on the changes to the practice and your hopes for the future, … Continue reading →

North Carolina State Bar President Barbara Christy sent a letter today to Gov. Cooper and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen addressing the concerns of private lawyers who must appear in court. “As you consider &#

Find the documents mentioned in the post here: Motion to Continue due to COVID and Proposed COVID Pattern Jury Instructions. By Amber Nimocks Public defenders holding jury trials during the COVID-19 pandemic face a great number of unknowns and many …

  NCAJ Year in Review 2020 from NC Advocates for Justice on Vimeo. “Unprecedented” ruled as the word of the year in 2020, so much so that Merriam-Webster officially awarded it the title. But not all of 2020’s unprecedented events &#

Congratulations to the NCAJ members who begin their 2021 North Carolina State Bar committee service next month. Thank you to councilors serving in these leadership positions or on committees as identified:   Darrin D. Jordan: President-Elect, Appoint

NCAJ Past-President Mary Pollard serves on Gov. Cooper's Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, which released a report with 125 recommendations on Monday. Pollard is the executive director of the North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Servi

By Abby Hammond At its most recent meeting, the State Bar Ethics Committee approved five proposed opinions for review, now published in the winter edition of the State Bar Journal. In addition, the Ethics Committees has agreed to send a … Continue r

Allison Parker has joined NCAJ as its Membership and Data Manager. She has worked in the association industry for eight years and the nonprofit industry for 12 years. In her most recent role, Parker served as Member Engagement Manager in … Continue

By Amber Nimocks Chris Schehr set up his own practice after about a year of working for a big firm in Charlotte. Since then, he has learned a lot of firsthand lessons about client intake and the importance of a … Continue reading →

Editor's note: The Center for Death Penalty Litigation recently unveiled the project Racist Roots at www.racistroots.org. NCAJ was among the filers of an amicus brief in support of the defendant-appellant in State v. Ramseur, one of the cases highlighted

By Amber Nimocks Profiles in our quarterly Trial Briefs magazine feature members at varying stages of their careers. Know an NCAJ member we should profile? Email me at amber@ncaj.com. Cheyenne Chambers' voice is among the many calling for change to …

North Carolinians turned out in record numbers to vote in the 2020 General Election, with 74.56% of the state's 7.359 million registered voters casting ballots. Per the North Carolina State Board of Elections, as of the morning of Nov. 12, … Continu

By Amber Nimocks Profiles in our quarterly Trial Briefs magazine feature members at varying stages of their careers. Know an NCAJ member we should profile? Email me at amber@ncaj.com. Reid Acree was a self-described "very unhappy insurance defense attor

By Amber Nimocks Profiles in our quarterly Trial Briefs magazine feature members at varying stages of their careers. Know an NCAJ member we should profile? Email me at amber@ncaj.com. Reid Acree was a self-described "very unhappy insurance defense attor

By Abby Hammond On Friday, Oct. 23, the N.C. State Bar Council met and unanimously approved for publication and comment a proposed rule change that would create a CLE requirement regarding bias, inclusion and diversity. The proposed rule change will ̷

By Abby Hammond On Friday, Oct. 23, the N.C. State Bar Council met and unanimously approved for publication and comment a proposed rule change that would create a CLE requirement regarding bias, inclusion and diversity. The proposed rule change will ̷

By Abby Hammond Elections in North Carolina this year are tight, the races will hinge on turnout, and — do not be mistaken — North Carolina will remain a purple state in the coming years. That was the takeaway from … Continue reading →

By Abby Hammond Elections in North Carolina this year are tight, the races will hinge on turnout, and — do not be mistaken — North Carolina will remain a purple state in the coming years. That was the takeaway from … Continue reading →

By Amber Nimocks Profiles in our quarterly Trial Briefs magazine feature members at varying stages of their careers. Know an NCAJ member we should profile? Email me at amber@ncaj.com. Jasmine Little has wanted to be a lawyer for as long … Continue r

By Amber Nimocks Profiles in our quarterly Trial Briefs magazine feature members at varying stages of their careers. Know an NCAJ member we should profile? Email me at amber@ncaj.com. Jasmine Little has wanted to be a lawyer for as long … Continue r

By David Weiss On Sept. 25, 2020, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Christina Walters, Quintel Augustine and Tilmon Golphin had been unlawfully returned to death row after receiving life sentences under the state's Racial Justice Act (RJA). In &

January 20, 2020. The day that COVID-19 struck America. This pandemic has changed America’s standing throughout the world and impacted every American citizen’s way of life.  No matter which side of the political aisle you are on, I think we can

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley struck a hopeful note as the keynote speaker at Friday’s Second Annual NCAJ Diversity & Inclusion Conference, saying the unrest that has rocked the nation in recent months has also opened doors to more powerful and …

NCAJ filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiff in Savino v. Charlotte-Mecklendburg Hospital Authority, on which the Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled on Sept. 25. Burton Craige, Trisha Pande, and Narendra Ghosh of Patterson Harkavy LLP wrote &

By David Henson More than 50 years ago, our organization was founded by a group of visionaries who saw the collective benefit of uniting criminal defense and civil plaintiffs’ lawyers in a rather unique marriage called the North Carolina Academy …

NCAJ asked two members to offer personal reflections on the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Helen Baddour provides this perspective on behalf of the NCAJ Women’s Caucus. By Helen Baddour NCAJ Women’s Caucus Chair 2020-2021 On Friday evening,

NCAJ asked two members to offer personal reflections on the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Pioneering intellectual property attorney Susan Olive offers her perspective here. By Susan Olive When I think of Justice Ginsburg, I most strongly remember

Click here to read the 2020 NCAJ Legislative Report. Consistent with NCAJ’s vision of protecting people, preventing injustice and promoting fairness, the Advocacy Team actively monitors the actions of the General Assembly in an effort to identify bills

By Burton Craige In State v. Marcus Robinson, the Supreme Court held that our state constitution bars the retroactive repeal of the Racial Justice Act (RJA), which was enacted in 2009 and repealed in 2013. In 2012, at the first … Continue reading &#

By Amber Nimocks Among the accomplishments NCAJ member legislators can point to from the General Assembly’s 2020 short session is the adoption of North Carolina’s New Limited Driving Privilege Law. It’s a big win both for marginalized North Carolini

Election Day 2020 day is 82 days — roughly two and a half months — away, but now is the time to make a plan to cast your vote. If you plan to use absentee mail-in voting, you should be … Continue reading →

NCAJ President David Henson has sent a letter to the chair of the N.C. State Bar’s Continuing Legal Education Board, George L. Jenkins Jr., providing notice of NCAJ’s support of the board’s effort to evaluate the inclusion of diversity a

By Amber Nimocks In our quarterly profiles that appear first in Trial Briefs magazine, NCAJ features members at varying stages in their careers: new members, rising stars and heroes. I talked with Rising Star Lauren O’Malley for a feature this ̷

By Amber Nimocks With a gruesome murder at its core and a made-for-TV plotline, the 1988 case State v. Hennis provided a salacious backdrop for one of the N.C. Supreme Court’s most controversial decisions. It was, writes N.C. Supreme Court … Conti

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of our advocacy and awareness campaign for Election 2020: The Vote’s in Your Court, North Carolina. As part of the launch of the campaign, NCAJ has released a microsite — VoteYourCourtNC.org R

NCAJ supports adding anti-discrimination language to the North Carolina State Bar’s Rules of Professional Responsibility, an issue the State Bar’s Ethics Committee addressed during a special meeting today. The State Bar is considering adding a

The North Carolina Advocates for Justice held its Annual Convention and Meeting on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 virtually via Zoom. The NCAJ’s newly elected leaders Board of Governor’s Members for its 2020-2021 fiscal year are: Class