I’ve often said that pro bono saved my legal career. At the beginning of my career working in Atlanta as a real estate finance attorney, I was pretty much convinced that the practice of law was not for me. I questioned whether or not I should return to my career in the Air Force and if I could be happy practicing law. That all changed with my first pro bono case.

As a signatory of the American Bar Association’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, my firm emphasized pro bono and the firm’s signature project was assisting grandparents with adopting the grandchildren in their care. With each case, I loved most the feeling that what I did mattered.

Every time I came back to thoughts of quitting legal practice, I would think of what I liked about the law and it was always my pro bono cases. Those cases helped me realize that what I needed to change was the type of law instead of leaving law altogether. Eventually I moved from pro bono family law cases to a family law practice of my own.

Pro bono has been a tradition in our Association with legal icons like former president Herb Falk and our annual Pro Bono Award honorees. We can be proud of that tradition and the example it sets for lawyers throughout our state. George Hausen, Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina and our October meeting speaker, is well aware of our Association’s history. At a recent Equal Access to Justice Commission meeting I attended, Hausen mentioned our Herb Falk Society as a model for honorary societies that can encourage and recognize pro bono service amongst lawyers. Chief Justice Mark Martin’s Commission is considering implementing this idea state-wide.

This Association plans to continue trendsetting with our signature pro bono project, the Second Chance Project, which will train members to assist Legal Aid clients with criminal record expunctions. This project will kick off with a CLE during the ABA National Pro Bono week October 25th through 31st. During the CLE, members of our Association will have an opportunity to be trained on expunctions and Certificates of Relief then actually receive their assigned case file and guidance on how to get started. The cases are manageable, form-driven, and require a minimal time commitment of typically less than four hours per case. Our goal is to train and equip at least fifty members of our Association to accept an expunction case this year.

I hope that we will be able to exceed that goal as our Association makes strides toward closing the access to justice gap that exists in our state. At present, there is only one legal aid attorney in North Carolina for every 13,170 low-income citizens as opposed to one private attorney for every 562 North Carolinians. It will take the efforts of Associations like ours across the state to lessen this disparity.

the Gba News DocketVolume 65, Number 2; October 2015

Message from the President

Message from the President . . . . . . . . . 12015-16 Sustaining Members . . . . . . . . . 2 October Calendar Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . 2New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Stell: 21st Century Clients . . . . . . . . . . . 3Chapman Recognized by Best Lawyers . 4Kane: Make Reporters Lunch Buddies . . 5Ward Black Law Adds New Assoc . . . . . 5Celebrate Nat’l Pro Bono Week . . . . . . 6GBA Gathers Donors for Judge Fox . . . 7NCBA Middle School Mock Trials . . . . . 8In Memoriam, L . Worth Holleman, Jr . . . 9SML’s Hanger Selected for Leadership 10New Associate at SML . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Goldberg Segalla’s Brown: Best Lawyer . 10 Sept Meeting Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Afi Johnson-Parris, President of the Greensboro Bar Association

In This Issue:

You can contribute news or topics of interest to the GBA by contacting

Editor Travis Martin: travis .martin@smithmoorelaw .com

Continued on page 9

“... At present, there is only one legal aid

attorney in North Carolina for every

13,170 low-income citizens as opposed to

one private attorney for every 562 North

Carolinians. It will take the efforts of

Associations like ours across the state to

lessen this disparity.”

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October Calendar NotesOctober 13: Board Meeting, 4:00 PM,

Self Help Building

October 15: Member Meeting, 5:30 PM, Starmount CC

State Bar Councilor Election, 6:15 PM (during member meeting)

October 18: Potter’s House, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

October 30: CLE, 7:30 AM registration, program at 8:30 AM, Smith Moore Leatherwood

New MembersApproved September 8, 2015

Patrick T. Apple Medlin Law Firm, PC Endorser: Constance A. Harris

Emery D. Ashley, Jr. Piedmont Trust Company Endorser: Louise Maultsby Bristol

Michael T. Brown, Jr. Crumley Roberts, LLP Endorser: Barbara L. Curry

Jourdan M. Cabe The Fresh Market, Inc. Endorser: Ashley Canupp

Leigh H. Cain Piedmont Trust Co. Endorser: Louise Maultsby Bristol

Catherine G. Clodfelter Endorser: Benjamin A. Kahn

Pamela S. Duffy Sharpless & Stavola, PA Endorser: Frederick K. Sharpless

Henry D. Gabriel Elon University School of Law Endorser: Luke Bierman

Jennifer L. Gibert Elon University School of Law Endorser: Melissa Duncan

Miriam Delaney Heard Legal Aid of North Carolina Endorser: Tiffany D. Atkins

Lauren Jeffries Legal Aid of North Carolina Endorser: Alicia Edwards

Megan E. Kunz Ward Black Law Endorser: Nancy R. Meyers

Jeremy R. Leonard Litera Corp. Endorser: Melanie Crenshaw

Steven Lupton, Jr. Retired Endorser: Anne B. Lupton

Peyton D. Mansure Sparrow Dennis & Medlin, PA Endorser: J. Michael Thomas

David Mason Lanier Law Group, PA Endorser: Melanie Y. Crenshaw

Brittany N. Mixon Costner Law Office, PLLC Endorser: Melanie Y. Crenshaw

Elizabeth A. Moser Cordell & Cordell Endorser: Eric A. Richardson

Roderick A. Rouse Law Office of Duane K. Bryant Endorser: Larry L. Archie

Steven A. Scoggan Ellis & Winters, LLP Endorser: Christopher W. Jackson

James F. Stevens Guilford County Endorser: Matthew L. Mason

Hon. Russell G. Walker, Jr. Part-time Mediator Endorser: R. Steve Bowden

2015-16 Sustaining MembersMichael R. AbelJames C. Adams, IIMichael J. AllenJoseph S. AtwellJ. Alexander S. BarrettVance Barron, Jr.June L. BasdenJack B. Bayliss, Jr.Joseph R. BeattyWilliam P. BenjaminFrederick L. BerryM. Douglas BerryMarc D. BishopHoward L. BorumBrenton J. BoyceDoris R. BrayFrank W. Bullock, Jr.Mark T. CainBarbara R. ChristyLocke T. CliffordRobert C. ConeBarden W. CookeWilliam O. Cooke, Jr.John M. Cross, Jr.William L. DaisyWanda Bracks DaughtryHerbert O. DavisKearns DavisLindsay R. Davis, Jr.W.B. Rodman DavisRachel S. DeckerDaniel L. DeutermanM. Jay DeVaneyScott DillonJ Robert D. Douglas, III.Robert H. Edmunds, Jr.William K. EdwardsAlexander ElkanJames G. Exum, Jr.Edgar B. Fisher, Jr.John M. FlynnHenry E. FryeW. Erwin Fuller, Jr.Richard W. GabrielMichael H. GodwinGarland G. GrahamKenneth M. GreeneLynn G. GullickCharles T. Hagan, IIIMarcus E. Hayes, Sr.J. Patrick HaywoodRichard H. Hicks, Jr.John T. Higgins, Jr.

Thomas P. HockmanKenneth L. JonesKenneth R. KellerMichael E. KellyApril E. KightAmy H. KincaidW. Winburne King, IIINorman F. Klick, Jr.Jodi S. KnoxJennifer L. J. KoenigKenneth Kyre, Jr.D. Beth LangleyPaul H. Livingston, Jr.Iain MacSweenHenry B. Mangum, Jr.Martha C. MassieCharles F. McCoyBrian J. McMillanWilliam G. McNairyLarry I. Moore, IIIBenjamin R. NormanJoel N. OakleyChristina Freeman PearsallParrish L. PeddrickJames S. PfaffRichard L. PintoJames M. Roane IIIRussell M. Robinson, IIIStanley L. Rodenbough, IVJohn H. SmallDonald K. SpeckhardStanley E. SpeckhardThomas S. StukesWilliam L. Tankersley, IIIDennis J. TomanAnita Jo Kinlaw TroxlerRandall A. UnderwoodRichard L. VanoreDonald R. VaughanChristopher J. VaughnThomas C. WatkinsJeri L. WhitfieldRobert A. WickerGregory S. WilliamsHoward L. WilliamsJames T. Williams, Jr.Joseph A. WilliamsEdward C. Winslow IIIKeith A. WoodCharles P. YounceElizabeth J. Zook

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Clients are the reason we open our law firm doors. But today’s clients – they are different. So what do 21st century clients look like?

They want less service and expect lower fees. They are “do-it-yourselfers.” They diagnose themselves on WebMD and want to Skype with a doctor to get a prescription.

Don’t be surprised when these clients approach legal services with the same mentality. Serving them will require a healthy dose of 21st century skills coupled with tried and true client solutions. Here are five tips:

1. Start with CommunicationClient communication is the number one tool in your 21st century toolkit. Every savvy lawyer will rely on the use of engagement letters, non-engagement letters and disengagement letters to outline the scope of your representation and fees, as well as to confirm when you do not have a relationship.

2.Avoid Red Flag ClientsEveryone knows who the red flag clients are, but often, we are blinded when they walk in the door. We need the revenue, we are expanding our client base, or they were referred by a friend.

Spending time on red flag clients will be a drain on your practice. Recognize these red flags:

The client who says “it’s not the money, it’s the principle.”

• The client who is looking for a guarantee of success.

• The client who has fired or been fired by every other lawyer in town.

• The client who insists they can only afford an inadequate retainer.

• The client who expresses unreasonable expectations.

• The client who demonstrates a pattern of boundary violations, such as constant telephone calls.

• The client who thinks everything is a crisis, makes unreasonable requests or demands special favors.

• The client who has done his or her own research and refuses to follow your advice.

• The client who arrives on your doorstep on the verge of an important deadline.

Turn these clients away. If you can’t do this go into the relationship protecting yourself with an adequate retainer and a fee agreement that clearly defines the parameters of your engagement. Be careful to document important decisions. Stay on top of monthly collections.

21st Century Clients

by Camille Stell

Camille Stell is the Vice President of Client Services for Lawyers Mutual. Camille has more than 20 years of experience in the legal field. Contact Camille at camille@lawyersmutualnc.com or 800.662.8843.

Continued on page 4

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3.Maintain an Excellent Relationship. Once you’ve got a good 21st century client in the door, you want to keep her happy. Here are some ways to do that:

Manage expectations from the start. This involves over-communication on your part. You’ve heard your spiel over and over. Your client is hearing it for the first time. It may take multiple times before she understands what assistance you can provide, what you need from her and what the time frame of the representation looks like.

Agree on a strategy. What does a win look like for your client? Talk with your client early in the case about the multiple options and decisions she will make. When you move a client towards trial for years with no discussion of settlement, she may be shocked by an 11th hour suggestion of mediation.

Listen. You’ve represented many clients, but every story is different. Hear what your client is saying and make sure your solution fits her problem.

Keep communication channels open. Return client phone calls and respond to client e-mail. A lack of communication is often the root cause of bar grievances and malpractice issues.

Relay bad news promptly. If the motion hearing didn’t resolve in your client’s favor, let her know immediately. Hearing about it in two weeks will not make the news more palatable.

Put it in writing. Document important steps along the way.

Talk money. Make sure you are working within your client’s budget. Meet in person or at least by telephone to

discuss major changes to the budget. Discuss delinquent payments before they become a problem.

4. Think Twice Before Suing for FeesBe wary about suing your client for unpaid fees. Very often a claim against a client will result in a counterclaim for malpractice or even a separate ethics complaint. Think through the circumstances – is the amount substantial, collectible and what sort of result did you obtain for your client?

Many state bar associations have guidelines for resolving fee disputes. Be sure you are aware of the rules in your state. Participation in the fee dispute resolution program may be a mandatory first step before taking legal action.

5. Know When to say “You’re Fired!”Should you ever fire a client? Yes, but this decision shouldn’t be considered lightly. Consult your state’s ethics guidelines. If court approval is required, get it. Talk to your client in person and follow-up with a disengagement letter.

If your client asks for her file, be sure to keep a copy for yourself. When you transfer the file to the client, have the client sign a receipt acknowledging the date of the transfer of the file and stating you will take no further action on behalf of the client in the case.

Every interaction between you and your client is an opportunity to develop 21st century skills. These include communication, collaboration, complex problem solving and innovation.

Make it your goal to become an excellent 21st century lawyer, and you will find that 21st century clients will be beating a path to your door.

21ST CENTURY CLIENTS Continued from page 3

Peer nominated Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers recognize Gerry Chapman of Chapman Law Firm for outstanding work in Immigration.

Since 1983, Best Lawyers has been publishing their peer reviewed, unbiased legal referrals for those in the legal profession and the general public. The rating service is published in over 70 countries worldwide, and the 2016 listing of The Best Lawyers in America had over 6.7 million nominations. Gerry Chapman was named in the 22nd edition of the Best Lawyers in America by his peers for his advocacy, work and knowledge in Immigration Law. Best Lawyers is recognized by such publications as The Washington Post, The New York Times, the Australian Financial Review, Germany’s Handelsblatt and seen by over 17 million people worldwide. Mr. Chapman has been named to Best Lawyers in Immigration for the past 10 years.

Super Lawyers has also named Mr. Chapman on the 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers listing for his professional achievements in Immigration Law. This accolade was based on nominations by Chapman’s peers, as well as independent research. Super Lawyers rates attorneys in over 70 practice areas and bases their selections on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Circulated to attorneys and ABA-accredited law schools, Super Lawyers reaches over 13 million readers throughout the United States.

Congratulations to Mr. Chapman for being recognized by his peers for his excellence in Immigration Law. He has been named to the North Carolina Super Lawyers list for Immigration Law for 10 consecutive years.

Attorney Chapman Named in 2016 Best Lawyers in America and the North Carolina Super Lawyers Lists

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(Reprinted from Tom’s LegalMarketingBlog.com dated August 20, 2015)

There was a time, in the early days of legal marketing (mid-80’s) that hiring PR firms was what BigLaw management thought solved this “marketing thing.”

At that time law firms’ PR efforts were NOT very successful. Reason: Whether they were just bashful or afraid of repercussions from the state bar, some lawyers wouldn’t even cooperate with their own PR folks. Talking with reporters was out of the question.

Things have changed of course, but not for some lawyers. They still have failed to utilize the power of being quoted in the press.

No. 8 among my Top 10 Marketing Tips first published in 2005 still works; to wit: “Take a Reporter to Lunch.” The purpose is simple. When you get to know reporters and editors who cover the businesses and clients you would like, it can pay dividends. You could become a valuable source in your field or on general legal topics. If reporters/editors get to know and like you, your name could turn up in the trade and local press. That’s a good thing.

Just remember:

• Return their calls ASAP;• Ask for their deadline;• Don’t be afraid to tell them you will need to

get back to them if you have no immediate response;

• Or, refer them to another attorney; and• Don’t reveal ANYTHING about a client or

matter without permission.I have quoted the August 21 meditation before from 365 Marketing Meditations: Daily Lessons for Marketing & Communications Professionals by Larry Smith and Richard Levick of Levick Strategic Communications:

“Don’t snub reporters because you’ve never heard of their publications. They have a funny way of eventually landing at The Wall Street Journal.”

Keep in mind that reporters can help your business development efforts by raising your profile and providing free publicity. So, don’t avoid them

by Tom Kane

Tom Kane is a member of the Greensboro Bar Association and former NC Assistant Attorney General, has spent the past 28 years as an in-house legal marketer and consultant to law firms throughout the U.S. He is the author of LegalMarketingBlog.com. He can be reached at (941) 227-8330.

Make Reporters Your Luncheon Buddies!By Tom Kane

Ward Black Law adds New asssociates

Ward Black Law is pleased to announce the addition of two new associate attorneys: Megan E. Kunz and Manisha P. Patel, both of whom joined the firm in August 2015.

Kunz, a graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law, represents people in personal injury and Social Security disability claims. She has been admitted to Federal Court, Middle District of North Carolina. Before law school, Kunz studied criminal justice and political science at Appalachian State University.

Patel, who has been working with Ward Black Law as a contract attorney since 2013, graduated from Elon University School of Law. She represents clients in divorce, child support, and child custody cases. Patel holds undergraduate degrees in both economics and history from Virginia Tech.

Both women are involved in several professional organizations including the North Carolina Bar Association, the Greensboro Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. They are active

members of the Triad community and regularly participate in service initiatives.

“These women share our firm’s mission of protecting people’s rights and giving back to the communities we call home,” said Janet Ward Black, Managing Attorney, Ward Black Law. “They are young, passionate, and ready to make a difference in the lives of those whom they serve.”

Megan E. Kunz Manisha P. Patel

Members of the North Carolina access to justice community are putting the focus on pro bono as part of the National Pro Bono Week Celebration during October 25-31. The National Pro Bono Celebration focuses the nation’s attention on increased need for pro bono services and celebrates the outstanding work of lawyers who volunteer their services throughout the year.

During Pro Bono Week, North Carolina legal aid programs, bar associations, law firms, law schools, and others will celebrate pro bono by recognizing volunteers, offering training, providing pro bono legal services at clinics, hosting events to raise money for legal aid, and raising awareness of the need for pro bono. For more information about events in your area, visit http://www.probono.net/celebrateprobono/events/.

“Victims of domestic violence, those seeking child custody, facing housing foreclosure, or veterans facing a myriad of legal issues may not have the means or tools to navigate the court system and protect their legal rights without assistance,” said Justice Cheri Beasley, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina and Vice Chair of the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission. “Pro bono attorneys are a very important part of the solution.”

There is only one legal aid attorney for every 13,170 low-income people in North Carolina. There is one private attorney for every 562 North Carolinians. In 2014, lawyers across North Carolina gave more than 18,000 hours to help legal aid providers provide critical assistance to low-income North Carolinians struggling with civil legal problems ranging from domestic violence to foreclosure. The total value of the pro bono volunteer contributions exceeded $3.6 million in 2014.

The NC Equal Access to Justice Commission was established in November 2005 by order of the North Carolina Supreme Court and is chaired by Chief Justice Mark Martin. The mission of the Commission is to expand access to civil legal representation for people of low income and modest means across North Carolina.

National Pro Bono Week Celebration

MARK YOUR CALENDAR for October 30th:

Celebrating National Pro Bono Week with

The Second Chance Project CLEBarriers to gainful employment and safe housing face many North Carolina residents who have had contact with the criminal justice system. Approximately one in five North Carolinians have a criminal record, including dismissed charges which remain on an individual’s record unless eligible for expungement. The GBA signature pro bono initiative is set to kick-off this month in which bar members will assist Legal Aid clients currently living in low-income households who are eligible for an expunction and/or Certificate of Relief in Guilford County. All GBA members, irrespective of prior experience in this area of law, are invited to participate. A 3-hour CLE training (pending CLE approval) is scheduled for Friday, October 30th, from 8:30 – 11:45 a.m. at Smith Moore Leatherwood, 300 N. Greene St., Suite 1400. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. The CLE is free to those accepting a case.The program will examine the statutory requirements that must be met in order to qualify for a Certificate of Relief and the different types of expungements, as well as discuss the open questions of law. Also, you will learn the best practices in assessing and advising clients who are currently encountering collateral consequences as well as an overview of the other potential legal remedies including Title VII, Title VIII and Fair Credit Reporting Act claims. If you have questions, please contact Lora Howard at lhoward@spanglerestateplanning.com. To register for the CLE training, please contact bar administrator Diane Lowe at 378-0300 or jd18gba@greensborobar.org.

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GBA Members Show Up To Help Judge Fox

At the GBA Monthly Meeting on September 17, 2015 the Health and Wellness Committee held a Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive in conjunction with Delete Blood Cancer DKMS, which is the world’s largest bone marrow donor center. The Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive was conducted to show GBA’s support of Superior Court Judge Carl Fox, who is in need of a bone marrow transplant. GBA registered more than 30 individuals and collected more than $500.00 in donations which helps off-set the costs incurred by Delete Blood Cancer DKMS to register potential donors.

Bone marrow transplants are used as treatment for over 70 different illnesses, including blood cancer. Every four minutes an American is diagnosed with a blood cancer and every ten minutes an American is lost to a blood cancer. Blood cancer is a malignancy that attacks the blood, bone marrow, or lymphatic system. When conventional treatments don’t work, the only hope is a bone marrow transplant. Only thirty percent of all patients who are in need of bone marrow are able to find a compatible bone marrow match in their family. When a patient cannot find a match within their family, they turn to the National Bone Marrow Registry. Six out

of ten patients who are in need of bone marrow do not receive a transplant. Delete Blood Cancer DKMS has registered more than five million potential donors, of which less than 50,000 have been found to be a match and called upon to donate their blood marrow.

Generally, new registrants must (a) be between the ages of 18 and 55, (b) be in good health, (c) have a body mass index of 40 or less, (d) be willing to donate to any patient in need, (e) live in the United States, and (f) not have any of the medically disqualifying factors, such as HIV, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, epilepsy, or history of cancer to name a few. To register, an individual will provide a cheek cell sample by swabbing the inside of his or her cheek after rinsing with water.

The GBA Health and Wellness Committee would like to thank Committee co-chairs Lisa Arthur and Martha Peddrick for their leadership in this endeavor, as well as registry drive volunteers Adam Arthur, Janet Ward Black, Gerard Davidson, Afi Johnson-Parris, Megan Kunz, and Manisha Patel for their hard work in making the Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive a success.

GBA members work to get swabs completed in order to help Judge Fox.

The Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournaments has multiple ways that legal professionals can get involved with their local middle schools. However, we would like to ask you for help in the following ways.

A legal professional can assist a mock trial team as an Attorney Advisor – working with the teacher and students directly and through e-mail to help them prepare for the trial. We have also started a combined virtual and/or in person advising program where legal professionals can arrange a couple of visits with the team and then be available for questions and comments via the computer and smart phone videos, and then meet with the students a time or two before they compete.

Another way of participating would be helping on the day of regional tournaments as a scoring or presiding judge.

If you would like additional information please contact Diane Wright dwright@ncbar.org or JoAnn Petilli jpetilli@ncbar.org.

2015-16 Program information

MS Mock Trial Regional Tournaments

Teams will be competing at several courthouses around the state

on Friday, December 11, 2015* *Location determined by concentration of teams.

MS Mock Trial State Tournament will be competing in Durham

on Saturday, January 9, 2016

NCBA Law-Related Education Middle School Mock Trial

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In Memoriam, L. Worth Holleman, Jr.

It is with great sadness that our Carruthers & Roth team announces the loss of our friend and colleague L. Worth Holleman, Jr., who passed away recently after a brief illness.

Worth was a director and shareholder at Carruthers & Roth and a consummate professional who had built a highly successful commercial real estate practice. He was as comfortable working with large developers on multimillion dollar land deals as he was working with small business owners negotiating new office space. He also never met a stranger.

“It seemed that Worth knew almost everyone in town and everyone was his best friend,” says Scott Dillon, managing director at Carruthers & Roth. “He had a great sense of humor and a laugh we will never forget. He was a treasured friend and colleague and an immeasurable asset to our firm and our clients. We will all miss him.”

A native of Pittsboro, N.C., Worth earned both a B.S. in Business Administration and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). He was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1974 and to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar in 1980. He was a member of the Greensboro Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He also was Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated – a testament to his high ethical standards and professional ability.

Worth was involved in a wide range of professional, civic and charitable organizations. He was a member of the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition, a board member and past chair of the Guilford Merchants Association, and a board member and past chair of FirstPoint Inc. He previously served on the Greensboro War Memorial Coliseum Commission, Central YMCA Board of Management, Greensboro Transit Authority Board of Directors, and Greensboro Zoning Commission, for which he served as vice chair.

Worth devoted his time and talents to his beloved alma mater by serving on both the UNC-CH Board of Visitors and the UNC-CH Parents Council. Worth was actively involved in the Greensboro Sports Council and recently served as chair of the 2014 Haeco Invitational Tournament. He also participated in Operation Smile Carolinas. He was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, where he has served as a chalice bearer, lay reader and usher.

Worth is survived by his wife, three children, son-in-law and granddaughter, as well as by many devoted friends who helped the family care for him during his illness.

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Pro Bono service is not just a moral imperative, it’s a professional one too. The Preamble to the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct give us this charge:

A lawyer should be mindful of deficiencies in the administration of justice and of the fact that the poor, and sometimes persons who are not poor, cannot afford adequate legal assistance. Therefore, all lawyers should devote professional time and resources and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who, because of economic or social barriers, cannot afford or secure adequate legal counsel.

It’s a powerful thing to take your knowledge and turn it into something positive to change someone’s life. Pro bono helped me see the good I could do with my legal training and gave me good reason to hang in there until I found my niche. I assure you, pro bono work is invigorating and can remind you why you do what you do and what’s good about being a lawyer. I’m so grateful that pro bono work showed me the good in being a lawyer and essentially saved my legal career. Give it a try. It just might do the same for you.

Afi Johnson-Parris ajp@wardblacklaw.com practices Family Law and Veterans Disability with Ward Black Law

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Continued from page 1

L. Worth Holleman, Jr.

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Smith Moore Leatherwood is pleased to announce that Carrie A. Hanger has been selected by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce for participation in Leadership Greensboro 2016.

Leadership Greensboro is one of the most successful community leadership programs in the country. Since its inception, more than 1,500 members have actively participated in this dynamic initiative of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Participation in the program puts candidates in a group of well networked individuals within the community representing business, education, government and community organizations, all working together to preserve and strengthen the foundation of Greensboro’s future.

Hanger is a healthcare and biosciences attorney, with a specific focus on the needs of healthcare providers and entities engaged in clinical and pre-clinical research throughout the U.S. She is also an active litigator, representing clients before state and federal courts as well as in administrative proceedings and arbitration. She maintains an active role in pro bono work and in her community, regularly advocating on behalf of abused, neglected, and dependent children before North Carolina’s appellate courts as a guardian ad litem appellate advocate. She is on the board of directors for Bell House and is a member on the steering committee of the Future Fund. Hanger is a graduate of Davidson College and Wake Forest University School of Law.

Smith Moore Leatherwood is pleased to announce the addition of Ellis Martin to the firm’s Health Care and Litigation Groups in the firm’s Greensboro office.

Martin received his law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he served as Articles & Notes Editor of the North Carolina Banking Institute Journal and as treasurer of the Carolina Health Law

Organization. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Davidson College, where he was a Marshall Scholar Recipient and a Patrick Beaver Scholarship Recipient. He was also a member of the Davidson College football team.

Ellis Martin

NEW ASSSOCIATE JOINS SMITH MOORE LEATHERWOOD

David Brown, a partner in the Greensboro office of Goldberg Segalla, was honored in the category of insurance law by The Best Lawyers in Amercia magazine. Additionally, Mr. Brown’s firm was recently recognized for the third consecutive year by Intelligent Insurer as one of the best law firms in the world serving the insurance and reinsurance community.

David Brown

GOLDBERG SEGALLA’S BROWN NAMED BEST LAWYER

Smith Moore Leatherwood’s Hanger Selected for Greensboro Leadership Program

Carrie A. Hanger

Civil & Criminal ActionsSpecial Master in the North Carolina Business CourtShareholder DisputesComplex DivorcesBankruptcy Trustee SupportCorporate Internal Investigations

Financial Investigation Professionals

�e Davis Forensic Group provides financialinvestigation support to attorneys and their clients.

SPECIALTIES:

WWW.DAVISFORENSIC.COMGREENSBORO // NEW YORK

Bert Davis Jr., CPA, CFE, CFF e: bdavis@davisforensic.comp: (336) 543-3099

September Members Meeting Highlights

Jim Bryan is recognized by current president Afi Johnson-Parris for his dedicated service and commitment to GBA during his presidency in 2014-15.

The Honorable Patrice Hinnant greets Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott, the featured speaker at the September 17 member meeting

GREENSBORO BAR ASSOCIATION 18th JUDICIAL DISTRICT BAR 122 North Elm Street, Suite 805

Mail: Post Office Box 1825 Greensboro, NC 27402

Email: jd18gba@greensborobar.org Phone: 336.378.0300 FAX: 336.378.0688 Website: www.greensborobar.org