RBH Races for the Cure. ABA YLD Conference Here a Huge Success

November 2007 Volume 34 No. 5 From the President Bob Stephens, MCB President WANTED: District Court Judges Many of you know firsthand how swamped our courtrooms are and so does the North Carolina State Legislature. In August, our General Assembly created six new district court judicial positions across the state effective January 1, 2008. Mecklenburg County received one of those six newly created seats for 2008. Additionally, Mecklenburg County will receive another district court seat effective January 2009. This is excellent news. The timing to fill the new district court judge position in Mecklenburg County will be determined by Governor Mike Easley, but it may be soon. Mr. Ruffin Poole, executive counsel for Governor Easley, has asked for our help to get the word out. In the past, Mecklenburg has had a fair number of candidates express interest for judicial positions, but according to Mr. Poole, not as many as in other districts in North Carolina. So as Bar President, I have promised to help promote this new district court judge position so that we may present a high number of qualified candidates for consideration. Remember, this is a new position, and therefore the Bar does not vote on the candidates. Rather, those interested will go through a background check and interview. Then Governor Easley will appoint the final candidate. If you are interested, send your cover letter and résumé to Mr. Ruffin Poole or Mr. Reuben Young, who is also in the Governor s office, at 20301 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. Keep in mind that the timing of the interviews will be determined by Governor Easley. We will post more information on the Bar website, www.meckbar.org, as soon as we hear from the Governor s office. While we are on the topic of judges, I ve heard of lot of conversation about upcoming vacancies that might be created by resignations of district judges. I have just recently received copies of Judge Proctor s and Judge Howerton s resignation letters that were submitted to Governor Easley. Their resignations are effective as of January 1, 2008. The Bar has 30 days from the time of the actual date the resignation becomes effective to place the names of candidates on a ballot, receive votes back from Bar members, and send the names of the top three candidates to the Governor s office. The Governor then has 60 days to make his decision. Please look for information from the Bar about this process and the timing. So, yes, we do have openings for three judges in our district court. I hope you will carefully consider these openings or encourage someone you know to do so. Remember, one district judge position is a new position, and the continued on page 3 RBH Races for the Cure ABA YLD Conference Here a Huge Success The American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Fall Conference, held here October 4 6, went really well, according to Ward Davis, chair of the local host committee for the North Carolina Bar Association event. This was the first time that a national quarterly conference of the ABA was held in North Carolina. We think we had from 275 to 300 lawyers from all across the county here, said Davis. We had a number of CLEs [continuing legal education courses] on Friday and the traditional dinner dance. Ours was at Lowe s Motor Speedway and was a big hit. Another great success was the Wills for Heroes program held in conjunction with the ABA YLD conference in which attorneys prepared free wills for first responders, such as firefighters, police officers, DeMayo Law Firm Again Awarding Scholarships For the sixth consecutive year the DeMayo Law Offices will award ten $2,500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who reside and attend schools in counties served by the firm: Mecklenburg, Gaston, Catawba, Union, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Lincoln, Rowan, Caldwell, York, Stanly, and Iredell. Scholarships are awarded based on student responses to an essay on how to prevent underage drinking and driving as well as applications, SAT scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. To First-Year Associates Start at $130,000 Most Charlotte law firms are offering their firstyear associates a starting salary of $130,000 up 30 percent from a year earlier, according to an article by Will Boye in the Charlotte Business Journal. He quoted a survey conducted by the Association for Legal Career Professionals. The $130,000 figure was the median of 10 local offices of various sizes that reported salary by Robert P. Johnston Wills for Heroes volunteers, including local attorneys Kirk Bradley (second from the right) and Ward Davis (far right) and emergency medical technicians. We had 30 North Carolina attorneys many from Charlotte prepare over 200 wills at the Police Academy on Shopton Road between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Davis reported. qualify, students must have applied for full-time enrollment at a four-year university or college and return the application packet to the DeMayo firm by March 3, 2008. Interested students can download the application online at www.demayolaw.com. Attorneys, staff, and family members of Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson participated in the October 6 Race for the Cure to show their support of an attorney who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Pictured left to right: Elise Deal, Alice Adams, Billy Royal, Heidi Royal, Heyward Bouknight, Tom Montgomery, Caroline Montgomery, and Linda Montgomery. Scholarship provider DeMayo information to the organization. The median was also $130,000 for local firms with 251 or more lawyers. A year ago, firms of that size reported a median first-year salary of $115,000. Among those firms, the highest first-year salary reported this year was $145,000 up from $117,500 in 2006 and the lowest reported salary was $100,000, up from $95,000 a year earlier, Boye reported. November 2007 www.meckbar.org 1

ReelTime CLE: Ethical Dilemmas and Their Impact on Attorney Mental Health CLE Credit: 2.0 total (1.0 Mental Health/ Substance Abuse and 1.0 Ethics) Dates: Wednesday, November 14, 2007, and Wednesday, January 8, 2008 Time: Registration 12:30 p.m. Program 1:00 3:00 p.m. Locations: MCB Center, 438 Queens Rd. on Nov. 14, Outpost Building at Davidson College on Jan. 8 Fees: $120 attorney rate; $55 paralegal rate 7th Annual Banking and Finance Forum CLE Credit: 6.0 General Date: Friday, November 30, 2007 Program 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Location: Levine Museum of the New South, 200 E. 7th St. Fees: $260 attorney rate; $130 paralegal rate Lawyer Anxiety and Personality Disorders CLE Credit: 1.0 Mental Health/Substance Abuse Date: Thursday, December 6, 2007 Time: Registration 12:00 p.m. Program 12:30 1:30 p.m. Location: Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Avenue Fees: $75 attorney rate; $35 paralegal rate Firecracker Domestic Violence Training CLE Credit: 4.0 General Date: Friday, December 7, 2007 Program 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Fees: $120 attorney rate; $60 paralegal rate Conflicts Between Lawyers and Their Clients: Part I and II CLE Credit: 4.0 Ethics (2.0 Ethics Part I and 2.0 Ethics Part II) Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Part I and 12:30 p.m. Part II Program 9:00 11:00 a.m. Part I and 1:00 3:00 p.m. Part II Location: Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave. Fees: $180 attorney rate Part I and Part II or $110 when purchasing Part I or Part II separately; $90 paralegal rate Part I and Part II or $55 when purchasing Part I or Part II separately Live Programs 2008 Annual Review CLE Credit: 12.0 total (2.0 Ethics, 1.0 Mental Health/Substance Abuse, and 9.0 General), fulfilling one year of NCSBmandated CLE hours Dates: Friday, February 8, and Saturday, February 9, 2008 Times: Registration 8:30 a.m. Friday and 7:35 a.m. Saturday Program 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. on Saturday Location: Blake Hotel, 555 S. McDowell St. Fees: $545 attorney rate; $275 paralegal rate Survival Spanish for Legal Professionals CLE Credit: 3.0 General Date: Friday, January 11, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Location: Charlotte Chamber, Belk Action Center, 330 S. Tryon St. Fees: $175 attorney rate; $90 paralegal Ethics with Jim Blackburn CLE Credit: 3.0 total (2.0 Ethics and 1.0 Mental Health/Substance Abuse) Date: Friday, January 18, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Location: Charlotte Chamber, Belk Action Center, 330 S. Tryon St. Fees: $175 attorney rate; $85 paralegal rate Products Liability CLE Credit: 6.0 General Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Fees: $240 attorney rate; $120 paralegal rate DWI: The Next Generation CLE Credit: 7.0 General Date: Friday, January 25, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Fees: $275 attorney rate; $135 paralegal rate All Star Trial Advocacy 2008 CLE Credit: 6.0 total Date: Friday, February 22, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Charlotte Chamber, Belk Action Center, 330 S. Tryon St. Fees: $240 attorney rate; $120 paralegal rate Estate Planning Series CLE Credit: 1.0 hour each session Dates: Tuesday, January 29, 2008; Tuesday, February 5, 2008; Tuesday, February 12, 2008; and Tuesday, February 19, 2008 Time: Registration 7:30 a.m. Program 8:00 9:00 a.m. Fees: $210 attorney rate for all four or $60 single session; $100 paralegal rate for all four or $30 single session Administrative Law CLE Credit: 3.0 total (2.0 General and 1.0 Ethics) Date: February, 2008 Program: 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Fees: $135 attorney rate; $60 paralegal rate Civil Litigation Forum CLE Credit: 6.0 total (including 1.0 Ethics) Date: Friday, February 22, 2008 Program 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Location: Charlotte Chamber, Belk Action Center (tentative) Fees: $240 attorney rate; $120 paralegal rate Contempt of Court: A Lesson in Legal History CLE Credit: 1.0 Ethics Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008 Time: Registration 12:00 p.m. Program 12:30 1:30 p.m. Location: TBD Fees: $75 attorney rate; $45 paralegal rate Video Replays Online CLE Programs The Science of Addiction CLE Credit: 1.0 Mental Health/Substance Abuse Dates: Friday, November 16, 2007, from 12:00 1:00 p.m. and Friday, December 14, 2007, from 12:00 1:00 p.m. Time: Registration 15 minutes prior to replay Fees: $75 attorney rate; $35 paralegal rate The Ethical Fallout from State Bar v. Nifong CLE Credit: 2.0 Ethics Dates: Wednesday, November 28, 2007, from 9:00 11:00 a.m.; Wednesday, December 5, 2007, from 9:00 11:00 a.m.; and Wednesday, December 19, 2007, from 9:00 11:00 a.m. Time: Registration 15 minutes prior to replay Fees: $110 attorney rate; $55 paralegal rate Online CLE programs at www.meckbar.org On demand, available 24 hours NC State Bar allows up to 4 hours of online courses annually Customer service line 800/590-6867 MCB endorses only Education Over the Net as our online hosting service 2 www.meckbar.org November 2007

Courthouse 101 Not For Dummies BY NANCY M. ROBERSON, MCB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Mecklenburg County Bar (MCB) continuing legal education (CLE) session titled Courthouse 101 was offered the morning of the swearing-in ceremony on September 27. More than 100 lawyers many of whom recently passed the Bar exam received firsthand knowledge from court personnel in courtroom 6370. Those who attended received some tips from Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Robert P. Johnston, Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases Albert Diaz, Clerk of Superior Court s Office Dennis Lively, Trial Court Administrator Todd Nuccio, Community Access and Outreach Administrator Charles Keller Jr., Deputy District Attorney Bart Menser, and MCB President Bob Stephens. These individuals provided sage advice, a great overview of the Court s administrative structure, tips for survival in the courtroom, what you need to know to succeed when interacting with court personnel, and the importance of civility in the practice. Several not-so-new attorneys attended the CLE and the subsequent tour of the Courthouse. Many of them shared that this was much more than a simple overview, they learned a great deal, and they were glad they attended. Here are some examples of words of wisdom that were shared: When addressing the court, always stand up. You would be surprised how many new attorneys do not know this simple fact of court etiquette. CLE Brought to You Your Bar can bring continuing legal education programs right to your office! All you need for this convenience is to have at least five attendees and notify us 30 days in advance of your desired replay date. Please call Lisa or Jennifer for details at 704/375-8624. EDITORIAL POLICY The Mecklenburg Bar News accepts editorial and advertising material of general legal interest to the practicing Bar of the 26th Judicial District. The implicit purposes of the newsletter, website, and related methods of communication are to educate members of the Mecklenburg County Bar and to create and maintain shared communication with its members. The Communications Committee reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit all material. DISCLAIMER Efforts will be made to provide information of interest that is timely, accurate, and relevant to the legal community. The Mecklenburg County Bar is not responsible for misprints, typographical errors, or misinformation in The Mecklenburg Bar News. The views and opinions are not necessarily those of the 26th Judicial District Bar. Communications Committee: John Lassiter, Chair, Judge Bob Johnston, Corby Anderson, Mike Daisley, Tricia Derr, Alan Edmonds, Will Esser, Jon Goldberg, Allison Karp, Charles Keller, Jeff King, Yvonne Levine, Valerie Munei, Nancy Roberson, Michael Shor Court attire is not business casual wear a suit (and tie for the men). If you appear in a courtroom without appropriate attire, the judge will remember you, and you may be sent home to dress. An attitude that is not civil will be noticed. Be professional and cordial toward judges, other lawyers and court reporters, bailiffs, and clients. Your reputation is an easy thing to lose it only takes one misstep to damage and a long time to build. The grapevine at the Courthouse is alive and well. And the more outrageous your behavior, the faster the news travels. Communicate with your client. The number one reason a client files a grievance against his or her attorney is due to a lack of communication. Do not collect payment from your client in the hallway of the Courthouse. That s tacky. Do not be late for court, be early. You ll be surprised at how much business you may be able to conduct if you come a few minutes early. Remember why you chose this profession. Keep your life balanced. At the end of your career, will you really wish you had worked more hours? If you get a chance to attend this CLE in the future, you will benefit from an excellent overview of the structure of the courts and meet many of the court personnel who can make your lives as lawyers much easier. From the President cont d from page 1 candidate will be a direct appointment from the Governor. Candidates need to submit a résumé to the Governor s office and participate in an interview process. Two positions are due to resignations, and they will involve a Bar ballot. We will proceed with the gathering of nominee names soon. Look for more information in our weekly Bar Blasts and on the Bar s website. Please consider carefully whether being a judge is a position that might interest you. Our legal system depends on good lawyers becoming good judges. Right Time continued from cover has moved off of the legal career track, he admits that he does not know what may happen next in his career. As a result Green says, I only focus on doing this job well. His behind-the-scenes job keeps the school district s business operations on track so educators can do their jobs. However, he has been deliberately more visible and accessible while also trying to raise the level of performance in all aspects of the business operations, including budgeting, deploying human resources, and ensuring the hardware of education buses, books, and buildings are in place for quality instruction. Though he places no special weight on being the senior African-American in CMS management any more than he did as a partner in a large law firm, Green noted, people will see who I am and the way I carry myself. Importantly, the schools are measured by the academic performance of all children, including many African-American children as well as children on free and reduced lunch, and I want to see all these children advance. Clearly, this is a goal embraced by the entire community, and our Bar is honored to have one of us serving in such an important role. Are You Prepared? BY JOHN LASSITER Monday morning, listening to the radio and heading to the office, is a routine most folks in the legal community accept as status quo. But what would you do if upon arrival you learned that your building will be closed for a week due to a water line break that faulted the main electrical systems and incapacitated your phones and computer network as well as prevented easy access to critical files? The possibility is real without a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or citywide power failure. For the tenants of the Charlotte Plaza, many of which are law firms, title companies, and other service providers, the hard reality immediately tested disaster recovery plans, redundant systems, and agility to react to the crisis. Experts can walk your firm or practice through a more comprehensive review of your readiness, but this article is a quick reminder to think through what you might have to do, fast, to continue to serve your clients in the event your building is shut down. It could affect you whether you own or lease, are in a tower or condo, and practice in a large firm or as a sole practitioner. 1. Do you have redundant systems? Most large law firms have off-site servers, but small-tomedium firms rely on servers and networks in their physical space. 2. Can you move your network servers and establish remote access for your users? 3. Who handles your technology issues and can you reach them after hours? 4. Can you reroute your phones and provide a way for your clients to reach you? Some phone services can provide external voicemail systems, or you can direct your calls to a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) that might provide access. 5. Are critical files paper and electronic backed up and accessible remotely? With no power to a building, the fire marshal prevents access except for emergency issues. An upset client is not one of those emergencies. 6. Do you have electronic copies of all calendars, contacts, and access codes you may need for a week or more? Payroll, bank deposits, and accounting responsibilities often continue despite the crisis. 7. Can you access a voice conferencing system in the event you need to communicate with groups of lawyers, staff, or clients? 8. Is someone in your firm or company responsible for leading your disaster response efforts and do they know it? 9. Do you have business interruption insurance as a part of your general liability policy? These are not all of the questions or a comprehensive plan, but 47 tenants and several hundred people were not allowed to conduct business in their offices without access to many of their systems for seven days. Some of them were prepared, some of them were not. Are you? November 2007 www.meckbar.org 3

2007 MCB Annual Golf Tournament BY BRYAN W. STONE, CO-CHAIR, SOCIAL SPORTS COMMITTEE MCB members enjoy our annual golf tournament Bumble bees and soaring sunbeams, Bouncing birdies and golfers gleams. Mother Nature revealed a picture-perfect day for the 20th Annual MCB Golf Tournament. Under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s, this year s tournament was held again at Carolina Golf Club. Our members made good use of the muchneeded break from the record-breaking heat of summer by participating in near record numbers. We had a packed field of 80 players. A shiny, new 2008 Mercedes-Benz C Class, courtesy of Felix Sabates and Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte, was up for grabs to the lucky player who hit a hole-in-one on Hole 9. Despite some close calls, no one experienced the elation of driving home a new car that night. Volunteers Needed for the Custody Advocate Program On Friday, December 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Council for Children s Rights will be sponsoring a training seminar for attorneys and paralegals who are interested in representing children as Guardians Ad Litem and Custody Advocates in some of the toughest, high-conflict, contested custody and visitation disputes. Program participants will receive training on the Council for Children s Rights guidelines for representing children, the Local Rules, After the round, tired players devoured a hearty buffet featuring fried chicken and barbecue with fevered appreciation as awards were presented to the following winners: First-place foursome: Bryan Foster, Joel Milne, Richard Falls, and Edwin Ham (who each received a $100 gift certificate to Edwin Watts Golf on South Boulevard). Second-place foursome: Mark Kutny, George Sistrunk, David Strickland, and Mickey Aberman (who each received a $50 gift certificate to Edwin Watts Golf). Closest-to-the-Pin: David Strickland (who was awarded a putter from Edwin Watts Golf). We owe a big thank-you to our sponsors: Industry-Exclusive Sponsor Ivize Legal Document Services and Major Sponsor Huseby Worldwide Litigation Support. We would also like to thank LandAmerica/Lawyers Title and Crowne Plaza Charlotte, who provided soft drinks and bottled water both on- and off-course. Fore the Links donated a gift certificate that was raffled off during the tournament. Our biggest thanks, however, go to all participants for making this one of the most successful MCB golf tournaments to date. divorce and its effects on children, child development, interviewing, facilitation and negotiation with parents and their attorneys, as well as expectations outlined by the members of the local domestic Bar and bench. Pro bono attorneys will receive 6.25 hours of general continuing legal education credit. E-mail volunteer@cfcr.org or Jen at VLP@meckbar.org to learn more and sign up. YLS Update BY BENJAMIN F. SIDBURY, CHAIR, YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION Fall 2007 Swearing In On September 27, 2007, the Mecklenburg County Bar held the fall swearing-in ceremony at First Presbyterian Church in which 172 new lawyers were admitted to the North Carolina Bar. (To see the list of the newly barred, see page 6.) The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) of the Mecklenburg County Bar helped to coordinate the event. Special thanks go to YLS Swearing-In Co-Chairs Eric Trosch and Jason James. The YLS also wishes to thank Sections Liaison Amy Young for her invaluable help in making the swearing-in ceremony a success. Holiday Sponsorships with DSS The YLS is sponsoring several upcoming community service initiatives. First, YLS is partnering with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to sponsor families in Mecklenburg County who are in need through the Thanksgiving Sponsorship Program. DSS will match each sponsor with a local family in need, and the sponsor will deliver to the family the ingredients necessary for a Thanksgiving meal. If you or groups from your firm/company are interested in helping a family at Thanksgiving, please contact Tara Harris at tara.harris@specialcounsel.com or 704/338-9200. The deadline for submitting a sponsorship form to DSS is November 9. Similarly, YLS will be working with DSS during the winter holidays to participate in the Holiday Sponsorship Program, which involves providing a holiday meal to a family and a gift or toy to each member of that family. Please contact Tara Harris to participate in this program as the deadline for submitting a sponsorship form to DSS is December 3. Last but certainly not least the YLS is again participating in the ever-popular holiday Giving Tree through DSS. Last year, attorneys and staff members at law firms and corporations here in Mecklenburg County provided unwrapped gifts to more than 420 children, men, and women who may not have otherwise received a gift during the holiday season. This year, we hope to exceed that number. Please contact Tara Harris to coordinate your office s participation in this program. Many thanks to Tara Harris, chair of the Community Service Committee, for organizing these events. If you are interested in volunteering for our community service committee, please contact Tara at Tara.Harris@specialcounsel.com. ABA YLD Reception The YLS also sponsored a portion of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division s quarterly meeting in Charlotte held October 4 6, 2007. The YLS sponsored a welcome reception on Thursday, October 4, at the Roof Garden at The Forum. 4 www.meckbar.org November 2007

Past Presidents Luncheon Many of the MCB and MBF past presidents celebrated the history of the Bar at the annual luncheon in their honor on October 4. In attendance were (left to right): in the back row, Lloyd Baucom, Judge Robert Johnston, Robert Henderson, John Golding, Russell Robinson, II, Edgar Love, James Cobb, and Hamlin Wade; in the middle row, George Hanna III, Sydnor Thompson, William Claytor, Ray Farris, E. Oswald Ayscue Jr., Anthony Lathrop, Ralph Kinsey, Dean Hamrick, Francis Pinckney, and Robert King; in the front row, Robert Stephens, David Henderson, and Benjamin Horack (who emceed and whose 90th birthday was also celebrated at the event); not pictured, Judge Nancy Norelli. by LawyerLife Resource Committee Atticus is on a break, but if you need some encouragement regarding your life as an attorney, please remember members of the LawyerLife Resource Committee are available to you. They are: Don Carroll 704/892-5699 nclap@bellsouth.net Kevin Davis 704/332-4588 kevindavis@carolina.rr.com Thomas Dickinson 704/376-3200 tdickinson@rdslaw.com Dr. G.H. Dornblazer 704/342-2577 Dr. Michael Hall 704/858-2984 careerenhance@carolina.rr.com Cheryl Isley 704/651-1212 cherylkisley@yahoo.com Michael Kahn 704/962-8023 Michael@reeltoreal.biz Amanda Mingo 704/376-3200 amingo@rdslaw.com Chris Osborn, Chair 704/377-2500 cosborn@horacktalley.com Dr. Joseph Parisi 704/362-1555 ext. 14 jp@drjoeparisi.com Sara Pressley 704/336-3370 Nancy Roberson 704/375-8624 nroberson@meckbar.org Cassandra Tydings 704/374-0646 ctydings@rinehartassociates.com Memorial Service for Samuel A. Wilson, III Thursday, November 29, 2007 1:30 p.m. Courtroom 5370 Mecklenburg County Courthouse 832 East Fourth Street W. David Thurman Presenter Hon. Richard D. Boner Presiding A. Ward McKeithen Henry N. Pharr II Memorial Committee Chairs Friends and colleagues are encouraged to attend and, if desired, say a few words in celebration of Mr. Wilson s life. That LRS... has been offered by the Mecklenburg County Bar since 1955? Did You Know? is one of the most visible programs the Bar offers to the public? handles on average 500 calls per month? attorneys earned over $250,000.00 in fees last fiscal year? Interested? Call Sally Larsen at 704/375-8624, ext. 115, to find out more about joining the Lawyer Referral Service. November 2007 www.meckbar.org 5

Record Number of Attorneys Sworn In Congratulations to the 172 new attorneys who were sworn in on September 27, 2007, at First Presbyterian Church! Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Robert P. Johnston presided over the state portion of the ceremony, and U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler presided over the federal portion of the ceremony. Benjamin F. Sidbury, Chair for the Young Lawyers Section, helped congratulate the newly sworn in. The Young Lawyers Section thanks Major Sponsor Laywers Mutual as well as Supporter Sponsors LexisNexis and Exact Business Solutions for their support. Please welcome the following attorneys to the North Carolina State Bar: Megan Adams School of Law Scott Adams Stiles, Byrum & Horne, LLP Colgate University West Virginia University College of Law Peter Adolf Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina Yale University University of California-Hastings College of Law Christopher Anderson College of William & Mary Syracuse University College of Law Michael Anderson Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP Davidson College Russell Andrew Johnston, Allison & Hord, PA College of Charleston John Ascenzo University of Virginia Villanova University School of Law Steven N. Baker Federal Clerks Office Brigham Young University Rochelle Nicole Bellamy Hedrick, Gardner, Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP University of North Carolina at Greensboro North Carolina Central University School of Law James Bennin Brigham Young University Brigham Young University Law School Kimberly Bierenbaum Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University George Mason School of Law Christina Bilzi Andresen & Associates Jason Ryan Binette University of New Hampshire Florida Coastal School of Law Diane Elizabeth Blackburn Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP Jeana Elizabeth Blackman KPMG, LLP Campbell University Regent University School of Law Ryan Blumel Washington State University Georgetown University Law School Roger Peter Bonenfant Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University Case Western Reserve University School of Law W. Leslie Boswell III College of William & Mary William & Mary School of Law Katie Marie Bowles West Virginia Wesleyan College Lauren Elizabeth Bowman Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP University of Miami School of Law Dustin Simpson Branham John M. Friguglietti, P.A. University of Kentucky Latoya Brown Micheal Butler Michael A. Cannon Roger Williams University School of Law Tanzania Cannon-Eckerie Indiana University at Indianapolis Southern Illinois University School of Law Gary Lee Capps Jr. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP Furman University Devlin Cary University of Oregon Case Western Reserve University School of Law Glen Cipriani West Virginia University Institute of Law University of Akron School of Law Neal Collins Morris York Williams Surles & Barringer, LLP Furman University Warren Cornelius DePaul University College of Law Colby Crabb University of South Carolina Mississippi College School of Law Kelia Eileen Cummins George Washington University New York University School of Law Rose Mary Deese Villanova University School of Law Eva DeGraw University of Wisconsin Boston University School of Law Sarah Lynne DiFranco Emory University Georgia State University College of Law Melissa Erin Dilks University of Miami New England School of Law Jessica Dixon American University Washington College of Law Jeremy Doerre Seton Hall University School of Law Amber Dorrell Morris York Williams Surles & Barringer, LLP Francis Marion University Stephanie Brooke Douglas Florida Coastal School of Law Gavin Dowell Bank of America Pomona College University of Chicago Law School Courtney Duncil Meredith College University of the District of Columbia School of Law Annette Ebright The Ohio State University Jonathan Eide Miami University Northwestern University School of Law Daniel Finegan Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. Hanover College Lauren Flatow University of Notre Dame School of Law Martin Flyke Poyner & Spruill, LLP University of Notre Dame Marquette University Law School Jeremy Foster Roanoke College University of Miami School of Law Ron Franklin Occidental College, University of Sussex University of Michigan Law School Inezmarie Graci State University of New York at Albany Touro Law Center Tonya Graser Hatcher Law Group West Virginia University Texas Tech University School of Law Jeffrey Gray University of Rochester Syracuse University College of Law Kimberly Ann Gray Clemson University Quinnipiac University School of Law Trenton Michael Grissom Morton & Gettys, LLC Mary Katherine Hackney Spence Hanemann Tulane University Boston College Law School Steven Hardgrave University of Arkansas Washington and Lee University School of Law Jessica Hardin Davidson College Trish Hardy North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University School of Law Elizabeth Harris The Bain Group, PLLC Campbell University School of Law Sherra Beth Harrison Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP Furman University Vida Harvey Harvard University Robert Hayes University of Dayton The Ohio State University Law School James Heidenreich Jonathan Lems Hoff Harvard University University of Texas School of Law Benjamin Hogan Army JAG Corps Georgetown University Tulane University Law School Anna Holloway Hedrick, Gardner, Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP Agnes Scott College James Holmes Culp Elliot & Carpenter, PLLC Tulane University Law School Mark Hoseman Carly Howard College of Charleston University of Miami School of Law Henry Howes Jr. Kilpatrick Stockton LLP University of Tennessee College of Law Michael Hummel McAngus, Goudelock & Courie, LLC University of Georgia Banks Huntley College of Charleston Campbell University School of Law Preston Hurrell Kilpatrick Stockton LLP Nebraska Wesleyan University Jennifer Hutchens School of Law Henry Jay Legal Aid of North Carolina Robert Jenkins University of Utah Georgetown University Law School Jamie Lynn Johnson Slippery Rock University The Ohio State University Law School Erin Jones Salem College West Virginia University College of Law William Karim Trinity College The Ohio State University Law School Christian Parks Kennerly Davidson College David Kimball Furman University Brian Koontz Judge Albert Diaz, NC Business Court Wheaton College Michael Lacke College of Charleston Derrick Matthew Land University of Michigan Tulane University Law School John Langston IV University of Georgia West Virginia University College of Law Allyson Lawless Lia Lesner University of Michigan Anna Lester Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University Florida Coastal School of Law Charles Leyes Clemson University University of Georgia School of Law Ryan Logan Hunton & Williams Stanford University Jefferson Mabrito Southern Methodist University University of Texas School of Law Neil Maddux Princeton University Miguel Manna Alan Gordon Immigration Law School of Law at St. Mary s University Carrie Mansfield Florida State University Florida Coastal School of Law Emily Mason Army JAG Corps University of Florida University of Florida College of Law Brian McCully Pennsylvania State University Duquesne University Law School Molly Leigh McIntosh Dartmouth College School of Law Scott Miller Johnston, Allison & Hord, PA Princeton University William Miller David Pipes Milling Jr. Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC New York University Tulane University Law School Carrie Miranda Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools California State University Chapman School of Law Wesley Misson The Ohio State University Law School Matthew Mitchell Stefanie Moody University of Georgia Chara Moore University of Virginia William & Mary School of Law Bobby Ray Mosely Jr. Western Carolina University North Carolina Central University School of Law Alexandra Virgil Muntean Widener University Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University Law Tiffany Nevel Gettysburg College Case Western Reserve University School of Law My Trung Ngo Kilpatrick Stockton LLP East Carolina University 6 www.meckbar.org November 2007

Justin Robert Nifong Patent Approaches, LLC Anna Nisbet John Nixon Wake Forest University University of Tennessee College of Law Gertrude Opoku-Mensah Central Piedmont Community College University of Illinois Thomas M. Cooley Law School Kristin Packard McAngus, Goudelock & Courie, LLC University of North Carolina at Wilmington Campbell University School of Law Mudit Patel Christian Lee Perrin Culp Elliott & Carpenter, PLLC Louisiana State University University of Georgia School of Law Benjamin Pickett Shalanna Pirtle Indiana University University of Georgia School of Law Jon Stephen Player Hedrick, Gardner, Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP University of Richmond School of Law Nathaniel Quirk University of Florida University of Florida College of Law Robert Gerard Qulia Commercial Credit Group, Inc. State University of New York at Fredonia Quinnipiac University School of Law Christopher Raab Caudle & Spears, PA Bob Jones University School of Law Sarah Reid West Virginia University Appalachian School of Law Ryan Rich Hunton & Williams Messiah College Courtney Ritchie University of North Carolina at Greensboro Daniel Lee Rikard Polymer Group, Inc. Davidson College University of Pennsylvania Law School Morgan Rogers Wake Forest University Patrick Rogers Gregory Ruback Babson College Fordham University Law School Makila Sands Georgetown University Andrew Scales Charleston School of Law Natalie Scurry US Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Georgia Harvard Law School Michael Shaffer Jr. Cornell University Anup Shah Sarah Sheridan University of Southern California Emory University School of Law Jessica Sibley Amanda Kay Sifford Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog, LLP University of Evansville Bonnie Beth Silcox Elon University University of Richmond School of Law Jasmine Singh Florida State University College of Law Julia Singh School of Law R. Colby Slaughter Brigham Young University William Smith Jr. Winston Salem State University North Carolina Central University William Snyder Jr. University of South Carolina Nathan Walter Spanheimer University of Iowa College of Law Michael Spicer Case Western Reserve University School of Law Katherine Stafford Porter & Schwartz, PA Campbell University School of Law Meredith Stone Georgetown University Law School Jason Stratmoen Carleton College Taylor Stukes Nexsen Pruet Adams Kleemeier, PLLC Jordan Sykes Princeton University Kimberly Tacy Florida State University Anthony Taylor Clemson University Sheila Tegomoh University of Minnesota University of St. Thomas School of Law Glenn Thompson Hamilton Moon Stephens Steele & Martin, PLLC Wake Forest University Washington & Lee University School of Law Leah Monique Thompson State University of New York at Buffalo North Carolina Central University School of Law Keith Tinneny Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Matthew Underwood Michigan State University University of Toledo College of Law Lauren Vaughn Horack Talley PA University of South Carolina Sara Ventura Clemson University William & Mary School of Law Daniel Visalli The Law Offices of Swindell & Jones College of the Holy Cross Northeastern University School of Law Denis Volkov McNair Law Firm, PA Guilford College University of Minnesota School of Law Daniel Vorhaus Harvard Law School Leslie Wagstaff Emory University School of Law Caroline Wainright School of Law John Albert Walker III Hunton & Williams Stanford University George Washington University Law School Sarah Wallace Louisiana State University Matthew Weiner Kathleen Wendell Ohio University University of Toledo College of Law Derek Wisniewski University of Dayton School of Law Richard Worf Jr. Harvard University Yale Law School Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Sign Up for the MCB Holiday Party! Schedule some fun, camaraderie, music, and great food with your fellow attorneys. Join us at the MCB Holiday Party on December 12! When: 6:00 8:00 p.m. Where: Byron s South End, 101 W. Worthington Ave. (lots of free parking available) Cost: $20 (includes two drink tickets and heavy appetizers) Registration: Please use the registration form to the right. Deadline is December 5, 2007. More Information: Please contact Leah Reed (lreed@meckbar.org or 704/375-8624, ext. 114). 2007 MCB Holiday Party Registration Form Name Firm name Address E-mail Phone Fax I m enclosing a check payable to Mecklenburg County Bar TOTALING: (Cost is $20 per person) Please mail your registration form and check by 12/5/2007 to MCB Holiday Party, 438 Queens Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28207 November 2007 www.meckbar.org 7

In This Issue Right Time, Right Client...cover From the President...1 Lawyers in the News...1 CLE Courses...2 Courthouse 101 Not For Dummies...3 Are You Prepared?...3 2007 MCB Golf Tournament...4 Volunteers Needed for Custody Advocate Program...4 YLS Update...4 Past Presidents Luncheon...5 Memorial for Samuel A. Wilson, III...5 Atticus Answers...5 Fall 2007 Swearing-In Ceremony...6 MCB Holiday Party...7 MECKLENBURG COUNTY BAR 438 Queens Road Charlotte, NC 28207 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHARLOTTE, NC PERMIT NO. 3337 DATED MATERIAL November 2007 Volume 34 No. 5 Right Time, Right Client BY JOHN LASSITER At first glance, one would have assumed Maurice Mo Green had it all. He had served as a law clerk for two federal judges, including former United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Nathaniel Jones, who has been recognized as one of the finest jurists not only in his home state of Ohio but by The American Lawyer with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He had been named a litigation partner, the first African- American partner, at what is now Helms Mulliss and Wicker. He had married his college sweetheart at, and they were raising a family. Yet Green s deliberate and focused approach to decision making has taken him from a successful, big-firm practice to the General Counsel of the largest school district in North Carolina to the frontline management as Chief Operating Officer of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). There is little evidence that the nine year old known for wanting to debate everything could predict the role he plays today, but as he entered junior and senior high schools, he began to organize his life in Macon, Georgia, for a career in law by competing in oratory contests, joining newspaper and yearbook staffs, and participating in Georgia s Governor s Honors Program. He arrived at, double majored in political science and economics, headed straight to Duke Law School, where he graduated in 1991. He immediately started the first of his clerkships with United States Middle District Court Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr., and followed that with the clerkship with Judge Jones. Shortly after joining Smith Helms (now Helms Mulliss & Wicker), Green was asked to assist in a case for Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools involving an HIV-positive bus driver. The combined experience of litigation, employment law, and counseling a large complex client proved rewarding and professionally satisfying. Though he viewed himself a trial lawyer, his role was evolving as a counselor. When the call CMS COO Green came in late 2000 checking his interest in the general counsel role with CMS, it was the right time with the right client. Green says that he had an interest in wanting to do more for the community and become more involved and this is a client doing significant work to improve the lives of children. In that role, he appreciated how broad and dynamic the organization was, and he enjoyed the unique blend of legal, political, educational, and business issues. When Superintendent Peter Gorman arrived in 2006, Green was impressed by his deep interest in moving the organization forward, even though Green had only met him briefly when he interviewed for the position. Gorman approached him in a hotel lobby on the night he was formally appointed as superintendent by saying, I am about to ask you a question, and you are not going to know the answer. Uncharacteristically, Green was unprepared for the question: whether he was interested in leaving his legal position and joining Gorman on his senior management team. So he took an introspective look at his career path, talked to friends and colleagues, and checked out Pete Gorman. Even though he always thought his next career step might be as a judge or law professor, and even though he knew that he could always return to the practice of law, Green saw that the chief operating officer role could put him in a position to make positive things happen for children and the community. He has made the transition by attacking the learning curve of senior management and approaching each day knowing that the opportunities will be interesting and varied. Given that he continued on page 3 November 2007 www.meckbar.org