Announcing Slate of Nominees for Officer & Director 2021-22
The following members have been nominated to serve as officers of the Greensboro Bar Association for June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022:
GBA President Elect (24th JD VP): Judge Marcus A. Shields
GBA/24th JD Secretary: Molly A. Hilburn-Holte
GBA/24th JD Treasurer: Davis McDonald
The following members have been nominated to serve as directors of the Greensboro Bar Association for a 3-year term starting June 1, 2021 and ending in May 31, 2024:
Judge K. Michelle Fletcher
Manisha P. Patel
L. Nicole Patino
The following member has been nominated to serve as a director for 1-year term starting June 1, 2021 and ending in May 31, 2022 (filling the unexpired term of Judge Shields):
Jennifer Gibert Mencarini
The nominations were submitted by the 2020-21 Nominating Committee:
Eric Richardson (Chair), Lisa Arthur, Jim Bryan, Mark Gaylord, Molly Hilburn-Holte, Sarah Roane, Karen McKeithen Schaede, Grant Sigmon, Judge Teresa Vincent, and Gerald Walden
Voting will take place at the Annual Joint Meeting of the Greensboro Bar Association and the 24th Judicial District Bar on April 15, 2021 via Zoom.
Judge Marcus A. Shields
Judge Shields is a native of Sumter, South Carolina. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology from The University of South Carolina-Columbia and his Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University, School of Law in Durham, North Carolina. Marcus is licensed to practice law in all State and Federal Courts in North Carolina.
Marcus began his career in private practice handling civil, juvenile, and criminal matters in both the Triangle and Eastern North Carolina. He practiced as a Post-Conviction Attorney with North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2013, Marcus joined the Guilford County Public Defender’s Office where he practiced in both District and Superior Court up until his appointment as a District Court Judge by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in May of 2018. Marcus was elected to the district court in 2020. Marcus presides in all of the district courts in Greensboro and High Point. He is the assigned recovery court judge for Greensboro’s Adult Mental Health Court and Greensboro and High Point Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts.
Off the bench, Marcus is active in his community. He serves on the Greensboro Bar Association’s Board of Directors; he is former President of the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers; he is a member of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers; he is a member of the Guilford Inn of Court, and a host of other civic organizations. He is a former adjunct law professor at Elon University, School of Law.
Judge K. Michelle Fletcher
Judge Fletcher is a native of Greensboro and graduated from Northwest Senior High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UNCG. She began law school in 1992 and received her Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central School of Law in May 1995.
Michelle served Guilford County as an Assistant District Attorney before being appointed by Governor Easley in 2008 as a District Court Judge. She has presided over each of the various district courts including, but not limited to, criminal, family law, juvenile delinquency, juvenile abuse/neglect/dependency, contract disputes, domestic violence orders of protection, and landlord-tenant disputes. Michelle received her certification in Juvenile Law in 2010. She was appointed by the Chief District Court Judge as the lead juvenile judge for DSS Court until she was appointed to serve (and currently serves) as the lead judge for the Guilford County civil courts. She also currently serves as the presiding judge for the High Point Mental Health and Drug Treatment Courts.
Judge Fletcher continues to serve the community by being active with several local organizations.
Michelle is married to Ken Free and they have one child, Trey, who is 15 years old.
L. Nicole Patino
Nicole Patino is a zealous advocate for her clients. She loves the practice of Labor and Employment Law and considers herself lucky each day she gets to practice.
Nicole completed her undergraduate and graduate work (M.A. in English) at Virginia Tech University. She graduated from Elon University School of Law where she was a staff member of the Elon Law Review in 2013-2014 and became Notes and Comments Editor during the 2014-2015 school year. Nicole was a law clerk with the Law Offices of Fred T. Hamlet during her second and third year in law school. She continued her legal career as an associate with Law Offices of Fred T. Hamlet for five years until Mr. Hamlet’s death. Her goal is to honor his memory and work with the same dedication and devotion to the ethical practice of law.
Jennifer Gibert Mencarini
Jennifer Mencarini is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Emory University School of Law. She also has a Master’s degree from Southern Methodist University. Before coming to Greensboro, Jennifer practiced law for 11 years in Dallas, TX where she primarily represented health care providers who had been sued for malpractice.
Jennifer’s current work at Elon University School of Law focuses on providing professional development and support services to students and graduates. In addition to providing 1:1 career coaching, she teaches professional development in the Lawyering, Leadership & Professionalism Program, manages Elon Law’s pro bono program, serves as an adjunct faculty member, and coaches graduates studying for the bar examination.
Jennifer is an active member of local organizations including the Women’s Professional Forum, the GBA, and the United Way of Greater Greensboro’s Education and Economic Impact Council. She serves on two North Carolina Bar Association Committees (including as a Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee).
Manisha P. Patel
Manisha Patel is a family law attorney representing clients in various stages of their domestic law matters. She began her legal career practicing with a private law firm before opening the doors to her solo practice in November 2018. A Virginia native, Manisha graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with Bachelor’s degrees in both economics and history. While enrolled in Virginia Tech, she received recognition at both the state and national levels for distinguished service in student affairs and on-campus student government.
Manisha earned her JD from Elon University School of Law, where she was the Vice President of the Women’s Law Association and member of Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. She identified family law as an area of interest early in her first year of law school and has since dedicated her practice to offer compassion, dedication, and zealous legal support to individuals in emotionally trying seasons of life.
In her free time, Manisha enjoys Burn Boot Camp, running, & has completed ten half marathons and a number of smaller races throughout the country and Canada. She is also enthusiastic about her Virginia Tech Hokies and loves spending time with her adopted rescue dog and firm mascot, Rusty M. Patel.
