Newsletter – Page 36 – Greensboro Bar Association

Message from the President, October 2019

October 1, 2019/in Newsletter, October 2019

Eric A. Richardson
President, Greensboro Bar Association

MEMPHIS, The Musical. WOW! Last month, the Greensboro Bar Association along with the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers came together at the Community Theater of Greensboro for a membership outing of singing, dancing and good old-fashioned fun. Greensboro is home to such tremendous artistic talent. And that talent brought the audience back in time to 1950’s Memphis where laws, society and everyday human beings came face to face with deep seated prejudice and injustice. These reminders of our past were both emotional and thought provoking.

While watching this performance, I couldn’t help considering what a middle-aged attorney (like me) would be doing in the 1950s. Would I be aware of the weight of prejudice? Would I quietly go about my business letting others do the heavy lifting of reform? Could the Greensboro Bar Association even participate in an event with the Guilford County Association of Black lawyers? What friends (that I have today) would I likely not have had back then? What relationships would be frowned upon, ridiculed or just forbidden? Thank you, Community Theater of Greensboro, for using the arts, the talented performers of Memphis and our country’s difficult past to remind us that social justice is an ongoing journey, an evolving struggle and an essential destination of a healthy society.

As lawyers, we play a critical role in the journey of social justice. We are both participants in and creators of social justice.

So, as we enjoy our 90th year as a bar association, it is important to take stock of our past. To be mindful of where we have been so that we can be deliberate about where we are going. I hope each of us will consider our history in deciding the role we will play in our legal community’s future. As lawyers, we play a critical role in the journey of social justice. We are both participants in and creators of social justice. Walk into our courtrooms, read appellate decisions, and attend bar events to witness it in action. Pick up a newspaper or turn on the news and hear about an innocence project’s latest exonerated citizen. One way or another we will leave a legacy for our successors.

During the month of October, we will present more events and opportunities for members to connect, network, and earn CLE credit. On October 4, Lisa Arthur and her CLE committee will host a full-day CLE focusing on the opioid crisis at Fox Rothschild. For just $25.00, GBA members can have lunch and earn 6 CLE credits while watching a program simulcast from the State Bar. Thank you, Steve Robertson, for bringing this idea to our CLE committee’s attention. Next, our monthly membership meeting will celebrate several of our members followed by an Elon Law update by Dean Luke Bierman on October 17 at Starmount Forest Country Club. On October 25 at 3:00 pm in the Federal Courthouse, our Young Lawyers Section will assist our newest lawyers with a swearing-in ceremony. And, finally, our bar will come together on October 23 with our colleagues from High Point to nominate candidates to fill the District Court judicial vacancy left by Judge Jarrell’s passing, along with the Guilford County Public Defender vacancy created by Fred Lind’s upcoming retirement.

These are just a few of the happenings in October. Glance through this newsletter to find even more of what we have in store for the membership. Also, please consider helping on a committee. It is a great way to get involved with the GBA while developing your leadership skills. Anyone interested in learning more about the Greensboro Bar Association’s committee opportunities can call me or Diane Lowe at the GBA office. On behalf of my hard-working Board of Directors, we truly hope you will consider joining our team and attending one or more of these GBA events
in October.

Brooks Pierce Partner Named to Benchmark’s Top 250 Women in Litigation

October 1, 2019/in October 2019

Jennifer Van Zant

Brooks Pierce partner Jennifer Van Zant was recently selected as one of Benchmark Litigation’s Top 250 Women in Litigation. She has been named to the list each year since 2015.

The list features 250 women across the United States who have earned their place by participating in impactful litigation matters, as well as by earning the respect of their peers and clients as top players in their respective fields. Attorneys are nominated based on extensive client and peer reviews.

Van Zant focuses her practice on complex business litigation and class action defense. She represents businesses on a wide range of disputes before federal courts and the North Carolina Business Court, and works closely with clients to make paths toward resolution.

Among her many other accolades are being elected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^© for Antitrust Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation and has been named Greensboro “Lawyer of the Year” in her respective practice area four times. Van Zant has been recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers every year since 2010, including being named one of the “Top 50 Women Lawyers in the State” every year since 2012 and one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in the State” each year since 2014. She is a member of the North Carolina Legal Elite Hall of Fame. She has also been named one of the Triad Business Journal’s “Outstanding Women In Business.”

Don’t Miss Preet Bharara at the Carolina Theatre

October 1, 2019/in October 2019

Preet Bharara
Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series
Presented by The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation

Thursday, October 10, 6:30 p.m.

Carolina Theatre, 310 South Greene Street, Greensboro
For tickets call the Carolina Theatre Box Office at 336.333.2605

For more information visit https://carolinatheatre.com/event/elon-laws-distinguished-leadership-lecture/

Tickets are now on sale to see Preet Bharara, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who prosecuted terrorists, drug cartels, arms traffickers, money launderers, insider traders, and corrupt public officials. He visits October 10 at 6:30 p.m. for a talk at the Carolina Theatre presented by The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation. Tickets are $15 each (plus tax).

Bharara is the latest addition to an Elon University line-up of speakers of international prominence invited to encourage and promote discussion and thought during the upcoming academic year on the theme of “Quest for Truth.” The Elon University Speaker Series is supported by The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer, and
The Herald-Sun.

Featured Speaker and Author, Preet Bharara

Nominated to the position by President Barack Obama, Bharara served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017, earning a reputation as one of “the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors,” according to The New York Times. On March 19, 2019, Bharara’s book “Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law” was published by Knopf and debuted at #4 on The New York Times bestseller list. It offers an overview of the American justice system, and why the rule of law is essential to society.

Wellness Corner

October 1, 2019/in Newsletter, October 2019

Enjoy a day out in nature.

Life is a Marathon for David Meschan

October 1, 2019/in October 2019

by Nicole Patino, Law Offices of Fred T. Hamlet

It is not uncommon to see individuals running in downtown Greensboro; however, it is rare to see a runner with the dedication of David Meschan, a bankruptcy attorney with the Law Offices of David F. Meschan. Mr. Meschan’s regular routine includes running approximately 15-20 miles per week.

When he isn’t running, Mr. Meschan likes to play tennis with a group of friends, a sport he has always played. While at Davidson College, he played competitively as a junior and was on the varsity team his senior year.

However, it wasn’t until around 1990 that Mr. Meschan began to consider other forms of physical exercise. It was then that he realized that some form of regular aerobic exercise was needed to be healthy and, because of his interests and skills, he decided running was the most logical choice. Ever the lawyer, he became an expert in running and can tutor one on the best running gear, training techniques, and even the best times to run.

Mr. Meschan turned 75 this year. He continues to run competitively. Recently, he ran the 50th Annual Peachtree 10K in Atlanta. He also has won his division in races, including the 2015 Tar Heel 10 Miler in Chapel Hill. Mr. Meschan says that there are running races going on all the time and it is easy to find one if you are interested.

Mr. Meschan uses the results from his competitive runs to monitor his fitness level. He notes that running keeps his weight under control, makes him more effective at work by sustaining his focus and helping him stay better organized, and that his primary care physician tells him that running helps with all his vital signs.

Law may sometimes feel like a marathon, but Mr. Meschan is taking control of this race.

Do you or someone you know have a fun way to stay healthy? If so, please email Karen McKeithen Schaede at kschaede@connorsmorgan.com or Nicole Patino at lpatino@vt.edu for a chance to be featured in our new Wellness Corner.

Stell: Next Generation Leadership

October 1, 2019/in October 2019

Camille Stell
is President and CEO of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services. Continue this conversation by contacting Camille at camille@lawyersmutualnc.com or 800.662.8843.

What does law firm leadership look like?

Too often, it’s an outdated model where reward goes to the most senior, regardless of contribution. Where leaders look for perks rather than developing servant leadership concepts. Firm partners hold tightly to decision making and there are clear lines of distinction between partners and associates, lawyers and all others.

There is no discussion about the future of the firm or really much discussion about anything strategic.

As a result, many law firms end up being one generation firms. When the current firm owner retires, the firm will cease to exist. This keeps everyone in the firm unsettled. While they may be content today, they don’t know what tomorrow brings.

The practice operates under the status quo: we know our clients, we know what they want, and we aren’t worried about them leaving.

However, this client view doesn’t always fit with reality. Client surveys consistently show clients are not satisfied with their law firms and, when a better opportunity comes along, they will leave.

So, what can you do to exhibit leadership that will make your firm more profitable? Here are a few suggestions:

Agility. Law firms love committees. And task forces. And blue-ribbon study groups. And consensus building. And debating. What law firms do not love is decision making. Or to change direction. Or to improvise. Yet modern law firm leaders need to think quickly, analyze the current situation, and even change course in response to a rapidly changing environment. Practice experimentation in your firm. Learn more about the tech world philosophy of “fail fast” where you decide, evaluate your results, and adjust accordingly.

Collaboration. Lawyers are often, by nature, individualists. Law school further intensifies this characteristic. Much of law school and early career is about surviving competition. When lawyers arrive at traditional firms where there are even more distinctions between groups of people, the concept is reinforced.

Except the current generation of employees doesn’t necessarily buy into this concept of competition and working as an island. Modern employees, lawyers, and clients are more responsive to collaboration. Today, information is open and accessible. The barriers that lawyers could build because they were the only ones with access to legal knowledge are being broken down. Studies show time and again that diversity makes for better results whether it is diverse perspectives, diversity of people, or diversity of experience. Working together in diverse groups will build stronger law firms.

Growth mindset. Dr. Carole Dweck is a psychology researcher who has studied and written about the benefit of a growth mindset. In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dr. Dweck says that an individual who embraces lifelong learning has an advantage over those whose viewpoints remain fixed.

Lawyers should find a natural advantage here as lawyers are required to be lifelong learners by the very nature of their chosen careers (and those pesky mandatory CLE requirements). However, most of the learning is focused on the substantive law side of education rather than learning skill sets outside of law. By slightly shifting your focus: add a few business books to your reading list, include an entrepreneurial podcast on your playlist, or attend a conference on a topic that’s new to you, you’ll be exhibiting the very characteristics that Dr. Dweck cites as imperative to next generation leaders.

Accountability. People often perform best when others are holding them accountable. My goal is to show up at the gym every morning. I’m more likely to do it when I’m meeting an accountability partner or reporting my progress to someone. How does this relate to leadership in law firms? Few firms create strategy or plans with specific action items or hold people accountable for meeting goals. We often fail to set our expectations for our firm members. My experience with employee evaluations is that time and time again, we talk with employees about their same failures, yet we don’t provide the resources to improve the situation, allocate time necessary to make improvement or have conversations throughout the year about why the improvement is important in helping the law firm reach its goals.

Modern law firm leaders realize that by establishing strategy and goals, firm members know where they are headed. By establishing a clear roadmap of the strategy and tasks needed to reach the goal, providing the necessary tools, and establishing ownership of projects by team members, and checking in regularly to see how people are doing, you’ll find individuals moving forward to meet strategic goals.

Next generation leaders need to master new skill sets. Are you improving your own leadership skills? Mentoring and developing skills of others in your office? The future of your firm depends on it.

Camille Stell is the President of Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services. Continue this conversation by contacting Camille at camille@lawyersmutualnc.com or 800.662.8843.

Young Lawyers Section: Connections

October 1, 2019/in October 2019

Andrew Steffensen
is President of the Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section
and is an attorney with Schell Bray PLLC.

Last month, the Young Lawyers Section partnered with Backpack Beginnings and checked pre-made food bags for Triad area children. Thank you to all Young Lawyers Section members and GBA members who were able to join us! The event was such a success that we hope to do it again in the future.

Lunch Event

On October 23, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. the Young Lawyers Section will host its first lunch event of the year at Liberty Oak Restaurant and Bar in downtown Greensboro. Please come out and join us for lunch!

Swearing-In Ceremony

Each year, the Young Lawyers Section sponsors a Fall Swearing-In Ceremony for the admission of newly licensed attorneys to the state and federal courts. This year, the Young Lawyers Section is hosting its Fall Swearing-In Ceremony on Friday, October 25, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. in Courtroom 3 of the United States District Court in downtown Greensboro.

We welcome the support and attendance of members of the GBA at the Fall Swearing-In Ceremony to support our newly licensed attorneys. Friends and family are also invited to celebrate the occasion. Cell phones and cameras will be permitted at the event. If you are a newly licensed attorney, or you know a newly licensed attorney, please e-mail Nicole Scallon at nscallon@hensonlawyers.com to receive the application materials.

Swearing-In Ceremony Reception

Following the Swearing-In Ceremony, the Young Lawyers Section will host a reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Horigan’s House of Taps. Please come out and celebrate our newly licensed attorneys!

Connect With Us

Do you want more information about upcoming Young Lawyers Section events or how you can get involved? Visit our website at www.greensboroyls.org, email Andrew Steffensen (asteffensen@schellbray.com) to make sure you are on the listserv, and follow us on Facebook (Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section). If you missed the opportunity to connect with the Young Lawyers Section in September, we hope to see you at one of our October events!

Brooks Pierce Welcomes New Associate to the Greensboro Office

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Josh Lingerfelt

Leading North Carolina law firm Brooks Pierce is excited to announce that Josh Lingerfelt has joined the firm as an associate in the Greensboro office. Lingerfelt will focus his work on tax issues related to investment funds and securities offerings, as well as mergers and acquisitions and complex domestic and international transactions.

“We are pleased to welcome another talented attorney to our firm,” said Brooks Pierce managing partner Reid Phillips.

“Josh’s background and expertise will greatly benefit our clients with tax, investment and corporate structuring questions and needs.”

Lingerfelt has experience assisting investment fund sponsors of all sizes in forming different kinds of funds, including private equity, credit, real estate, alternative assets and hedge funds. His work includes advising on tax structure, drafting disclosure and organizational documents and negotiating side letters with investors. A former New York tax attorney, he has experience counseling clients through the federal income tax implications of a range of corporate transactions and complex tax issues. He is admitted to practice in New York and will seek admission to the North Carolina State Bar.

Lingerfelt earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Reed College and his juris doctorate from Columbia University.

Preet Bharara Coming to the Carolina Theatre

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Preet Bharara
Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series
Presented by The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation

Thursday, October 10, 6:30 p.m.

Carolina Theatre, 310 South Greene Street, Greensboro
For tickets call the Carolina Theatre Box Office at 336.333.2605

For more information visit https://carolinatheatre.com/event/elon-laws-distinguished-leadership-lecture/

Tickets are now on sale to see Preet Bharara, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who prosecuted terrorists, drug cartels, arms traffickers, money launderers, insider traders, and corrupt public officials. He visits October 10 at 6:30 p.m. for a talk at the Carolina Theatre presented by The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation. Tickets are $15 each (plus tax).

Bharara is the latest addition to an Elon University line-up of speakers of international prominence invited to encourage and promote discussion and thought during the upcoming academic year on the theme of “Quest for Truth.” The Elon University Speaker Series is supported by The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer, and
The Herald-Sun.

Featured Speaker and Author, Preet Bharara

Nominated to the position by President Barack Obama, Bharara served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017, earning a reputation as one of “the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors,” according to The New York Times. On March 19, 2019, Bharara’s book “Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law” was published by Knopf and debuted at #4 on The New York Times bestseller list. It offers an overview of the American justice system, and why the rule of law is essential to society.

Nexsen Pruet Seeking Labor & Employment Practice Attorney

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Position Available: Employment & Labor Attorney – Greensboro, NC

Nexsen Pruet is seeking a highly motivated Attorney to join their growing Employment & Labor Practice Group in their Greensboro, North Carolina office.

Successful candidates should possess:

8+ years of Employment and Labor experience
Ability to regularly counsel and advise employers on compliance with federal, state and local employment laws
Self-sustaining portable practice preferred – also willing to consider candidates with a growing book of business
Team Player
Excellent legal skills and reputation
Demonstrated ability to originate and maintain client relationships
Commitment to exceptional work product and client service

This is an exceptional opportunity for candidates seeking a high level of responsibility in a progressive law firm environment.

For consideration, please submit:

Cover letter

Resume

Salary history

Transcript

to:

Summer Winslow,
Recruitment & Professional Development Manager

SWinslow@nexsenpruet.com

Manisha P. Patel Named North Carolina Bar Association’s (NCBA) Young Lawyer Pro Bono Attorney of the Year

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

On June 20, 2019, Attorney Manisha P. Patel was named the North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Pro Bono Attorney of the Year at the 2019 NCBA Annual Meeting at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Attorney Patel was selected for her significant pro bono service through Legal Aid of North Carolina, the North Carolina Justice Center and the power of attorney clinics for immigrant residents, and serving in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s signature pro bono programs, Free Legal Answers and 4ALL. Earlier this year, Patel was sworn in as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for Guilford County so that she can provide support and assistance to some of the state’s most vulnerable children. In addition to maintaining her solo law practice, Patel gives substantial time to pro bono clients and programs throughout North Carolina.

North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Pro Bono Attorney
of the Year, Manisha P. Patel, seated center

Young Lawyers Section: Connections

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Andrew Steffensen
is President of the Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section and is an attorney with Schell Bray PLLC.

The Young Lawyers Section is excited to kick off the 2019-2020 year! We have several events planned, and we are excited about incorporating new activities into our schedule of events.

Backpack Beginnings

Our first charitable event this year will be a partnership with Backpack Beginnings to fill backpacks as part of the Comfort Backpack Program. These backpacks will offer care, comfort, and basic necessities, including blankets, stuffed animals, books, hygiene products, school supplies, and more. The backpacks will be provided to abused/neglected, homeless, foster, and refugee children in Guilford County. This is always a very fun and rewarding event. We will be meeting on Thursday, September 12 at 3:30 pm at Backpack Beginnings, 3707-D Alliance Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407. To RSVP for this event, please email me at asteffensensen@schellbray.com.

Networking and Happy Hour

Immediately following the Backpack Beginnings event, we will convene at Fat Dog’s Grille and Pub. If you can’t attend the Backpack Beginnings event, please plan to meet us at Fat Dog’s from 5:45-8:00 pm. We will provide the drinks and some light snacks.

Swearing-In Ceremony

YLS is planning on holding a swearing-in ceremony for newly licensed attorneys in early October. The date of the swearing-in ceremony will be announced once it is confirmed. As always, we encourage all members of the GBA to join us and support our newly licensed attorneys. If you are a newly licensed attorney or you know a newly licensed attorney who would like to participate, please e-mail Kristen Redman at kredman@tuggleduggins.com to receive the application materials. The application materials should be available by mid-September.

Connect with Us

Do you have an idea for a YLS event? Please let us know!
E-mail me at asteffensensen@schellbray.com to share your ideas.

Do you want more information about upcoming YLS events or to find out how you can get involved? Check out our website at www.greensboroyls.org. Also follow us on Facebook (Greensboro Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section). Email Gabe Synder at gabegsnyder@gmail.com to get on our email list. We look forward to connecting with you!

Brooks Pierce Partner Appointed to University of North Carolina Board of Visitors

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Bob Saunders

Brooks Pierce partner and University of North Carolina alumnus Bob Saunders was recently appointed to the UNC Board of Visitors. His four-year term begins July 1.

The board of visitors is an active group of volunteers, assisting the board of trustees and chancellor in activities that help advance the university, including public relations, government relations and fund raising. The board of visitors’ members serve as ambassadors, informing members of their communities about what is going on at UNC and, in turn, keeping the administration informed about what is being said about the university.

Saunders focuses his practice primarily on tax-exempt organizations, both charitable and non-charitable, and counsels them on issues related to governance, tax, restructuring and tax-exempt financing. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in Nonprofit/Charity Law as well as Tax Controversy Law since 2010. Saunders is a former board chair for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce and is currently the board vice chair for the Carol Woods Retirement Community. He is a long-time lecturer for the master of public affairs program at UNC Greensboro and is a regular speaker on tax and nonprofit law matters.

Attorney Manisha P. Patel Honored as Virginia Tech Commencement Speaker

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

In May 2019, Attorney Manisha P. Patel was honored as the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Department of Economics 2019 Commencement Speaker. Attorney Patel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Virginia Tech. Patel spoke to the Class of 2019 and not only spoke of her journey from a fourteen-year-old declaring to her family that she was going to be a lawyer but also provided three areas of advice for the graduates to hold onto as they leave their undergraduate years. First, Patel asked the graduates to know and value their education. Second, Patel spoke to the notion of GRIT, Angela Duckworth’s trait that is defined as “the passion and perseverance toward a goal despite being confronted by significant obstacles and distractions,” and described the challenges of law school and eventual struggles with the NC bar exam. Finally, Attorney Patel spoke to the university motto, “That I May Serve,” as one of her lifelong moral guideposts for her professional and personal lives.

Virginia Tech Department of Economics Chair, Sudipta Sarangi, Attorney Manisha P. Patel, Dean of the College of Science at Virginia Tech Sally Morton

Full speech can be viewed at the following links:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Cvj-iJ6rcWI

Part 2: https://youtu.be/AZOEVHMGcWo

GBA/24th JDB Announces NEW Email Address

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

New address must be added to your contacts (whitelisted).

The new email address for GBA and JD24 is admin@greensborobar.org.

To ensure all members of GBA and JD24 are able to receive emails containing dues and election notices, event registrations and announcements, immediate steps must be taken:

Copy admin@greensborobar.org and paste in your contact list.
Ask your IT department to whitelist admin@greensborobar.org and the following URLs from Constant Contact (GBA’s third-party email provider):

- constantcontact.com
- r20.rs6.net
- rs6.net
- s3.amazon.com
- files.ctctcdn.com
- files.constantcontact.com

If the program allows IP addresses, have your contact add this Constant Contact IP address to the whitelist:

208.75.120.0/22

Please contact Diane Lowe, GBA and JD24 Administrator should you have any questions.

Message from the President, September 2019

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Eric A. Richardson
President, Greensboro Bar Association

Welcome back, Colleagues! The Greensboro Bar Association is back from summer break and we are planning an exciting year for our members.

Before I share some of those plans with you, I feel it appropriate to acknowledge the profound loss to our legal community that occurred on August 3, 2019 when the Honorable Tom Jarrell passed away. We not only lost our Chief District Court Judge, but we also lost a model public servant, a wonderful person and a friend. We will miss Judge Jarrell and on behalf of the Greensboro Bar Association, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Cindy, and his three sons: Thomas, Robert and David.

The beginning of this Greensboro Bar Association year comes with a reminder to all that we are now the 24th Judicial District. And to coincide with our new district number, the Greensboro Bar Association will soon introduce a new website. We are putting the final touches on the website and expect to send all members specific directions about how to claim your listing and add your practice areas to your profile. When you receive this email, please take a few moments to browse the site and its many functions. A special thank you is in order to Diane Lowe for her persistence in making this new website a reality!

While I look forward to serving as your President this year, I can’t do this job without your help. So, my first request of each member of the Greensboro Bar is to reach out to me and the Board with your feedback and suggestions about how we can serve you better than ever before.

As our year gets started, we will hit the ground running. At press time, we are finalizing plans for a few events in September. On September 3, 2019, the GBA, with the help of Kearns Davis, will greet a delegation of lawyers from Haiti who will be observing court in Greensboro. All members are welcome to join us in the newly renovated “lawyers lounge” on the second floor of the courthouse in Greensboro. Details will be emailed to members. Next, our monthly meeting will be a luncheon at Greensboro Country Club on September 19, 2019, with a special presentation from BarCARES. We are also organizing a membership outing on September 20, 2019 to the Community Theatre of Greensboro to enjoy a presentation of the Broadway hit musical, “Memphis.” We hope you will take the opportunity to join us as we step back in time to 1950’s Memphis, Tennessee, where singing and dancing surround serious social justice themes. Look for an email about how to get your tickets.

With the help of my Board Members and Committee Chairs, we plan to emphasize three goals this year: (1) providing pro bono and community service opportunities for members seeking to meet our ethical recommendations of annual service, (2) improving member camaraderie by emphasizing monthly membership socials and recruitment outings for members and potential members, and (3) building upon previously successful educational programs to provide affordable, quality CLE programs all year long. We hope you will see the value of your membership in these goals as well as the monthly meeting opportunities.

Greensboro Bar Association 2019-20 Leadership Directory

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Greensboro Bar Association

2019-20 Officers and Board of Directors

OFFICE	NAME	PHONE	EMAIL
President	Eric A. Richardson	336-971-8209	eric@erlaw-nc.com
President-Elect	Lisa W. Arthur	336-378-5318	larthur@foxrothschild.com
Immediate Past President	Hon. Teresa H. Vincent	336-412-7800	teresa.h.vincent@nccourts.org
Secretary	L. Nicole Patino	336-325-7565	lpatino@vt.edu
Treasurer	Desmond G. Sheridan	336-609-5135	desmond@isaacsonsheridan.com
Director (2020) 1st	Gerald L. Walden, Jr.	336-217-4636	geraldwalden@thefreshmarket.net
Director (2020) 1st	Adam G. Kerr	336-500-7599	adam@kerrlawnc.com
Director (2020) 1st	Karen McKeithen Schaede	336-333-7907	kschaede@connorsmorgan.com
Director (2021) 1st	J. Grant Sigmon	336-273-6323	grant@sklawnc.com
Director (2021) 1st	Allie Petrova	336-310-1210	petrova@petrovalaw.com
Director (2021) 2nd	Abigail E. Peoples	336-275-6003	abigail@apeopleslaw.com
Director (2022) 1st	Rosetta Davidson Davis	336-373-7796	rosetta.davidson@greensboro-nc.gov
Director (2022) 1st	Chelsea Anderson Peele	336-579-0166	canderson@cordelllaw.com
Director (2022) 2nd	Hon. Marcus A. Shields	336-412-7740	marcusallenshields@gmail.com

Committee Chairs

Awards and Recognitions	Jim Bryan	336-373-1600	JBryan@nexsenpruet.com
	Manning Connors	336-632-2231	manning.connors@syngenta.com
CLE	Lisa Arthur	336-378-5200	larthur@foxrothschild.com
Community Involvement	Molly Hilburn-Holte	336-412-7777	Molly.A.Hilburn-Holte@nccourts.org
	Brennan Aberle	336-379-0539	brennanaberle@gmail.com
Elon Liaison	Jennifer Mencarini	336-279-9254	jmencarini2@elon.edu
Elementary School Project	Erin Reis	336-851-8066	erin.d.reis@hud.gov
	Adam Kerr	336-500-7599	adam@kerrlawnc.com
Health & Wellness	Nicole Patino	336-325-7565	lpatino@vt.edu
	Karen McKeithen Schaede	336-333-7907	kschaede@connorsmorgan.com
Herb Falk Society	Manisha Patel	336-333-2244	manisha.p.patel@gmail.com
High Point Bar Liaison	Erik Hamner	336-587-9573	erhamner@hotmail.com
History and Archives	Mark Gaylord	336-273-1797	markgaylordlaw@gmail.com
	Larry Moore	336-379-0123	lmoore@ymmlaw.com
Holiday Party	Grant Sigmon	336-273-6323	grant@sklawnc.com
	Abigail E. Peoples	336-275-6003	abigail@apeopleslaw.com
Judicial Liaison	Hon. Michelle Fletcher	336-412-7800	kimberly.m.fletcher@nccourts.org
Lawyers Lounge Liaison	Hon. Michelle Fletcher	336-412-7800	kimberly.m.fletcher@nccourts.org
Legal Aid Fundraiser	Hillary M. Kies	336-645-3322	hkies@turningpointlit.com
	Ashleigh M. Greene	336-373-1600	agreene@nexsenpruet.com
Membership, Recruit & Retain	Chelsea Anderson Peele	336-579-0166	canderson@cordelllaw.com
	Hon. Marcus A. Shields	336-412-7740	marcusallenshields@gmail.com
Memorials	Richard Gabriel	336-275-9381	rgabriel@gbwlaw.com
Newsletter	Allie Petrova	336-310-1210	petrova@petrovalaw.com
Nominating	Hon. Teresa H. Vincent	336-412-7800	teresa.h.vincent@nccourts.org
Public Relations	TBD
Second Chance Project	Rosetta Davidson Davis	336-373-7796	rosetta.davidson@greensboro-nc.gov
	Eliu F. Mendez	336-316-1190	emendez@aglinett.com

Section Heads

Family Law	Megan E. Spidell	(336) 907-7047	megan@spidellfamilylaw.com
Real Property	Durant M. Glover	336-273-9794	dmglover@bellsouth.net
Young Lawyers	Andrew D. Steffensen	336-370-8823	asteffensen@schellbray.com

Office

Administrator

Diane Lowe

336-378-0300

admin@greensborobar.org

GBA Annual CLE Save The Date

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Save the Date for our GBA Annual CLE on Technology and Data Privacy

When: February 20, 2020

Where: Starmount Country Club

Time: Afternoon before the GBA member dinner

Wellness Corner

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Walk. Run. Hike. Bike. Swim.

Move around. It is that easy and feels good.

Volunteer at Potter’s House

September 1, 2019/in September 2019

Volunteers are needed to serve food to the less fortunate at the Urban Ministry’s Potter’s House.

Shifts are from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Dates to be announced soon. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community in the company of fellow bar members.

Please email Molly Hilburn-Holte at molly.a.hilburn-holte@nccourts.org if you are able to help. Write POTTER’S HOUSE in the subject line.

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