2025 Summer Internship Scholarship Recipient Spotlight Series: Meet Aaliyah LeCompte

Stacey, a woman with black hair and black glasses, wears a blue button-down shirt and black blazer.

By Stacey Rubain

Aaliyah LeCompte is a second-year law student at North Carolina Central University School of Law (“NCCU Law”). Her passion for serving others began even before entering law school. Aaliyah mentored children and also worked as a behavior technician, and these experiences strengthened her passion for helping people navigate challenging circumstances. This summer, she interned as a clerk with the Durham County District Court Judges’ Justice is Blind Program, and Aaliyah gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of district court.

Aaliyah, a Black woman with auburn and brown hair, wears a white blouse and black suit.

Aaliyah Lecompte

Aaliyah approached her clerkship with enthusiasm, though not without apprehension. As a rising 2L, Aaliyah was candid about her fears of litigation and even stepping into a courthouse. Clerking for the Durham County District Court Judges provided her with a meaningful opportunity to confront those fears directly.  Aaliyah spent her summer observing different district court proceedings, conducting legal research, and analyzing statutes. One of her most memorable experiences was the chance for Aaliyah and her fellow clerk to deliver a closing argument in an old DWI case before the District Court Judges and local attorneys. Aaliyah found this experience frightening and exhilarating at the same time.  Confronting her fears was extremely rewarding for Aaliyah, and she received positive feedback about her performance.

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Checking In: November 25, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Baker Donelson Adds New Shareholder

JD, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a white shirt, red tie and black blazer. John David “J.D.” Koesters has joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder. He will practice in the Government Enforcement and Investigations Group. Koesters previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney. He advises organizations and individuals navigating internal investigations, False Claims Act allegations, government enforcement actions, complex litigation and cybersecurity risks. While serving as an Assistant U.S. attorney, Koesters led multi-agency investigations into transnational criminal operations. Koesters also served as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate, in which he counseled cyber protection teams and completed a combat tour in Afghanistan. He received the Bronze Star for his military service in Operation Enduring Freedom. Koesters is a Certified Information Privacy Professional. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee.

Poyner Spruill Announces New Attorneys

Paul, a white man with brown hair wears a white shirt, pale green tie and navy blue blazer. Paul Cox is experienced in election law, campaign finance issues, complex litigation and regulatory advice and policy. He previously was General Counsel to the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Special Deputy Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice. He served as a clerk to Raymond Fisher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked as a public relations professional and policy aide for federal political campaigns and elected officials. He holds a law degree from the University of California Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white blouse and navy blue blazer.Emily Steele works with institutional investors, developers and nonprofit organizations in acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures. She assists clients in matters such as commercial real estate projects, which include drafting purchase and sale agreements, preparing closing checklists and conducting title, survey, and zoning reviews. She holds a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. While in law school, she was the managing editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property. She received a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University. Read more

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Meet Your Education Law Section Chair!

Kim, a white woman with short brown hair, wears a black dress and a multi-colored beaded necklace.Maya, a white woman with brown hair, wears a floral blouse and black blazer.By Kim Davis and Maya Weinstein

Collins Saint, a Partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP, is the current Chair of the NCBA Education Law Section. As a former educator and mental health practitioner, Collins helps schools, nonprofits, and individuals navigate complex legal challenges with clarity, strategy, and practicality.  Known for his work in education law, civil rights, and identity justice, Collins combines his deep legal knowledge with a trauma-informed, equity-centered approach to every matter he handles.  When not practicing law, you can find Collins exploring North Carolina’s waterways, hiking with his dog, or trying out new recipes from his weekend farmer’s market hauls.

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Unreimbursed Expenses of Employees and Partners

John, a white man with dark brown hair, wears a pale blue shirt, lime green and blue tie, and black suit. By John G. Hodnette

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included Section 67(h), which eliminated miscellaneous itemized deductions for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act made that disallowance permanent. One such eliminated deduction is for unreimbursed employee expenses. They include expenses for transportation, travel fares, lodging away from home, business meals, continuing education courses, subscriptions and dues to professional materials and organizations, uniforms, job hunting expenses, and otherwise deductible home office expenses. To have been deductible, such expenses must not have been reimbursed or reimbursable by the business for which the employee worked. Under current law, however, unreimbursed employee expenses are simply nondeductible.

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Rethinking Civic Engagement: An Open Letter to the NCBA and YLD Members, Part I

Clare, a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wears a grey button-down shirt, black jacket and pearl earrings.Catherine, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white blouse and black blazer.By Clare Magee and Catherine Clodfelter

When we gather as lawyers, we have a chance to demonstrate organization and self-regulation that is respectful of the rules through which we organize, and respectful of each other. But to do that, we must first gather.

Last year, we served as the co-chairs of the Young Lawyers’ Division Civic Engagement Committee. Our task was straightforward on paper: encourage more lawyers — especially younger ones — to engage in civic spaces and activities across North Carolina. But in practice, we faced several hurdles, including low event attendance, lack of interest and limited engagement.

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New Job, New Opportunity for Growth

Huma, a woman with brown hair, wears a dark purple button-down blouse.Katherine, a white woman with blond hair, wears a white blouse and dark grey suit.By Huma Khursheed and Katherine Copeland

Hello NCBA Community,

We, Katherine Copeland and Huma Khursheed, are the new co-chairs of the Wellness Committee within the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association. We look forward to serving you in this capacity. As a brief introduction, we met during the time that our judicial clerkship with Justice Allison Riggs overlapped. Since August, Katherine has started a new position as an Associate Attorney with Ballew Puryear, and Huma is currently within her first year of her judicial clerkship.

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Get to Know WIP Members Ashley Oldfield and Amy Schaefer

This month, we are excited to introduce two WIP members: Ashley Oldfield and Amy Schaefer!

Ashley Oldfield

Ashley, a white woman with brown hair, wears a black and white blouse and black blazer. What law school did you attend, and what was your graduation year?

Wake Forest University School of Law, 2020.

Describe what a typical workday is like for you.

If I don’t have a court appearance, I’m usually in my office doing research, writing briefs, or talking with clients.

Describe what you like to do outside of work.

Outside of work, I enjoy crocheting, baking, vegetable gardening, reading, and running.

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Judicial Deference: Recent North Carolina Supreme Court Decisions

Frank, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a blue shirt, grey tie and black suit.By Frank Trainor

This year the Supreme Court of North Carolina has released opinions addressing how courts in North Carolina treat administrative‐agency interpretations of statutes and regulations. The two cases are Savage v. N.C. Department of Transportation and Mitchell v. University of N.C. Board of Governors.

Prior to the Supreme Court pronouncements this year, judicial review of administrative decisions and interpretations of statutes and regulations had been performed de novo, as required by the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act. Spoiler alert: it still is.

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Remembering Steve Horowitz, 1990-1991 Chair of the Tax Section

Chris, a white man with a shaved head, wears a white shirt, blue tie and black jacket. By Chris Hannum

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Steven (“Steve”) Horowitz, a former Chair of our Section (1990–1991) and a respected presence in the North Carolina tax bar for more than five decades. His loss is felt across our professional community, especially by those who practiced with him, learned from him or served alongside him in leadership of this Section.

Steve practiced tax law for more than 56 years, beginning as a trial attorney with the Office of District Counsel of the IRS in Greensboro, and later in private practice in Gastonia and Charlotte. He earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Florida and his LL.M. in Taxation from NYU.  Those who worked with Steve remember him as a fierce advocate for his clients and a calm, steady colleague. He set a high standard for preparation and integrity — qualities that influenced many practitioners in this Section, myself included. His contributions to the Tax Section and our profession are immeasurable.

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NCBA IL&P Blog Post — CLE Program Nov. 21, 2025

Phil, a white man with brown hair and glasses, wears a blue shirt and black blazer.By Phillip Chritton

Navigating the “New Normal” in Immigration, Global Compliance, and Tariffs and Trade (While Helping Clients Still Get Things Done!)  

Behind the daily headlines — trade and tariffs, new U.S. visa policies and changes in DOJ enforcement and cross-border business practices — North Carolina lawyers need up-to-date information to advise their clients. This CLE program will help. We’ve assembled a team of expert international attorneys from across the state, ready to dissect the issues and give practical guidance to navigate today’s international and cross-border legal environment.

Register for the event online. This program is timely and helpful for lawyers in #privatepractice, #inhousecounsel, and #compliance professionals.

Speakers include: Susan Carr, Eric Cottrell, David Garrett, Randall A. Hanson, David Robinson, Patrick Togni, and Phillip Chritton.

North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) International Practice Section members get a *discounted rate.*

Included Sessions

  • Immigration Practice in 2025: What’s Changed (and What Hasn’t)
  • Global Compliance and Investigations: Implications of Recent DOJ Policy Announcements
  • Cross-Border Transactions: Lessons From the Field for Today’s Global Business Environment
  • U.S. Trade and Tariffs Policy: Where Do We Go From Here?

Agenda

View the full program agenda.

Speakers

  • Susan W. Carr, Kongsberg Digital Inc., Raleigh
  • Phillip Chritton, former UPS Deputy General Counsel-International, Raleigh
  • Eric H. Cottrell, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte
  • David J. Garrett, Maynard Nexsen, Raleigh
  • Randall A. “Randy” Hanson, Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, Greensboro
  • David S. Robinson, Maynard Nexsen, Raleigh
  • Patrick J. Togni, King & Spalding LLP, Charlotte and Washington, D.C.
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