Pro Bono Spotlight: Mark Kinghorn

Mark, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt, pale blue tie and navy jacket.

Mark Kinghorn

By Tricia Russ

Mark Kinghorn is equal parts litigator, connector, and community advocate. As a partner at McGuireWoods and Chair of the Financial Services & Securities Enforcement Department, Mark helps companies navigate their most complex challenges, including arbitration, commercial litigation, and multi-jurisdictional disputes that require both strategic insight and steady leadership. Yet his influence within the firm extends far beyond case strategy. A recognized pro bono leader and mentor, Mark invests deeply in developing new attorneys and associates, reminding them through his actions what the legal profession should represent. His message is consistent: compassion, consistency and excellence matter equally — whether serving paying clients or those with limited means.

As he often emphasizes, “I want to be remembered not just as a great lawyer, but as one who worked hard for everyone, including those who can’t afford it.”

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The Spirit of Giving: NCBA’s New U.S. Tax Court Calendar Call Program

Kim, a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wears a pin and orange dress and blue blazer with a small off-white flower pin. She is seated in her office. By Kimberly B. Tyson

Of the three forums for judicial review of a federal tax dispute, only the Tax Court is a pre-payment forum, meaning a taxpayer can have a tax case heard by the court before paying the tax. In 2024, approximately 80% of the 20,925 petitions filed in the Tax Court were by pro se (self-represented) petitioners. As an institution, the court has recognized bar-sponsored calendar call programs assist petitioners in prosecuting a case, which results in enhanced effectiveness of judicial and administrative procedure. On November 24, 2025, the Tax Court recognized the NCBA as the seventh bar association nationwide to provide pro bono services to the court through a calendar call program. The program is administered under the NCBA Pro Bono program and services calendar calls in Winston-Salem and Columbia, SC (the two cities typically serviced by the IRS Office of Chief Counsel office located in Greensboro).

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From the Workplace to 1L: Your Guide for Going Back to Law School

By Sydney, a white woman with brown hair, wears a pink dress.Sydney Basden

So, you think you want to go to law school — congrats! But, you are nervous to go back to school after time in the “real world.” Whether you’ve spent one year or 12 since undergrad, I promise you can succeed in law school! That said, your unique experiences may make your law school application process and time at school look somewhat different from your KJD counterparts (Kindergarten through Juris Doctor — law students who took no time off).

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16 Years in the Trenches: Reflections From a 2009-Vintage Family Law Lawyer

By Kris HilscherKris, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a white shirt, teal tie, and navy blazer.

I started practicing law the same year that the iPhone 3G came out, and everyone thought the economy was just taking a long weekend. A lot has changed — Zoom hearings, e-filing, the fact that associates now ask for “mental health days” instead of pretending they have the flu, just to name a few. One thing hasn’t changed: if we want the privilege of calling ourselves lawyers, we have to earn it every morning.

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