Building Pathways: Durham County Youth Home and the Future of the Profession

Quinn, a Black woman with curly black hair, wears a white blouse. Alex, a Black woman with black hair, wears a black blouse and a blazer with black and white checks.Joshua, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a blue shirt, grey suit and orange and white and blue striped tie.

 

By Quinn Byars, Alex Gwynn and Joshua Peacock

Mentorship, lived experience and service came together last summer to break barriers and expand opportunities for justice-involved youth through the Building Pathways pilot at the Durham County Youth Home. The Durham County Youth Home is a secure juvenile detention facility operated by Durham County, providing temporary custody and care for youth involved in the juvenile justice system while they await court proceedings or case disposition. In addition to structured supervision, the facility offers education, counseling, and supportive programming designed to stabilize youth, foster positive behavioral development, and help them envision a future beyond their current circumstances.

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Women Who Lead: Spotlight on Melissa McKinney

Taylor, a Black woman with black hair, wears a blue and white blouse and black jacket.By Taylor Gibbs 

As winter gives way to the promise of spring, the NCBA Young Lawyers Division’s DEI Committee takes this opportunity to recognize and celebrate Women’s History Month. Alongside International Women’s Day on March 8, this month serves as a time to honor the achievements and contributions of women throughout our nation’s history, reflect on the progress made toward gender equality and acknowledge the work that remains.

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Redefining Resilience: A Conversation with YLD Chair Sheila Spence on Reflections for Women’s History Month

Alex, a Black woman with black hair, wears a black blouse and a blazer with black and white checks.By Alex Gwynn 

Opening Question: Resilience & Motivation

Alex: As we reflect during Women’s History Month, how would you define resilience in your own words, and looking back on your journey through law school into leadership, what feels most meaningful about that time, especially what sustained or motivated you to keep moving forward during such a challenging season?

Sheila, a Black woman with brown hair, wears a white shirt, pale blue suit and pearl necklace and earrings.

Sheila Spence

Sheila: Resilience is the decision to keep showing up, especially when there is no guarantee that showing up will be enough. It is not the absence of fear or doubt. It is moving forward in spite of them, one day at a time.

I dreamed of becoming a lawyer when I was nine years old. That dream did not come with a roadmap, and the path turned out to be harder than I ever anticipated, yet more meaningful because of it. When things got difficult, I kept returning to that original dream and what it meant to me. That was enough to keep me moving.

What feels most meaningful now is not simply reaching this point. It is knowing what it cost to get here, and that I did not give up.

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How Young Lawyers Can Build a Construction Practice

By Christian, a white man with black hair and a beard and mustache, wears a pale grey shirt, yellow tie and black jacket.Christian Lunghi

For young lawyers, construction law may seem like a difficult field to enter. It has its own vocabulary, its own documents, and its own pace. Clients often want practical answers while a project is still moving, not abstract legal analysis after the dispute is fully formed. The work can feel technical, and the cast of players — owners, contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, material suppliers, sureties, and insurers — can seem intimidating at first.

But construction law is also a practice area in which young lawyers can become useful quickly. A construction practice is not built only by trying cases or arguing motions. It is built file by file, contract by contract, and client by client. Young lawyers develop in this field by learning how projects work, becoming fluent in the documents that drive them, and earning a reputation for giving clear, timely, practical advice.

The first step is learning the business of construction, not just the law of construction. A young lawyer does not need to be an engineer or a project manager, but it helps enormously to understand the life of a project. That means knowing what a pay application is, what an RFI is, what a submittal is, what a punch list is, and why schedules and change orders matter so much. Many disputes do not begin with a dramatic legal event. They begin with delayed approvals, incomplete design information, poor documentation, payment problems, and expectations that were never aligned. Clients tend to trust lawyers who understand what is actually happening on the project, not just what may happen later in court.

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Checking In: March 24, 2026

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Smith Debnam Selects Partner

Melissa, a white woman with blond hair, wears a white blouse and black jacket.Melissa Tulis Smith is now a partner with the firm. Smith has been a part of the firm’s Consumer Collections practice group since 2020. Prior to joining the firm, she gained experience in civil litigation with a focus on property, construction and landlord-tenant disputes. Smith, who is originally from Raleigh, received her undergraduate degree in philosophy and romance languages from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She graduated from Campbell Law School. Smith serves as the 2025-2026 chair of the NCBA Litigation Section and as the Membership Committee Chair for the North Carolina Creditors Bar Association. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

 

 

Tuggle Duggins Welcomes New Associate

Josh, a white man with a shaved head and a brown beard, wears a white button-down shirt.Joshua Plummer is now an associate attorney with Tuggle Duggins. He is a member of the Commercial Real Estate practice with the firm. Plummer graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2023. While in law school, he was a teaching assistant, research assistant and participant in the Veteran’s Legal Clinic. Prior to going to law school, Plummer served in the United States Marine Corps. He retired as a major in 2019. Before joining Tuggle Duggins P.A., he practiced law in Winston-Salem. He holds his undergraduate degree from Purdue University, where he graduated with distinction and was a member of the naval ROTC.

 

 

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Bridging Perspectives: Building Skills, Communities and Connection — 2026 Program in Review

Sean, a white man with brown hair and clear glasses, wears a blue shirt and grey jacket. By Sean P. Vitrano

This year’s Dispute Resolution Section program brought together mediators and attorneys from across North Carolina for a full day of practical learning, fellowship, and dialogue.

Early arrivals enjoyed a networking reception at Barcelona Wine Bar in downtown Raleigh hosted by the Section Council and Executive Committee. These events are wonderful opportunities to reconnect with old friends, to meet mentors in the profession and to share our experiences of helping our clients navigate conflict. The conversations are often heartfelt and transformative. If you’ve never been, you really should come sometime.

Our day of learning began with NCDRC Executive Director Tara Kozlowski and Commissioners David Niblock and Robin Stinson. Not only were we reminded of our professional and ethical obligations as certified mediators in a variety of not-so-hypothetical situations, but also, David shared his musical talents by performing an original song.

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Practice Innovation: The North Carolina Supreme Court’s New Commission

Zachary, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt, pale blue tie with white stripes, and blue suit. By Zachary Westmoreland

I.  Introduction

Access to legal services remains one of the most persistent challenges facing the American legal system. Across the country, courts, regulators and policymakers are examining new ways to deliver legal services to individuals who cannot afford traditional representation. One of the increasingly discussed approaches involves allowing trained paraprofessionals and paralegals to provide limited legal services within defined regulatory frameworks.

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Modular Construction in North Carolina

Lilly, a white woman with straight auburn hair and brown glasses, wears a white blouse and black jacket.By Lilly Heckman

The use of the modular construction method is on the rise with both commercial and residential builders in North Carolina. Benefitting contractors and owners alike, modular building allows for faster timelines and more predictable costs. Contractors across the state are utilizing modular building for all types of new builds, from healthcare and education facilities to hospitality and industrial structures. As the state continues to experience robust growth in its population and economy, North Carolina’s infrastructure must keep up, and modular building may play a key role.

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Why Being Together Matters: Reflections on the NCBA Real Property Section Annual Meeting and Scholarship Opportunities to Attend

Mary, a white woman with brown hair, wears a brown and white button down blouse and a brown jacket.By Sarah Dorr and Mary Gallimore Walker

Each year, the North Carolina Bar Association Real Property Section’s Annual Meeting brings attorneys from across our State together for learning and connection. While the CLE content is always helpful, many attorneys say the true value of the Annual Meeting comes from being there in person. The conversations between sessions, the relationships built over meals and the opportunity to engage directly with colleagues who understand our work and practice make the experience especially meaningful.

Recognizing that cost can be a barrier to in-person attendance, the Real Property Section is introducing scholarships to attend the Annual Meeting, making the experience more accessible. The reflections below highlight the value of being together at the Annual Meeting and the Section’s commitment to encouraging broader participation.

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Title, Trusts, Transfers and Terrorists: Legislation That Could Affect Your Practice

Nancy, a white woman with light brown hair and brown round glasses, wears a black turtleneck and red plaid blazer. By Nancy Short Ferguson

Attorneys in substantially all practice areas handle or review deeds, leases and contracts or clients in distress about matters (family law, trespassers, condemnations, estates, etc.) involving real estate from time to time. The 2025-2026 Legislative Session (still in process) has much to consider.

See program recording from Return to the Vault (March 4, 2026), “What’s New, What’s Next:  NC Legislation Every Real Estate Attorney Should Know” and related PowerPoint slides for details, legislation, and resources.

To access the recording, navigate to this link, log in to your NCBA account and click the + next to “RTTV Series.” Then click on “What’s New, What’s Next, NC Legislation Every Real Estate Attorney Should Know 3.4.26.”

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