The New Administrative Law Section Chair’s Alerts to Upcoming Section Projects

I am Charla Burill, the Administrative Law Section’s new Chair. We have already held our first Council meeting of the year, and with the support of my fellow Council members, the year is shaping up to be another great year — at least on the Section side!

In addition to the many individuals serving on our committees, I am supported by a team of dedicated officers: Wes Tripp, Vice-Chair; Kristen Fetter, Treasurer; and Stephen White, Secretary. I am thankful to be serving alongside them.

My background: I currently lead state policy work as the Senior Director of State Legislative and Government Affairs at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In this role, I lead strategic state advocacy efforts involving licensure modernization and compact legislation, Medicaid coverage, telehealth parity, and evidence-based nutrition policy. Before joining the Academy, I served for twelve years as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition, where I wore many hats, including overseeing investigations, registering as the Board’s liaison personnel, rules coordinator, providing legal support, and managing accounting responsibilities. Although I am originally from Michigan and still appreciate its beauty and all its natural lakes, my family and I have loved calling North Carolina home for more than 15 years. All four of our children were born at UNC Hospital.

Section projects this year: I am excited to share that this year the Council will begin laying the groundwork for a student-liaison program. The program will provide law school students with opportunities to learn more about administrative law, raise awareness of administrative law opportunities at their law schools, and build professional connections. We have established a committee to develop the program and plan to release application materials before the end of the spring semester, with the goal of welcoming an inaugural class in fall 2028. Look for additional information to come on the NC Bar Association Administrative Law webpage.

Speaking of our webpage, a group of Council members is actively reviewing it to ensure that it remains current and useful. If you have suggestions for information or resources you would like to see added, please feel free to reach out to me. This will be an ongoing effort throughout the year.

Council members are also diligently working to support our fall and spring CLE programs. The fall CLE, scheduled for November 13, 2026, will be a joint program with the Government & Public Sector Section addressing public records. The Section’s annual spring CLE is scheduled for March 17, 2027. Registration information for the November program will be shared soon, and I will hope to see you at both!

Throughout the many years that I have been a part of this Section, what has stood out most to me is the collegiality among its members. In everything I do this year, I will strive to foster and strengthen that spirit.

Charla Burill serves as the 2026-2027 chair of the Administrative Law Section.