By Elysia Prendergast-Jones Attorneys hold a unique power to transform the lives of many. It is often funny how lawyers are one of the top hated professions, yet most people will need an attorney at least once in their lives. We have an opportunity to show the softer and more caring side of attorneys through […]
By Chris Graebe Full disclosure at the outset: I’m not a family law practitioner. My practice involves a wide array of business litigation matters, including so-called “business divorce,” but never actual divorce. I will retire happily never having represented a spouse in an equitable distribution matter. However, I have represented business clients who have been […]
By Ketan Soni Your new chair, Jill Jackson, comes on board next week! Here’s where I started last July. Introduction After reading this post, ask yourself: “What have I done to make things better?” The answer, partially, is: “Helping clients endure through one of the most difficult times in their lives.”
By David C. Herring Understanding the role of a guardian (or even a durable power-of-attorney) over an incompetent ward is an invaluable tool for our family law clients. One could justify a whole CLE devoted to its usefulness in this context alone. Despite the value of a guardian’s role, the establishment of the guardianship relationship […]
By Ketan Soni A. We had a Council meeting on March 23, 2023. It was gloriously held over Zoom. The next (and final) meeting for this bar year is on May 18, 2023, in Cary. Did you know that you can attend Council meetings remotely, thus eliminating travel? Well, now you know how easy it […]
By Chelsea Gajewski The John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award honors current and retired members of the North Carolina State Bar throughout the state who have demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession. Members of the Bar nominate colleagues who they feel have demonstrated service to the profession. The criteria to be selected for this […]
By Elysia Prendergast-Jones A new year comes with new commitments, new resolutions, and a fresh outlook on our impact in the community. This year, we want to invite you to start the new year by checking off your pro bono commitments for the year. Our family law bar is a very active bar with valuable […]
By Ketan Soni A. We had a Council meeting on January 12, 2023. The next meeting is on March 23, 2023, in Cary, NC. You might ask: “Why wasn’t I invited?” The answer is: “You’re not signed up to volunteer as a committee chair or a council member.” Then, you might say: “Well, how can […]
By Suzanne Chester In October 2020, I wrote about the weaponization of the charge of parental alienation in family court, and how it obscures the multiple legitimate reasons children have for rejecting contact with a parent. In 2022, three influential organizations took a public position on this issue of parent-child contact problems. The American Professional […]
By Elysia Prendergast-Jones and Sarah Hill McIntyre Elysia Prendergast-Jones and Sarah Hill McIntyre are Co-Chairs of the Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section. They have taken on the important task of serving the underserved in addition to managing regular cases. The Pro Bono Committee is always looking for volunteers to assist clients across […]