Minorities in the Profession Committee Launches Another Exciting Bar Year

Jane Paksoy

Jane Paksoy

LaToya Powell

LaToya Powell

By Jane Paksoy and LaToya Powell

The Minorities in the Profession Committee (MIP) has launched another exciting year as one of the most active committees in the North Carolina Bar Association. While we continue to adjust to the unique demands of the pandemic, we remain committed to our mission of eliminating discrimination and institutional racism in the legal profession and promoting increased diversity, equity, and inclusion overall. Below are our goals for the 2021-2022 bar year, information on our upcoming social, and a special welcome to our newest committee members!

Read more

2021 Legal Legends of Color Award Honorees

,

By Gwendolyn W. Lewis

Impact breeds more impact. For six years now, the Legal Legends of Color Awards have highlighted the lives and careers of some of the most impactful attorneys of color in our state. Their contributions, lives, careers, and stories have impacted not only the clients and communities they have served or still serve, but also the attorneys who have followed in their footsteps. Many of those attorneys have now become legends themselves. The impact of a Legend is endless, and this year, with record registration numbers totaling two hundred and fifty-one, we were honored to elevate through video and virtual presentations the stories of a new class of legends. At the 123rd North Carolina Bar Association Annual Meeting and the sixth annual Legal Legends of Color Awards Celebration, we welcomed the following honorees into a distinguished and growing list of Legal Legends of Color:

  • Professor James E. Coleman Jr.
  • Judge Wanda Bryant
  • Attorney Karen Bethea-Shields
  • Attorney Julian Pierce (posthumously)
  • Judge Elreta Melton Alexander (posthumously)

Read more

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: William D. Ramos

By William D. Ramos

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of William D. Ramos; Ramos Law, PA.; Raleigh.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year? 

Florida A&M University College of Law, 2017.

What inspired or prompted you to become an attorney?

Seeing and experiencing the powerlessness of the average person against the “powers that be.”

Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have overcome in your professional career? 

Being an older, new attorney is fraught with its own barriers or challenges. As a Hispanic, the first obstacle is having people believe you are, in fact, an attorney. Considering that only 5% of lawyers are Hispanic, a sad fact, it is not surprising to have people question my being a lawyer.

Do you have a message of encouragement for others who may have experienced similar challenges or adversity as a diverse attorney? 

Do not give up. I’ll share what I’ve always told my children and now my grandchildren. Take a knee, catch your breath, then get up and move. Anywhere is better than on your knees.

William D. Ramos is the owner of Ramos Law, PA. Please visit his full bio at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-bill-ramos-esq/.

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: LaToya Powell

By LaToya Powell

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of LaToya Powell, Assistant Legal Counsel, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts, Raleigh.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?

The University of North Carolina School of Law, 2005. Read more

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Gerald L. Walden Jr.

By Gerald L. Walden Jr.

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Gerald L. Walden Jr., VP – Deputy General Counsel & Head of Diversity, The Fresh Market, Inc., Greensboro.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?

North Carolina Central University School of Law; spring 2001.

Read more

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Rashad L. Morgan

By Rashad L. Morgan

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Rashad L. Morgan, Shareholder & Intellectual Property Attorney, Brinks Gilson & Lione, Durham, NC.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year? 

University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2006.

Read more

Minorities in the Profession Annual Pre-Law Conference: A Huge Success

By April M. Giancola

On Saturday, March 20, 2021, members of the Minorities in the Profession Committee hosted the first virtual Pre-Law Conference. This annual program has been traditionally conducted in person at one of our North Carolina law schools, as we invite participants from all over the state to join us for conversations about why someone would want to consider law school and a legal career. This year’s virtual format allowed the committee to invite students from all over the country, and students from other states besides North Carolina participated in the conference.

Read more

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Neubia Harris

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Neubia Harris, Managing Attorney, The Law Office of Neubia L. Harris, PLLC.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?

Wake Forest University School of Law, 2010. Read more

Join Us for the Annual Minorities in the Profession Pre-Law Conference

Who: All minority middle school, high school, and college students who are interested in attending law school and want to get the real scoop! We recognize that students from underrepresented backgrounds may not have lawyers as relatives or in their communities – so we try to provide helpful information to better understand the process, options, and ways to overcome obstacles.

What: The Minority Pre-Law Conference – Putting the Pieces Together: Is Law School the Right Fit?

The conference is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association’s Minorities in the Profession Committee in an effort to help minority students learn about all the facets of applying to, attending, and paying for law school.

Our Keynote Address will be given by the Founder of Black Girls Do Law, Destiny Williams. Panels include:

Navigating the Admissions Process from High School to Law School

Life of a Law Student: What I Wish I Had Known Before Law School (current law students will be on this panel)

Financing Your Legal Education

Finding Your Path: Careers for Lawyers

Networking session with North Carolina lawyers from different practice areas

When: Saturday, March 20, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where: Virtual, of course.

How: Register for this free conference here. Attendees must register by March 15.

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Niya Fonville

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Niya Fonville, Director of Externships, Campbell Law School, Raleigh, NC.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year? 

University of Miami, 2008.

Read more