Welcome Message from the Real Property Section Chair
By Brian Byrd
I hope this message finds you well. I am honored to be the Chair of the Real Property Section for the 2020-2021 NCBA year. Joining me on this year’s Executive Committee are Vice-Chair Christina Pearsall with Schell Bray PLLC in Greensboro, Secretary-Treasurer Lindsay Thompson with The Van Winkle Law Firm in Asheville, and immediate Past Chair Brian Taylor with White & Allen P.A. in New Bern.
As a Section, we owe Brian Taylor a debt of gratitude for his steady guidance during the past year, particularly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brian coordinated the Section’s response to the unprecedented challenges to our profession wrought by the pandemic, including measures intended to facilitate the provision of legal services despite business and government office closures, social distancing and economic upheaval. With the Section’s support and in concert with advocacy by other stakeholders in the real estate industry, the Good Funds Settlement Act was temporarily amended to allow disbursements prior to recording of the deed, subject to compliance with certain conditions and requirements, when the applicable Register of Deeds is not accepting documents for recording. In addition, with the Section’s support, the General Assembly adopted legislation temporarily allowing notary acknowledgments to be completed remotely by video. I would like to acknowledge and thank Nancy Ferguson for the significant role that she played in guiding the Section’s efforts with respect to both of these measures.