I love when the new year rolls around. I know that time really has no boundaries, and December 31 rolls effortlessly into January 1 with no fireworks of its own accord. But the thought of starting anew is exhilarating to many people, and the New Year’s resolutions that everyone talks about are a result of this excitement. It is as if we are shedding off the old and physically stepping into a new year. In January of 2020, I was enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, looking to buy a house, and had sworn off wine and any kind of unhealthy food. I had such high hopes for the coming year.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2020-12-02 13:13:132020-12-10 11:38:31The Year of the Mask
The Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities Section annual CLE is right around the corner, and there is still time to register. There is a stellar lineup of speakers and panels that makes this an event you should not miss. The topics include:
2020 Cases from the North Carolina Supreme Court | Former Justice Edmunds Jr., Former Justice Jackson and Shelton
Listen as a panel reviews 2020 cases of significance from the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the North Carolina appellate courts will use the universal citation method for judicial opinions and publications. Each opinion filed by the Supreme Court of North Carolina and the North Carolina Court of Appeals will receive a unique opinion number and include paragraph numbers. The universal citation method increases access to judicial opinions by providing an identifying number independent from any third-party publisher’s volume of cases and making it easier to find opinions online. Universal citations will be used as parallel citations only, and citations to the official printed reporters will remain the same.
You can read more about the Supreme Court’s order adopting the universal citation method here and here.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Appellatehttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngAppellate2020-11-24 12:42:352020-11-24 12:42:35Supreme Court of North Carolina Announces Move to Universal Citation Method
Unfortunately, prognostications that COVID-19 would disappear post-election did not turn out to be true. As House Stark would say, winter is coming. Everyone seems to be preparing, including Gov. Cooper, who on Monday mandated that masks must be worn indoors whenever someone not in the same household is present and outdoors whenever physical distancing isn’t possible.
Our counties’ court staff, who have already been diligently working to keep courtrooms safe and the wheels of justice turning, have seen Chief Justice Beasley’s emergency directives extended, and in some counties, have issued new updates regarding courthouse procedure and courtroom accessibility. For instance, in Wake County, directives have been issued reducing civil court and clerk operations for Thanksgiving week and beyond, including eliminating all in-person civil superior court hearings through 12/31. Criminal trials have resumed and will continue, but with a significant different look and feel (click here for WRAL’s peek into the courtroom, and here for a picture of the jury packet being given to jurors). A bulleted outline of Wake County’s courthouse operation is below. Read more
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Litigationhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngLitigation2020-11-24 10:38:252020-11-24 10:38:25From Orange to Red: The COVID-19 Wave, Being Prepared, and Being Safe
Ashley Coghill is now an associate attorney at Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law). She practices in the firm’s Wilmington office. She focuses on professional liability, admiralty & maritime, and construction law. Before joining CSH Law, Coghill practiced in civil litigation at a firm in Durham, where she worked for five years. She also was a pre-litigation support analyst. Coghill has volunteer experience providing legal services for North Carolina farmers. Coghill graduated from Campbell Law School and received a Bachelor of Arts from Appalachian State University.
Harrison Wicker is now an associate attorney with Safran Law Offices. Before he joined the firm, he was an intern with Nelson Mullins PLLC and Safran Law Offices. He also has experience working as an econometrics analyst with the North Carolina Department of Instruction. Wicker graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in economics and from Campbell Law School with a Juris Doctorate.
Poyner Spruill has named Cheslie Kryst as the firm’s first Diversity Advisor. Kryst will help to advance the firm’s diversity and inclusion development. She will work with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee on initiatives and recruiting efforts. Kryst was a member of the firm’s litigation team, and her focus was on complex civil litigation. She was selected as Miss USA 2019. Kryst earned her Bachelor of Science from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina, her MBA from Wake Forest University, and her Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law.
The Minorities in the Profession (MIP) Committee recently hosted its annual Attorney-Student Networking Social on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Historically, this social is hosted by one of the North Carolina law schools and serves as MIP’s kickoff reception for the 2020-2021 bar year. The goal is to connect MIP members with one another and introduce diverse, future member law students to the Committee. This year’s event presented a unique challenge to organizers. How do you foster an organic, in-person networking event in a virtual setting? Fortunately, MIP Co-Chairs and event organizers, Jasmine McGhee and LaToya Powell, were up for the challenge!
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA MIPhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA MIP2020-11-23 16:05:122020-11-23 17:34:52Virtual Networking - Connecting Diverse Law Students and Attorneys
Members of the Sports & Entertainment Law Section (“SEL”) found the following recent third-party articles to be of potential interest to Section members. Feel free to reach out to the Communications Co-chairs (Kelly Ryan and Jourdan Williams) if you would like to submit either personally written pieces or other third-party articles that would be of interest to SEL members.
From the leaders of groups that deal with families in crisis:
Susan Myres, President of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
Larry Fong, President, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
Mindy Mitnick, AFCC President-Elect
Matt Sullivan, AFCC Past President
Laura Belleau, AAML Second Vice President
Kim Bonuomo, AAML committee co-chair for AAML/AFCC program Nancy Kellman AAML committee co-chair for AAML/AFCC program
Jill Peña, AAML Executive Director Peter Salem, AFCC Executive Director
The following are useful tools to help divorced/separated parents sharing custody to get through the upcoming holidays in the midst of a continuing pandemic with a minimum of conflict and stress. Read more
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00FamilyLawhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngFamilyLaw2020-11-20 11:42:422020-11-20 11:57:37Navigating the Holidays with COVID-19: Create a Roadmap for Success
The NCBA Membership Committee is bringing you four new Mingling with Membership virtual events — back by popular demand! Please join us for any or all of them if you can. They are free to attend. You just need to register for the event by using the link below.
For those of you who missed them in June and July, Mingling with Membership events are a virtual substitute for the discussions we would often have with each other at live events prior to COVID-19. They are an opportunity to get together (via Zoom) with other lawyers, judges, paralegals, and law students and to have informal, interesting and informative conversation. They are a happy hour from the comfort of your own home/office. The events last an hour and will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. We will start each event by discussing or presenting a specific topic and then open the discussion to all attendees for the remainder of the event.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBARBLOGhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBARBLOG2020-11-20 09:32:262020-11-20 09:32:26Mingling with Membership is Back!
Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee: The YLD’s Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee is gearing up to start preparing for Law Day in May 2021! The Committee is currently looking for additional volunteers to help with these efforts. If you enjoy working with kids ranging from elementary to high school age, this is the committee for you! The Committee welcomes new ideas and is excited about the meaningful opportunity to help the next generation understand the importance of their voice. There are several subcommittees, including: (1) Poster Competition; (2) Essay Competition; (3) Moot Court Competition; (4) Liberty Bell; and (5) McIntyre Award. In addition to seeking additional volunteers, the Committee would like to alert all YLD members that in the upcoming weeks, it will be posting announcements for each competition. All YLD members are encouraged to share these announcements with colleagues, family, and friends, and on social media. These could be great activities to do over the winter break! Finally, the Committee also will need volunteer judges and timekeepers for the upcoming Moot Court Regional Competition in March. Check back soon for dates and more information. If you have any questions or want additional information on how to get involved, please reach out to Sidney Thomas or William Walton.
The Year of the Mask
Paralegal DivisionI love when the new year rolls around. I know that time really has no boundaries, and December 31 rolls effortlessly into January 1 with no fireworks of its own accord. But the thought of starting anew is exhilarating to many people, and the New Year’s resolutions that everyone talks about are a result of this excitement. It is as if we are shedding off the old and physically stepping into a new year. In January of 2020, I was enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, looking to buy a house, and had sworn off wine and any kind of unhealthy food. I had such high hopes for the coming year.
Read more
Last Chance for Constitutional Romance, Dec. 3, 2020!
Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities Section“COVID-19 v. The Constitution: The New Normal?” Don’t miss it!
The Constitutional Rights & Responsibilities Section annual CLE is right around the corner, and there is still time to register. There is a stellar lineup of speakers and panels that makes this an event you should not miss. The topics include:
2020 Cases from the North Carolina Supreme Court | Former Justice Edmunds Jr., Former Justice Jackson and Shelton
Listen as a panel reviews 2020 cases of significance from the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Read more
Supreme Court of North Carolina Announces Move to Universal Citation Method
Appellate PracticeBeginning Jan. 1, 2021, the North Carolina appellate courts will use the universal citation method for judicial opinions and publications. Each opinion filed by the Supreme Court of North Carolina and the North Carolina Court of Appeals will receive a unique opinion number and include paragraph numbers. The universal citation method increases access to judicial opinions by providing an identifying number independent from any third-party publisher’s volume of cases and making it easier to find opinions online. Universal citations will be used as parallel citations only, and citations to the official printed reporters will remain the same.
You can read more about the Supreme Court’s order adopting the universal citation method here and here.
From Orange to Red: The COVID-19 Wave, Being Prepared, and Being Safe
Litigation SectionUnfortunately, prognostications that COVID-19 would disappear post-election did not turn out to be true. As House Stark would say, winter is coming. Everyone seems to be preparing, including Gov. Cooper, who on Monday mandated that masks must be worn indoors whenever someone not in the same household is present and outdoors whenever physical distancing isn’t possible.
Our counties’ court staff, who have already been diligently working to keep courtrooms safe and the wheels of justice turning, have seen Chief Justice Beasley’s emergency directives extended, and in some counties, have issued new updates regarding courthouse procedure and courtroom accessibility. For instance, in Wake County, directives have been issued reducing civil court and clerk operations for Thanksgiving week and beyond, including eliminating all in-person civil superior court hearings through 12/31. Criminal trials have resumed and will continue, but with a significant different look and feel (click here for WRAL’s peek into the courtroom, and here for a picture of the jury packet being given to jurors). A bulleted outline of Wake County’s courthouse operation is below.
Read more
Checking In: Nov. 24, 2020
Checking InCompiled by Jessica Junqueira
New Hires and Appointment
Ashley Coghill is now an associate attorney at Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law). She practices in the firm’s Wilmington office. She focuses on professional liability, admiralty & maritime, and construction law. Before joining CSH Law, Coghill practiced in civil litigation at a firm in Durham, where she worked for five years. She also was a pre-litigation support analyst. Coghill has volunteer experience providing legal services for North Carolina farmers. Coghill graduated from Campbell Law School and received a Bachelor of Arts from Appalachian State University.
Harrison Wicker is now an associate attorney with Safran Law Offices. Before he joined the firm, he was an intern with Nelson Mullins PLLC and Safran Law Offices. He also has experience working as an econometrics analyst with the North Carolina Department of Instruction. Wicker graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in economics and from Campbell Law School with a Juris Doctorate.
Poyner Spruill has named Cheslie Kryst as the firm’s first Diversity Advisor. Kryst will help to advance the firm’s diversity and inclusion development. She will work with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee on initiatives and recruiting efforts. Kryst was a member of the firm’s litigation team, and her focus was on complex civil litigation. She was selected as Miss USA 2019. Kryst earned her Bachelor of Science from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina, her MBA from Wake Forest University, and her Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law.
Read more
Virtual Networking – Connecting Diverse Law Students and Attorneys
Minorities In the ProfessionThe Minorities in the Profession (MIP) Committee recently hosted its annual Attorney-Student Networking Social on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Historically, this social is hosted by one of the North Carolina law schools and serves as MIP’s kickoff reception for the 2020-2021 bar year. The goal is to connect MIP members with one another and introduce diverse, future member law students to the Committee. This year’s event presented a unique challenge to organizers. How do you foster an organic, in-person networking event in a virtual setting? Fortunately, MIP Co-Chairs and event organizers, Jasmine McGhee and LaToya Powell, were up for the challenge!
Read more
Articles of Interest (Nov. 1-15, 2020)
Sports & Entertainment Law SectionMembers of the Sports & Entertainment Law Section (“SEL”) found the following recent third-party articles to be of potential interest to Section members. Feel free to reach out to the Communications Co-chairs (Kelly Ryan and Jourdan Williams) if you would like to submit either personally written pieces or other third-party articles that would be of interest to SEL members.
Navigating the Holidays with COVID-19: Create a Roadmap for Success
Family Law SectionFrom the leaders of groups that deal with families in crisis:
Susan Myres, President of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
Larry Fong, President, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
Mindy Mitnick, AFCC President-Elect
Matt Sullivan, AFCC Past President
Laura Belleau, AAML Second Vice President
Kim Bonuomo, AAML committee co-chair for AAML/AFCC program Nancy Kellman AAML committee co-chair for AAML/AFCC program
Jill Peña, AAML Executive Director Peter Salem, AFCC Executive Director
The following are useful tools to help divorced/separated parents sharing custody to get through the upcoming holidays in the midst of a continuing pandemic with a minimum of conflict and stress.
Read more
Mingling with Membership is Back!
Membership CommitteeThe NCBA Membership Committee is bringing you four new Mingling with Membership virtual events — back by popular demand! Please join us for any or all of them if you can. They are free to attend. You just need to register for the event by using the link below.
For those of you who missed them in June and July, Mingling with Membership events are a virtual substitute for the discussions we would often have with each other at live events prior to COVID-19. They are an opportunity to get together (via Zoom) with other lawyers, judges, paralegals, and law students and to have informal, interesting and informative conversation. They are a happy hour from the comfort of your own home/office. The events last an hour and will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. We will start each event by discussing or presenting a specific topic and then open the discussion to all attendees for the remainder of the event.
Read more
YLD e-Blast: November 2020
Young Lawyers DivisionChristina Cress
Claire O’Brien
By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien
Dates to Know
Dec. 10, 2020 | 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute | 8 a.m.
Dec. 10, 2020 | Mingling with Membership: Best Practices for Remote Hearings | 4 to 5 p.m.
Committee and Section Updates
Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee: The YLD’s Law Week and Liberty Bell Committee is gearing up to start preparing for Law Day in May 2021! The Committee is currently looking for additional volunteers to help with these efforts. If you enjoy working with kids ranging from elementary to high school age, this is the committee for you! The Committee welcomes new ideas and is excited about the meaningful opportunity to help the next generation understand the importance of their voice. There are several subcommittees, including: (1) Poster Competition; (2) Essay Competition; (3) Moot Court Competition; (4) Liberty Bell; and (5) McIntyre Award. In addition to seeking additional volunteers, the Committee would like to alert all YLD members that in the upcoming weeks, it will be posting announcements for each competition. All YLD members are encouraged to share these announcements with colleagues, family, and friends, and on social media. These could be great activities to do over the winter break! Finally, the Committee also will need volunteer judges and timekeepers for the upcoming Moot Court Regional Competition in March. Check back soon for dates and more information. If you have any questions or want additional information on how to get involved, please reach out to Sidney Thomas or William Walton.
Read more