New Job, New Opportunity for Growth

Huma, a woman with brown hair, wears a dark purple button-down blouse.Katherine, a white woman with blond hair, wears a white blouse and dark grey suit.By Huma Khursheed and Katherine Copeland

Hello NCBA Community,

We, Katherine Copeland and Huma Khursheed, are the new co-chairs of the Wellness Committee within the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association. We look forward to serving you in this capacity. As a brief introduction, we met during the time that our judicial clerkship with Justice Allison Riggs overlapped. Since August, Katherine has started a new position as an Associate Attorney with Ballew Puryear, and Huma is currently within her first year of her judicial clerkship.

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Get to Know WIP Members Ashley Oldfield and Amy Schaefer

This month, we are excited to introduce two WIP members: Ashley Oldfield and Amy Schaefer!

Ashley Oldfield

Ashley, a white woman with brown hair, wears a black and white blouse and black blazer. What law school did you attend, and what was your graduation year?

Wake Forest University School of Law, 2020.

Describe what a typical workday is like for you.

If I don’t have a court appearance, I’m usually in my office doing research, writing briefs, or talking with clients.

Describe what you like to do outside of work.

Outside of work, I enjoy crocheting, baking, vegetable gardening, reading, and running.

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Judicial Deference: Recent North Carolina Supreme Court Decisions

Frank, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a blue shirt, grey tie and black suit.By Frank Trainor

This year the Supreme Court of North Carolina has released opinions addressing how courts in North Carolina treat administrative‐agency interpretations of statutes and regulations. The two cases are Savage v. N.C. Department of Transportation and Mitchell v. University of N.C. Board of Governors.

Prior to the Supreme Court pronouncements this year, judicial review of administrative decisions and interpretations of statutes and regulations had been performed de novo, as required by the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act. Spoiler alert: it still is.

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Remembering Steve Horowitz, 1990-1991 Chair of the Tax Section

Chris, a white man with a shaved head, wears a white shirt, blue tie and black jacket. By Chris Hannum

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Steven (“Steve”) Horowitz, a former Chair of our Section (1990–1991) and a respected presence in the North Carolina tax bar for more than five decades. His loss is felt across our professional community, especially by those who practiced with him, learned from him or served alongside him in leadership of this Section.

Steve practiced tax law for more than 56 years, beginning as a trial attorney with the Office of District Counsel of the IRS in Greensboro, and later in private practice in Gastonia and Charlotte. He earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Florida and his LL.M. in Taxation from NYU.  Those who worked with Steve remember him as a fierce advocate for his clients and a calm, steady colleague. He set a high standard for preparation and integrity — qualities that influenced many practitioners in this Section, myself included. His contributions to the Tax Section and our profession are immeasurable.

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NCBA IL&P Blog Post — CLE Program Nov. 21, 2025

Phil, a white man with brown hair and glasses, wears a blue shirt and black blazer.By Phillip Chritton

Navigating the “New Normal” in Immigration, Global Compliance, and Tariffs and Trade (While Helping Clients Still Get Things Done!)  

Behind the daily headlines — trade and tariffs, new U.S. visa policies and changes in DOJ enforcement and cross-border business practices — North Carolina lawyers need up-to-date information to advise their clients. This CLE program will help. We’ve assembled a team of expert international attorneys from across the state, ready to dissect the issues and give practical guidance to navigate today’s international and cross-border legal environment.

Register for the event online. This program is timely and helpful for lawyers in #privatepractice, #inhousecounsel, and #compliance professionals.

Speakers include: Susan Carr, Eric Cottrell, David Garrett, Randall A. Hanson, David Robinson, Patrick Togni, and Phillip Chritton.

North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) International Practice Section members get a *discounted rate.*

Included Sessions

  • Immigration Practice in 2025: What’s Changed (and What Hasn’t)
  • Global Compliance and Investigations: Implications of Recent DOJ Policy Announcements
  • Cross-Border Transactions: Lessons From the Field for Today’s Global Business Environment
  • U.S. Trade and Tariffs Policy: Where Do We Go From Here?

Agenda

View the full program agenda.

Speakers

  • Susan W. Carr, Kongsberg Digital Inc., Raleigh
  • Phillip Chritton, former UPS Deputy General Counsel-International, Raleigh
  • Eric H. Cottrell, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Charlotte
  • David J. Garrett, Maynard Nexsen, Raleigh
  • Randall A. “Randy” Hanson, Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, Greensboro
  • David S. Robinson, Maynard Nexsen, Raleigh
  • Patrick J. Togni, King & Spalding LLP, Charlotte and Washington, D.C.
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Have a Project? A Lawyer’s Guide to Vetting Contractors in North Carolina

Christian, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt, dark blue tie, and black suit.By Christian Lunghi 

Hiring the wrong contractor can turn a project into a headache or a lawsuit. The steps below are simple, practical checks you can do to lower your risk. They’re not foolproof and don’t guarantee a perfect job, but they can help you catch the big red flags. Use this as a checklist to confirm the basics, and if something feels off, talk to a construction lawyer before you sign. A little homework now is almost always cheaper than a mess later.

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What’s Blowing Your Mind: AI-driven Threats

By Alex Pearce

Artificial intelligence is transforming not only how organizations operate, but how they’re attacked. In this latest “What’s Blowing Your Mind” video, Alex Pearce, a partner in Wyrick Robbins’ Privacy and Data Security group, discusses emerging AI-driven threats — from data leakage and model poisoning to next-generation phishing — and why traditional incident response plans must evolve to meet them.

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Breaking Barriers, Building Purpose: Turning Challenges into Opportunities in Times of Uncertainty

By Alex, a Black woman with black hair, wears a black blouse and a blazer with black and white checks.Alex Gwynn

When the path forward feels uncertain, opportunity is born. Every challenge is a chance to build purpose, strengthen community, and lead through service. The YLD Pro Bono Leadership Cohort Application (2025-2026) is an opportunity to turn uncertainty into impact, for yourself and for others.

I was in my third year of law school when I was laid off from the law firm where I worked. Each day, I searched for jobs and internships on sites like LinkedIn and Indeed, studied during the day and attended law school at night.

Situations like this happen, and in those moments, it’s easy to second-guess our choices. When I was laid off in September 2017, I questioned whether I had made the right decision to leave my full-time position at the Durham County Department of Social Services. Although balancing a full-time job with evening law classes was demanding, I loved helping Durham residents navigate their Adult Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Services applications. Part of me wondered if I had made a mistake in seeking out legal experience.

But through that period of uncertainty, I found an unexpected opportunity.

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Celebrating You!

Sarah, a white woman with short auburn hair, wears a black shirt with white flowers.By Sarah L. White

The holidays are about more than finding the perfect gift or recipe, hanging decorations, or counting down the days until time off. They are about connection, gratitude, and community — and for that, we celebrate each of you.

As a Division family, we are here to support one another, to celebrate our successes, to be there for each other during our sorrows, and to make a meaningful difference in the greater legal community.

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2025 Summer Internship Scholarship Recipient Spotlight Series: Meet Aleah Wordsworth

Stacey, a Black woman with black hair and black glasses, wears a black suit and is standing outside.By Stacey Rubain

Aleah Wordsworth is a third-year law student at the University of North Carolina School of Law. She is deeply committed to public service and dedicated to improving the lives of individuals from underserved and disadvantaged communities. Her passion for this work was strengthened through prior experiences with the North Carolina Office of Special Counsel and a judicial externship with the Honorable Joe L. Webster, United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Aleah, a Black woman with black hair, wears a white blouse.

Aleah Wordsworth

This summer, Aleah interned with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of North Carolina (FPDEDNC). There, she conducted legal research and analysis on a range of federal criminal law topics, such as the United States Sentencing Guidelines and evidentiary issues. She also drafted memoranda and motions that were filed in federal court. Aleah’s most meaningful project was contributing to a sentencing memorandum where she argued for a downward variance from the advisory sentencing guidelines under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Knowing that her work could help secure a fairer outcome for a client made the experience deeply impactful. Read more

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