Get To Know New Members: Michelle Dewkett-Kochhar

Michelle, a woman with long dark brown hair, wears a black blouse and light brown blazer. By Michelle Dewkett-Kochhar

MIP’s Get to Know New Members is a new blog feature to spotlight new members to the MIP Committee from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the broader community through a brief set of interview questions. Everyone, meet Michelle Dewkett-Kocchar.

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

Campbell Law School, 2019.

Describe a typical day in your life.

After taking my puppy to the park for our morning play time and meeting our friends, I spend my day in the office working talking to clients and working through workers’ comp cases before coming home and making dinner for my husband and me. I love to spend my free time baking, reading, going on walks with my husband and dog, and just watching TV with them and our three cats.

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Attorney Well-Being Is Always a Priority, and BarCARES Can Help

Colleen is a white woman with brown hair. She is wearing a royal blue blouse.Bryan, a white man with red hair, wears a white shirt, blue tie and navy suit.By Colleen Byers and Bryan Norris

I vividly recall the first time I flew on an airplane as a new parent. My infant was snuggled into my chest in a secure baby wrap so my hands could still juggle the diaper bag, plus my own carry-on bag. Walking through the aisle and making eye contact with fellow passengers over the top of the baby’s head could very well have been a fascinating social experiment. There were those who smiled generously, some who softly let out a little “awww,” and others who frowned and quickly looked away as they silently hoped my seat was far from theirs.

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Nominations for Administrative Law Award for Excellence

Bain, a white man with white hair, wears a white shirt and black suit.By W. Bain Jones Jr.

The Administrative Law Section established the Award for Excellence to recognize members of the section who have made significant and lasting contributions to the practice of administrative law. These individuals are experienced members of the profession and are in good standing concerning their practice. The recipient must have practiced administrative law for five years. The nomination letter should indicate the above criteria and specific examples of how the nominee has made significant, lasting contributions.

Some of the prior recipients of the award are Julian Mann, Fred Morrison, Nick Fountain, Jack Nichols, Dan McLawhorn, Molly Masich, Ann Wall and Jeff Grey.

The deadline for receiving the nominations is Friday, February 16. For more information and to complete your nomination, visit the Administrative Law Award for Excellence webpage. For questions, email BreAnne Shieh.

Screen Time: Strategies for Effective Legal Writing in the Digital Age

By Chris S. Edwards

Judges in North Carolina’s state and federal appellate courts don’t reach for printed briefs much anymore (the Chief Judge of the Fourth Circuit, Albert Diaz, has said that he and his colleagues routinely read briefs only on their iPads). Instead, they read briefs just like you or I would, on a screen.

If judges are reading briefs on a screen, should that information change the way that we write briefs? I think so. Even though reading on paper has distinct advantages (readers comprehend information better and retain more of it when they choose paper over a screen), I’m guessing most judges would be hard-pressed to give up the convenience of screen reading.

That leaves one solution: because the way judges read has changed, so too must the way that lawyers write. So, how do we do that? Read more

AI Is Adapting, and Lawyers Should, Too

By Marc E. Gustafson

We’ve all been there – negotiating with opposing counsel over a nuanced situation, only to get a run-of-the-mill response. These types of conversations can be frustrating, if not downright maddening. More importantly, they have the potential to spell a hard road ahead for our profession.

Over the last year, there has been a fair amount of gnashing of teeth by lawyers and law firms over ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and the like will affect the legal profession. If your head has been anywhere but buried in the sand, you’ve likely seen examples of articles and briefs, with varying degrees of accuracy, composed using some form of AI. And these tools are going to get better.

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The Child’s Advocate: At the Intersection of Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare and Education

LaToya, a Black woman with black wavy hair, wears a black blouse. By LaToya B. Powell

It’s time to register for the annual Juvenile Justice & Children’s Rights Section (JJCR) CLE program! Our 2024 program, “The Child’s Advocate: At the Intersection of Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare and Education,” will address the interplay of multiple systems that impact children and families who are involved in the court system, including juvenile justice, child welfare, and education. Research shows that approximately 90% of foster youth with five or more placements will enter the juvenile justice system. Not surprisingly, these vulnerable youth also experience a disproportionate rate of school discipline, mental health needs, and special education services.  If you are an attorney or legal professional working with this population, this CLE is for you!

Silhouettes of people are shown in a line. The silhouettes are blue. The people are holding hands.

The CLE will take place as a live webcast on Thursday, March 14, 2024, from 12:15-4:10 p.m.  The program will include three sessions, featuring: (1) a panel discussion of recent legislation in the areas of juvenile justice, child welfare, and education; (2) a presentation on compassion fatigue resulting from the representation of a juvenile client; and (3) a judge’s panel on the challenges of representing youth who are impacted by the intersection of the juvenile justice, child welfare, and education systems. Participants will hear from a very diverse and highly experienced group of attorneys and judges from throughout the State of North Carolina, including Durham, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake Counties. For more details about the program and to see the full agenda, please visit the CLE registration website.

Register early to take advantage of the discounted rate for JJCR Section members! The early bird rate is available now through February 22, 2024 (only $135 for JJCR Section members or $145 for other NCBA members). Don’t miss the opportunity to earn 3.5 MCLE hours, including 1 hour of substance abuse/mental health at this low rate!

*Please note that if you are a North Carolina State Bar certified specialist, this program also qualifies for Child Welfare Law and Juvenile Delinquency Law Specialization credit.

Privacy Rights of Children in the Digital Age

By Michelle FormyDuval Lynch

Do children have a right to privacy? Yes, but those rights are not always clearly defined and often depend on the actions of the parents. This is especially so in the digital age, where a picture can be shared with millions of people almost immediately.  A recent opinion by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals illustrates how privacy rights of children may be an afterthought, and when the child realizes their privacy has been invaded, there may be little or no recourse.

Before the internet became open to the public in 1993, and social media came into widespread use in the early 2000s, no one worried about pictures being shared, much less about photos or videos going “viral.” Generally, pictures stayed in the family album or wallet.

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A Letter to My Younger Self

By Chazle’ N. Woodley

Dear New Associate,

You finished law school, studied for the bar exam, passed the bar exam, and now you’re about to embark on your journey as an attorney!

Congratulations! You did it, and now you’re about to engage in doing the work of a real lawyer. You’re probably feeling a flood of emotions: excited, eager, nervous, curious, and maybe even worried about what’s to come.

As an attorney who recently wrapped up my first year of practice, I am eager to share what I’ve learned in my first year as an associate in the hopes that it will alleviate stress and help you feel prepared for what’s to come. Read more

Searching for Volunteers for the Grab-a-Coffee Program: Spring 2024

Alex Gwynn is a Black woman with black hair and brown eyes. She is wearing a red and white shirt, black glasses, and dark jacket.Will, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt, blue and yellow striped tie, and black suit.Matt, a white man with brown hair, wears a pale blue shirt, grey suit, and mint green tie.By Alex Gwynn, Matt Meinel and Will Robertson

Do you have time to grab a cup of coffee? Instead of taking this one to go, how about spending thirty meaningful minutes with a future lawyer?

A half hour of your time is all we need to make this program a success! We are seeking attorney volunteers to connect with a law student and pass on the valuable insights you have about succeeding in law school and entering the practice of law. If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this attorney sign-up form. Law students can sign up with this student sign-up form. If you have signed up during a previous GaC session, you will need to sign up again.

GaC is a statewide program that pairs law students with practicing attorneys based on their practice area(s) of interest. Discussion topics may include:

  • what it is like to practice in your current area of law;

  • the path you took to get where you are; and

  • general advice on law school or the first year in practice.

The program is meant to be an informal, one-time, thirty-minute meeting. Attorneys and students have the option of meeting virtually or in person.

Sign-ups close on February 9. Volunteers will be notified by email with more information once they are paired with a law student.

To learn more about the Grab-a-Coffee program, check out this blog post and short YouTube video from prior participants in the program.

We look forward to a successful spring of networking!

Alex Gwynn and Will Robertson serve as co-chairs of the NCBA YLD Law Student Outreach Committee. Matt Meinel serves as the administrator of the NCBA Grab-a-Coffee Program. 

Volunteer to Prepare Expunction Petitions Remotely

By Rachel Royal 

On March 9, 2024, the Charlotte Expunction Clinic will again be held at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. This project is a partnership of the following organizations: the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (the “Advocacy Center”), the SelfServe Center, and the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, and Public Defender’s Office. During the clinics, volunteer public defenders offer advice to applicants regarding their eligibility for expunction relief under North Carolina law.

The project has held seven prior clinics since 2019. Since August 2021, paralegals have been utilized to review criminal records and attorney analysis forms and to prepare petitions for attorney review.

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