Pro Bono Spotlight: Mark Kinghorn

Mark, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt, pale blue tie and navy jacket.

Mark Kinghorn

By Tricia Russ

Mark Kinghorn is equal parts litigator, connector, and community advocate. As a partner at McGuireWoods and Chair of the Financial Services & Securities Enforcement Department, Mark helps companies navigate their most complex challenges, including arbitration, commercial litigation, and multi-jurisdictional disputes that require both strategic insight and steady leadership. Yet his influence within the firm extends far beyond case strategy. A recognized pro bono leader and mentor, Mark invests deeply in developing new attorneys and associates, reminding them through his actions what the legal profession should represent. His message is consistent: compassion, consistency and excellence matter equally — whether serving paying clients or those with limited means.

As he often emphasizes, “I want to be remembered not just as a great lawyer, but as one who worked hard for everyone, including those who can’t afford it.”

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The Spirit of Giving: NCBA’s New U.S. Tax Court Calendar Call Program

Kim, a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wears a pin and orange dress and blue blazer with a small off-white flower pin. She is seated in her office. By Kimberly B. Tyson

Of the three forums for judicial review of a federal tax dispute, only the Tax Court is a pre-payment forum, meaning a taxpayer can have a tax case heard by the court before paying the tax. In 2024, approximately 80% of the 20,925 petitions filed in the Tax Court were by pro se (self-represented) petitioners. As an institution, the court has recognized bar-sponsored calendar call programs assist petitioners in prosecuting a case, which results in enhanced effectiveness of judicial and administrative procedure. On November 24, 2025, the Tax Court recognized the NCBA as the seventh bar association nationwide to provide pro bono services to the court through a calendar call program. The program is administered under the NCBA Pro Bono program and services calendar calls in Winston-Salem and Columbia, SC (the two cities typically serviced by the IRS Office of Chief Counsel office located in Greensboro).

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From the Workplace to 1L: Your Guide for Going Back to Law School

By Sydney, a white woman with brown hair, wears a pink dress.Sydney Basden

So, you think you want to go to law school — congrats! But, you are nervous to go back to school after time in the “real world.” Whether you’ve spent one year or 12 since undergrad, I promise you can succeed in law school! That said, your unique experiences may make your law school application process and time at school look somewhat different from your KJD counterparts (Kindergarten through Juris Doctor — law students who took no time off).

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16 Years in the Trenches: Reflections From a 2009-Vintage Family Law Lawyer

By Kris HilscherKris, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a white shirt, teal tie, and navy blazer.

I started practicing law the same year that the iPhone 3G came out, and everyone thought the economy was just taking a long weekend. A lot has changed — Zoom hearings, e-filing, the fact that associates now ask for “mental health days” instead of pretending they have the flu, just to name a few. One thing hasn’t changed: if we want the privilege of calling ourselves lawyers, we have to earn it every morning.

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2025 Summer Internship Scholarship Recipient Spotlight Series: Meet Aaliyah LeCompte

Stacey, a woman with black hair and black glasses, wears a blue button-down shirt and black blazer.

By Stacey Rubain

Aaliyah LeCompte is a second-year law student at North Carolina Central University School of Law (“NCCU Law”). Her passion for serving others began even before entering law school. Aaliyah mentored children and also worked as a behavior technician, and these experiences strengthened her passion for helping people navigate challenging circumstances. This summer, she interned as a clerk with the Durham County District Court Judges’ Justice is Blind Program, and Aaliyah gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of district court.

Aaliyah, a Black woman with auburn and brown hair, wears a white blouse and black suit.

Aaliyah Lecompte

Aaliyah approached her clerkship with enthusiasm, though not without apprehension. As a rising 2L, Aaliyah was candid about her fears of litigation and even stepping into a courthouse. Clerking for the Durham County District Court Judges provided her with a meaningful opportunity to confront those fears directly.  Aaliyah spent her summer observing different district court proceedings, conducting legal research, and analyzing statutes. One of her most memorable experiences was the chance for Aaliyah and her fellow clerk to deliver a closing argument in an old DWI case before the District Court Judges and local attorneys. Aaliyah found this experience frightening and exhilarating at the same time.  Confronting her fears was extremely rewarding for Aaliyah, and she received positive feedback about her performance.

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Checking In: November 25, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Baker Donelson Adds New Shareholder

JD, a white man with brown hair and a beard, wears a white shirt, red tie and black blazer. John David “J.D.” Koesters has joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder. He will practice in the Government Enforcement and Investigations Group. Koesters previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney. He advises organizations and individuals navigating internal investigations, False Claims Act allegations, government enforcement actions, complex litigation and cybersecurity risks. While serving as an Assistant U.S. attorney, Koesters led multi-agency investigations into transnational criminal operations. Koesters also served as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate, in which he counseled cyber protection teams and completed a combat tour in Afghanistan. He received the Bronze Star for his military service in Operation Enduring Freedom. Koesters is a Certified Information Privacy Professional. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee.

Poyner Spruill Announces New Attorneys

Paul, a white man with brown hair wears a white shirt, pale green tie and navy blue blazer. Paul Cox is experienced in election law, campaign finance issues, complex litigation and regulatory advice and policy. He previously was General Counsel to the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Special Deputy Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice. He served as a clerk to Raymond Fisher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked as a public relations professional and policy aide for federal political campaigns and elected officials. He holds a law degree from the University of California Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white blouse and navy blue blazer.Emily Steele works with institutional investors, developers and nonprofit organizations in acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures. She assists clients in matters such as commercial real estate projects, which include drafting purchase and sale agreements, preparing closing checklists and conducting title, survey, and zoning reviews. She holds a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. While in law school, she was the managing editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property. She received a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University. Read more

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Meet Your Education Law Section Chair!

Kim, a white woman with short brown hair, wears a black dress and a multi-colored beaded necklace.Maya, a white woman with brown hair, wears a floral blouse and black blazer.By Kim Davis and Maya Weinstein

Collins Saint, a Partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP, is the current Chair of the NCBA Education Law Section. As a former educator and mental health practitioner, Collins helps schools, nonprofits, and individuals navigate complex legal challenges with clarity, strategy, and practicality.  Known for his work in education law, civil rights, and identity justice, Collins combines his deep legal knowledge with a trauma-informed, equity-centered approach to every matter he handles.  When not practicing law, you can find Collins exploring North Carolina’s waterways, hiking with his dog, or trying out new recipes from his weekend farmer’s market hauls.

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Unreimbursed Expenses of Employees and Partners

John, a white man with dark brown hair, wears a pale blue shirt, lime green and blue tie, and black suit. By John G. Hodnette

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included Section 67(h), which eliminated miscellaneous itemized deductions for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act made that disallowance permanent. One such eliminated deduction is for unreimbursed employee expenses. They include expenses for transportation, travel fares, lodging away from home, business meals, continuing education courses, subscriptions and dues to professional materials and organizations, uniforms, job hunting expenses, and otherwise deductible home office expenses. To have been deductible, such expenses must not have been reimbursed or reimbursable by the business for which the employee worked. Under current law, however, unreimbursed employee expenses are simply nondeductible.

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Rethinking Civic Engagement: An Open Letter to the NCBA and YLD Members, Part I

Clare, a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wears a grey button-down shirt, black jacket and pearl earrings.Catherine, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white blouse and black blazer.By Clare Magee and Catherine Clodfelter

When we gather as lawyers, we have a chance to demonstrate organization and self-regulation that is respectful of the rules through which we organize, and respectful of each other. But to do that, we must first gather.

Last year, we served as the co-chairs of the Young Lawyers’ Division Civic Engagement Committee. Our task was straightforward on paper: encourage more lawyers — especially younger ones — to engage in civic spaces and activities across North Carolina. But in practice, we faced several hurdles, including low event attendance, lack of interest and limited engagement.

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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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