Each year, the North Carolina Bar Association’s Paralegal Division seeks nominations for a Paralegal Division regular member who has actively participated in paralegal activities, such as civic/community volunteering, paralegal leadership, paralegal education, and promotion of the paralegal profession during the nomination period. This year, the Awards Committee was proud to present the award to Grace Ward.
Grace is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal who has been working as a paralegal since 1986. She is currently employed by Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler P.A. in Winston-Salem. Grace had previously been with Davis & Harwell P.A. since January of 1990, but when the firm merged with Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler P.A in May of 2014, she continued her career alongside them. She has been with firm ever since.
In addition to her work, Grace has also been involved with a number of volunteer organizations throughout her life. She has served as Chair, Vice-Chair, and a Council Member for the (then) Legal Assistants Division of the North Carolina Bar Association; member of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification and Grievance Committee; member of the North Carolina Community College Paralegal Advisory Committee; member of the Alliance for Paralegal Professional Standards; member of the Wade Edwards High School Mock Trial Competition; Guest speaker for Wake Forest University School of Law’s Intensive Family Law Class; Guest speaker for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; and member of the Lexington High School Band Parents Association.
In honor of her award, we asked Grace to share some of her story with us.
Was being a paralegal your first career, or did you transition from another field?
Being a paralegal was a natural profession for me. I love mysteries, puzzles, and helping make a positive difference for others. I was fortunate to work for a lawyer who encouraged me to attend a local community college paralegal program. While working full time as a paralegal, having a family, and an encouraging husband, I earned my associate degree in Paralegal Technology from Davidson County Community College, and my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Salem College. The attorneys I work with help me exercise my skills and strengthen my desire to learn. My thirst for knowledge and understanding continues every day. If I do not understand a concept or am not familiar with a topic, I read and learn until I do.
What did you never think you would be doing that you are doing now (does not have to be work-related)?
Gardening is satisfying for me. I work hard planting and weeding; the result is a beautiful flower or a delicious vegetable. This year, my husband agreed for our home to be part of the Davidson County Master Gardeners Tour. I definitely am out of my comfort zone! Luckily, my neighbor is a master gardener, and has taught me a lot the past two years. I read and watch a lot of gardening shows and enjoy learning various methods of gardening. I never thought I would be involved in a garden tour. Hopefully the attendees will enjoy their visit. As my husband says, “It is what it is.”
What are you reading right now?
“The Magical World of Moss Gardening” by Annie Martin. I became curious about the number one crop in our nation – lawns. The damage lawn mowers and blowers cause to our environment is almost equivalent to the damage of automobiles. Recently, I began studying how to grow moss instead of a lawn. I don’t know that I will give up my lawn, but I have begun to cultivate a moss garden.
What do you do to relax (and why)?
I enjoy laughter with my family, so spending a day with family and friends rejuvenates me. As life progresses, I realize how precious time spent with those who are important in my life is. My daughters provide invigorating conversation and insight to views different than mine, and my granddaughter has brought a special sparkle to my life and definitely helps me relax.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?
In my professional life, my biggest accomplishment is sharing with another paralegal what little bit of knowledge I have attained. Charles Dickens said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a young paralegal. I shared as much of my experience, tips and techniques that she could absorb during our short time together. She was the perfect student. Not too long ago, I received an email from her telling me just how much that experience made a difference in her life. Helping another to have a successful career is my biggest professional accomplishment. I hope I get the chance to do it again.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
With my southern accent, many people may be surprised to learn I was born in Florida. My maternal grandfather was born and is now buried at Pedro Castle on Grand Cayman. I lived in Grand Cayman in my youth and attended a British school. I learned to sail and eat breadfruit and Jamaican patties. Living with people of different cultures helped me to be sensitive to how others may feel coming to my town.
Thank you, Grace, for sharing your story with the Paralegal Division. We congratulate you again for being the 2022 Distinguished Paralegal Award recipient!
*** The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the Division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in signing up to submit a blog post on a future date, you can do so here. When you are ready to submit a blog post, you can do so by using this form.
The YLD’s Law Student Outreach Committee is continuing its flagship Grab-a-Coffee Program (“GaC”) over the summer!
GaC is a statewide program that pairs law students with practicing attorneys based on their practice area(s) of interest. Discussion topics may include the attorney’s path to their current employment, what the practice is like in the attorney’s current areas of law, and any general advice the attorney may have for the student. 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.
To make this program a success, we need you! 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. Volunteers will be notified by email with more information once they are paired with a law student.
We look forward to a successful summer of networking!
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA YLDhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA YLD2022-05-19 16:03:452022-05-19 16:03:45Searching for Volunteers for the Grab-a-Coffee Program – Summer 2022 Launch
I could not help but compare and contrast this year’s trip to Washington, D.C., for the IAPP’s Global Privacy Summit to the last one I attended, which was in 2019.
The venue was the same (the Convention Center in Washington, D.C.), and being in the building felt, at times, like I had traveled back in time. But then I remembered I was in 2022 when I attended the sessions or met with privacy professionals during breaks in the programming.
This year, many of the sessions were focused on how we can lawfully transfer data from Europe to a third country instead of 2019’s focus of getting ready for the U.S.’s first comprehensive state privacy law, the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). In 2019, we were making predictions about CCPA and its enforcement. We have lived with the CCPA for two years now and have more to prepare for as we get ready for three new (perhaps four with Connecticut?) U.S. state privacy laws that will take effect in 2023. Plus, there are changes coming to California under the California Privacy Rights Act. New topics also emerged, including how to protect teens’ and kids’ data in the U.S. (is it through a self-regulatory framework, updates to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a new federal law, or a combination of all of these?).
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Privacy and Data Securityhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngPrivacy and Data Security2022-05-16 15:01:352022-06-17 16:23:13Reflections on 2022's IAPP Global Privacy Summit
The first part of this article consists of reasons the section presented the award to Judge Mann, and the second part has his response to the presentation[1]:
Julian Mann III is held in high esteem by the administrative law bar and has the respect of all parties in the administrative process in North Carolina.
He served as the second Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) of the NC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Appointed in 1989 as OAH’s Chief ALJ and Director by then North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Exum Jr., he was reappointed to consecutive terms by Chief Justices Burley Mitchell Jr., I. Beverly Lake Jr., Sarah Parker, and Mark Martin. Julian assumed the role of Chief ALJ when OAH was undergoing criticism.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Administrativehttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngAdministrative2022-05-16 14:50:162022-10-24 12:51:56And the Award Goes to: Julian Mann III
You may be unintentionally excluding a quarter of your clients and coworkers.
Twenty-six percent of adults living in the United States live with some sort of disability. However, fewer than one percent of American attorneys report having a disability, which can include sensory, physical, emotional, cognitive, and psychological conditions, many of which are not immediately perceivable by the public. It is unsurprising that most legal providers do not know how to make their services, offices, and products accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs). When our profession is not conducted with a focus on accessibility for clients, and when we lack disabled coworkers to provide their lived and learned expertise, we are giving up, or greatly limiting, the chance to work for, and with, PWDs. Obviously, law schools have a vital role to play in expanding opportunities in the practice of law for PWDs, but that is the subject of a different post. Today, I am going to focus on why ensuring accessibility is both a legal and ethical obligation for attorneys and firms, in addition to simply being good business sense. Read more
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA Bloggerhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA Blogger2022-05-16 09:13:522024-05-07 10:33:30Disability Access in the Practice of Law – Begin Making Your Law Firms More Accessible for Disabled Employees and Clients with this Simple Checklist
The Scholarship Committee had an amazing selection of student essays submitted for the Spring 2022 Paralegal Division Student Scholarship. The topic, “What do you envision your day-to-day life of a paralegal to be?” allowed for students to outline their expectations of the paralegal career, and for some, detail what it can offer them for a brighter future. While each essay was fantastic, there was only room for one winner.
We are excited to announce that the winner is Cleo Le Anne Ackerman! Cleo is a student at Johnston Community College’s Paralegal Technology Program. Her essay not only offered her personal insight as to what the paralegal profession would be like day to day, but also showed the challenges she has faced and those she hopes to overcome with a career as a paralegal. We hope you will take the time to read her essay below and congratulate her for her award!
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.pngParalegals2022-05-12 14:51:112022-05-12 14:51:11Cleo Le Anne Ackerman – The Winner of the Spring 2022 Paralegal Division Student Scholarship
After two-plus years of mostly attending CLEs, webinars, and other knowledge-building events via Zoom, Teams or some other virtual platform, it was great to get together with like-minded privacy professionals in Washington, D.C., April 10-13 for the 2022 IAPP Global Privacy Summit. I’ll be honest, I did not know what to expect from an actual in-person conference and networking event, but the IAPP and its speakers and sponsors did not disappoint.
From headliners like Apple CEO Tim Cook and FTC Chair Lisa Khan to a plethora of informative breakout sessions, GPS was a great way to brush up on a variety of current topics. Throw in getting to spend some quality time catching up with folks I have not seen in several years (or in some cases had only met virtually over the last two), and it was a good time all around. One pro tip on navigating the large crowds at GPS is and always has been to find a few folks you know to pal up with for sessions and networking events. As the only person from my firm at GPS this year, it was great to have folks from our NCBA Privacy and Data Security Section family to team up with on occasion —just one more reason to be active in the section!
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Privacy and Data Securityhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngPrivacy and Data Security2022-05-11 16:10:352022-06-17 16:29:09Key Takeaways from the IAPP Global Privacy Summit 2022
The practice of law is many things – challenging, intellectually stimulating, problem solving, creative (and fun). At its best, the practice of law is built upon the shoulders, and with the help, of those who have gone before us, as well as our peers.
Giving Bar Association awards is a way to celebrate all of us who work to further justice and the rule of law by singling out a few to represent the best of us.
Administrative law and its practitioners serve the high purpose of protecting the ability of government to effectively function while protecting the constitutional rights of those entitled to due process and equal protection of law. Administrative law, well practiced, is vital to the rule of law and administration of justice.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Administrativehttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngAdministrative2022-05-10 12:18:212022-05-10 12:18:21Why Do We Make Such a Big Deal about Awards?
Kayla Britt is the example of a what everyone strives for in a great lawyer: dedicated, professional, passionate, humble.
A recipient of the NCBA YLD Young Lawyer of the Quarter for October through December 2020 and July through September 2021, Kayla has been working hard to serve those in North Carolina. Since law school, Kayla has made it a priority to focus on pro bono work.
Kayla shares, “Pro bono work is important to me because it allows me to assist those who may otherwise not have adequate assistance. It also allows me to broaden my experiences beyond the skills I learn in my job.”
Kayla works with the Housing Stability Pro Bono Project (“HSP”), which is a joint effort of the North Carolina Bar Foundation and North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center in partnership with the North Carolina Office of Recovery & Resilience. This Project works with the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program (“HOPE”) — a program that provides income-based assistance for vulnerable tenants at risk of eviction. Volunteers with this project help to stabilize housing by facilitating agreements between tenants and landlords to accept HOPE terms.
Kayla’s favorite experience with HSP is when she facilitated a landlord-tenant agreement, one that led to helping many others: Kayla contacted a landlord to help a specific tenant. After learning about the program, the landlord wanted to help her other tenants with HOPE. Kayla was able to get a list from the landlord to refer to HOPE, potentially preventing many other evictions.
“The overwhelming joy tenants exhibit when they find out that we reached an agreement with their landlord has been more than I ever expected to experience in a pro bono role,” Kayla said.
Beyond her pro bono service with HSP, Kayla is an Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice Appellate & Post-Conviction Section where she prepares the state’s criminal briefs, responds to habeas corpus petitions, and appears before both North Carolina Appellate Courts and Federal District Courts. She volunteers with Wills For Heroes, assisting first responders with estate planning.
Kayla is a member of the NCBA Litigation Section and co-chair of Young Lawyers Division Law Student Outreach Committee.
The 2022 Distinguished Paralegal Award Winner – Grace Ward
Paralegal DivisionBy the Communications Committee
Each year, the North Carolina Bar Association’s Paralegal Division seeks nominations for a Paralegal Division regular member who has actively participated in paralegal activities, such as civic/community volunteering, paralegal leadership, paralegal education, and promotion of the paralegal profession during the nomination period. This year, the Awards Committee was proud to present the award to Grace Ward.
Grace is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal who has been working as a paralegal since 1986. She is currently employed by Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler P.A. in Winston-Salem. Grace had previously been with Davis & Harwell P.A. since January of 1990, but when the firm merged with Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler P.A in May of 2014, she continued her career alongside them. She has been with firm ever since.
In addition to her work, Grace has also been involved with a number of volunteer organizations throughout her life. She has served as Chair, Vice-Chair, and a Council Member for the (then) Legal Assistants Division of the North Carolina Bar Association; member of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification and Grievance Committee; member of the North Carolina Community College Paralegal Advisory Committee; member of the Alliance for Paralegal Professional Standards; member of the Wade Edwards High School Mock Trial Competition; Guest speaker for Wake Forest University School of Law’s Intensive Family Law Class; Guest speaker for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; and member of the Lexington High School Band Parents Association.
In honor of her award, we asked Grace to share some of her story with us.
Was being a paralegal your first career, or did you transition from another field?
Being a paralegal was a natural profession for me. I love mysteries, puzzles, and helping make a positive difference for others. I was fortunate to work for a lawyer who encouraged me to attend a local community college paralegal program. While working full time as a paralegal, having a family, and an encouraging husband, I earned my associate degree in Paralegal Technology from Davidson County Community College, and my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Salem College. The attorneys I work with help me exercise my skills and strengthen my desire to learn. My thirst for knowledge and understanding continues every day. If I do not understand a concept or am not familiar with a topic, I read and learn until I do.
What did you never think you would be doing that you are doing now (does not have to be work-related)?
Gardening is satisfying for me. I work hard planting and weeding; the result is a beautiful flower or a delicious vegetable. This year, my husband agreed for our home to be part of the Davidson County Master Gardeners Tour. I definitely am out of my comfort zone! Luckily, my neighbor is a master gardener, and has taught me a lot the past two years. I read and watch a lot of gardening shows and enjoy learning various methods of gardening. I never thought I would be involved in a garden tour. Hopefully the attendees will enjoy their visit. As my husband says, “It is what it is.”
What are you reading right now?
“The Magical World of Moss Gardening” by Annie Martin. I became curious about the number one crop in our nation – lawns. The damage lawn mowers and blowers cause to our environment is almost equivalent to the damage of automobiles. Recently, I began studying how to grow moss instead of a lawn. I don’t know that I will give up my lawn, but I have begun to cultivate a moss garden.
What do you do to relax (and why)?
I enjoy laughter with my family, so spending a day with family and friends rejuvenates me. As life progresses, I realize how precious time spent with those who are important in my life is. My daughters provide invigorating conversation and insight to views different than mine, and my granddaughter has brought a special sparkle to my life and definitely helps me relax.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?
In my professional life, my biggest accomplishment is sharing with another paralegal what little bit of knowledge I have attained. Charles Dickens said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a young paralegal. I shared as much of my experience, tips and techniques that she could absorb during our short time together. She was the perfect student. Not too long ago, I received an email from her telling me just how much that experience made a difference in her life. Helping another to have a successful career is my biggest professional accomplishment. I hope I get the chance to do it again.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
With my southern accent, many people may be surprised to learn I was born in Florida. My maternal grandfather was born and is now buried at Pedro Castle on Grand Cayman. I lived in Grand Cayman in my youth and attended a British school. I learned to sail and eat breadfruit and Jamaican patties. Living with people of different cultures helped me to be sensitive to how others may feel coming to my town.
Thank you, Grace, for sharing your story with the Paralegal Division. We congratulate you again for being the 2022 Distinguished Paralegal Award recipient!
***
The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the Division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in signing up to submit a blog post on a future date, you can do so here. When you are ready to submit a blog post, you can do so by using this form.
You may also wish to participate in the Division by using our virtual suggestion box to submit suggestions/ideas to the Division Council, nominating a paralegal for Paralegal Spotlight, or completing the Paralegal Spotlight Questionnaire if you are nominating yourself. If you are interested in volunteering with the Communications Committee, please contact the Communications Committee Chair at [email protected]. If you are interested in joining other division committees, you can review a list of committees and sign up here.
Searching for Volunteers for the Grab-a-Coffee Program – Summer 2022 Launch
Young Lawyers DivisionThe YLD’s Law Student Outreach Committee is continuing its flagship Grab-a-Coffee Program (“GaC”) over the summer!
GaC is a statewide program that pairs law students with practicing attorneys based on their practice area(s) of interest. Discussion topics may include the attorney’s path to their current employment, what the practice is like in the attorney’s current areas of law, and any general advice the attorney may have for the student. 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.
To make this program a success, we need you! 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. Volunteers will be notified by email with more information once they are paired with a law student.
We look forward to a successful summer of networking!
Out of the Office Series: Fitness Edition
Young Lawyers DivisionBy Desirae Hutchinson, Robyn Sanders, Sloan Carpenter, and Larissa Mañón Mervin
Desirae Hutchinson
Where do you work and what is your job title?
I work at Cape Fear Valley Health System and am Assistant Counsel there.
What type of law do you practice?
Healthcare/ In-house counsel
What do you enjoy doing out of the office?
Boxing Read more
Reflections on 2022’s IAPP Global Privacy Summit
Privacy and Data SecurityI could not help but compare and contrast this year’s trip to Washington, D.C., for the IAPP’s Global Privacy Summit to the last one I attended, which was in 2019.
The venue was the same (the Convention Center in Washington, D.C.), and being in the building felt, at times, like I had traveled back in time. But then I remembered I was in 2022 when I attended the sessions or met with privacy professionals during breaks in the programming.
This year, many of the sessions were focused on how we can lawfully transfer data from Europe to a third country instead of 2019’s focus of getting ready for the U.S.’s first comprehensive state privacy law, the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). In 2019, we were making predictions about CCPA and its enforcement. We have lived with the CCPA for two years now and have more to prepare for as we get ready for three new (perhaps four with Connecticut?) U.S. state privacy laws that will take effect in 2023. Plus, there are changes coming to California under the California Privacy Rights Act. New topics also emerged, including how to protect teens’ and kids’ data in the U.S. (is it through a self-regulatory framework, updates to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a new federal law, or a combination of all of these?).
Read more
And the Award Goes to: Julian Mann III
Administrative LawBy the Communications Committee
The first part of this article consists of reasons the section presented the award to Judge Mann, and the second part has his response to the presentation[1]:
Julian Mann III is held in high esteem by the administrative law bar and has the respect of all parties in the administrative process in North Carolina.
He served as the second Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) of the NC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Appointed in 1989 as OAH’s Chief ALJ and Director by then North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Exum Jr., he was reappointed to consecutive terms by Chief Justices Burley Mitchell Jr., I. Beverly Lake Jr., Sarah Parker, and Mark Martin. Julian assumed the role of Chief ALJ when OAH was undergoing criticism.
Read more
Disability Access in the Practice of Law – Begin Making Your Law Firms More Accessible for Disabled Employees and Clients with this Simple Checklist
DEI, Featured PostsYou may be unintentionally excluding a quarter of your clients and coworkers.
Twenty-six percent of adults living in the United States live with some sort of disability. However, fewer than one percent of American attorneys report having a disability, which can include sensory, physical, emotional, cognitive, and psychological conditions, many of which are not immediately perceivable by the public. It is unsurprising that most legal providers do not know how to make their services, offices, and products accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs). When our profession is not conducted with a focus on accessibility for clients, and when we lack disabled coworkers to provide their lived and learned expertise, we are giving up, or greatly limiting, the chance to work for, and with, PWDs. Obviously, law schools have a vital role to play in expanding opportunities in the practice of law for PWDs, but that is the subject of a different post. Today, I am going to focus on why ensuring accessibility is both a legal and ethical obligation for attorneys and firms, in addition to simply being good business sense. Read more
Cleo Le Anne Ackerman – The Winner of the Spring 2022 Paralegal Division Student Scholarship
Paralegal DivisionCleo Le Anne Ackerman
By the Scholarship Committee
The Scholarship Committee had an amazing selection of student essays submitted for the Spring 2022 Paralegal Division Student Scholarship. The topic, “What do you envision your day-to-day life of a paralegal to be?” allowed for students to outline their expectations of the paralegal career, and for some, detail what it can offer them for a brighter future. While each essay was fantastic, there was only room for one winner.
We are excited to announce that the winner is Cleo Le Anne Ackerman! Cleo is a student at Johnston Community College’s Paralegal Technology Program. Her essay not only offered her personal insight as to what the paralegal profession would be like day to day, but also showed the challenges she has faced and those she hopes to overcome with a career as a paralegal. We hope you will take the time to read her essay below and congratulate her for her award!
Read more
Key Takeaways from the IAPP Global Privacy Summit 2022
Privacy and Data SecurityAfter two-plus years of mostly attending CLEs, webinars, and other knowledge-building events via Zoom, Teams or some other virtual platform, it was great to get together with like-minded privacy professionals in Washington, D.C., April 10-13 for the 2022 IAPP Global Privacy Summit. I’ll be honest, I did not know what to expect from an actual in-person conference and networking event, but the IAPP and its speakers and sponsors did not disappoint.
From headliners like Apple CEO Tim Cook and FTC Chair Lisa Khan to a plethora of informative breakout sessions, GPS was a great way to brush up on a variety of current topics. Throw in getting to spend some quality time catching up with folks I have not seen in several years (or in some cases had only met virtually over the last two), and it was a good time all around. One pro tip on navigating the large crowds at GPS is and always has been to find a few folks you know to pal up with for sessions and networking events. As the only person from my firm at GPS this year, it was great to have folks from our NCBA Privacy and Data Security Section family to team up with on occasion —just one more reason to be active in the section!
Read more
Why Do We Make Such a Big Deal about Awards?
Administrative LawBy the Communications Committee
The practice of law is many things – challenging, intellectually stimulating, problem solving, creative (and fun). At its best, the practice of law is built upon the shoulders, and with the help, of those who have gone before us, as well as our peers.
Giving Bar Association awards is a way to celebrate all of us who work to further justice and the rule of law by singling out a few to represent the best of us.
Administrative law and its practitioners serve the high purpose of protecting the ability of government to effectively function while protecting the constitutional rights of those entitled to due process and equal protection of law. Administrative law, well practiced, is vital to the rule of law and administration of justice.
Read more
Pro Bono Spotlight: Kayla Britt
Pro Bono CommitteeKayla Britt
By Kaitlyn Fudge
Kayla Britt is the example of a what everyone strives for in a great lawyer: dedicated, professional, passionate, humble.
A recipient of the NCBA YLD Young Lawyer of the Quarter for October through December 2020 and July through September 2021, Kayla has been working hard to serve those in North Carolina. Since law school, Kayla has made it a priority to focus on pro bono work.
Kayla shares, “Pro bono work is important to me because it allows me to assist those who may otherwise not have adequate assistance. It also allows me to broaden my experiences beyond the skills I learn in my job.”
Kayla works with the Housing Stability Pro Bono Project (“HSP”), which is a joint effort of the North Carolina Bar Foundation and North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center in partnership with the North Carolina Office of Recovery & Resilience. This Project works with the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program (“HOPE”) — a program that provides income-based assistance for vulnerable tenants at risk of eviction. Volunteers with this project help to stabilize housing by facilitating agreements between tenants and landlords to accept HOPE terms.
Kayla’s favorite experience with HSP is when she facilitated a landlord-tenant agreement, one that led to helping many others: Kayla contacted a landlord to help a specific tenant. After learning about the program, the landlord wanted to help her other tenants with HOPE. Kayla was able to get a list from the landlord to refer to HOPE, potentially preventing many other evictions.
“The overwhelming joy tenants exhibit when they find out that we reached an agreement with their landlord has been more than I ever expected to experience in a pro bono role,” Kayla said.
Beyond her pro bono service with HSP, Kayla is an Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice Appellate & Post-Conviction Section where she prepares the state’s criminal briefs, responds to habeas corpus petitions, and appears before both North Carolina Appellate Courts and Federal District Courts. She volunteers with Wills For Heroes, assisting first responders with estate planning.
Kayla is a member of the NCBA Litigation Section and co-chair of Young Lawyers Division Law Student Outreach Committee.