James Ferguson: The People’s Champion

,

Long-time North Carolina Bar Association member James Ferguson won the NCBA Litigation Section’s Advocate’s Award last year. Our slide show offers scenes from his 48-year career as a civil rights attorney and leader in the international trial advocacy movement, including work with Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela in South Africa. For the full story, see the most recent edition of North Carolina Lawyer, which features Ferguson on the cover.

[slideshare id=58918752&doc=prettyferg-160301160851]

Members In Focus – Melissa Duncan

,

Members in Focus highlights NCBA members’ special talents and hobbies. Melissa Duncan is Director of Career & Student Development at Elon University School of Law.

Read more

Ten Things You Young’uns Should Know Before Stepping Into a Civil Courtroom

,

 

As I rock on my porch muttering while watching you kids in my front yard, I remember my dewy days as a green lawyer trying my first few auto accident trials. Having been fortunate to start as an associate in the warm embrace of Bailey & Dixon in the ’90s, I was given my own small auto accident cases to prepare and try along with tons of go-bys, outlines, checklists, briefs, forms, and trial notebooks that the firm had developed through decades of trial practice. The partners and senior associates freely shared their time and wisdom and assured me that if I put in the hours and followed their advice I would be as well-prepared as possible for my first trials.

Read more