Robert C. Hunter was among a distinguished group of inductees into the North Carolina Bar Association Legal Practice Hall of Fame, class of 2020. I was pleased to nominate Judge Hunter and want readers to know some of the reasons the selection committee chose Bob for induction.

Bob has been married to his lovely wife, Nancy, for 49 years. They have two children and a slew of grandchildren. Having a loving and supportive family is a predicate to success and happiness. A long marriage indicates loving commitment, service, sublimation of self, devotion, deep and abiding values, depth of character, and the ability to work through and solve problems, all characteristics Bob possesses in spades. These qualities are reflected in Bob’s dedication to the law and to his efforts to make his community, the state, the judiciary, and the legal profession better. His daughter, Claire, is a lawyer following in her dad’s footsteps. I submit that Claire chose to become a lawyer because she deemed her Dad’s career is worthy of following, high praise.

Nancy and Judge Bob enjoying their grandchildren.

Bob received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996, his J.D. from UNC School of Law in 1969, and completed the National Judicial College Appellate Judge’s Course in 1999.

The list of the community service Bob has rendered in to his hometown of Marion and McDowell County reflects the depth of his commitment to make his community a better place. A few highlights are illustrative: member and former trustee of First Baptist Church in Marion, a central organizer of the Corpening Memorial YMCA, a co-sponsor of legislation creating Lake James State Park, and service on many other boards and community organizations, including service of the boards of South Mountain Children’s Services, Inc., North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation, McDowell Economic Development Association, the McDowell Chamber of Commerce, and the McDowell United Way.

The Hunters traveling with their grandchildren.

Bob served in the North Carolina House of House of Representatives representing the 49th District for 18 years. He was elected in 1980 and left in 1998 upon his appointment to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. While in the legislature, Bob was instrumental in securing the passage of the Highway Trust Fund, Natural Gas Expansion, Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, and the Limited Liability Act, among other important legislation.

In 1998, Bob was appointed a judge to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He was elected to the Court of Appeals in the fall of 1998, reelected in 2006 and served on the court until his retirement in 2014. During his term on the court, he participated in the decision of over 5,000 cases and authored over 1600 opinions.

In April of 2015, Bob was appointed as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, a part-time position which he continues to hold having just been appointed to another four-year term. Bob presently serves as Chair of the North Carolina Property Tax Commission having been appointed in July 2017. Bob is a former chair of the Council of State Governments, the Southern Legislative Conference, the Legislative Highway Study Commission and many other commissions and statewide entities.

Bob has rendered loyal and dedicated service to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including serving on the Board of Visitors and as director of the UNC School of Law Alumni Association. In 2020, Bob received the Distinguished Service Award from UNC School of Law.

In addition to the opinions he has authored as an appellate judge, Bob wrote the seminal article “Victims of Crime, Victors of our Criminal Justice System,” published in the Southern View of Washington, November 1985.

Bob was the McDowell County Attorney for 24 years, serving from 1970 until 1994. Bob served as President of the North Carolina County Attorneys Association. Bob served as president of the 29th Judicial District Bar Association. He is a member and former chair of the North Carolina Courts Commission.

Bob is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and his service to the NCBA is lengthy. Bob presently serves on two NCBA committees: the Justice and Judiciary Committee and the Membership Committee. His past service to the NCBA includes serving as a director of Bar Cares and on the Bench Bar Liaison Committee.

I intentionally place this segment after the above as it is hard to comprehend that Bob had time to engage in the general practice of law for almost 29 years, 1969 to 1998.

Bob began the general practice of law in 1969 and also served as a part-time assistant district attorney. In 1970, Bob founded the law firm of Hunter and Evans, PA and was actively engaged in the practice of law until his appointment to the Court of Appeals in 1998.

As you would expect, Bob has earned many honors arising out of his distinguished career.

Among them are:

Induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
Outstanding North Carolina County Attorney for the years 1981-82, awarded by NC Association of County Attorneys.
Outstanding Public Official (1982) awarded by the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials.
McDowell Citizen of the Year (1984).
Citizen Lawyer Designation, awarded by the NCBA in 2013.

I chose these particular honors because they reflect Bob’s contributions, local and statewide, both to the legal profession and the NCBA.

Robert C. Hunter is a lawyer whose life, contributions to his community, service to the state of North Carolina and its people, and competence and skill as a lawyer and as a jurist, adherence to service and to the highest ethical and professional standards, and contributions to the profession and the North Carolina Bar Association make him a most worthy inductee into the North Carolina Legal Practice Hall of Fame.

April 7, 2021/by Senior Lawyers