President’s Perspective: A Season for Giving Thanks

Autumn’s brilliant colors signal a season for giving thanks.

In this time of distinct challenges and opportunities, NCBA members and staff generously support each other and creatively work together in pursuit of our mission, to serve the public and the legal profession. I appreciate this opportunity to recognize and offer thanks for your steadfast commitment to build community and serve others.

Jon Heyl, President-Elect, LeAnn Nease Brown, Immediate Past President, and Jason Hensley, Executive Director, join me in expressing our profound gratitude to all our volunteer leaders, members and staff for your dedication and ingenuity in pursuing important and vital efforts in this unique year.

Building Community

Now more than ever, North Carolina needs a strong community of legal professionals working together to make sure the legal needs of the people of our state are met. I am proud of and thankful for our state’s attorneys, judges, paralegals and law students who gather to pursue this goal through the North Carolina Bar Association.

Together, we build community and provide a welcoming home for our state’s legal profession. During the pandemic, we have worked to support and equip attorneys with the resources they need to deliver legal services to those depending on them, even as many face their own difficult circumstances.

Over 100 participants gathered digitally for Bar Leaders Orientation, starting the year with informative sessions including “Leading with Diversity & Inclusion” and “The Remote Membership Experience.” Our 31 sections, four divisions and 21 committees then began innovative engagement of NCBA members through virtual meetings and events, also utilizing new community forums and email platforms to stay connected.

We warmly greeted new members, welcoming first-year law students to the profession and their free NCBA membership via virtual 1L orientation sessions with N.C. law schools. We also hosted over 200 newly licensed attorneys for a two-day virtual “Professionalism for New Attorneys” program provided at no cost.

Our divisions have been active in the new year. The Young Lawyers Division began its year with a Kick-Off Council Meeting and Leadership Training via Zoom, virtual panel discussions for law students, virtual Grab a Coffee meetings and much more.

The Senior Lawyers Division held a virtual Fall Meeting, inducting the 2020 class into the Legal Practice Hall of Fame. The Paralegal Division celebrated North Carolina Paralegal Day and generously volunteers for remote pro bono service.

The NCBA Center for Practice Management continues to provide technology support and law firm management guidance through private consultations, blog posts and virtual programs, including the upcoming “Automate Your Practice Workshop.”

Here are a few examples of how our sections and committees are building community:

The NCBA continues to provide valuable CLE programming to keep our profession up-to-date in this time of change. Our new technology platform allows us to meet this need in convenient and accessible ways through Live Webcast and On-Demand CLE programs.

Expert series On-Demand CLE is provided monthly as a part of NCBA membership, including November’s “BarCARES and NC LAP: Working Together to Help Lawyers in Need.”

The Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section’s 41st Annual Meeting and CLE began an engaging virtual season of Live Webcast CLE and associated meetings sponsored by NCBA sections and committees, including these upcoming virtual programs:

These are some of the engaging activities and educational programs NCBA and its members are creatively undertaking to build community and pursue our mission to serve the public and the legal profession. We are grateful for all our members who lead and participate in this year’s important efforts.

Serving Others

Service to others is our highest calling. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the North Carolina Bar Foundation, our members serve those in need across our state in pursuit of NCBF’s mission to be a power of greater good.

Over 70 NCBA section, division and committee leaders and pro bono chairs participated in a virtual Pro Bono Kick-Off to launch a year of service. Nearly 40 N.C. law firms pledged financial support of NCBF’s pro bono and public service programs as 2020-21 Foundation Program Partners.

Thank you to our volunteers and to those who make NCBF’s programs possible through financial support.  Here are some of the highlights of how NCBA members are serving others through NCBF efforts:

  • Six COVID-19 Virtual Legal Hotlines have been held with 330 attorney and paralegal volunteers serving 3,689 callers across our state. NCBF sponsored the hotlines via the Telzio website and app along with Legal Aid of North Carolina; Pisgah Legal Services and the Buncombe County Bar also supported the Western NC hotline.
  • Through the COVID-19 Frontline Health Planning Project, attorneys remotely prepared health care power of attorney and living will documents for health care and other essential workers. NCBF carried out this program along with the NC Pro Bono Resource Center.
  • NCBF recognized Celebrate Pro Bono Week, October 25-31, 2020, by thanking volunteers and donors and carrying out pro bono including the NCBA Women in the Profession Committee’s Empower Hour answering questions through NCBF’s NC Free Legal Answers program, in which attorneys remotely provide legal information to low-income residents of our state.
  • NCBA members provide valuable civic education to elementary students through video “Storytelling” in NCBF’s Lawyers for Literacy program. Teachers and families can access videos of NCBA members reading civic related books for use in their curriculum.
  • NCBF’s Wills for Heroes program is transitioning to a virtual format, through which attorneys will be able to remotely interview clients and prepare simple wills, health care power of attorney and financial power of attorney documents for first responders and their families.

We are grateful to NCBA members for continuing to carry out vitally needed pro bono and public service. Thank you also for your generous financial support of NCBF, which is critically important to our ability to serve those in need. 

Thankful for Mentors and for All of You

In this year of change, I find myself reflecting on timeless wisdom from mentors.

Charles Becton, a legendary trial lawyer whose career included service on the N.C. Court of Appeals and as President of NCBA, taught my trial advocacy class in law school. Judge Becton taught us that one of the best ways to prepare a case for trial is to identify the challenges you face and to work hard to turn each challenge into a strength.

Throughout this bar year, NCBA members and staff have consistently turned challenges into strengths by utilizing new technologies and exploring creative ways of pursuing our mission. Many of these innovative approaches will serve us well past our current circumstances.

Wade Smith, also a renowned trial lawyer, shared valuable lessons when I began my career. One such insight was this. Wade believed every day we have the privilege to be a lawyer represents an opportunity to make the world a better place.

During this year, I have a front row seat witnessing the very best of our profession as lawyers, judges, paralegals and law students make the world a better place each day through service to their clients, their communities, our legal system and those in need. For the opportunity to be inspired by all of you and to serve alongside you, I am forever thankful.

Mark Holt is the 2020-21 President of the North Carolina Bar Association and North Carolina Bar Foundation.

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