Walter Brock Receives Advocate’s Award

The Litigation Section of the North Carolina Bar Association honored Walter E. Brock Jr. of Young Moore and Henderson in Raleigh on August 11 as the 14th recipient of The Advocate’s Award.

The award is presented as merited to attorneys deemed as being “superstars” of the section and the legal profession. Matt Van Sickle, incoming section chair, presented the award. Amy Richardson, outgoing section chair, was recognized for her service at the event.

In addition to members of his family and firm, and members of the Litigation Section, special guests included Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway of the 10th Judicial District, who nominated Brock for the award, and former Chief Justice Mark Martin of the N.C. Supreme Court, who wrote in support of the nomination. Martin is now serving as founding dean of High Point University School of Law.

Matt, a white man with brown hair, wears a white and blue striped shirt and grey suit, and Walter, a white man with light brown hair, wears white shirt, yellow tie, and grey suit. Matt is handing the glass award to Walter.

Matt Van Sickle (left) presents The Advocate’s Award to Walter Brock.

Brock is a 1975 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a 1978 graduate of UNC School of Law. He spent the first year of his career clerking for Chief Judge Naomi Morris of the N.C. Court of Appeals before joining Young Moore and Henderson, where he is a shareholder, in 1979.

“My father and grandfather were lawyers and judges,” Brock said, “but I did not know if I wanted to be a lawyer. I thought I wanted to be an economist, and I majored in economics in college. But when I began looking at graduate school, it was then that I decided I would rather not go into academia or government work and instead would try out the law practice.”

Brock considered becoming a tax lawyer and had an opportunity to do so, but he accepted the offer from Young Moore and Henderson to become a litigator and has never looked back. As evidenced in his acceptance remarks, Brock loves his work.

“I certainly do!” Brock said. “Litigating and trying cases brings to bear all of the necessary skills of a lawyer. Nothing could be more challenging than that, being on your feet, responding at the spur of the moment. It is exhilarating and fun.”

Walter, a white man with light brown hair, wears a white shirt, grey suit, and yellow tie and holds the advocate's award.

Walter Brock accepts The Advocate’s Award.

Brock is a past president of the Wake County Bar Association and Tenth Judicial District Bar, a former member of the North Carolina Disciplinary Hearing Commission, and currently serves as an N.C. State Bar counselor. He is also a staunch supporter of the North Carolina Bar Association and the Litigation Section.

“The collegiality of the Bar Association and the Litigation Section is essential,” Brock said. “All members of the bar, whichever side of the versus they appear on, have a forum where they can meet and get to know one another. While we are all zealously representing our clients, we are also members of a profession and officers of the court.

“We need to develop relationships in order to accomplish the goals of the system in a way that seeks justice while making sure our clients are well-represented. Building those relationships is essential, because when lawyers know one another, they work better together.”

Brock joins a distinguished list of attorneys who have received this award since it was first presented to NCBA Past President Charles Becton in 2006.

“They are the cream of the crop – an esteemed group of litigators,” Brock said. “Some of them I have known personally and some I only know by reputation, and it is quite humbling to be included in that category.

“I sincerely appreciate my colleagues for selecting me to receive this award, and it was so kind of Chief Justice Martin and Judge Ridgeway to nominate me. I am very humbled that they would go to that trouble.”

Previous recipients of The Advocate’s Award are:

  • John R. Wester (2021)
  • Catharine Biggs Arrowood (2020)
  • Ted Fillette (2018)
  • Janet Ward Black (2017)
  • Bill Womble Jr. (2016)
  • James E. Ferguson II (2015)
  • Ward McKeithen (2013)
  • Charles F. Blanchard (2012)
  • Alan W. Duncan (2011)
  • James T. Williams Jr. (2010)
  • Grady Barnhill Jr. (2009)
  • Donald Cowan Jr. (2007)
  • Charles L. Becton (2006)

Russell Rawlings is director of external affairs and communications for the North Carolina Bar Association.