Walden Named The Fresh Market’s First Head of Diversity
The Fresh Market, Inc., based in Greensboro, announced earlier this month that Gerald L. Walden Jr. has been appointed to serve as its first Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Head of Diversity. He joined The Fresh Market in 2004 and was serving as Vice President, Head of Legal at the time of the announcement. Walden graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He received the Juris Doctor in 2001 from North Carolina Central University School of Law, where he served as Director of Externships (Adjunct Clinical Professor) from 2011-19. Walden earned an MBA from the Elon University Martha and Spencer Love School of Business in 2014. He served on the NCBA Board of Governors and NCBF Board of Directors from 2016-19, is a former co-chair of the Minorities in the Profession Committee, and in 2013 received the NCBA’s Citizen Lawyer Award.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Welcomes New Partner, Associate
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings welcomes Kent Jones as a partner and Josh Stone as an associate attorney. Both Jones and Stone have joined the real estate practice group in Charlotte.
Kent Jones focuses his practice in commercial real estate development, finance, commercial leasing, loan workouts and general corporate law. He assists developers, public/private partnerships, investors, and lenders in managing and closing commercial real estate transactions. Jones graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a Bachelor of Arts and from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University with a J.D.
Josh Stone focuses his practice in commercial real estate transactions. He has assisted clients in many transactional matters, such as real estate acquisitions and development and real estate based financing, as well as other corporate matters. Stone also has prior experience as a financial advisor. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in economics and from West Virginia University College of Law with a J.D. Read more
As we prepare for a new NCBA year, we are calling on you to help make our division stand out. We are asking for members to join the Communications Committee to help manage the blog. If you are interested in joining the Communications Committee, please email [email protected].
We are also asking members to → sign up to submit a blog post. We would like to share four member-inspired blog posts each month. You can write about anything you like, as long as it is related to the legal field.
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.pngParalegals2021-04-19 15:09:452021-05-05 16:47:16Volunteer Opportunities: Write a Blog Post or Join the Paralegal Division's Communications Committee
Happy spring! The Pro Bono Committee of the NCBA’s Labor and Employment Law Section is looking for volunteers for a couple of different projects:
First, the committee is looking for individuals who are interested in co-chairing the committee and/or assisting with the leadership of discrete pro bono projects this year. Due to the pandemic, the committee is not planning for any in-person pro bono events this year, but the committee is working to put together a couple of virtual pro bono opportunities. If you are interested in becoming a more active member of the section, meeting more colleagues in the field, and finding a leadership opportunity as a way to give back to the community, this committee is for you! For example, one of the projects the committee is planning for the fall of 2021 is a virtual “Empower Hour” program where section members will become trained in how to answer pro bono questions for the public from the North Carolina Free Legal Answers Program. Please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]) if you are interested in leading a pro bono initiative or serving as a co-chair on the committee.
Second, the committee will be working with the NCBA’s Young Lawyers Division to put together short employment law guides/checklists for new lawyers in North Carolina. The guides (1-3 pages) will be provided to new lawyers in the state after they are admitted to practice. The topics of the guides will include things like: (1) Hiring Employees in North Carolina, (2) Drafting Offer Letters for North Carolina Employees, and (3) Terminating an Employee in North Carolina. Attorneys can work on the guides solo or in teams. Each guide is expected to take around five hours to create. If you are interested in helping with this discrete pro bono project, please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]). We will have a project kickoff meeting on May 3 and the drafts will be due by May 31.
Third, if you have other ideas for pro bono projects this year, please let us know! All suggestions are welcome — please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]).
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Laborhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngLabor2021-04-19 14:35:502021-04-19 14:35:50The Pro Bono Committee of the NCBA’s Labor and Employment Law Section is Calling for Volunteers!
Internal investigations have become larger and more complex, particularly in the health care industry, which presents unique risks of legal and regulatory pitfalls. The NCBA Health Law Section’s annual CLE program will include a presentation by Pearlynn Houck and Jonathan Krisko, who will discuss best practices in conducting health care-related internal investigations and the range of issues that may arise including privilege, document retention and preservation, confidentiality, employment-related complexities, and additional issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00HealthLawhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngHealthLaw2021-04-19 09:50:092021-04-19 09:50:09Join Us For The 2021 Health Law Section Annual CLE Program
Part I: What to Consider When Working with Interpreters
By Larissa Mañón Mervin, with the assistance of Aaron Jacobson and Jennifer Robinson [1]
When ensuring access to justice, an attorney should consider a variety of factors. One of the most important factors is access to foreign language services when a client speaks limited English. According to Charlotte Stories, over 40 million Americans speak Spanish at home. [2] In N.C., the most common foreign languages spoken after English are Spanish and French.[3] Therefore, it is imperative that we consider “language justice” when ensuring our clients are represented as best as possible. The term language justice means the fundamental right to have one’s voice heard in their native language.[4] Groundswell: Oral History for Social Change defines the term further, by the following three characteristics:
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBARBLOGhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBARBLOG2021-04-16 17:16:272022-05-05 11:15:39Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Series: Tools to Consider When Working With Interpreters
The 123rd Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Bar Association will be held on Thursday and Friday, June 17-18. As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our members and staff, the North Carolina Bar Association will conduct this year’s Annual Meeting in a virtual format.
Extending over two days, the agenda for the NCBA Annual Meeting will more closely resemble agendas from years past – and years future – when members gathered in person. More time will be provided for entertainment and awards, including recognition of the 2021 Legal Legends of Color.
The real estate market has not only completed its comeback, but it has also seen property sales hitting record highs in many markets. And with this uptick in sales comes a more aggressive and potentially risky type of transaction known as “flipping.”
A flip transaction is when a real estate investor buys a piece of property with the intention of quickly reselling to turn a profit. There is nothing illegal on its face about flipping properties if there is no fraud involved. But there is one type of flip transaction, which I call the “instant flip,” that comes with a wide variety of ethical pitfalls for closing attorneys.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00RealPropertyhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngRealProperty2021-04-15 09:56:482021-04-15 09:56:48Why You Don't Want to Close the "Instant Flip"
Legal LINK is a subcommittee of the NCBA Young Lawyers Division. Traditionally, our program arranges for legal professionals to visit local high schools and share information about the legal profession with underrepresented youth. Specifically, we share information about the four building blocks of the LINK program: leadership, information, networking and knowledge.
However, like so many programs throughout our communities, we are no longer able to go in person due to the pandemic. As a result, we had to find ways to adapt to the safety needs of our community while remaining true to our mission. We did this by offering the same program through a virtual format. This opened the amount of opportunities we could explore, and on March 12, we had our first virtual conversation with Person Early College. We could not be prouder of the results!
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 YLD2021-04-14 15:41:312021-04-14 15:54:33A Conversation with Person Early College: Legal LINK’s First Virtual Panel!
In this CLE, Tim Browne and Melinda Zanoni discuss how COVID-19 has affected the practice of entertainment law, including challenges as content pivots to digital platforms, legal triage for counseling clients on how to operate in a lockdown, and COVID-defying solutions to pandemic problems faced by entertainment clients. Find out how to limit coronavirus liability at venues and discuss revisiting entertainment contract force majeure clauses in the era of COVID.
**Each month, the NCBA releases one-hour, on-demand CLEs, which are free of charge as the costs are included as part of your annual NCBA dues.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00SportsandEntertainmenthttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngSportsandEntertainment2021-04-12 16:23:312021-04-12 17:05:06April Expert Series CLE: 'Entertainment Law and Coronavirus'
MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.
Checking In: April 20, 2021
Checking InWalden Named The Fresh Market’s First Head of Diversity
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Welcomes New Partner, Associate
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings welcomes Kent Jones as a partner and Josh Stone as an associate attorney. Both Jones and Stone have joined the real estate practice group in Charlotte.
Read more
Volunteer Opportunities: Write a Blog Post or Join the Paralegal Division’s Communications Committee
Paralegal DivisionAs we prepare for a new NCBA year, we are calling on you to help make our division stand out. We are asking for members to join the Communications Committee to help manage the blog. If you are interested in joining the Communications Committee, please email [email protected].
We are also asking members to → sign up to submit a blog post. We would like to share four member-inspired blog posts each month. You can write about anything you like, as long as it is related to the legal field.
Read more
The Pro Bono Committee of the NCBA’s Labor and Employment Law Section is Calling for Volunteers!
Labor & Employment LawHappy spring! The Pro Bono Committee of the NCBA’s Labor and Employment Law Section is looking for volunteers for a couple of different projects:
First, the committee is looking for individuals who are interested in co-chairing the committee and/or assisting with the leadership of discrete pro bono projects this year. Due to the pandemic, the committee is not planning for any in-person pro bono events this year, but the committee is working to put together a couple of virtual pro bono opportunities. If you are interested in becoming a more active member of the section, meeting more colleagues in the field, and finding a leadership opportunity as a way to give back to the community, this committee is for you! For example, one of the projects the committee is planning for the fall of 2021 is a virtual “Empower Hour” program where section members will become trained in how to answer pro bono questions for the public from the North Carolina Free Legal Answers Program. Please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]) if you are interested in leading a pro bono initiative or serving as a co-chair on the committee.
Second, the committee will be working with the NCBA’s Young Lawyers Division to put together short employment law guides/checklists for new lawyers in North Carolina. The guides (1-3 pages) will be provided to new lawyers in the state after they are admitted to practice. The topics of the guides will include things like: (1) Hiring Employees in North Carolina, (2) Drafting Offer Letters for North Carolina Employees, and (3) Terminating an Employee in North Carolina. Attorneys can work on the guides solo or in teams. Each guide is expected to take around five hours to create. If you are interested in helping with this discrete pro bono project, please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]). We will have a project kickoff meeting on May 3 and the drafts will be due by May 31.
Third, if you have other ideas for pro bono projects this year, please let us know! All suggestions are welcome — please email Leann Walsh ([email protected]) and Michael Elliot ([email protected]).
Join Us For The 2021 Health Law Section Annual CLE Program
Health Law SectionInternal investigations have become larger and more complex, particularly in the health care industry, which presents unique risks of legal and regulatory pitfalls. The NCBA Health Law Section’s annual CLE program will include a presentation by Pearlynn Houck and Jonathan Krisko, who will discuss best practices in conducting health care-related internal investigations and the range of issues that may arise including privilege, document retention and preservation, confidentiality, employment-related complexities, and additional issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Series: Tools to Consider When Working With Interpreters
Pro Bono CommitteeLarissa Mañón Mervin
Chelsea DeMoss
By Larissa Mañón Mervin and Chelsea DeMoss, with assistance by Betsy Divers, Aaron Jacobson and Jennifer Robinson
Part I: What to Consider When Working with Interpreters
By Larissa Mañón Mervin, with the assistance of Aaron Jacobson and Jennifer Robinson [1]
When ensuring access to justice, an attorney should consider a variety of factors. One of the most important factors is access to foreign language services when a client speaks limited English. According to Charlotte Stories, over 40 million Americans speak Spanish at home. [2] In N.C., the most common foreign languages spoken after English are Spanish and French.[3] Therefore, it is imperative that we consider “language justice” when ensuring our clients are represented as best as possible. The term language justice means the fundamental right to have one’s voice heard in their native language.[4] Groundswell: Oral History for Social Change defines the term further, by the following three characteristics:
Read more
Virtual Conferencing, Round Two! At 2021 NCBA Annual Meeting (June 17-18)
Membership CommitteeThe 123rd Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Bar Association will be held on Thursday and Friday, June 17-18. As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our members and staff, the North Carolina Bar Association will conduct this year’s Annual Meeting in a virtual format.
Extending over two days, the agenda for the NCBA Annual Meeting will more closely resemble agendas from years past – and years future – when members gathered in person. More time will be provided for entertainment and awards, including recognition of the 2021 Legal Legends of Color.
Read more
Why You Don’t Want to Close the “Instant Flip”
Real PropertyThe real estate market has not only completed its comeback, but it has also seen property sales hitting record highs in many markets. And with this uptick in sales comes a more aggressive and potentially risky type of transaction known as “flipping.”
A flip transaction is when a real estate investor buys a piece of property with the intention of quickly reselling to turn a profit. There is nothing illegal on its face about flipping properties if there is no fraud involved. But there is one type of flip transaction, which I call the “instant flip,” that comes with a wide variety of ethical pitfalls for closing attorneys.
Read more
A Conversation with Person Early College: Legal LINK’s First Virtual Panel!
Young Lawyers DivisionLegal LINK is a subcommittee of the NCBA Young Lawyers Division. Traditionally, our program arranges for legal professionals to visit local high schools and share information about the legal profession with underrepresented youth. Specifically, we share information about the four building blocks of the LINK program: leadership, information, networking and knowledge.
However, like so many programs throughout our communities, we are no longer able to go in person due to the pandemic. As a result, we had to find ways to adapt to the safety needs of our community while remaining true to our mission. We did this by offering the same program through a virtual format. This opened the amount of opportunities we could explore, and on March 12, we had our first virtual conversation with Person Early College. We could not be prouder of the results!
Read more
April Expert Series CLE: ‘Entertainment Law and Coronavirus’
Sports & Entertainment Law SectionThe April Expert Series CLE, “Entertainment Law and Coronavirus,” is available for viewing. The speakers included:
To access the CLE, click here.
In this CLE, Tim Browne and Melinda Zanoni discuss how COVID-19 has affected the practice of entertainment law, including challenges as content pivots to digital platforms, legal triage for counseling clients on how to operate in a lockdown, and COVID-defying solutions to pandemic problems faced by entertainment clients. Find out how to limit coronavirus liability at venues and discuss revisiting entertainment contract force majeure clauses in the era of COVID.
**Each month, the NCBA releases one-hour, on-demand CLEs, which are free of charge as the costs are included as part of your annual NCBA dues.
MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Neubia Harris
Minorities In the ProfessionThis month’s perspective is courtesy of Neubia Harris, Managing Attorney, The Law Office of Neubia L. Harris, PLLC.
What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?
Wake Forest University School of Law, 2010. Read more