JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
LAW BRIEF
Message from
Dean J. Rich Leonard
As I have
traveled
the state
and
region
meeting
many of you, I have increasingly realized how many
“Your Honors” are now
among your ranks.
where great lawyers are made
With some digging, we have
created the first database
of Campbell lawyers who
are or have been judges,
and the extent to which our
graduates have populated
the judiciary comes as a
pleasant surprise.
Campbell Law School
225 Hillsborough Street, Suite 101
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
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Campbell Law ranked second nationally
for best bar exam prep by
The National Jurist
Campbell Law School has been named the second best law school
in the country for bar exam preparation by The National Jurist. Of
the 50 schools included on the list, Campbell Law is the only North
Carolina law school selected for inclusion.
The complete list is available via The National Jurist February
2015 issue.
“It’s exciting for a leading legal education publication to highlight our law
school in this fashion,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard. “We
have a lengthy history of surpassing our peers on the bar exam, both
inside and outside of North Carolina, and it’s one of the paramount
reasons that this law school continues to grow by leaps and bounds.”
www.facebook.com/CampbellLawSchool
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It turns out that 87 of our
graduates either are or have
been judges, with 79 still
sitting. Most are in North
Carolina, although five sit
on the trial courts of other
states. Three members of
the North Carolina Court
of Appeals, or 20% of the
Court, hold Campbell Law
degrees. Fifteen of the
state’s 112 superior court
judges hail from our school.
The largest group by far,
54 of 270, or 20%, sit on
the district courts of North
Carolina. And we have some
federal representation, as
two of the United States
magistrate judges in the
Eastern District come
from here.
These numbers represent an
enormous pool of talent and
prestige that we have underutilized to date, but we
hope to change that. In the
months and years to come,
we will be looking at novel
ways we can showcase our
judicial alumni, and involve
them more fully in the life of
our school. Please feel free
to share these proud facts.
In ranking institutions, The National Jurist undertook a statistical analysis
of the nation’s law schools using linear regression, comparing incoming
LSAT scores with bar passage rates for the classes of 2011 and 2012. The
publication also took into account the differences of state bar passage rates.
A complete breakdown of the methodology is included within the February
issue accompanying the rankings.
Over the course of the past 25 years, 90.89% of Campbell Law graduates have passed the July North Carolina Bar Exam on their first try. That
remarkable statistic is tops among the seven North Carolina law schools.
On the July 2014 North Carolina Bar Exam, 85.61% of Campbell Law’s
first-time test-takers passed.
The National Jurist also recently named Campbell Law one of the top
law schools in the country for practical training. One of 86 institutions
nationally to make the list, Campbell Law received the highest rating of
any North Carolina law school. The distinction also marks Campbell Law’s
first appearance on the list, another indicator of its continued rise in national
recognition.
law.campbell.edu
Where great lawyers are made
ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES
CLASS OF 1979
Ashley Brathwaite has been named partner at Ellis & Winters LLP.
Linwood Bunce, II is a 2015 recipient of the NCBA Citizen
Lawyer Award.
Shiau Yen Chin-Dennis was elected vice chair of the Oregon
District Export Council and named partner at K&L Gates in
Portland.
N.C. Governor Pat McCrory has appointed Steve Messick
District Court Judge in the 15A Judicial District.
CLASS OF 1980
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of James Arthur
‘Jim’ Haney.
CLASS OF 1982
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Michael
Johnson.
CLASS OF 1985
Ernie Lee was re-elected as district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District and retired as a judge advocate and major with the
U.S. Army Reserve.
CLASS OF 1990
Kristin Ruth has joined Raleigh-based law firm Smith Debnam.
CLASS OF 1991
CLASS OF 2006
Henry S. Morphis has opened Morphis Law & Mediation in
Hickory, N.C., and recently earned an AV Preeminent Review
Rating from Martindale-Hubbell Rating Agency.
CLASS OF 2007
Christopher S. Morden has been named partner at Monroe
Wallace Law Group.
Michael S. Rainey has been named a shareholder of Young
Moore and Henderson, P.A.
CLASS OF 2009
Ashley Baxter Curry has joined the Office of Joseph A. Bledsoe, III,
in New Bern, N.C., and was recently elected 2015 Chairman of
the New Bern Young Professionals Group.
Samuel D. Fleder has been named partner at Smith Debnam.
2015 BUSINESS N.C. LEGAL ELITE
Lori W. Gaines was appointed as one of seven deputy commissioners
of the N.C. Industrial Commission.
Angela P. Doughty (‘05) * Lynwood P. Evans (’99) * S. McKinley
Gray, III (’93) * Stephanie Gaston Poley (’03) * Steven Saad (’08) *
Allen N. Trask, III (’09)
CLASS OF 1995
2015 N.C. SUPER LAWYERS
N.C. Governor Pat McCrory has appointed Richard Holloway
District Court Judge in the 25th Judicial District.
Ken Burgess (‘84) * Benjamin T. Cochran (’02) * A. Charles Ellis (‘83)
Lynwood P. Evans (’99) * Jason James (‘01) * Charlie Livermon (‘99) *
John Martin (’85)
CLASS OF 2000
Melanie Wade Goodwin was appointed as one of seven deputy
commissioners of the N.C. Industrial Commission.
2015 N.C. RISING STARS
Lauren Taylor Arnette (’05) * J. Adam Bridwell (’05) * David Broyles
(‘07) * Chip Campbell (’03) * Kevin Ceglowski (‘06) * Angela P. DoughTara Davidson Muller has formed Muller Law Firm in Raleigh, N.C. ty (‘05) * Chad Essick (‘06) * Jennifer Morris Jones (’05) * Christopher
S. Morden (’07) * Michael A. Myers (’06) * William A. Oden, III (’04) *
Stephanie Gaston Poley (’03) * Michael S. Rainey (’07) *
CLASS OF 2005
Allen N. Trask, III (’09)
J. Adam Bridwell has been named partner at Hardison & Cochran.
Connect With Us!
Our alumni serve a vital role within the Campbell Law
community, and are frequently called upon to assist
with volunteer opportunities, recruiting, assisting with
mock interviews, informing us of market opportunities,
hosting events, or partnering with a student
organization.
All Campbell Law alumni are also welcome to utilize
our Career & Professional Development Center services, including career advising, employment search,
and reciprocity.
If you are interested in connecting with the law
school and serving our students, please contact
Campbell Law’s Assistant Dean of External Relations
Megan West at 919.865.5875 or by email at
westm@campbell.edu.
2
Did You Know?
Starting a solo practice and in need
of a website?
Looking to give your current site a
fresh face or complete overhaul?
Current Campbell Law FLEX
student Cosmo Zinkow is the owner
of Esquire Web Design and offers high
quality, search engine optimized
web designs for $500.
Visit Esquire Web Design at
http://www.esquirewebdesign.com/
or contact him via e-mail at
nathanielzinkow@gmail.com.
We welcome professional and personal updates from our alumni, and we encourage you to send photos.
For more information, contact: Brandon Yopp, Director of Communications & Marketing | yopp@campbell.edu | 919.865.5978
C A M P B E L L
Professor Osborn named Tar Heel of the
Week by The News & Observer
L A W
B R I E F
Founding board members selected
for alumni association
The News & Observer profiled Campbell
Law Associate Professor Lucas Osborn as
its Tar Heel of the Week in the Jan. 11 issue.
Correspondent Marti Maguire penned a
lengthy profile on Osborn.
Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced the 18 founding
members of the Campbell Law Alumni Association Board of Directors.
The Board, which will be tasked with assisting in the establishment and
operation of the Association, encompasses 17 different Campbell Law
graduating classes and a broad assortment of practice areas.
Osborn was selected for the profile in large
part due to his recent appointment to the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons’ (OPCW) Confidentiality Commission. One of 20 new members, he is the
only American elected to the group.
“We put out a call for volunteers to our alumni and the response
was overwhelming,” said Leonard. “We are fortunate to have such a
strong, accomplished alumni base, and Campbell Law graduates are
fiercely loyal and eager to assist us.
The OPCW is an independent, autonomous international organization with a working relationship with the United Nations. The main
function of the Organization is to ensure the implementations of the
provisions established in the Chemical Weapons Convention. It has
gained increased exposure recently as it has coordinated the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. The OPCW won the 2013 Nobel
Peace Prize for its efforts to rid the planet of chemical weapons.
“It’s an honor to be selected as the Tar Heel of the Week,” said
Osborn. “It is my hope that this accolade will shine more light on the
fantastic accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff at Campbell Law School.”
The director of Campbell Law’s Intellectual Property Law program,
Osborn is an expert in the area of Intellectual Property Law, with a focus on Patent Law. He has authored more than half a dozen articles in
this area, presented his research over 20 times across the nation, and
been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and several
local and regional publications. In November 2013 he was named to
the Triangle Intellectual Property Law Association’s Board of Directors.
Scott Pryor to join Campbell Law faculty
C. Scott Pryor will join the law school faculty as a Professor of Law
with the beginning of the 2015-16 academic year. Boasting more
than 15 years of commercial law practice, he specializes in Contracts,
Secured Transactions, Sales, and Bankruptcy.
“The challenge in identifying members to serve on the inaugural Board
was to provide equal representation among all alumni eras throughout the history of the law school and our two campuses. I believe
this group does just that. I am confident that they will leave no stone
unturned in crafting a first-rate alumni association that will serve all of
our graduates moving forward.”
In subsequent years, six members of the Board will cycle off annually and
be replaced by newly-elected members chosen by the membership.
Board members include: Kristen L. Beightol (‘01), Anitra Brown (‘14),
Anna Baird Choi (‘94), Tony C. Dalton (‘81), John A. Hardin (‘12),
James M. Hash (‘08), Robert B. Hobbs (‘86), Todd A. Jones (‘98),
John P. Marshall (‘89), Jennifer B. Milak (‘97), Kimberly T. Miller (‘07),
William A. Oden (‘04), J. Scott O’Neal (‘91), Stephanie Gaston Poley
(‘03), Charles R. Rawls (‘82), William O. Richardson (‘80), Perry R.
Safran (‘81), Alka Srivastava (‘11).
Jones will serve as chair of the board, with Miller acting as vice chair.
Campbell Law Classroom dedicated
to Una Holder O’Quinn
Classroom 413 at Campbell Law School will forever be known as
the Una Holder O’ Quinn Classroom. The classroom was dedicated
in her honor during a formal ceremony on Jan. 9 at the law school.
Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard and Campbell University Vice
President for Institutional Advancement & Assistant to the President
Dr. Britt J. Davis presided over the ceremony.
“I am delighted that Scott will be joining us next fall,” said Campbell Law
Dean J. Rich Leonard. “He is one of the most respected commercial
and bankruptcy law scholars in the country, and his expertise and
experience in the classroom will provide a substantial benefit to our
students.”
Pryor has served on the faculty at Regent
University School of Law since August 1998.
He was previously a visiting professor at
Campbell Law (2010-11), as well as a
resident scholar at the American Bankruptcy
Institute in Washington, D.C. (2013),
Fulbright Scholar at the National Law
University in Jodhpur, India (2009), and
visiting professor at Handong International
Law School in Pohang, South Korea (2006).
He was also the director of Regent’s Summer
Program in International Human Rights in
Strasbourg, France (2005 and 2008).
Pryor holds a B.A. from Dordt College and an M.A. from Reformed
Theological Seminary. He earned his J.D. from the University of
Wisconsin College of Law.
The room was named in honor of Holder O’Quinn, a 1969 Campbell College graduate, following a financial contribution from her
daughter, Alisa, and son-in-law, former North Carolina Lieutenant
Governor Dennis Wicker, in her honor.
Holder O’Quinn grew up in Mamers, North Carolina, a rural
community in western Harnett County. No one in her family had ever
attended college, but through the encouragement of community leaders and support of her loved ones, she enrolled at Campbell College in
1965 to become a teacher. One of her grandsons, Jackson D. Wicker,
graduated from Campbell Law in 2012, the first class of law school
students to attend all three years at the Raleigh campus.
3
C A M P B E L L
Dudley, Smith capture ABA regional title
Second-year Campbell Law School students Mary Frances Dudley
and Sloan Smith won the American Bar Association Regional Client
Counseling Competition at the law school on Feb. 14. The duo will
now move on to compete against 11 other regional champions at
the national finals, March 12-14, at North Carolina Central University
School of Law in Durham, N.C.
“I am immensely proud of Mary Frances and Sloan for their efforts
during the competition,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard.
“They were exceptionally prepared,
poised, and on
top of their game.
I look forward
to seeing them
accomplish even
more things over
the remainder of
their law school
careers.”
En route to the
title, Dudley and
Mary Frances Dudley & Sloan Smith
Smith competed
in three preliminary
rounds and one semifinal round. They went head-to-head against
teams from UNC-Chapel Hill and Charlotte Law School in the final
round. The pair was coached by Professor Melissa Essary.
“In ranking them first in the competition, judges commented that Mary
Frances and Sloan exhibited the characteristics of great lawyers: empathy, competence, and confidence,” said Essary. “It’s been my great
honor to coach this winning team.”
L A W
B R I E F
Reentry Project to receive 2015 NCBA
Pro Bono Award
The Reentry Project, an initiative of the Campbell Law Pro School
Bono Council, has been selected to receive the 2015 Law Student
Group Pro Bono Award from the North Carolina Bar Association
(NCBA). The accolade marks the first time that a group from
Campbell Law has collected the honor.
The award will be formally presented in June during the 2015 NCBA
Annual Meeting in Asheville.
The Reentry Project assists citizens who may qualify for relief from the
collateral consequences stemming from a criminal record, which often
include barriers to employment opportunities and affordable housing.
Students participate in training provided by the North Carolina Justice
Center and Legal Aid of North Carolina, and learn about the collateral
consequences of having a criminal record and the criteria for expunctions and certificates of relief under state law. Students also learn how
to review criminal records and participate in practice exercises to
apply the law and determine eligibility for relief.
Following training, and under the supervision of Legal Aid staff attorneys and volunteer attorneys, students participate in mobile clinics
to interview clients and identify those who may be eligible for relief.
More than 100 clients have been served by 23 Campbell Law students since the program’s inception in the fall of 2013.
The NCBA Law Student Group Pro Bono Award is annually presented to an outstanding law student group whose project benefits
low-income North Carolinians.
Campbell Law served as the host institution for the event, welcoming
11 total teams and participants from five additional schools.
The ABA Client Counseling Competition emphasizes the importance
of preventative law and the need to be an effective counselor in the
law office. The competition tests the students’ ability to deal with a
client’s non-legal goals as well as their legal concerns. Students must
probe the client for relevant details while putting the client at ease.
Last, teams must analyze the law as applied to the client’s issue and
provide a plan of action.
Federal Bar Association holds CLE
at Campbell Law
Campbell Law hosted a continuing legal education program for the
Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of North Carolina (FBA-ENDC)
on Feb. 13. The CLE featured
three panels discussing federal
practice: one with U.S. District
Court judges, one with U.S.
Magistrate judges, and the
third focusing on the ethics
of the role of local counsel in
both civil and criminal matters.
Two of the four participating U.S.
Magistrate Judges, The Honorable Robert B. Jones, Jr. (’97) and
The Honorable Kimberly A. Swank (’91),
are Campbell Law graduates. Campbell Law Practitioner in Residence
Matt Sawchak moderated the event.
Senior Law Clinic students Yale Haymond and Ashley Coghill deliver a settlement check to their client Janice Lewis. The students represented Ms. Lewis in
a protracted struggle to have her insurance carrier agree to her claim related
to property damage that she suffered as a result of a water leak. Following
a series of depositions, mediation, and order denying defendant’s motion
for summary judgment, the insurance carrier, on the eve of trial in Superior
Court, agreed to pay Ms. Lewis the entire amount of her original claim.
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Contribute online at our secure site: www.alumni.law.campbell.edu/efr
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