Editor’s Note: We are all saddened by the circumstances and tragic loss earlier this week of attorney Patrick White at the law firm of Riddle & Brantley in Goldsboro. We are in communication with other Bar groups about efforts to provide support and resources. This tragedy impacts us individually and as a profession. Please take advantage of resources available to you through the NC Lawyers Assistance Program and BarCares if you need to talk confidentially to someone.
Life and work have resumed -- our new normal after the pandemic. In our various practices, the civil courts are working on the backlogs of cases that had been put on hold. We were also busy at the NCADA getting back to face-to-face meetings and working on new opportunities for members.
Looking back at the last few months, we had a successful Annual Meeting in June for the first time in Wilmington, North Carolina. An outstanding CLE program was put together by program chair Chris Kiger, and our biennial Judicial Candidates’ Forum was chaired by Allen Smith. The opportunity to connect with old friends, meet new ones, and hear directly from our judiciary were highlights of the meeting.
We adapted and pivoted again for our annual Fall Seminar in late September as the remnants of Hurricane Ian disrupted travel plans. A hale and hearty group of speakers, members and guests, and litigation support partners made it in-person and we were able to live-stream the event to close to 80 additional attendees online. Another new location for us at the Winston-Salem Convention Center helped make this a successful day.
In addition to the popular expert webinars hosted by our litigation support partners, we had excellent attendance at our paralegal seminar on Thursday, December 8th. Our NCADA member paralegals and other attendees made it highly interactive and insightful by sharing comments and questions during the presentations. We heard from Kellie Myers about NC Judicial Branch’s eCourts initiative. Thank you to all the speakers and to our planners Shelli Simontacchi, Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe Garofalo, and Nathan Hewitt, Hamlet Law. We are planning additional professional development opportunities specific to paralegals in 2023 based on the feedback from this session.
We are looking forward to more great events and activities for the NCADA in 2023. As you plan your professional development goals for 2023, consider enrolling in the NCADA's new Business of Law pilot program. This is a fully virtual education program, which is based on the fundamentals of a mini-MBA curriculum, that will help you learn, understand, and immediately apply practical management skills and financial knowledge. Of course, this program and others for 2023 are available on the NCADA website. Take a look, mark your schedule, and plan to join us!
We appreciate your ongoing support and participation in the NCADA. Please let us know how we can continue to value your practice and career development goals. And follow us on LinkedIn for more NCADA updates!
