In the last podcast of 2025, NCAJ President Carma Henson reflects on her first five months on the job. Carma and host Amber Nimocks talked about what it’s been like to lead the organization during one of the most eventful years in recent history and how much they are looking forward to 2026. Carma also talked about being the first Lumbee Indian to lead a statewide professional organization and what full federal recognition will mean for the Lumbees. Tune into this conversation for Carma’s insights on NCAJ’s advocacy in a challenging year.

🎙️ Featured Guest 🎙️

Name: Carma Henson

Connect: LinkedIn

💡 Episode Highlights 💡

[05:14] Historic First: Carma is the first Lumbee Indian to serve as president of NCAJ and the first Lumbee to serve as president of any statewide professional organization for lawyers in North Carolina. The tribe is one of the largest east of the Mississippi, with over 55,000 members.

[11:08] Convention Conversation: At this summer’s NCAJ convention, one topic of conversation was the rule of law in response to actions of the Trump administration. Carma praises the “healthy” dialogue among members and breaks down the board of governor’s decision not to issue a public statement.

[19:48] “Just the Way It Is”: That’s the feeling of hopelessness that many family members experience when they watch loved ones at the mercy of abusive nursing home caregivers, Carma says. “It doesn’t have to be ‘just the way it is.’”

[25:51] Nursing Home Litigation: Medical malpractice caps are among the greatest challenges facing North Carolina nursing home litigators, Carma observes. “You've got the caps on non-economic damages, and so that scares some people away.”

[26:15] Rapid Response: Carma salutes NCAJ's "rapid response team" for quickly training members so they could help those at risk when U.S. Border Patrol and ICE operations came to North Carolina.

[29:30] "You're Never Alone”: That’s the message that Carla offers to Jason Orndoff, NCAJ president-elect. “Everybody's happy to listen and give advice, give insight. And that's what makes us a great organization,” she says.

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice talking about what it means to be a trial lawyer, what it takes to be great at the practice of law and how being a part of NCAJ enriches their lives and their careers.

Members of NCAJ belong to a nonprofit, nonpartisan

"I just met this person, and the state wants to kill him." That’s what Gretchen Engel was thinking the first time she met a death row inmate, as an intern at the Alabama Resource Center. Gretchen would eventually move to North Carolina and join the Center for Death Penalty Litigation in 1992. After 33 years, including a dozen as the CDPL’s executive director, she retired this summer. Gretchen reflects on victories and setbacks in this conversation with Amber Nimocks. And she looks ahead, suggesting that the state may be moving toward slowly abolishing the death penalty.

Name: Gretchen Engel

[02:44] Motivation: Gretchen explains how her interest in race and poverty led her to death penalty work, first in Alabama and eventually in North Carolina.

[06:00] Clemency Campaign: Gretchen details the CDPL’s six-month campaign that led former Governor Easley to grant clemency to a Black man sentenced to death by all-white juries.

[10:05] Changing the Narrative: In 2000, the CDPL worked with reporters from the “Charlotte Observer” on a series that exposed the inexperienced lawyers and sham trials of death row defendants. “It helped to start the public really thinking about how these cases are tried,” Gretchen recalls.

[13:13] Successes: Gretchen highlights the CDPL’s successes over the years, including the creation of the Indigent Defense System and the state’s ban on executing people with intellectual disabilities.

[16:09] Racial Justice Act: Four people have been removed from death row through this law that created a record of racism in jury selection across North Carolina.

[18:30] HB 307: This legislation, recently enacted, is committed to speeding up death penalty cases and exploring “increasingly barbaric methods of punishment,” Gretchen says.

[21:28] “Pure Demagoguery”: Gretchen discusses how politicians capitalize on “fear and hatred” to push forward legislation in the aftermath of particularly brutal crimes.

[24:50] Clemency: On December 31, 2024, North Carolina Governor Cooper commuted a record number of death penalty sentences – 15. Eleven were represented by the CDPL.

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice talking about what it means to be a trial lawyer, what it takes to be great at the practice of law and how being a part of NCAJ enriches their lives and their careers.

Members of NCAJ belong to a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of legal professionals dedicated to empowering a strong community of trial lawyers to protect people, prevent injustice and promote fairness. Membership affords many benefits and we’re proud to offer...

“Improved appellate advocacy betters us all,” says Chris Edwards. “It betters the court system. It betters our outcomes.” The co-chair of Ward and Smith's Appellate Practice, Chris discusses how trial lawyers can improve their appellate advocacy in this conversation with host Amber Nimocks. He also highlights his new column for “Trial Briefs,” NCAJ’s flagship publication, where he shares his “superpowers” with NCAJ members. And he previews his Nov. 12 virtual CLE, “Winning on Appeal Starts at Trial,” where he’ll cover issue preservation, record building, and best practices.

🎙️ Featured Guest 🎙️

Name: Chris Edwards

Connect: LinkedIn

💡 Episode Highlights 💡

[02:00] Path to Appellate Practice: Clerkships in a federal district court and the US Court of Appeals shaped Chris’ career. “The first four years that I was in practice, all I knew was writing for, talking to, persuading judges.”

[03:38] Different Superpowers: Chris explains how appellate lawyers use storytelling differently than trial lawyers—telling the client's story through written briefs rather than in front of juries.

[05:06] Thinking Ahead: Even if trial lawyers don't handle appeals themselves, they should think strategically to ensure success if the case goes to appeal, Chris says.

[08:34] Vanguard v. Moody: Chris recaps his first “Appellate Thinking” column, which focused on the Supreme Court's ruling requiring specificity in motions for directed verdict.

[11:43] Evolving Case Law: Chris explains the fascinating part of appellate practice—watching how settled case law changes over time and seeing where courts are moving the law.

[14:24] Shifting Trends: Every US Supreme Court chief justice moves the court in a different direction, Chris observes.

[16:40] Coddle v. Mankin: Chris recalls co-authoring an NCAJ amicus brief about whether negligent supervision claims fall under medical malpractice laws.

[19:15] The Trial Lawyer Dynamic: “Practically speaking, an appellate lawyer's client is the trial lawyer,” Chris says as he explains the relationship. “I get to help my friends solve cool problems.”

[21:05] Common Appellate Questions: The three most common questions that Chris hears from trial lawyers: appellate timelines, post-trial motions, and assembling the record.

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Within hours of each other, two things happened that changed Coleman Cowan’s life. While waiting to take a deposition as a young associate, he realized that his reward for working hard would be more hard work. Hours later, while leaving that deposition, he was shot in a random mugging. Despite colleagues calling him “crazy,” Coleman left law to pursue journalism, eventually becoming an Emmy-winning producer for “60 Minutes.” In this conversation with host Amber Nimocks, he discusses his journey from North Carolina courtrooms to war zones around the world and back to North Carolina, where he now leads the litigation section at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. Coleman also previews his upcoming presentation at NCAJ's Strategy Summit. Called “To Live, Not Exist: What Our Experiences Can Teach Us About Managing Stress and Anxiety,” his program will be on Oct. 23, the first day of the two-day summit.

🎙️ Featured Guest 🎙️

Name: Coleman Cowan

Connect: LinkedIn

💡 Episode Highlights 💡

[02:34] The Epiphany: Two seminal events, occurring just hours apart, changed the course of Coleman’s life.

[07:39] “Monumentally Foolish Decision”: Everyone from partners to judges to law professors told Coleman he was "crazy" for leaving his successful legal career.

[07:51] Two Important Voices: Coleman's parents and then-girlfriend (now wife) were the two voices that encouraged his dramatic career change.

[10:50] Testing the Waters: Coleman talked his way into “Business Week” magazine to test his journalism idea before committing to graduate school.

[11:00] Hurricane Katrina: Coleman's first assignment covering Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans confirmed that he was "onto something pretty special" with journalism.

[12:32] Breakthrough: “60 Minutes" picked up Coleman's Columbia master's project on NYPD evidence storage.

[16:06] Naive to the Danger: ”It was only when we extracted from the situation that I really dawned on me how dangerous some of these places were,” Coleman says about covering stories from locations like Afghanistan, Mexico, and Russia.

[17:07] FSB Surveillance: Coleman describes being followed by Russian intelligence while reporting on Alexei Navalny's presidential campaign.

[18:21] It’s All Relative: When “60 Minutes” staff were stressed about a story, Coleman told himself that “this is not stressful.” TV producers are surrounded by people who want the show to succeed – while lawyers face opposing counsel who are tearing them down.

[23:52] Strategy Summit Preview: In his presentation, Coleman will tell stories from his journalism career and how those stories inform his current litigation practice.

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To NCAJ members who have an appeal or just want another set of eyes on a brief, Sam McGee says, “Shoot me an email.” As NCAJ’s Legal Affairs counsel, he oversees the organization's amicus briefs program and moot courts while representing member interests at the State Bar Ethics Committee. In this conversation with host Amber Nimocks, Sam outlines the committee’s advocacy, including its amicus brief in a recent North Carolina Supreme Court eminent domain case. He also discusses how it supports members, including brief reviews, moot courts, and informal assistance that spans all practice areas.

🎙️ Featured Guest 🎙️

Name: Sam McGee

💡 Episode Highlights 💡

[02:07] Watchdog: As NCAJ’s Legal Affairs counsel, Sam supports members by monitoring the State Bar Ethics Committee publications for its proposed opinions and rule changes.

[02:42] Potential Red Flag: Sam details how NCAJ's intervention prevented a problematic ethics opinion that could have undermined criminal defendants' rights to discovery.

[05:16] Beyond PI and Med-Mal: The Legal Affairs Committee has a strong representation of criminal defense practitioners so that it addresses concerns of all members.

[08:12] Moot Court Program: The Legal Affairs Committee conducted 19 moot courts last fiscal year, serving everyone from first-time appellate attorneys to experienced practitioners.

[09:34] There for Everybody: Sam encourages members of all ages and experience levels to take advantage of moot courts and brief assistance.

[11:32] Town of Apex v. Rubin: The Supreme Court of North Carolina recently agreed with the NCAJ’s amicus brief in an eminent domain case, protecting property rights and establishing important precedents.

[15:22] Safe Child Act Cases: Sam describes NCAJ's involvement in three cases that upheld the extended statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases.

[20:39] Ethics CLE: The Legal Affairs Committee is planning for the February 25 ethics CLE, which will cover artificial intelligence and ethical concerns from TV shows and movies.

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice talking about what it means to be a trial lawyer, what it takes to be great at the practice of law and how being a part of NCAJ enriches their lives and their careers.

Members of NCAJ belong to a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of legal professionals dedicated to empowering a strong community of trial lawyers to protect people, prevent injustice...

As a social worker, Billie Guthrie was drawn into all the factors at play in her clients’ struggles. As a Social Security Disability attorney for The Deuterman Law Group, she is laser-focused on getting clients the benefits they deserve. Tune in to this conversation with host Amber Nimocks as Billie reflects on her unique journey to making “tangible differences” in clients’ lives. And attend the NCAJ’s upcoming day-long CLE, "Social Security Disability Updates and Practical Pointers for 2025 and Beyond," to learn more about her strategies and insights. Held at NCAJ’s Raleigh headquarters, the September 18 event will kick-off the fall season of in-person, member-led CLE programming.

Billie’s topic for the CLE is strengthening cases involving mental health impairments and substance abuse, but email her if you’re attending and have a question.

Name: Billie Guthrie

Connect: LinkedIn

[03:00] Clear Path in Mind: Billie intentionally attended Appalachian State to earn a Bachelor's of Social Work because it fast-tracked her to earn an MSW.

[06:22] Social Justice: Billie didn’t know much about what a social worker actually does – but she knew the vocation aligned with her values.

[08:48] Club Nova Experience: Billie details her meaningful work at a psychiatric rehabilitation program for adults with severe and persistent mental illness.

[12:07] Critical Choice: As she entered her MSW program, Billie faced a choice: Did she want to do therapy or policy-based work? She chose the latter.

[14:14] Policy Advocacy: One of Billie’s first policy roles was with a project called Reclaiming Futures, which focused on fixing the preschool-to-prision pipeline.

[15:40] Law School: Billie explains how her desire to learn more and be more effective drove her to attend Central's evening program while working full time.

[18:30] The Motivation: Billie’s transition to law was inspired by seeing how systems confined efforts to help people. “I saw: This person's success in the community is only going to go so far if our systems are set up in the way that they're set up.”

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North...

Curiosity has driven Leslie’s Leake’s remarkable career, which NCAJ recently celebrated with the awarding of its prestigious Robby Price Award. The lead paralegal for the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Leslie said her advice to up-and-coming paralegals who want to stay engaged in their careers: Keep asking questions. “Stay curious,” she says. Her nominator described her as an “unspoken hero.” In this conversation with host Amber Nimocks, Leslie shares her path from defense to plaintiff's work, tales from the frontlines (including climbing on file cabinets and facing down barking dogs), and lessons learned from serving everyone from judges to clients in shackles.

Name: Leslie Leake, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin

Connect: LinkedIn

[01:52] Early Start: Leslie became a deputy clerk of court at just 18, making her the youngest courtroom clerk in her district before even graduating high school.

[02:15] On-the-Job Training: One minute, she’d be working with a judge or probation officer. The next, she’d be listening to a person in shackles explaining why they’re in court that day.

[05:48] An Invaluable Skill: At the clerk’s office, “you have DAs coming at you. The public’s asking to see you. The judge is asking you questions. It taught me how to remain calm.”

[08:30] “Briefs Do Not Scare Me”: While working for a defense attorney, Leslie became immersed in detailed research on insurance policies. There, she learned the importance of precise writing, right down to where to place a comma.

[11:30] “Am I Limiting Myself?”: In her early 40s, Leslie pursued her business administration and law degree while working full time, often studying until 3 a.m.

[15:21] Taking Risks: Working in James Scott Farrin's Triage Department, Leslie once faced down barking dogs to retrieve surveillance footage that would help a client's case.

[17:15] Giving Back: As a mentor to young paralegals, Leslie emphasizes the importance of understanding why you're doing tasks, not just following templates, because there are consequences for mistakes.

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice talking about what it means to be a trial lawyer, what it takes to be great at the practice of law and how being a part of NCAJ enriches their lives and their careers.

Members of NCAJ belong to a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of legal professionals dedicated to empowering a strong community of trial lawyers to protect people, prevent injustice and promote fairness. Membership affords many benefits and we’re proud to offer discounts and opportunities thanks to our tremendous community of sponsors and partners....

Rosa Antunez Boatwright, an immigrant from Honduras, was excited to attend community college in her new Florida home – until the college rescinded its acceptance because of her immigration status. Fast forward years later. Today, she is a personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin and the incoming chair of NCAJ's Hispanic/Latino Legal Issues Division. In this conversation with host Amber Nimocks, Rosa explains how national and local legislation affecting the Hispanic community means that all lawyers need to be “on our toes.” “If we need to get together next week because of something that happened this week, we need to be able to do that and have those open discussions,” she says. Tune in to learn about Rosa’s journey from Honduras, her path from paralegal to lawyer, and her experience as an NCAJ NEXT Leadership Program fellow.

Name: Rosa Antunez Boatwright

Connect: LinkedIn

[01:38] Idyllic Childhood: Rosa describes growing up in Honduras' capital surrounded by mountains, with her father owning a candy factory and her mother was a psychologist.

[03:06] Hurricane Mitch: In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Rosa’s family's candy factory and forced them to move to the United States.

[06:33] “We Can’t Enroll You”: She was accepted to community college, made the cheerleading team, and then came the letter. “Nevermind. We can’t enroll you.” Why? Because of her immigration status.

[09:02] The Ad Said “Paralegal”: Her first job was as a medical secretary for a chiropractor. It came in handy when she wanted to pivot to law: a firm sought someone with medical experience to join them as a paralegal.

[12:49] Breakthrough Case: Rosa convinced a judge that an unmarried couple was common law married under South Carolina law, securing recovery for the surviving partner and children.

[15:04] NEXT Leadership Program: Rosa describes the transformative experience of the NCAJ NEXT program that prepared her for introspective leadership both personally and professionally.

[17:26] Leadership Goals: Rosa outlines her plans for multiple roundtables and responsive meetings to help attorneys navigate challenging legislation and government changes affecting Hispanic clients.

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Voices of NCAJ features members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice talking about what it means to be a trial lawyer, what it takes to be great at the practice of law and how being a part of NCAJ enriches their lives and their careers.

Members of NCAJ belong to a nonprofit, nonpartisan...