The National Black Lawyers Top 100 Honor Three Smith Anderson Women as Top Black Attorneys in NC

Smith Anderson lawyers Sharita Whitaker, Taylor M. Dewberry and Kendra White, all of whom are women, have been selected for inclusion into The National Black Lawyers Top 100 in North Carolina, an invitation only organization limited to the top Black attorneys in each state who excel in their profession or promote diversity. Taylor and Kendra were recognized as “Top 40 Under 40” in North Carolina. With the selection of Sharita, Taylor and Kendra by The National Black Lawyers Top 100, they have shown that they exemplify superior qualifications, leadership skills and performance in their areas of legal practice.

Sharita is a partner at the firm and focuses her practice in the areas of Commercial Real Estate, Eminent Domain/Condemnation and Real Estate Development. She serves as co-chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is an active member of Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) and the North Carolina Bar Association’s Minorities in the Profession Committee.

In 2016, Sharita was named “Future Leader – Minority Lawyers (Private Practice)” at the national Chambers Diversity Awards, and she was named a “Tar Heel of the Week” by The News & Observer for the impact she has on North Carolina. In 2015, Sharita received a “Leaders in Diversity” award from the Triangle Business Journal. 

Taylor and Kendra are associates at Smith Anderson. Taylor’s practice focuses on employment-related counseling and defending employers against claims involving discrimination, wrongful discharge, retaliation, harassment and civil rights claims. Kendra is a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice group and she advises clients in a wide range of acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.

The selection process is based on a multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third-party research. The National Black Lawyers – Top 40 Under 40 is an essential source of networking and information for black attorneys throughout the nation. The final result of the selection process is a credible and comprehensive list of the most outstanding black lawyers chosen to represent their state. 

The National Black Lawyers is one of the very few preeminent organizations in the United States established to promote the nation’s top black attorneys and is designed to enhance the professional development of its members. Members are plaintiff and defense lawyers, represent law firms from across the nation and specialize in a variety of practice areas. The organization provides accreditation to these distinguished attorneys and aims to provide essential legal news, information, networking and continuing education to its members.

To learn more about The National Black Lawyers Top 100, visit http://www.nbltop100.org/