Smith Anderson Partners Rose Kenyon, Mike Weddington and Martin Brinkley Receive Appointments and Recognition at the North Carolina Bar Association Annual Meeting

At the North Carolina Bar Association’s (NCBA) Annual Meeting held on June 19-22, 2008 in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, Smith Anderson partners Rose Kenyon and Mike Weddington began terms as chairs of two key committees and Martin Brinkley received a special honor. The NCBA serves the public and legal profession by promoting the administration of justice and encouraging the highest standards of integrity, competence, civility and well-being of all members of the profession. With more than 13,500 members, the NCBA is the largest organization in North Carolina serving the diverse professional needs of lawyers.

Ms. Kenyon will chair the Strategic Planning & Emerging Trends Committee and Mr. Weddington will chair the Administration of Justice Committee, two important NCBA Committees. Over the course of their legal careers, Mr. Weddington and Ms. Kenyon have been active in professional activities and each has held several leadership roles. In addition to his new role as Chair of the Administration of Justice Committee, Mr. Weddington currently serves as Vice-Chair of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Wake County Bar Association as well as on its committees dealing with grievances against lawyers and fee disputes. Mr. Weddington’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, representation of licensed professionals in disciplinary and licensing matters, alternative dispute resolution and appellate advocacy.

In addition to her role as Chair of the Strategic Planning & Emerging Trends Committee, Ms. Kenyon has served on the NCBA’s Board of Governors, as well as Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee and the Dispute Resolution Section. Ms. Kenyon currently serves as Vice President of Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, and is active in other community groups. Ms. Kenyon’s practice focuses on employment law, and her recognitions include listings in Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite and Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business.

Smith Anderson partner Martin Brinkley and 10 other lawyers from around the State received special recognition as "Citizen Lawyers." Those recognized as Citizen Lawyers are honored for providing "exemplary" service to their communities. Mr. Brinkley has long been active in the community as well as in professional activities and was honored for providing “extensive leadership to dozens of civic organizations, church initiatives and bar-related boards, committees and task forces." Mr. Brinkley most recently Co-Chaired the NCBA 4ALL Task Force, a state-wide effort to increase support for legal services to the indigent. He is also a past member of the Board of Governors, former Chair of the Young Lawyers Division and past Chair of the Strategic Planning & Emerging Trends Committee of the NCBA. Among many other activities, Mr. Brinkley currently serves as Vice Chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, Treasurer and Director of the Center for Law and the Humanities, and on the Board of Commissioners for the Wake County Public Library System. Mr. Brinkley’s practice includes corporate and commercial law and public finance, and his recognitions include listings in Woodward/White, Inc., The Best Lawyers in America, Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite and North Carolina Super Lawyers.