Three Smith Anderson Lawyers Appointed to Newly Created N.C. Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice

Raleigh, N.C. – Smith Anderson lawyers Mike Mitchell, Martin Brinkley and Andrew Atkins have been appointed to the newly created North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice. 

The commission was convened by Chief Justice Mark Martin and is comprised of key stakeholders within the justice system, as well as leaders in the private and public sectors. The multidisciplinary commission will undertake a comprehensive evaluation of our state’s justice system and make recommendations for strengthening our courts within the existing administrative framework. It will focus on five areas of inquiry: civil justice, criminal investigation and adjudication, legal professionalism, public trust and confidence, and technology.

“These respected and innovative leaders will provide the direction necessary in this era of change, ensuring that the justice system works for all,” Chief Justice Martin said. “They bring with them decades of experience in the state and federal judiciaries, business and nonprofit communities, legal education, and private practice.”

Mike Mitchell will serve on the Civil Justice Committee; Martin Brinkley will serve on the Public Trust and Confidence Committee; and Andrew Atkins will serve as reporter for the Public Trust and Confidence Committee.

Mike Mitchell is a trial and appellate litigator with 25 years of experience in state and federal courts. In addition to serving on the NCCALJ, he is a member of the North Carolina General Statutes Commission, a member of the Board of Directors for Wake County Economic Development, and serves as vice chair of the Board of Directors of North Carolina Business Committee for Education. He also serves in various leadership capacities within the firm.

Martin Brinkley currently serves as dean of the University of North Carolina School of Law, and is the only lawyer in the modern history of the law school to be appointed to the deanship from the practicing bar. Martin remains Of Counsel with Smith Anderson and practices in the area of corporate law.

Andrew Atkins is a member of the firm’s Construction and Commercial Litigation Practice groups. Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Andrew served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Mark Martin, Supreme Court of North Carolina. He also practiced at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, United States Department of the Treasury.

For more information about Smith Anderson, visit www.smithlaw.com or call 919-821-1220. For more information about the NCCALJ, visit www.nccalj.org.

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About Smith Anderson

Founded in 1912, Smith Anderson has grown to become the largest business and litigation law firm headquartered in the Research Triangle region and one of the largest in North Carolina. We provide a full range of legal services to a diverse and dynamic group of regional, national and international companies. Over 100 years of practicing law has grounded our Firm’s culture, informed our perspective, and provided us the insight necessary to help our clients succeed. Over time, our core principles have remained unchanged. We remain personally dedicated to the success, prosperity and betterment of our clients and the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.SmithLaw.com.

About the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice
The North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice, convened by Chief Justice Mark Martin, is an independent, multidisciplinary commission that will undertake a comprehensive evaluation of our judicial system and make recommendations for strengthening our courts within the existing administrative framework. The commission’s work will provide a basis for discussion with the General Assembly to help ensure North Carolina’s Judicial Branch meets the needs of our citizens and their expectations for a modern court system. The commission will finalize its findings and recommendations in a series of reports that will be presented to the Chief Justice and made available to the public in early 2017. For more information about the NCCALJ, visit www.nccalj.org.