Members of the Elon Law advisory board, which is chaired by former presidential adviser David Gergen, met with students and attended a class during their spring meeting, April 10-11. Read this note for details...
Advisory board members began their meeting by attending a criminal law class taught by law professor Steven Friedland. Following the group’s morning session, chairman David Gergen, former adviser to four U.S. presidents and
director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F.
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, held a luncheon session with students. He encouraged them to develop leadership skills at the school and prepare to begin their careers as lawyers with a focus on serving in their communities.
The Advisory Board discussed preparations that are being made for the November visit of the American Bar Association inspection team. The ABA will be considering provisional approval of the Elon Law program at its June 2008 meeting. Elon’s strategy to gain ABA accreditation at the earliest possible date has been to exceed the ABA’s primary requirements regarding resources,
faculty, facilities, library, educational program and admissions.
The advisory board also discussed the search process for the next group of faculty members, who will join the school in the fall, as well as progress toward defining the school’s niche and developing a positive reputation for the academic program.
Members of the advisory board include the following:
David
Gergen (chair),
Cambridge, Mass.; former adviser to four U.S. presidents and
director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F.
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
Noel Allen, Raleigh, N.C.; Partner, Allen and Pinnix,
PA; Elon University trustee
Joel
Barker, St. Paul, Minn.;
President and CEO, Infinity Limited, Inc.; author and
producer of leadership and business videos
Rhoda Bryan
Billings, Lewisville,
N.C.; N.C. Supreme Court, 1985-86, Chief Justice 1986;
President, N.C. Bar Association, 1991-92; Professor Emeritus,
Wake Forest University School of Law
R. Steve
Bowden, Greensboro,
N.C.; Principal, R. Steve Bowden Associates; member,
University of North Carolina Board of Governors
Alfred (A.P.) Carlton
Jr., Raleigh, N.C.;
Partner, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP; President, American Bar
Association, 2002-03
Donald R.
Dancer, Manhattan Beach,
Calif.; Executive Vice President and General Counsel,
International Rectifier Corporation
David L.
DeVries, Greensboro,
N.C.; Partner, Kaplan DeVries, Inc.; Senior Fellow, Center
for Creative Leadership
James G.
Exum, Greensboro, N.C.;
Smith Moore LLP; N.C. Supreme Court, 1974-94, Chief Justice,
1986-94
Henry E.
Frye, Greensboro, N.C.;
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP; N.C.
Supreme Court, 1983-2000, Chief Justice, 1999-2000; N.C.
House of Representatives, 1968-80; N.C. Senate,
1980-82
Ellen M.
Gregg, Winston-Salem,
N.C.; partner, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC;
member, N.C. Chief Justice’s Commission on
Professionalism
James E.
Holshouser, Pinehurst,
N.C.; senior partner, The Sanford Holshouser Law
Firm LLP; N.C. Governor, 1973-77
James B.
Hunt, Raleigh, N.C.;
partner, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC; N.C.
Governor, 1977-1985, 1993-2001
Robert E. (Bobby) Long
Jr., Greensboro, N.C.;
Granville Capital, Inc.; Elon University trustee
Thomas P. (Pat)
Maroney, Charleston, W.
Va.; Principal owner, Maroney, Williams, Weaver & Pancake
PLLC; Member, Elon University Board of Visitors
Bonnie McElveen
Hunter, Greensboro,
N.C.; Chairman of the American Red Cross; Founder and CEO,
Pace Communications; U.S. Ambassador to Finland
2001-2003
William (Bill)
McNairy, Greensboro,
N.C.; Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP;
J.D. and Certified Public Accountant
Maureen Kelley O’Connor, Chapel Hill,
North Carolina; Chief Administrative Officer and General
Counsel, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
Edmond Seferi, New York, NY; Partner, McKee
Nelson, LLP; Chief of Staff to the president of Albania,
1992-1994
James C. (Jack) Spencer
Jr., Burlington, N.C.;
N.C. Resident Superior Court Judge, Judicial District 15A;
Private law practice 1969-94
Jonathan
Wall, Greensboro, N.C.;
partner, Robertson, Medlin & Troutman PLLC; member,
Board of Governors, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers;
member, Board of Governors, New Lawyers Division, Association
of Trial Lawyers of America