Developed for students interested in practicing criminal law, especially in the area of white-collar crime, the forum featured Terry Meinecke, a prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, and W. James Payne, a white-collar defense attorney.
“It was rewarding to see such experienced attorneys share their knowledge and expertise with us during the discussion,” said Kathryn Corey L’15, president of the Elon Law Criminal Law Society. “I think that our ability to provide practical learning experiences through forums like this are what makes Elon Law such a unique school.”
“One of the most valuable insights I gained from this panel, as a future attorney, is the importance of maintaining a relationship with the opposing counsel. As defense counsel, playing ‘hard-ball’ with the prosecutor will inevitably negatively impact your client’s interests,” said Nicholas Leger L’15, vice-president of the Criminal Law Society.
W. James Payne of the W. James Payne Law Firm concentrates his practice in the areas of white-collar criminal matters and military justice matters. After 30 years of service in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, including five years as a military judge, Payne retired as a Colonel. Practicing law since 1984, His Bar Licenses include the North Carolina Supreme Court, United States Court of Military Appeals, United States District Court for the Eastern District and Middle District of North Carolina, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Terry Meinecke is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Before joining the Department of Justice, Meinecke served as an Assistant District Attorney in Davidson County for more than six years. He is regularly involved with the Elon Law community, serves as a member of the extended faculty of Elon Law and teaching Trial Practice & Procedure at the law school.
The Criminal Law Society at Elon Law is a student organization devoted to bringing speakers to the school that share practical advice and are open to questions regarding the practice of criminal law.
Reporting for this article provided by Nicholas Leger L’15.