Community & Professional Leadership

Smith Anderson has a long tradition of professional and public service. Throughout our firm’s 100-year history, we have steadfastly remained committed to public service and giving back to our communities and our profession. 

Smith Anderson has a proud heritage of serving our profession, with our firm’s attorneys having held significant leadership positions including:

• Five Presidents of the North Carolina Bar Association, including John L. Jernigan (1999-2000), Martin Brinkley (2011-12) and Caryn Coppedge McNeill (2017-18).

• President of the American Counsel Association: Henry A. Mitchell (1990-91) and James K. Dorsett, III (2005-06)
• Member of the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors
• Member of the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners
• President of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
• Chairman of the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association

Our lawyers also serve on the boards of major North Carolina colleges and universities and hold or have held leadership roles in a wide range of civic, charitable and philanthropic organizations, including:

• American Board of Trial Advocates, Eastern North Carolina Chapter
• Artspace, Inc.
• Artsplosure, Inc.
• Association of Corporate Growth
• BioVest II
• Boys & Girls Clubs
• Carolina Ballet
• Council for Entrepreneurial Development
• Center for Law and the Humanities
• Chief Justice Study and Rules Commissions
• Chordoma Foundation
• Cytokinetics
• DHIC, Inc.
• The Duke Brain Tumor Advisory Committee
• Duke Cancer Institute
• Duke Cancer Patient Support Program Board
• Duke University Medical Center Board of Visitors
• Equal Access to Justice Commission
• Food Runners Collaborative, Inc.
• Girl Scouts-North Carolina Coastal Pines Council
• Habitat for Humanity of Wake County
• International Association of Defense Counsel
• International Society of Barristers Foundation
• Legal Aid North Carolina
• North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
• North Carolina Biotechnology Center
• North Carolina Biosciences Organization
• North Carolina Business Committee for Education
• North Carolina Chamber
• North Carolina Defense Business Association
• North Carolina General Assembly
• North Carolina March of Dimes
• North Carolina Military Affairs Commission
• North Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society
• North Carolina Symphony
• North Carolina Technology Association
• Raleigh Area Davidson College Alumni Admissions Program
• Raleigh City Council
• Ravenscroft School
• Rise Against Hunger
• Ronald McDonald House of Durham
• Rotary Club of the Capital City and Rotary Club of Raleigh
• Transitions LifeCare (founded as Hospice of Wake County, Inc. in 1979)
• Triangle Community Coalition
• The Miracle League of the Triangle, Inc.
• The UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center
• The United Way of the Greater Triangle, Inc.
• United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County
• University of North Carolina School of Law: Center for Banking and Finance
• Urban Land Institute, Triangle District Council
• USO of North Carolina
• WakeMed Foundation
• Wake Education Partnership
• Wake Forest University
• Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Inc
• YWCA

In addition, we provide financial support to a number of Research Triangle area organizations serving basic human needs through the Smith Anderson Community Fund, which is directed by a committee of our lawyers and professional staff. We are proud of our lawyers who hold, or have held, leadership positions in these and other civic, charitable and non-profit organizations, and our firm is devoted to maintaining a culture of service and leadership in our community.