Blount Receives NCADA Award for Professional Excellence

James D. Blount, Jr. will receive the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys’ Award for Professional Excellence for 2005. This Award recognizes NCADA members who have made truly outstanding contributions to the legal profession the criteria is as follows:

“The recipient shall be a present, or former, member of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. The recipient must exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethics, and conduct herself, or himself, in a civil, courteous manner with all persons. The recipient must exemplify sustained, excellent service to individual and corporate defendants in civil litigation, to the Bar, and to the community.”

Because of the extraordinary nature of this Award by the NCADA, it may not be presented some years, depending upon the recommendations of the Awards Committee and the decision of the Board.

Mr. Blount is a partner with the law firm of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.. He began his law career in Rockingham, North Carolina in 1952 after receiving his J.D. from the University of North Carolina. He joined Smith Anderson and moved to Raleigh in 1970. He is the senior litigation partner at Smith Anderson, and has mentored many lawyers across the state.. For the past 17 years, his practice has concentrated in commercial litigation. Mr. Blount served as lead counsel in more than 300 civil jury trials.

Mr. Blount is a permanent member of the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Circuit. He is active in the Wake County, North Carolina and American Bar Associations, and is past Vice-President of the North Carolina Bar Association, a past member of the Executive Committee and a past Chairman of the Bench-Bar Liaison Committee. He chaired the successful Centennial Endowment campaign of 1999-2001 for the NC Bar Association Foundations. In addition, he is a charter member of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys, a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Defense Research Institute, the American Judicature Society, and American Board of Trial Advocates. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a Fellow and Past State Chairman of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Blount is an active leader in his church and community. He is a former member of the Rockingham City Council, past Chairman of the Rockingham-Richmond County Library Board of Trustees, past Chairman of the North Carolina Association of Library Trustees, former President of the Rockingham Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce. He is an Elder in his church, White Memorial Presbyterian Church, and has served as President of St. Christopher’s Club and The Spinx Club both of Raleigh.