Taylor Dewberry’s Steadfast Leadership Earns Statewide Recognition from NCBA

Smith Anderson employment attorney and Chief Diversity Officer Taylor Dewberry has been honored with the 2025 Robinson O. Everett Professionalism Award from the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA). Presented at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Asheville, the award recognizes young lawyers who embody the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and service to the legal profession.

Taylor was selected for this distinguished recognition by Chair of the NCBA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD), in consultation with current and former YLD leaders. The award reflects her outstanding commitment to professionalism, service and the advancement of the legal profession.

"Taylor is being honored because she leads with values, integrity, substance and strength," said YLD Chair Collins Saint. "She is incredibly influential, but Taylor doesn't speak just to be heard. She speaks when it matters, and when she does, people listen, because her leadership is grounded, measured and principled."

Taylor’s impact has been widely recognized. She was named a 2024 Leader in Diversity by Triangle Business Journal and selected as one of North Carolina’s 50 Most Influential Women by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and The Mecklenburg Times. Since 2022, she has been listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in Labor and Employment Law – Management.

A committed leader in the legal community, Taylor serves on the NCBA Board of Governors and has held leadership roles within the YLD, including Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Disaster Legal Services Committee. In 2022, she was elected as North Carolina’s representative to the American Bar Association’s YLD, where she led the Disaster Legal Services Program. Her work on a "Know Your Rights" initiative with the NC State football team earned her the American Bar Endowment’s Outstanding Public Service Award.

As Chief Diversity Officer at Smith Anderson, Taylor leads the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategy and collaborates closely with firm leadership to foster an inclusive and supportive culture. In addition to her leadership role, Taylor is a practicing attorney in Smith Anderson’s Employment, Labor and Human Resources practice group. She counsels clients on a wide range of workplace matters and defends employers in litigation involving discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, retaliation and civil rights claims. Taylor’s legal work reflects the same professionalism and commitment to service that define her broader contributions to the firm and the profession.