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2005 Balanced Life Workplace Awards

2005 ANNUAL CONFERENCE --  Awards

      Robin L. Ames

Robin has been a staff attorney with the Ahoskie Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. since 1998. She is a 1983 cum laude graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law. She graduated from Wittenberg University in 1975 with a B.A. in East Asian Studies.She began her legal career in 1983 as an associate with Mraz & Boner in Charlotte. In 1987 she joined the staff of Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont in Charlotte and left in 1992 to work at Pamlico Sound Legal Services in Greenville. She resides on Hatteras Island in Avon, North Carolina. As for her practice, Robin has always focused much of her indefatigable talents on clients in need of family law assistance. While domestic violence advocacy is an established part of Legal Aid practice now, it was not always so and Robin helped blaze that trail in North Carolina. Robin remains a steadfast advocate of providing comprehensive family law representation, is incredibly knowledgeable and a tremendous client asset. Robin is among the most knowledgeable and capable attorneys regarding legal representation of domestic violence victims in the state. She is a fearless client advocate and a passionate champion of women’s rights.

  Michelle Frances

       Robertson

After graduating from Duke in 1973 with a degree in political science, Michelle worked on Capitol Hill as an administrative aide to Congressman Jerry Litton. In 1976, she received an M.A. in journalism from the University of Georgia. She returned to Washington where she was a congressional liaison for the National Cancer Institute. She then became a writer and editor in the Office of Cancer Communications at the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center. After graduating from the UNC-CH School of Law in 1982, she was in private practice before she began teaching at UNC-CH School of Law in 1985 as a supervising attorney in the Criminal Law Clinic. In addition to her work in the criminal clinic, she has taught criminal lawyering process, trial advocacy, and ethics in criminal practice. She has lectured on various aspects of criminal law at several continuing legal education programs, and taught at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy Southeastern Regional Program. Michelle has been involved in many activites over the years, including serving on the board of directors of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers; chairing the Criminal Law Section of the NCATL and program chairing the Wade Edwards High School Mock Trial competition; and serving on the board of directors of North Carolina Prisoners Legal Services and the North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Fund. One of her former students, now a successful attorney, notes that “Michelle has fought in the trenches, defending indigent juveniles and adults, and taught many of my peers the ‘art’ of criminal defense.” Another attorney commented that “Michelle is incredibly dedicated to teaching high school students and the broader community about justice.” The record clearly shows that she is a worthy recipient of this award.

Judge of the Year Award

     The Honorable

     Jane V. Harper

Judge Harper has been a Charlotte, NC resident since 1970. A 1980 honors graduate of UNC School of Law, her legal experience and professional associations include work as a lawyer for Legal Aid from 1980-84; private practice from 1984-1990 as a family law specialist; and working as a district court judge in the 26th judicial district since 1990. She has been assigned to family court since 1992 where she presides over domestic, juvenile, and domestic violence matters. Judge Harper has also chaired several 26th District committees overseeing family court matters and the 26th District Domestic Violence Committee. She was among the first judges assigned to hold Domestic Violence specialty courts in 1995 (and the only one of those judges still assigned to these courts). She is a past chair of the NC District Court Judges’ Bench Book Committee. She received the Charlotte, NC “International Women’s Day Woman of the Year” award in 1986 and the Charlotte Women’s Political Caucus “Woman of Political Courage” award in1992. She is a longtime member of NCAWA and is now the Association’s first “triple crown” winner - she is the first person to receive the Gwyneth B. Davis Award (1987), to serve as NCAWA president (1992), and to earn the distinction of Judge of the Year. Judge Harper is one of our finest examples of an NCAWA member who works tirelessly to support our goals and mission.
 

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