Blanchard Community Law Clinic awarded more than $200,000 to help low-income residents
Campbell Law School’s Blanchard Community Law Clinic (BCLC) will receive more than $200,000 as the result of a recent lawsuit settlement reached by the Maginnis Howard law firm, Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced. “My law partner and I recently resolved a class action lawsuit and had the Blanchard Community Law Clinic designated as a cy pres recipient,” explained Karl Gwaltney, an attorney at Maginnis Howard, a Raleigh-based law firm that specializes in civil consumer litigation, including unfair debt collection and credit reporting claims. Cy pres is a doctrine that permits a court to award any unallocated, unclaimed or undeliverable funds from a settlement of judgement to a nonprofit organization that would advance the interests of the class and people similarly situated. Gwaltney said the cy pres award is being given to the BCLC because of the work the Clinic does in providing free legal services and consumer-protection advocacy to low-income and underserved individuals including fighting wrongful evictions. Learn more at this link.
N.C. Court of Appeals hosts celebration for December law graduates
Campbell Law had five December graduates, four of whom participated in a graduation celebration on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the first of its kind, according to alumnus COA Judge Jeffrey Carpenter ’03, who helped organize the event and hooded one of the graduates. A big thanks to Judge Carpenter, Dean J. Rich Leonard, Dean Emerita Melissa Essary, Associate Deans John DeStefano and Sha Hinds-Glick, Registrar Connie Shipman Newsome and each of the faculty hooders -- Professors Lisa Lukasik, Michael Kent and Greg Wallace -- for making the day so special for graduates Adrian Frisbee, Brandi Koprowski, Christina McClure and Betsy McCorkle. Erica Howard, who also graduated in December, chose to walk in the graduation ceremony held that morning on the main campus of Campbell University. "The graduating class is deeply grateful to Judge Jeffrey Carpenter for his support during the planning process and for his participation today, and to the North Carolina Court of Appeals for generously opening its courtroom to us," said Koprowski, who will be clerking for Judge Carpenter after taking the February bar exam. Find the video of the celebration and more photos at this link.
Campbell Law alumni establish endowed scholarships for students
Two new endowed scholarships have recently been established for Campbell Law School students in the names of their alumni benefactors – The Honorable Angelica Chavis McIntyre ’13 and Clifton W. Homesley ‘86, Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced. The Judge Angelica Chavis McIntyre Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in Judge McIntyre’s name by her and her husband, Stephen McIntyre, in the amount of $25,000. Homesley and his wife, Fariba Homesley, have established The Homesley Family Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $50,000. Learn more at this link.
Watch recap of Campbell Law Career Night 2025
Megan Sherron '10 to help lead Wake County Bar Association (WCBA) as president-elect
Assistant Dean of External Relations Megan Sherron '10 is the new president-elect of the Wake County Bar Association (WCBA). Sherron was elected to help lead the Old North State’s largest bar association on Dec. 9 for the next year at the WCBA annual meeting and luncheon at the Stateview Hotel. She will then serve as WCBA president the following year. Sherron started the Campbell Law Connections mentorship program, which celebrated its 10th year in 2024. In 2016, under Sherron’s leadership, the Connections program won the E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association (ABA), effectively showcasing the program as the model for all others to follow. She describes the Connections program as one of her favorite career highlights. “Most mentorship programs fail within the first few years,” she explained “We have worked hard as a community to make ours successful, and it was fun to celebrate this entire year.” Learn more at this link.
N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall '81 gives winter commencement address
Elaine Marshall is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. The 1981 Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law alumna became the first woman ever elected to a statewide executive branch office in North Carolina when she became secretary of state in 1997 (a position she’s now held for nearly 30 years). Before then, she shattered glass ceilings as a business owner and a state senator and party chairman in her native Harnett County. Marshall returned to Buies Creek on Dec. 13 to deliver the commencement address for Campbell University’s winter graduation ceremony, held in Gore Arena at the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center. In her message to the more than 250 graduates, including one law school graduate, and their families on hand, she encouraged the new alumni to take the opportunities set before them, turn their setbacks into strengths and “never fear being first.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law's longtime IT Director Larry Essary to retire Dec. 31
Campbell Law's longtime Director of Information Technology Larry Essary will retire on Dec. 31, 2025, Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced. Essary served the law school for more than a dozen years. He began leading the IT Department on Aug. 5, 2013. “One of the first things I did when I became Dean of Campbell Law School was to hire Larry Essary to lead our IT Department,” Leonard said at Essary’s retirement celebration on Dec. 16. “We have been through it all together including upgrading all of the courtroom technology for our award-winning advocacy program.” An avid golfer, the law school presented Essary with an engraved golf club noting his years of service to the Campbell community. Essary has more than four decades of experience in the information technology field, including capital budgeting and project management, strategic planning and risk management and continuous process improvement. Learn more at this link.
Veterans Legal Clinic seeking clients for spring semester
Campbell Law's Veterans Legal Clinic is accepting applications from low-income Armed Services veterans for potential representation during the spring semester for challenging discharge categorizations, says Clinic Director Sebastian Kielmanovich. Through supervised student representation on these petitions, former military members may gain the ability to receive greater Veterans Affairs benefits, status and services following their separation from the Armed Services. The Veterans Legal Clinic allows law students, under the supervision of a licensed attorney, to represent low-income former service members, before military administrative boards and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), who need advocacy to correct injustices in their records. Potential clients should reach out the Clinic to find out if they are eligible for the clinic’s services by emailing vlc@campbell.edu.
Professor Lauren Newell publishes chapter in new dispute resolution book
A chapter written by Campbell Law Professor Lauren Newell is part of a new book. The book entitled, “Discussions in Dispute Resolution: The Coming of Age (2000-2009),” was published by Oxford University Press in 2025. Read the abstract regarding Newell’s chapter, “Interviewing and Counseling with Generation Z ,” at this link. Newell, who joined the Campbell Law faculty in 2022, teaches and writes in the areas of business law, dispute resolution, securities regulation and marijuana law. Her scholarship appears in law reviews such as the Boston University Law Review, the Cardozo Law Review, the New York University Journal of Law and Business and the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. Learn more at this link.
John Latteri named vice president for institutional advancement
Former Campbell Law Director of Development John Latteri has been named vice president for institutional advancement at Campbell University, President William M. Downs has announced. Latteri had served as interim VP since September of last year. Prior, he was the director of development for Campbell Law for three years. Downs praised Latteri’s “exemplary work ethic” as interim, saying, “He understands what it means to be part of a results-focused leadership team, and he is committed to securing the funds Campbell requires to address current needs and to realize future dreams.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law SBA and BLSA members host Girls On the Run Triangle holiday party
Campbell Law to host 2026 N.C. Economic Forecast Roundtable on Jan. 9
Campbell Law will host leaders from across North Carolina for an Economic Forecast Roundtable sponsored by Business North Carolina magazine and the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business on Friday, Jan. 9. The event, which is free and open to the public, is set for 3 to 4:45 p.m. at 225 Hillsborough St., Room 105. Space is limited so pre-registration is required. Register at this link.
Registration now open for 2026 On-Campus Recruiting and Resume Collect
Registration is now open for employers who would like to join Campbell Law’s 2026 On-Campus Recruiting and Resume Collect program. Email lawcareercenter@campbell.edu for a schedule or a link to register. "Whether you are recruiting for a summer intern or a post graduate, entry-level position, we would be delighted to introduce you to our talented students," said Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development Mallory Underwood. Learn more at this link.
Alumni News and Class Notes now available online
Did you get married, have a baby, get a promotion, get elected, retire or experience any other exciting life change? We want to hear about it! Submit your alumni note for inclusion in our newly published online Alumni News and Class Notes at this link. Send your updates to Coordinator of External Events Sharon Sparks at ssparks@campbell.edu or Director of Communications and Marketing Lisa Snedeker at lsnedeker@campbell.edu.
SAVE THE DATE
- Winter Break December 22-January 1, 2026
- Spring Semester Classes Begin January 5
- Business North Carolina 2026 Economic Forecast January 9
- Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday January 19
- Law Board of Visitors Spring Meeting March 20
- Family Day/Law Awards Banquet March 21
- Law Alumni Reunion April 11
- Commencement and Hooding May 8
Check out Campbell Law swag
Looking for Campbell Law apparel? Our Campbell Law brand shop is ready and open for business! All orders are made on demand and ship in approximately 15 days. We have T-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, scarves, tumblers, coasters and more! Click here to shop.
Are you a Campbell Law judge?
If you or anyone you know is a Campbell Law alumna/nus and also a current or past judge, we are expanding our "Judges of Campbell Law" wall we unveiled in 2021! The exhibit honors alumni who have served on a variety of judicial benches. Read more at this link. Please contact Coordinator of External Relations Sharon Sparks at ssparks@campbell.edu or call 919-865-4652 for more information.