THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR SUMMER JOURNAL2011 IN THIS ISSUE Reexamining Inactive Attorneys page 8 The ABCs of the DHC page 15 The Selma Cyclepaths page 20 THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR JOURNAL Summer 2011 Volume 16, Number 2 FEATURES Editor Jennifer R. Duncan 8Reexamining Inactive Attorneys By Margaret M. Hunt Publications Committee Margaret J. McCreary, Chair John E. Gehring, Vice-Chair 10 Getting Paid, Avoiding Conflicts, David Benbow and Supervising Staff: Fee Dorothy Bernholz Lauren Collins Agreements, Multi-party G. Stevenson Crihfield Representation, and Delegation Rebecca Eggers-Gryder Anna R. Hamrick of Duties George L. Jenkins By Judge John M. Tyson Robert C. Montgomery Lonnie Player Carlyn G. Poole 15The ABCs of the DHC Harold G. Pope By Martin B. (Marty) McGee G. Gray Wilson Alan D. Woodlief Jr. 18Tabitha Ann Holton, First in the South © Copyright 2011 by the North Carolina State Bar. All By Walter C. Holton Jr. rights reserved. The North Carolina State Bar Journal (ISSN 10928626) is published four times per year in 20 The Selma Cyclepaths March, June, September, and December under the direc- By Robert W. Bryant Jr. tion and supervision of the council of the North Carolina State Bar, 208 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC 27601. 22 WARNING: The Information You Member rate of $6.00 per year is included in dues. Nonmember rates $10.78 per year. Single copies $3.21. Are About to Read...Is Disturbing The Lawyer's Handbook $10.78. Advertising rates available By Peter G. Bolac upon request. Direct inquiries to Director of Communications, the North Carolina State Bar, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, North Carolina 27611, tel. (919) 828- 4620. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC, and addi- Continued on page 4. tional offices. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the North Carolina State Bar. POST- MASTER: Send address changes to the North Carolina State Bar, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611. The North Carolina Bar Journal invites the submission of unsolicited, original articles, essays, and book reviews. Submissions may be made by mail or e-mail ([email protected]) to the editor. Publishing and editorial decisions are based on the Publications Committee's and the editor's judgment of the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the article, Update Membership Information: Members who need to update their membership and the potential interest to the readers of the Journal. The information must do so by contacting the Membership Department via one of the four Journal reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. following methods: (1) log on to the Member Access section of the State Bar's website (www.ncbar.gov); (2) mail changes to: NC State Bar, Membership Dept., PO Box 26088, www.ncbar.gov Raleigh, NC 27611-5908; (3) call (919) 828-4620; or (4) send an e-mail to [email protected]. In deciding what address to list with the State Bar, be advised that this address will be used for all official correspondence from the State Bar and that PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER membership information is a public record pursuant to the NC Public Records Act. THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR JOURNAL 3 Officers Staff Anthony S. di Santi, Boone - President 2010-2011 Roger Allen, Investigator James R. Fox, Mount Airy - President-Elect 2010-2011 Steve Annis, Investigator M. Keith Kapp, Raleigh - Vice-President 2010-2011 Carmen H. Bannon, Deputy Counsel L. Thomas Lunsford II, Raleigh - Secretary-Treasurer Betsy C. Barham, Receptionist Barbara B. Weyher, Raleigh - Past-President 2010-2011 Tim Batchelor, Investigator Kelly Beck, Compliance Coordinator, Membership Councilors Krista Bennett, Fee Dispute Facilitator, ACAP DEPARTMENTS Michael D. Blan, Systems Analyst/Programmer By Judicial District Peter Bolac, Judicial District Bar Liaison/Trust Account 1: Donald C. Prentiss, Elizabeth City Compliance Officer 2: G. Thomas Davis Jr., Swan Quarter Elizabeth E. Bolton, Receptionist 5 President’s Message 3A: Leslie S. Robinson, Greenville Maria Brown, Paralegal 3B: Debra L. Massie, Beaufort Eddie Capel, Investigator 24 Lawyer Assistance Program 4: Robert W. Detwiler, Jacksonville Becky B. Carroll, Paralegal 5: Harold L. Pollock, Burgaw 28 Profile in Specialization W. Donald Carroll Jr., Director, LAP 6A: Gilbert W. Chichester, Roanoke Rapids Margaret Cloutier, Senior Deputy Counsel 6B: Ronald G. Baker Sr., Ahoskie 29 IOLTA Update Joseph J. Commisso, Director of Investigations 7: Randall B. Pridgen, Rocky Mount Luella C. Crane, Director of ACAP 30 Legal Ethics 8: George L. Jenkins Jr., Kinston Bruno E. DeMolli, Staff Auditor & Investigator 9: Julius E. Banzet III, Warrenton Sharon Denton, Events Manager 31 Paralegal Certification 9A: R. Lee Farmer, Yanceyville Jennifer R. Duncan, Director of Communications 10: Nicholas J. Dombalis II, Raleigh 32 A. Root Edmonson, Deputy Counsel The Disciplinary Department John N. (Nick) Fountain, Raleigh William N. Farrell Jr., Deputy Counsel David W. Long, Raleigh 34 Featured Artist Martha Fletcher, Admin. Asst. Carlyn G. Poole, Raleigh David J. Frederick, Investigator 35 Donna R. Rascoe, Raleigh Proposed Ethics Opinions Towanda Garner, Piedmont LAP Coordinator Sally H. Scherer, Raleigh Lanice Heidbrink, Exec. Asst., Admin. 40 Rule Amendments John M. Silverstein, Raleigh Jeffery Hill, Computer Systems Administrator Cynthia L. Wittmer, Raleigh Leanor Hodge, Deputy Counsel 11A: Marcia H. Armstrong, Smithfield Joshua Hoffman, Admin. Asst., Office of Counsel 11B: Donald E. Harrop Jr., Dunn Debra P. Holland, Asst. Director, CLE 12: Lonnie M. Player Jr., Fayetteville Buffy Holt, Admin Asst, LAP BAR UPDATES 13: Harold G. Pope, Whiteville Tammy Jackson, Membership Director 14: John A. Bowman, Durham Katherine Jean, Counsel and Assistant Executive Dir. Margaret J. McCreary, Durham David R. Johnson, Deputy Counsel 15A: Steven H. Messick, Burlington 33 In Memoriam Barbara Kerr, Archivist 15B: Dorothy Bernholz, Chapel Hill Melanie Kincaid, Public Liaison, ACAP 45 Law School Briefs 16A: William R. Purcell, Laurinburg Erica Leventhall, Grant Data Asst., IOLTA 16B: C. Christopher Smith, Lumberton Suzanne Lever, Asst. Ethics Counsel 47 Distinguished Service Award 17A: Joseph G. Maddrey, Eden Joyce L. Lindsay, Exec. Asst., Admin. 17B: John E. Gehring, Walnut Cove 48 Carey Adam Maner, Membership Asst. Client Security Fund 18: Barbara R. Christy, Greensboro Beth McIntire, IT Manager Robert C. Cone, Greensboro 49 Bar Exam Applicants Beth McLamb, Membership Asst. Richard S. Towers, High Point Nichole P. McLaughlin, Deputy Counsel 19A: James D. Foster, Concord Barry S. McNeill, Deputy Counsel 19B: W. Edward Bunch, Asheboro Diane Melching, Admin. Asst., ACAP 19C: Darrin D. Jordan, Salisbury Sandra R. Melvin, Office Manager 19D: Douglas R. Gill, Southern Pines Dottie K. Miani, Facilities Manager/Deputy Clerk of DHC 20A: Frederick D. Poisson Jr., Wadesboro Claire U. Mills, Accounts Manager, IOLTA 20B: Harry B. Crow Jr., Monroe Alice Neece Mine, Asst. Executive Dir., Dir. of CLE, 21: Michael L Robinson, Winston-Salem Specialization, & Paralegal Certification G. Gray Wilson, Winston-Salem Denise Mullen, Asst. Director of Specialization 22: C. David Benbow IV, Statesville Loriann Nicolicchia, Accreditation Coordinator, CLE 22B: Roger S. Tripp, Lexington Emily Oakes, Attendance Compliance Coordinator, CLE 23: Jimmy D. Reeves, West Jefferson Brian Oten, Deputy Counsel 24: Rebecca Eggers-Gryder, Boone Lisanne Palacios, Accounting Manager 25: Forrest A. Ferrell, Hickory Heather Pattle, Administrator, Office of Counsel 26: David N. Allen, Charlotte C. Fred Patton, Jr., Investigator Robert J. Bernhardt, Charlotte Wondella Payne, Paralegal Ronald L. Gibson, Charlotte Scott Perry, AP Investigator F. Fincher Jarrell, Charlotte Angel Pitts, Mail/Copy Clerk Mark W. Merritt, Charlotte Jennifer Porter, Deputy Counsel Nancy Black Norelli, Charlotte Evelyn Pursley, Executive Dir., IOLTA Mujeeb Shah-Kahn, Charlotte Sonja B. Puryear, Admin. Asst., IOLTA 27A: Sonya Campbell McGraw, Gastonia Lori Reams, Admin. Asst., Office of Counsel 27B: Ralph W. Meekins, Lincolnton Joan Renken, Admin. Asst., LAP 28: Howard L. Gum, Asheville Randall C. Ross, Investigator 29A: Marvin R. Sparrow, Rutherfordton Sandra L. Saxton, Public Liaison, ACAP 29B: Margaret M. Hunt, Brevard Sonya Sells, Paralegal 30: W. David Sumpter III, Murphy Fern Gunn Simeon, Deputy Counsel Jaya Singh, Accounting Asst. Public Members Jennifer Slattery, Accreditation Clerk, CLE William F. Dowdy III, Raleigh Judith Treadwell, Public Liaison, ACAP Dr. Vinod Goel, Morrisville Pam Tully, Investigator Issac Heard Jr., Charlotte Edmund F. Ward, Asst. Director, LAP A. Dawn Whaley, Admin. Asst., Investigations Edward R. White, Investigator Tara J. Wilder, Asst. Dir., Paralegal Certification Christiane Woods, Admin Asst., Investigations 4 SUMMER 2011 THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE April and the General Assembly in Raleigh B Y A NTHONY S. DI S ANTI eing from the mountains of age from the storm, they should address investment of time and money while the western North Carolina, since their needs or their community’s needs client may not want to settle because the April 2000 I have eagerly antic- instead of traveling to Raleigh for the meet- offered compensation is inadequate. If a cor- ipated the April quarterly meet- ing. The council met as planned to address poration were charging an hourly fee, the ingB of the council in its mission to protect the goal of maximizing profits could motivate it Raleigh. In the mountains, public charged to it in 1933 to provide unnecessary legal services. we are approximately