The Nominating and Public Service Awards Committee has played a crucial role in assisting women attorneys in their quest to be appointed to the judiciary and commissions, where women continue to be under-represented. We offer letters of support for state and federal judicial positions, State Bar Council Seats, and any other appointments that will further the goals of the organization. The committee evaluates requests for support and makes appropriate recommendations to the Governor or other appointing authority.

In addition to its work on judicial appointments, the committee has helped increase the numbers of women on boards and commissions of the North Carolina State Bar, such as the Disciplinary Hearing Commission, the Board of Law Examiners, and the Board of Legal Specialization.

For our own organization, the committee selects recipients of the Gwyneth B. Davis public service awards, which are presented at the organization's annual meeting, and assists the President with nominations for the slate for the upcoming year's board of directors and officers.

PROCEDURE FOR SEEKING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM NCAWA

The committee welcomes candidates seeking appointments to judicial positions to request letters of support from NCAWA. Anyone interested in seeking NCAWA's support should send a request and a resume to Committee Chair Wendy Vonnegut. It would also be helpful to have any available letters of recommendation or contact information of those who would provide useful information about the candidate's qualifications and abilities for the appointment.

 Advancing women in the legal profession and in the justice system is one of the core goals of the organization and will be an important guideline as the committee evaluates a potential letter of support. Candidates seeking NCAWA's support should review the organization's goals and substantive resolutions. Such information is available on other pages of this website. The committee will want to know the candidate's history of participating in the organization and supporting NCAWA's goals and mission.
 
When a request is received, the committee reviews the materials submitted and appoints members to investigate and report. The investigation will focus on the candidate's evident competence and aptitude for the job; proven support for NCAWA's goals; and history of participation in NCAWA activities. The committee also looks for feedback from local NCAWA chapters where they are active and available to provide input. Based on the material submitted and the investigation results, the committee makes a decision and takes what it determines to be the appropriate action.
 
Because candidates for appointment do not all request support at the same time and vacancies are not predictable, the committee does not have a policy of supporting only one candidate for a particular vacancy, at a certain point in the process. It has adopted a policy of providing letters of support for no more than two candidates for any one vacancy.  The committee will review and research requests as they come in, considering the status of each one both independently and in light of other actions the committee has taken, as well as other pending requests. The committee's analysis focuses on the appropriateness of the candidate for the position, the best interests of NCAWA, and the impact of a letter of support on the process and the goals of the organization.
 

If you are interested in joining the Nominating and Public Service Awards Committee, please contact Committee Chair Lauren Snyder.