Monday, July 26, 2010
Paralegal staff -
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
- By Josephine Tetteh
Within seconds of speaking with attorney James W. Narron of Johnston County, it is apparent why he deserves the honor of being a Citizen Lawyer. He is simultaneously gracious, witty and compellingly humble about his work.
The North Carolina Bar Association honored Narron for extraordinary service to the community outside of the legal profession as one of its 12 Citizen Lawyer Award recipients at the 2009 Annual Meeting in Asheville.
Despite his numerous and remarkable accomplishments, Narron is immune to his own achievements and sees himself as an ordinary citizen, “I don’t think I’ve had many accomplishments. I’ve just gone out there and done what I was supposed to.”
Among his inspirations is a note on his desk given to him in college by his mother, invoking the words of Daniel Webster: “A man can never gallop over the fields of law on Pegasus, nor fly across them on the wing of oratory. If he would stand on terra firma, he must first descend. If he would be a great lawyer, he must first consent to become a great drudge.”
Practicing in Smithfield at Narron, O’Hale and Whittington for more than 30 years, his practice areas include estate planning and administration, commercial and residential real estate, and taxation. Narron worked very hard to be where he is – “at least the first 10 years of my practice, I was at my desk working at 5 a.m. every weekday morning. All three of the senior partners here still work on Saturdays and on many Sundays. We are probably the personification of ‘drudge.’”
Narron describes his career choice as “a duck falling into water.” After over 30 years, he describes “dealing with clients” as the most satisfying aspect of the practice of law. He worries about trends where law graduates rush to large cities. Nonetheless, he remains hopeful about the practice of law and cautions young and upcoming lawyers not to avoid small towns: “If you have an entrepreneurial spirit you can be a good lawyer, even a great one, in a small town.”
Even with a busy law practice, Narron always finds ways to serve his community and to stay involved. He continues to serve on numerous boards including the Johnston Community College Board of Trustees. He is presently chairman of the board of directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation, a statewide charity with a presence in over 65 counties.
Narron is passionate about his community.
“You owe it to your community to give back and it is the most satisfying thing you’ll do with the special skill of being a lawyer,” Narron said.
His community activities have been widely recognized. For instance, he is a 2006 recipient of the Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation and a 2006 local Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award recipient, an uncommon community honor.
Notwithstanding his many accomplishments, Narron is honored by his selection as a Citizen Lawyer: “recognition by your fellows in the bar is a high compliment.”
Provided by the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association in conjunction with the Citizen Lawyer Task Force in recognition of recipients of the 2009 Citizen Lawyer Awards. The awards were presented on Friday, June 26, at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Asheville.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
James W. Narron
- 1270 WMPM News Article: Smithfield attorney James W. Narron has been elected chairman of the statewide board of the NC Community Foundation (NCCF). As chairman, Narron leads the Foundation’s board in the areas of fund development, grant-making and strategic planning to ensure that the organization meets community needs across North Carolina. Board members also serve as the Foundation’s ambassadors throughout the state. Narron practices law in Smithfield with Narron, O’Hale and Whittington, P.A. He is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and
active in its Section on Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law. He is a former member of the North Carolina State Bar Council. Narron is a former board member of the Johnston County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the NCCF. He serves on the boards of Johnston Community College, the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield and as a member of the Board of Presidential Advisors at Campbell University, where he also serves on the faculty of the American Bankers Association’s Southeastern Trust School. Narron received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his law degree from Wake Forest University and a master of laws degree from New York University. He is a veteran of the United States Navy and the United States Naval Reserve. The NCCF is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and was created 21 years ago to build capacity through philanthropy. The NCCF sustains nearly 1,000 endowment funds established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations and scholarships. The NCCF partners with 59 affiliate foundations to provide local resource allocation and community assistance in 65 counties across the state, with an emphasis on rural and underserved areas.- Named one of twelve Citizen Lawyers by North Carolina Bar Association.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Recent Attorney Information:
James W. Narron
- Named one of the Top 100 lawyers in North Carolina by Charlotte Magazine, Inc.
- Chairman of Board of Trustees of North Carolina Community Foundation, Inc.
Jason Wenzel
- 2009 recipient of Super Lawyers Rising Stars Award by Charlotte Magazine, Inc.
- Elected as The Greater Smithfield/Selma Chamber of Commerce Board Member 2009Recent Support Staff Information:
Marion Young
-2008-2009 Board Member and Chair of Continuing Legal Education, Ethics, and Bylaws Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Welcome!
Below are some recent updates regarding our attorney and legal team members:
Recent Attorney Information
James W. Narron
- January 2007 Named to Hall of Fame of Legal Elite (Tax and Estate Planning) by Business North Carolina Magazine.
- February 2007 Named Citizen of the Year by Greater Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce for “outstanding service to the community”.
- February 2007 Named one of the Top 100 lawyers in North Carolina by Charlotte Business and Politics Magazine.
- March 2007 Addressed 16th Annual Trust Advisors Forum sponsored by the Campbell University Trust Foundation, Pinehurst, North Carolina, on Recent Tax Developments.
- June 2007 Installed as Chair of Senior Lawyers Division of North Carolina Bar Association, ex officio member of Board of Governors of North Carolina Bar Association.
- July 2007 Named to second term as Member of Board of Trustees of Johnston Community College.
- January 2008 Named as one of the Legal Elite (Tax and Estate Planning) by Business North Carolina Magazine.
- January 2008 Re-certified as Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.
- February 2008 Named one of the Top 100 lawyers in North Carolina by Charlotte Business and Politics Magazine.
- February 2008 Re-appointed to Campbell University Board of Presidential Advisors.
- March 2008 Addressed 17th Annual Trust Advisors Forum sponsored by the Campbell University Trust Foundation, Pinehurst, North Carolina, on Recent Tax Developments.
E. Scott Tart- 2007 President Benson Area Chamber of Commerce.
- 2006-07 President Benson Lions Club.
- Feb 2008 -Reappointed by the Johnston County Board of Commissions to the Johnston County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.
Jason W. Wenzel
- 2007-08 member of Leadership Johnston a joint committee between JC Chamber of Commerce and Johnston Community College.
- May 2008, presenter at Spring Seminar Legal Support Staff of NC – Topic – Legal Ethics and Estate Planning.
- 2009 presenter at Boomer Basics 101, sponsored by Council on Aging of Johnston County.
John P. O’Hale
- 2007, named Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Recent Support Staff Information
Elizabeth A. Brinchek
- 2008 President of the Legal Support Staff of North Carolina.
Kim Narron
-2008 Vice-President of the the Legal Support Staff of North Carolina.
Amy Honeycutt
-2008 President of local chapter – Legal Support Staff of North Carolina.