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2006 NCADA Award for Professional Excellence Presented to
J. Donald Cowan, Jr.
The North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys presented its 2006 Award
for Professional Excellence to J. Donald Cowan, Jr. on Saturday, June 24, 2006
at the Association’s Annual Meeting. This Award recognizes NCADA members whose
contributions to the legal profession have been truly outstanding. The criteria
is as follows:
“The recipient shall be a present, or former, member of the North
Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. The recipient must exemplify the
highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethics, and conduct
herself, or himself, in a civil, courteous manner with all persons. The
recipient must exemplify sustained, excellent service to individual and
corporate defendants in civil litigation, to the Bar, and to the community.”
Because of the extraordinary nature of this Award by the NCADA, it may not be
presented some years, depending upon the recommendations of the Awards Committee
and the decision of the Board.
J. Donald Cowan, Jr. received both his graduate and post-graduate education
at Wake Forest University where he received his B.A. in 1965 and his J.D. in
1968, graduating with honors and as Editor-In-Chief of the Law Review. Today he
practices with the North Carolina law firm of Smith Moore, LLP.
After law school he served in the United States Army as a JAG officer, was
assigned to the 82nd Airborne where he went through jump school. He then served
first in Vietnam and then in Germany as Chief Military Justice Trial Counsel and
received an Air Medal and a Bronze Star.
After his military service he then entered the private practice of law. In
this age of narrow specialists, his range of expertise as a trial lawyer spans
the entire spectrum of trial practice. It ranges from the most sophisticated and
difficult civil case, such as a multi-district products liability suite to the
most demanding of criminal cases – the death penalty case where he has
handled, pro bono, multiple such cases at both the trial and appellate level.
His civil practice includes paten, trademarks, construction law and
pharmaceutical medical devices, just to name a few. A Westlaw search will show
him as attorney of record in over 145 cases.
The list of organizations of which he is not only a member but has been a
leader is also exceptional. That list includes:
The North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys, of which he is a
charter member;
The North Carolina Bar Association, of which he was president in 1992-1993;
The ABA, of which he is a member of the House of Delegates;
The American College of Trial Lawyers, of which he is a member of the Board of
Regents;
The Fourth Circuit Judicial conference, of which he is a permanent member;
The Board of Directors of Legal Services of North Carolina, of which he was
president;
The NC Chapter of ABOTA, of which he was president;
The American Law Institute;
The American Board of Trial Advocates;
The Defense Research Institute;
The CPR Institute Resolution Panel for Distinguished Neutrals;
The Wake Forest Alumni Association, of which he has been president;
The Wake Forest Board of Trustees, on which he has served three terms, and
The Chief Justice Joseph Branch Inns of Court.
There is no practicing lawyer of the Bar, or probably any bar, who has been
more of an educator of his peers than Don Cowan. His annual and semi-annual
summaries of Developments in the Law applicable to the trial practice – both
State and Federal – have been the staple of CLE programs of multiple legal
associations in North Carolina, including the NCADA, the North Carolina Fellows
of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the North Carolina Conference of
Superior Court Judges. He has also been an adjunct professor of trial practice
at Duke University Law School for nine years.
The recognition of his achievements includes:
Woodward / White’s The Best Lawyers in America, 10 consecutive
years, Personal Injury, Litigation, Antitrust Law;
Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite for Antitrust, 2004-2006;
Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite for Litigation, 2004-2006;
Recognized by North Carolina Super Lawyers in Business Litigation,
and as one of the “Top 10” attorneys in North Carolina, 2006;
Recognized by Chambers and Partners, United Kingdom, as one of the Top 6
General Commercial litigators in North Carolina, 2005;
Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite for Patents, 2003.
Don Cowan is active in his church where he has taught Sunday School for
years. He and his wife, Sarah (who has a Ph.D. in textile chemistry), have also
succeeded in that most difficult of life’s tasks – passing their passion for
excellence on to their two children. Their daughter is a criminologist with a
Ph.D. and their son is a practicing lawyer.
The North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys is proud to recognize J.
Donald Cowan, Jr. for excellence in service to the Bar and the community.
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