The North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys (NCADA) held its 40th Annual Meeting the weekend of June 15-18, 2017. New officers and directors assumed new roles within the organization at the close of the meeting.
Dayatra T. Matthews was confirmed as the 40th President of the Association. Matthews is Senior Vice President of Legal & Compliance for the Local Government Federal Credit Union in Raleigh. As SVP of the Credit Union’s Legal and Compliance Department, Matthews is in charge of ensuring all Credit Union business is conducted in compliance with relevant state and federal laws and regulations. Matthews received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 1997.
Lawrence M. Baker assumes the position of President-Elect. Baker practices with Willson Jones Carter & Baxley, P.A. in the firm’s Charlotte office. He has been practicing insurance defense litigation in Charlotte, NC since 1990. Larry handles both workers’ compensation and civil litigation matters at both trial and appellate levels. Baker received his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1990.
Baker served as program chair this year, and was instrumental in securing engaging and informative content and speakers for the two-day CLE program. Breakout sessions included topics relating to Construction law, Commercial law, General Liability, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Government Liability and Workers Compensation. The diverse group of panelists and speakers offered trial strategy and briefed members on current trends and recent decisions.
A. Todd Brown Sr. is Immediate Past President. Brown is a partner with Hunton & Williams practicing in the Charlotte office. He has handled a broad variety of complex litigation in federal and state courts over his 30 years of experience, with an emphasis on commercial disputes, business torts, catastrophic personal injuries, consumer lending, unfair competition, and trade secrets litigation. Brown received his J.D. in 1986 from the University of South Carolina. Brown was presented the “DRI Exceptional Performance Award” and the NCADA recognized him for his year of service during the conference.
F. Lach Zemp was elected to the office of Executive Vice President. Zemp, a partner with Roberts & Stevens, P.A. in Asheville, has over 25 years of experience trying cases and representing a variety of professional, outdoor-recreation, industry, and business interests in state and federal courts. actively litigate cases in a variety of areas, including professional and medical malpractice and licensure cases, commercial / business cases, and products liability cases. He obtained his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center in 1990.
Allen C. Smith was elected to a 1-year term as Treasurer. Smith is a partner with Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP in Charlotte. He is the leader of the Trucking and Transportation Practice Group and devotes much of his time to defending serious personal injury and wrongful death claims associated with truck accidents and motor vehicle negligence. He also defends products liability, construction defect, and premises liability claims. Smith obtained his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1992. He previously served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors and one year as Secretary.
Sara R. Lincoln was elected to a 2-year term as Secretary. Lincoln is a partner with Lincoln Derr PLLC in Charlotte. Lincoln has an active trial practice ranging from medical malpractice defense to complex business litigation. Lincoln obtained her J.D. in 1993 from the University of Akron School of Law, magna cum laude. She was elected to Secretary after serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors, and past chair of the Association’s Women Litigators Committee and the Medical Malpractice Group.
The NCADA welcomed the following NEW members to the Board of Directors to serve a 3-year term ending in 2020:
We extend our sincere thank you to retiring Directors for their service:
Continuing their service on the Board of Directors
- Ashley K. Brathwaite, Elllis & Winters, LLP
- Erin T. Collins, Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP
- Mark A. Leach, Orbock Ruark & Dillard, P.C.
- Alan M. Ruley, Bell Davis & Pitt, P.A.
- Kirk G. Warner, Smith Anderson, LLP
- Hunt K. Choi, City of Raleigh
- H. Mark Hamlet, Hamlet & Associates, PLLC
- Sonny Haynes, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP
- J.D. Keister, McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC
- William M. Starr, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
