At the 2009 Bar Holiday Party, The Van Winkle Law Firm donated bikes and trikes of all sorts to Santa Pal.   Santa Pal brings holiday cheer to children in Asheville and Buncombe County.  Pictured are Van Winkle attorneys Lindsay Thompson and Travis Smuckler.

Through a program with Junior Achievement of Western North Carolina, Van Winkle attorneys discuss the life of a lawyer with Asheville High School business law students. 

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091104/NEWS01/911040335/1223/POLITICS/Manheimer–Bothwell-and-Smith-set-to-join-Asheville-City-Council?template=printart

The Van Winkle Law Firm and IPM in collaboration with CommunityPlus present Condominium and Community Associations: Challenges and Opportunities Forum.  The forum will be held at The Orchards at Broadmoor on October 16, 2009.

Click here for the event brochure.

Leadership Asheville gathered Wednesday, September 16th at Asheville’s new event space, The Venue, to discuss new community initiatives and partnerships, as well as honor both the graduated Class of 2009 and the incoming Class of 2010.

Highlighting the afternoon festivities was the recognition of three Buncombe County students, Jacob Edwards (Erwin High), Michael Hickey (Owen High) and Seth Fox (North Buncombe High), for outstanding community leadership and service. Jacob Edwards was the recipient of the first ever “Community Impact Award”, an annual award/ scholarship that will be presented to a western North Carolina citizen on behalf of Leadership Asheville.

Incoming class participants launch Leadership Asheville 28 Class this week with a two-day retreat at The Crest Center. Lew Bleiweis of Asheville Area Regional Airport Authority said, “As the airport director and a newer resident of this community, I expect to gain knowledge of the internal workings of the community as well as getting to know the community leaders.  Since the airport is an important asset to this community and the other counties of western North Carolina that we serve, I look forward to finding out how we can utilize the airport to its fullest extent to better serve the economic needs of the area.”

Members of The Leadership Asheville 28 Class include: John D. Beatty, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa; Lew S. Bleiweis, Asheville Regional Airport Authority; Jamie Bolak, MOVE Communications; Connie Bowes, Daniel Boone Council; Steven D. Busey, WCQS/WYQS; Wayne R. Butler, Eaton Corporation; A. Leisa Capps, Southern Community Bank and Trust; David C. Carr, Montreat College; Judy J. Daniel, City of Asheville; Ally Donlan, Warren Wilson College; Jeffrey G. Dunlop, Van Winkle Law Firm; Leslie A. Elliot, University of Phoenix; Laresa M. Fair, United Way of ABC; Susan D. Garrett, Garrett and Associates; Lisa Gatewood-McMillan, Exquisite Events and Consulting; Dena P. Gettleman, Asheville City Schools; Mark R. Goldstein, Communication Mark, Inc.; Gordon L. Grant, Asheville City Schools; Blaine Greenfield, Community Volunteer; Susan M. Hammond, Mountain Housing Opportunities; L. Frances Harvey, Homeward Bound; Eileen Hutchison, Community Volunteer; Jeremy B. Jordan, The Buyers Agent of Asheville; Barbara Keaton, AB Tech Community College; Cathy M. Kramer, Warren Wilson College; Emi Kubota, i play, Inc.; Jana T. Lechner, Junior League of Asheville; R. Fielding Lowe, Jr., BB&T; Jessie S. McClain, Mission Hospital; Jo. L. Peterson-Gibbs, Asheville City Schools; George J. Pfeiffer, U Save Car and Truck Rental; Hayley R. Roper, McGuire, Wood and Bissette, PA; Selenah J. Seabrooks, Progress Energy; Stephen R. Shoaf, City of Asheville; Russell A. Towers, Lewis Real Estate; Michael S. Trayford, Hampton Wellness; Garry A. Whisnant, Progress Energy; Marcia B. Whitney, Rathbun Center; and Jeremy M. Wilde, Mountain Home Care.

Established in 1982, Leadership Asheville has graduated more than 1000 representatives of the region’s economic, service and governmental sectors. Drawing from profit and non-profit organizations, local government officials, private industry executives, university professors, stay-at-home parents, and school administrators, Leadership Asheville’s graduate network covers a divers array of interests, opportunities and challenges inherent to the region. Strategic, Community and Media partners include Southern Community Bank & Trust, The Van Winkle Law Firm, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, UNCA,  Mission Health Systems, WCQS and The Asheville Citizen-Times. Please visit www.leadershipasheville.org or contact Executive Director, Gerry Goertz at ggoertz@leadershipasheville.org for additional information.

On October 22^nd, 2009, Chief Justice Sarah Parker (North Carolina) will present Mr. Roy W. Davis, Jr., of The Van Winkle Law Firm, with the Chief Justice’s Professionalism Award.  Only one recipient is selected annually for their contributions to the legal profession and for services to the people of North Carolina.

According to the North Carolina Court System’s website, “The North Carolina Chief Justice’s Professionalism Award was created to spotlight individuals whose career commitments in areas such as legal ethics, disciplinary enforcements and lawyer professionalism demonstrate the high calling and higher achievement of lawyers in modern society.”

This award is presented annually to an individual or organization whose contributions have demonstrated the highest commitment to genuine professionalism and the highest standards of legal ethics.  Recipients have demonstrated the good that can be accomplished by employing intellectual honesty, compassion, and practical skills in the practice of law.

On Thursday, September 24^th, 2009, entrepreneurs can learn more about the various types of entity formation from Anna Mills of The Van Winkle Law Firm. In addition, participants will also learn how selecting an incorrect business entity could limit options for growing one’s business while increasing personal and tax liability.

Ms. Mills works with clients to help them successfully buy, sell and finance their businesses. She also counsels businesses and nonprofits regarding corporate, contract and intellectual property issues and emerging issues related to sustainable products and services. 

The class is presented by NC LEAP (NC Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Project) which is a public service program of the NC Bar Association Foundation.  Ms. Mills serves as Vice-Chair of NC LEAP.  For more information, call Christy Ramm at 828.254.1921 ext. 5857 or register online at: http://abtech.edu/ce/registration/default.asp.

Total Registration Fee: Free

Thu, Sep 24, 6:00PM - 9:00PM

215 Haynes, A-B Tech/Enka Site

Course #: SBC-7898-700

Van Winkle attorney Carolyn Coward will be speaking at the North Carolina Society of Healthcare Attorneys annual conference and meeting October 16, 2009.  The theme of this year’s conference is Health Law Challenges: Practicing in an Environment of Change.

Click the link for a PDF of the conference brochure NCSHA2009.

Best Lawyers in America, the nation’s preeminent legal referral guide, honors nine attorneys of The Van Winkle Law firm in its 2010 edition. First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive annual peer-review survey. For the new U.S. edition, more than 24,126 leading attorneys cast more than 2.8 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in the same and related specialties.

The Van Winkle Law Firm attorneys named to the list and the areas in which they have been recognized are: Jones P. Byrd (Construction Law, Eminent Domain/Condemnation Law, Personal Injury Litigation and Medical Malpractice Law), Cynthia W. Eller (Real Estate Law), Robert H. Haggard (Trusts and Estates), Craig D. Justus (Land Use and Zoning Law), Barry B. Kempson (Trusts and Estates), Brian F. D. Lavelle (Trusts and Estates), Larry S. McDevitt (Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation), Philip J. Smith (Commercial Litigation), and Albert L. Sneed, Jr. (Bankruptcy, Creditor-Debtor Rights and Commercial Litigation).
Because of the rigorous and transparent methodology used by Best Lawyers, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”