Leadership

State Bar Officers

Officers are elected by the members of the council to provide leadership. The officers are the president, president-elect, vice president, and immediate past-president. The executive director of the State Bar is the secretary/treasurer, but does not have voting rights on the council.

Councilors

The North Carolina State Bar is governed by a 61-member council whose members are lawyers elected by the lawyers in their home communities, as well a three nonlawyer members of the council. The public’s interests are represented by three members of the council who are not lawyers and who are appointed by the governor and other elected officials.

Committees

The committees of the State Bar Council perform the work of the council and report to the council for final decision-making. The committees are made up of State Bar councilors and officers, advisory members, and public members. They are assisted by State Bar staff members.

Boards and Affiliated Entities

A number of State Bar programs are overseen by boards and entities that are appointed by the State Bar Council. These boards and entities are subject to the authority of the council with three exceptions. The Disciplinary Hearing Commission is the independent tribunal that adjudicates disciplinary actions against lawyers. The Board of Law Examiners independently oversees the process for admission to the practice of law in North Carolina. The North Carolina State Bar Foundation is a separate entity chartered to raise funds to support the construction and maintenance of the State Bar’s new headquarters building in downtown Raleigh.

Judicial District Bar Officers

The members of each judicial district bar elect officers to lead the judicial district bar.