Friday, February 23, 2024
Theodore C. Edwards II was presented with the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award on February 23, 2024, during the 2024 LAP Minority Outreach Conference. North Carolina State Bar President A. Todd Brown presented the award.
Mr. Edwards grew up in Chatham County. He graduated from Duke University with a double major in political science and sociology and received his juris doctor degree from the Duke University School of Law. After graduation, Mr. Edwards clerked for the Honorable Alexander B. Denson, US magistrate judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Mr. Edwards was a partner at the two law firms now known as Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP and Fox Rothschild LLP. He has been a principal with The Banks Law Firm, PA, since 2015. In his law practice, Mr. Edwards handles a wide variety of commercial litigation matters. He is also a certified mediator and has an active mediation practice.
Mr. Edwards has a long, distinguished history of service to our bars and our community. He has served as president of the Wake County Bar Association. He served for nine years as a State Bar councilor for the 10th Judicial District. He currently serves on the NC IOLTA Board of Directors, and previously served on the LAP Board, including to years as the board’s chair. Prior to that he served on the Disciplinary Hearings Commission and was chair of the Client Security Fund.
While LAP Board chair, Mr. Edwards was instrumental in the board’s recommendation to the North Carolina State Bar officers that they take a leadership role regarding race issues within the profession. The recommendation ultimately resulted in the State Bar Council adopting nine recommendations regarding the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the State Bar’s operations and mission.
Mr. Edwards is also an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association. He has served as chair of the Young Lawyers Division and on its Board of Directors, in addition to numerous committees such as the Legislative Advisory Committee, the Nominations Committee, and the Personnel Committee. The Bar Association has recognized Mr. Edwards with their “Citizen Lawyer Award,” which honors attorneys for exemplary public service activities. The Bar Association also recognized Mr. Edwards for his pro bono work, awarding him their “William L. Thorp Pro Bono Service Award,” which recognizes attorneys who provide exceptional pro bono legal assistance to low-income citizens in North Carolina.
Mr. Edwards is also active in his community. He currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors for Central Children's Home, which is an orphanage in Oxford, North Carolina. He also serves as the teaching leader for the Durham class of Bible Study Fellowship, Inc. and he leads a weekly life group for his church. In addition, he currently serves on the boards of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, the National Institute of Minority Economic Development, and the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina. He has also previously served as the children's pastor in his church and on other boards such as Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. Mr. Edwards also served as a JAG officer in the North Carolina National Guard.
As noted by one of Mr. Edwards’ colleagues, Mr. Edwards “brings great honor to the law profession not simply because of his works, but because of his ways. During a time where integrity is not prioritized as it should be, Ted Edwards is a sterling example of how a lawyer that holds himself to the highest moral standards can promote positive change in the community.” Mr. Edwards is well-respected and highly regarded in the legal community throughout the state and he serves as a model for many young lawyers of color. He is a most deserving recipient of the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award.
Filed Under: General News
