Friday, April 11, 2025
Wyatt Stevens was posthumously honored with the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award on February 21, 2025, in Asheville, North Carolina. The award was presented to Wyatt’s family by North Carolina State Bar President Matthew Smith.
A native of Asheville, Mr. Stevens was educated in North Carolina schools, graduating from Asheville High School. He earned his bachelor of arts from the University of North Carolina in 1991 and his juris doctor from UNC School of Law in 1994, where he was a Dean’s List scholar. After passing the bar in 1994, Mr. Stevens returned home to begin work at Roberts & Stevens, PA, the firm founded by his father. In 1998 he became a shareholder in the firm.
Mr. Stevens quickly established himself as a skilled trial lawyer with a reputation as being a fierce but fair advocate for his clients, of which he had many, ranging from individuals to large corporations. He had a diverse practice and expertly covered a broad array of cases, including complex business matters, land use and zoning, estate litigation, real estate disputes, and catastrophic personal injuries. He represented clients in various industries, including outdoor recreational sports, professional services, trucking, manufacturing, and tourism.
In addition to his legal expertise, Mr. Stevens was deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and integrity in his practice. His exemplary conduct earned him the Buncombe County Bar’s Professionalism Award in 2020, recognizing his consistently courteous, respectful, and professional interactions with clients, the court, and opposing parties.
Beyond his legal career, Mr. Stevens was dedicated to his community. He served on the boards of numerous local organizations. His service to the community included his role as co-chair of Pisgah Legal’s Capital Campaign, where he helped raise funds to continue providing pro bono legal services to the underserved. In addition, Mr. Stevens played a significant role in the leadership of Mission Healthcare System. He served as a board member for Mission Hospital, one of the largest health providers in the region, and later as chair of Mission Health Services. In this capacity, Mr. Stevens helped guide the hospital and its associated entities across Western North Carolina, focusing on improving healthcare access and services for the region’s underserved populations. His service with Mission Healthcare spanned over a decade, during which he made crucial contributions to the institution’s development and growth, especially in terms of patient care, research, and overall community health.
Mr. Stevens also worked with the North Carolina Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Smokies, and Mountain Housing Opportunities. His leadership in these organizations had a lasting impact, especially his work with Mountain Housing Opportunities, where he provided pro bono legal services to help improve housing access for low-income families in Western North Carolina. As a vestry member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville, Mr. Stevens led the church’s annual stewardship campaign. For his exceptional public service, Mr. Stevens was awarded the Excellence in Public Service Award by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, which recognized his dedication to conservation, affordable housing, and improving the quality of life for residents of Buncombe County.
Even after being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022, Mr. Stevens continued to serve his clients with dedication and passion. His unwavering commitment to the legal profession and his community have left a lasting legacy of integrity, selflessness, and service. Mr. Stevens’s life and work embody the ideals of the legal profession, and his contributions will have a lasting impact on the legal community and Western North Carolina.
Filed Under: General News
