Ward and Smith, P.A. is proud to announce recent attorney and staff accomplishments:
Legal Specialists
The North Carolina State Bar certifies attorneys as specialists in designated practice areas as a service to the public by identifying attorneys who have demonstrated special knowledge, skill, and proficiency in certain areas of law. To be certified as a specialist in a practice area, an attorney must have been in practice for at least five years, devoted a significant part of his or her practice to the specialty area, attended a sufficient number of continuing legal education seminars in the specialty, been favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges (peer review), and passed a written examination in the specialty practice area.
Angela P. Doughty is among the first class of 22 North Carolina attorneys qualified as Board Certified Specialists in Trademark Law. The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization is the first state bar in the United States to offer the Trademark Law Specialization certification.
Angela is also one of seven attorneys appointed by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization to serve on the Trademark Law Specialization Committee. This Committee reviews all specialization applications. In addition, it and drafts and grades the annual specialization exam.
John M. Martin has been qualified as a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law. John has been practicing family law for 39 years and practices from our Greenville office.
E-Discovery Specialist
Established in 2010, the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists ("ACEDS") is the member organization for professionals in both the public and private sectors who work in the field of electronic discovery ("e-discovery"). A vendor-neutral, independent organization, ACEDS developed the Certified E-Discovery Specialist ("CEDS") certification to recognize professionals who are competent and knowledgeable in e-discovery regardless of whether they are attorneys, litigation support staff, records managers, information technology specialists, technology officials, court personnel, paralegals, or consultants. The certification is an assurance to employers, colleagues, and clients that the CEDS-certified professional is serious about efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and risk reduction in all phases of e-discovery.
Vicki L. Spillane has been qualified as a CEDS. She is among the select first group of e-discovery professionals to pass the rigorous CEDS certification examination.
