Julian
T. Pierce Award
The Julian T Pierce Award was established in 1994 to recognize an
outstanding attorney and advocate of equal justice in North
Carolina. The recipient of this award is typically announced during the
biennial North Carolina Legal Services Conference.
"Ted
Fillette and Hazel Mack-Hilliard receive Pierce Awards"
(04/11/08 Media Release)
"After
20 years, Pierce's inspiration lives on"
(Article, 03/27/08 Fayetteville Observer)
About Julian T. Pierce
Julian Pierce, a Lumbee Indian, was the first Executive Director of
Lumbee River Legal Services in Pembroke and spent his entire
professional life as an attorney ensuring equal justice for all.
In 1988, he resigned his position to run for a new judgeship.
Before the election, he was murdered and the legal services
community lost one of its best advocates.
Below is an excerpt written by former
Executive Director of LSNC, Dick Taylor, in 1988, more than six
months after Julian's death.
"Julian's life showed that aggressive advocacy on behalf of the poor
can truly make a difference... Julian Pierce made the system work
for poor people. Lumbee River Legal Services, which he
founded, represents over 2,000 people a year in four counties, with
problems bred by poverty-- in disability determinations and food
stamps eligibility cases, with creditors and landlords. His program
also handled complex cases, such as McLean v. Maxton Housing
Authority, in which the NC Supreme Court established the toughest
standard in the nation for public housing evictions in rent cases.
Julian Pierce brought people into the system. He spent years
preparing a formal petition to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for
federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, which he filed in December
1987. When successful, it will mean dignity for a tribe of people,
along with millions of dollars in benefits to Lumbees, the true
natives of Robeson County. Julian Pierce empowered people to break
out of the cycle of poverty. He helped build the Robeson County
Health Care Corporation, and he stabilized the outdoor drama about
the Lumbees, which gave pride to his people. This award was created
in Julian's memory to recognize the outstanding advocacy for which
he was known."
Pierce Award Recipients
This award was last presented in 2008 to
Ted Fillette of Legal Aid of
North Carolina and
Hazel Mack-Hilliard of Legal Aid of North Carolina
at the 2008 NC Legal Services Statewide Conference.
Other recipients of this award include:
Bill
Rowe (2006)
General Counsel,
NC Justice
Center
Victor
Boone (2004)
Senior Managing Attorney
, Legal Aid of NC-Raleigh
Office
Sorien Schmidt
(2002)
Attorney and lobbyist, NC
Justice Center, and now
Senior Vice-
President at
Action for
Children NC in Raleigh
Debbie Greenblatt
Executive director,
Carolina Legal
Assistance
Carlene McNulty
Formerly Managing Attorney of North
State Legal Services, and now
with the
NC Justice
Center
Doug Sea
Attorney with
Legal Services of Southern
Piedmont
Vilma Suarez
Managing Attorney with LANC-Smithfield
office (formerly East
Central Community Legal Services), and now Managing Attorney
of
Legal Aid of North Carolina's Centralized Intake Unit (CIU)
Cathy Tamsberg, former
Attorney with East Central
Community
Legal Services, and now Minister of Outreach and Adult
Education
at
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh.
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website are for information and
educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Please
contact your Legal Aid of North Carolina office or a private
attorney if you need to speak to an attorney regarding your
particular situation. See our complete
disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm
that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income
people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove
legal barriers to economic opportunity.