NCSB Journal Spring 2026

toward the profession began long before col lege. As a child, while my friends created backyard wrestling associations and neigh borhood basketball leagues, I was the one drafting the rules and “contracts.” Even then, I was drawn to structure, advocacy, and fairness. While in college, I served as a guardian ad litem in my home county of Halifax. That experience confirmed my interest in law and deepened my commitment to public service. I majored in political science and history after a mentor once told me that “most lawyers” came from those disciplines— advice that shaped my academic foundation. After law school, I served as a post-gradu ate extern at the North Carolina Court of Appeals under then-Judge Cheri Beasley. I later joined a small firm in Hertford County with Tonza Ruffin, now also a criminal law board certified specialist. From there, I spent six years serving the State of North Carolina as an assistant district attorney in Halifax and Pitt Counties before opening my own prac tice in 2019. In addition to private practice, I have had the privilege of teaching—serving as an adjunct professor in Campbell Law School’s bar preparation program and teaching crim inal law and constitutional law at North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount. Each step along the way has rein forced my belief in the law as both a profes sion and a public trust. Q: How did you prepare for the legal spe cialization examination? Sloan Carpenter: Leading up to the legal specialization examination, I studied the North Carolina and federal laws concerning trademark law. However, the preparation really began years prior to applying for the exam—I began tracking my CLEs, creating a list of references, learning different areas of trademark law, and making sure I met all the requirements to sit for the exam. Simply doing my job also helped me pre pare. Helping clients with their various trade mark needs, whether that be filing a North Carolina or US trademark application, send ing a cease-and-desist letter to an infringer, or filing an opposition with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, was a very practical way to study and prep for the exam. Michael Hummel: The State Bar’s spe cialization website outlines the areas for examination. I reviewed all the applicable statues and the case law annotations, the

Industrial Commission Rules, and recent case law. I made sure to review the applicable authority for every area identified for exami nation. For my area of law, reviewing the annotations to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act was particularly impor tant and helpful. Kisha Patel: My preparation for the spe cialization examination involved studying legal conceptions and applying them to my day-to-day practice. Additionally, our firm holds weekly “lunch and learn” sessions where we review new court of appeals deci sions, discuss changes in the law, and collab orate on strategy for our own cases. Those discussions helped me stay current on the law and sharpen my analytical skills in a manner that was similar to the structure of the exam. I was also fortunate to prepare alongside three colleagues at my firm who were taking the examination at the same time, which provided me with additional support in preparation. Overall, I focused on having a strong grasp of the substantive law and understanding how appellate decisions impact real-world family law practice. D. Cole Phelps: I prepared for the juve nile delinquency specialization examination by being intentional about my practice and the responsibility that comes with it. That meant spending meaningful time on the statutes and case law, staying current with legislative changes, and making sure I under stood how those changes play out in real courtrooms with real families involved. Juvenile law is a practice area that requires constant attention. The law changes fre quently and staying sharp is part of honoring the responsibility we carry as advocates for young people. Preparing for certification gave me the chance to step back, connect the dots, and reinforce the foundation I rely on every day. The process felt purposeful. It strengthened my confidence, sharpened my judgment, and reinforced the habits of preparation and discipline that strong juve nile advocacy demands. Jarrette Pittman: Preparation for the spe cialization exam was both rigorous and col laborative. I was fortunate to be part of a committed study group that truly held one another accountable. We spent countless hours tabbing our law books, discussing recent trends in criminal law, and working through practice questions together. Individually, I devoted significant time to

re-reading Chapters 14 and 15 of the North Carolina General Statutes from beginning to end and revisiting my law school notes in criminal law and criminal procedure. The process required discipline and humility, rec ognizing what I knew well and, more impor tantly, where I needed to sharpen my under standing. It was demanding, but it was also deeply rewarding. Q: Why did you pursue becoming a board certified specialist? Michael Hummel: Board certification is something prospective clients often consider when retaining counsel, and it also provides existing clients with a level of confidence in their representation. It shows experience and a commitment to the practice area. Kisha Patel: I genuinely love practicing family law and take pride in developing my skills in this area. Pursuing board certifica tion was important to me because it reflects a long-term commitment to this field and a desire to continue growing as an advocate for my clients. I wanted my clients to know that family law is my primary focus and that I have invested the time and effort to develop a high level of knowledge and experience in this practice area. Certification is one way to demonstrate that commitment. Q: What would you say to encourage other lawyers to pursue certification? Michael Hummel: Certification is a pos itive way to differentiate yourself to prospec tive clients and colleagues. The State Bar does a fair and thorough job of outlining the areas for examination and after practicing in your area of law for a number of years, the preparation for the exam should be very manageable. If you put years into a practice area and a career, obtaining certification is a worthwhile professional step. D. Cole Phelps: I would encourage other lawyers to pursue certification as a personal challenge and a professional commitment to themselves. It is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and decide what kind of lawyer you want to be in the long run. Certification is not about recognition. It is about accounta bility, growth, and pride in your work. The process pushes you to slow down and really know your field. It sharpens your skills and reminds you that preparation is part of respect for the people you represent. For lawyers who work with young people, espe cially in rural communities, that level of commitment matters. Setting the goal of cer tification raises your standard and reinforces

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