Education

• Winston-Salem State University, B.A. English, magna cum laude (1996)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, Juris Doctor (1999)
• Forester Instituto Internacional, San Jose, Costa Rica, Advanced Spanish Language Study
• Fluent Spanish Speaker

Legal Experience

Hands Law Office, PLLC, Member
Heavy litigation practice focusing on domestic, criminal, personal injury and general civil litigation.

Baker & Blake LLP, Partner
Heavy litigation practice including criminal, domestic, residential and commercial landlord/tenant disputes, general civil matters and corporate and non-profit formation and governance.

The Dummit Law Firm
Represented clients for matters in Superior and District Courts in areas including criminal, DWI, workers’ compensation, personal injury and medical malpractice.

Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC
Complex commercial litigation practice focusing on the areas of business torts, education law, commercial landlord/tenant and insurance coverage.

Nevada Supreme Court, Law Clerk to the Honorable Nancy Becker

North Carolina Supreme Court, Law Clerk to Chief Justice Henry E. Frye

Professional Affiliations

• Mecklenburg County Bar Board of Directors, Member
• North Carolina Bar Association, GP, Small Firm & Solo Section Councillor, 2008-2009
• North Carolina Bar Association, “Pathways to Leadership” Scholar, 2008
• Bar 2010 Committee, 2007 Chair, 2008 Events subcommittee Chair
• John S. Leary, Jr. Bar Association, 2007 Chair, 2008 Community Service Co-Chair
• Student Defense Project, Council for Children’s Rights, Steering Committee and Volunteer
• Mecklenburg County Bar Lawyer Referral Service, 2006-2007 Chair and current Member
• Mecklenburg County Bar, Bar Leadership Institute, 2006 Graduate

Community Involvement

• Winston-Salem State University Board of Visitors
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Domestic Violence Advisory Board (Appointed by County Commissioners in 2007)
• North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service, Graduate - 2008 Summer Institute
• Mecklenburg County Lunch with a Lawyer program, Volunteer 2007 and 2008
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee (Appointed by County Commissioners in 2006)
• 2007 Woman of the Year, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Western North Carolina Chapter
• NAACP, Lifetime Member
• Fellowship Home, Board of Directors Member since 2004
• The International House, Board of Directors Member since 2005
• Rolemodels International, Board of Directors Member since 2008
• Generation Engage, Board of Advisors Member since 2007
• Mecklenburg County Bar Association 2007 Small Firm Pro Bono Award
• Student Defense Project Scales of Justice Award: 2006 Law Firm of the Year
• Big Brother Big Sisters Volunteer since 1994
• 2002 Winston-Salem State University Alumni Achiever Award
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (Rho Psi Omega chapter)