BOONE, N.C. — Paul Meggett, general counsel at Appalachian State University, has been selected for membership in The National Black Lawyers (NBL) Top 100, which recognizes African American attorneys who promote diversity and equality.

Membership in this exclusive organization is by invitation only and is limited to the top 100 attorneys in each state who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers. The selection process is based on a multiphase process that includes peer nominations combined with third-party research.

“With his selection, Paul Meggett has shown that he exemplifies superior qualifications, leadership skills and performance in his areas of legal practice,” the organization’s news release stated.

In order to become an NBL member, attorneys must meet the following criteria:

• Have an outstanding reputation among peers, the judiciary and the public.
• Have notable achievements, settlements and verdicts as specialty lawyers.
• Be board certified in their areas of specialty.
• Be nominated by other leading lawyers and current NBL members.
• Hold membership in other national and statewide specialty lawyer organizations.
• Be ranked and/or rated by leading national evaluation organizations and associations.

About Paul Meggett

As general counsel, Meggett, who joined the university’s Office of General Counsel in June 2018, supervises and directs all legal services at Appalachian. He also serves as a member of Appalachian Chancellor Sheri Everts’ Cabinet and as the ethics liaison between Appalachian and the North Carolina State Ethics Commission.

He works collaboratively with campus partners to advance Appalachian’s mission of a just and sustainable future as the premier public undergraduate institution in the state.

A former law professor and dean, Meggett also has held in-house counsel roles at the University of North Carolina Health Care System and UNC-Chapel Hill. He began his legal career as a clerk to Chief Justice Burley B. Mitchell Jr. of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Meggett is an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) and North Carolina State Bar. He is a member and former chair of the NCBA Legislative Advisory Committee and a current member of the NCBA Judicial Independence and Integrity Committee. He also served a three-year term as chair of the NCBA Joint Diversity Task Force. Meggett served on the Issues-Outreach Subcommittee and the Issues-Demographics Subcommittee of the North Carolina State Bar and as a consultant to the South Carolina Bar concerning its diversity initiatives.

He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina School of Law and a Bachelor of Science from North Carolina State University.

The National Black Lawyers Top 100, a professional honorary organization, celebrates legal excellence by promoting black attorneys as subject matter experts, developing a strong national network of top African American attorneys and facilitating the exchange of timely information to enable members to maintain their status as leaders.

To learn more about The National Black Lawyers Top 100, visit http://www.nbltop100.org.

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About the Office of General Counsel

Appalachian State University’s Office of General Counsel provides legal services for the university. These services include assisting in achievement of university goals within the framework of state and federal laws, as well as policies and plans adopted by the Board of Governors, UNC System President, Board of Trustees and Chancellor; and compliance with applicable local, state, federal and international laws in all activities undertaken by the university. The education and training of university officers and employees to prevent or appropriately resolve disputes affecting the university's operations are also objectives of the Office of General Counsel. Learn more at https://generalcounsel.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.