BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University General Counsel Paul Meggett has once again been selected for membership in The National Black Lawyers (NBL) Top 100. He is one of 13 African American attorneys in North Carolina so honored this year for promoting diversity and equality. This is the second consecutive year Meggett has received the honor. The organization recognizes up to 100 outstanding attorneys each year in each state.
“We are fortunate to have Paul and his leadership at our university,” said App State Chancellor Sheri Everts. “A legal professional and a former educator, he empowers those around him to make a difference. He routinely champions inclusive excellence in his daily work and serves as a role model for underrepresented students and colleagues at App State and beyond. We are so pleased he is being recognized with this distinct honor for a second consecutive year.”
Meggett works collaboratively with campus partners to advance App State’s mission of a just and sustainable future. A member of App State’s Diversity and Inclusion Accountability Team, he is committed to ensuring the university remains focused and accountable on its identified diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Meggett is currently serving on a recently formed North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) Diversity Task Force that is exploring new diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the North Carolina State Bar. He has previously served as chair of two NCBA Joint Diversity Task Forces and as a consultant to the South Carolina Bar concerning its diversity initiatives.
Membership in The NBL Top 100 is by invitation only and is limited to attorneys 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.
More on 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 App State. He also serves as a member of App State Chancellor Sheri Everts’ cabinet and as the ethics liaison between the university and the North Carolina State Ethics Commission.
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. Meggett served on the Issues-Outreach Subcommittee and the Issues-Demographics Subcommittee of the North Carolina State Bar.
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.
Learn more about The National Black Lawyers Top 100.
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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, affordable education for all. 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.