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For just shy of a half century, attorney Margaret Dudley has represented clients from all walks of life and, most recently, advocated in court for victims of domestic violence and elder abuse through an ���ϲ����� program.

Inspired by a childhood shaped by segregation in eastern North Carolina, Dudley knew that “the world had to be bigger than the opportunities I was being given.”

Dudley excelled in school and eventually attended Howard University for both her undergraduate and law degrees. She would become the third Black woman to practice law in Guilford County and the first Black woman to hold the position of Deputy County Attorney in Guilford County.

Dudley later achieved success as a partner at a private firm in Guilford County before setting out as a solo practitioner in 1994. A longtime educator and mentor to young people, she taught Constitutional Law at N.C. A&T State University for more than two decades before joining the Emergency Legal Services Program as its founding director.

The Emergency Legal Services Program reduces gaps and unmet needs for legal advocacy and support for victims of domestic violence.  In the last seven years, Dudley and her team have assisted thousands of people who visited the Family Justice Centers in times of crisis.

Her impact on the legal profession led North Carolina Lawyers Weekly to honor Dudley on Feb. 28, 2025, as one of eight “Icons” recognized at the publication’s annual “North Carolina Excellence in Law” awards program at The Fairview near downtown Raleigh.

“Icons” were considered legal professionals with at least 30 years or more of practice. Dudley’s brother, close friends, and colleagues from ���ϲ����� School of Law, including Dean Zak Kramer, joined her in celebration at the program.

“It is very gratifying to know that my work has made a difference, especially for those whose lives have been so tragically impacted by family dysfunction and domestic violence,” Dudley said of her career and her current role directing the Emergency Legal Services Program. “It is most rewarding to be a part of the process that provides stability, instills hope, and helps to create a stable and brighter future for children.”

Alumni Honors

Two ���ϲ����� School of Law alumni were also recognized by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as “Leaders in the Law,” members of the bar “who have made important contributions to the practice of law in the state and to the local legal community and/or community at large.”

Celebrated at the 2025 program were:

Manisha Patel L’11
Law Office of Manisha P. Patel
Current president of the Greensboro Bar Association
Greensboro, North Carolina

Adam D. Furr L’12
Bullock, Clay & Furr 
Greensboro, North Carolina