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Some of the state’s top jurists, legal leaders and court officials recently gathered to celebrate former Chief Justice Cheri Beasley — now the inaugural Sandra Day O’Connor Professor at ���ϲ����� School of Law — for a trailblazing career rooted in service, access to justice and mentorship.

From fellow judges to retired congressional leaders, the theme that ran through every tribute: In courtrooms, classrooms and for communities across North Carolina, Beasley has turned principle into practice and invited others with her.

“When the world says no — to fairness, to opportunity, to progress — she says yes,” said Zak Kramer, dean of ���ϲ����� Law, in introducing Beasley. “She didn’t wait for a path to appear; she carved one with excellence and perseverance. That’s what the N.C. Supreme Court Historical Society honors tonight. Not only the titles and the milestones, but the ‘yes’ that made them possible.”

Speakers at the N.C. Supreme Court Historical Society’s annual meeting Oct. 20 in Raleigh traced Beasley’s journey from public defender in Fayetteville to N.C. District Court judge, to the N.C. Court of Appeals, and then the N.C. Supreme Court. In 2019, she became the first African American woman to serve as the state’s chief justice. They highlighted her leadership through natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a period of heightened racial tension — moments she met with decisiveness, empathy and a vision for modernizing the courts for access and efficiency. Today, virtual hearings and electronic access are hallmarks of the system she helped shape.

“We have the privilege of calling her Professor Beasley, and our students have the even greater privilege of calling her mentor. They see in her what we all see: someone who opens doors. Opening doors is an act of kindness, and our students are its beneficiaries.” 
– Zak Kramer, dean of ���ϲ����� Law

Justice Sam J. Ervin IV of the N.C. Supreme Court called Beasley “one of the best people I have ever known,” describing her stabilizing presence on and off the bench, and her extraordinary gifts as a jurist and writer whose legal opinions “sing.”

“As Chief Justice, she kept the system functioning when that was extraordinarily hard, and she had the courage to address racial disparities when many would look away. … She will be remembered as a consequential figure in our state’s legal history.”

Patricia Timmons-Goodson, retired justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, reflected on Beasley’s decades of mentorship and barrier-breaking.

“To whom much is given, much is required,” she said. “Chief Justice Beasley has given much, opening possibilities for young people who could not yet imagine them, and modeling the passion and integrity our justice system demands.”

G.K. Butterfield, who represented North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2004 to 2022 and previously served as a state Supreme Court justice and superior court judge, praised Beasley for modernizing the courts through technology and expanding specialty and treatment courts that make the justice system more efficient, equitable and responsive to community needs.

From inside the chief justice’s chambers, former Chief of Staff and General Counsel Anna Stearns described Beasley’s leadership as a model for other jurists to uphold their oaths without fear or favor, and her belief that “the courts can be an engine of good and that we have a duty to make it so.”

Beasley, who teaches appellate practice, professional responsibility and negotiations at ���ϲ����� Law, has quickly become a trusted mentor and colleague.

“The work of justice is not a destination,” Beasley said. “It requires all of us — judges, lawyers, staff, law enforcement — to remain vigilant, compassionate and courageous. To the young people here — whether you’re first-generation students or aspiring lawyers: You are talented and capable. You can do anything.”

– Cheri Beasley, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court and Sandra Day O’Connor Professor

“We have the privilege of calling her Professor Beasley, and our students have the even greater privilege of calling her mentor,” Kramer said. “They see in her what we all see: someone who opens doors. Opening doors is an act of kindness, and our students are its beneficiaries.”

Beasley closed the evening by thanking colleagues, her family and the society for the honor, emphasizing shared responsibility for the rule of law and calling on young lawyers and leaders to take up that charge: to say yes.

“The work of justice is not a destination,” Beasley said. “It requires all of us — judges, lawyers, staff, law enforcement — to remain vigilant, compassionate and courageous. To the young people here — whether you’re first-generation students or aspiring lawyers: You are talented and capable. You can do anything. I am grateful for the privilege to serve the people of North Carolina, grateful for where I’ve been, and hopeful for where we are going together.”