The challenges for women in the legal profession have been seemingly formidable throughout history. Starting with Arabella Mansfield, the first female attorney of the United States, admitted in 1869 to the Iowa bar: she took the exam despite state law restricting the exam to male applicants.  The profession seems to lag behind other industries in the promotion of females to senior management.  At times, the profession views the long work hours and work life balance of family demands as a barrier to promotion of females to the C-Suite or from becoming a Partner in many firms.

The Honorable Judge Allegra Collins, of the North Carolina Court of Appeals has defied these odds, and as a result, has become a role-model for girls and women to pursue their legal dreams in a long male-dominated career. In this presentation, Judge Collins will have the following key take-aways:

·      How Judge Collins preserved and overcame obstacles to achieve her successful milestones.

·      How to sustain your position effectively, while striving to become one’s best self.

·      An interactive discussion with the audience of how to apply said concepts, both personally and professionally.

Speakers Bio:

Allegra Collins is a Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, having been elected statewide to an eight-year term beginning in 2019. Prior to her election, she was a full-time faculty member at Campbell Law School where she served in various roles— including externship director and interim director of legal research and writing— and taught various courses, including Appellate Brief Writing, Judicial Writing, Remedies, an Externship Seminar, and Legal Research & Writing. Before becoming a full-time faculty member, she was an adjunct professor for three years.

Judge Collins founded her own appellate law firm in 2015 and represented clients before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of North Carolina, and United States Supreme Court. She is a former law clerk to the Honorable Judge (ret.) Linda Stephens of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and a former Assistant Appellate Reporter at the Supreme Court of North Carolina.

She is a member, and former chair, of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section, a member of its Appellate Rules Committee, and a student in Duke Law School’s LL.M. in Judicial Studies class of 2023. She received her J.D. from Campbell Law School in 2006 and her B.A. from The College of William and Mary in 1994.

Judge Collins is also a former world-class athlete who represented the United States in two Pan American Games as a member of the Women’s Team Handball Team. She played team handball professionally in Europe and was a member of the United States National Team. Prior to her team handball career, she was a world-ranked tennis player. She was a full-scholarship athlete at UCLA and William and Mary while competing in professional tournaments around the globe.

Judge Collins grew up in McLean, Virginia, and currently resides in Raleigh with her husband, Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins, daughter, and college freshman son.