Roy Davis Wins Distinguished Service Award from NC State Bar
Roy W. Davis, Jr., was awarded the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award at the November Bar Luncheon. Mr. Davis was nominated by State Bar Councilor Howard Gum, and NC State Bar President Ron Baker made the surprise announcement at the luncheon.
The North Carolina State Bar John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award program honors current and retired members of the NC State Bar throughout the state who have demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession. Such service may be evidenced by a commitment to the principles and goals stated in the Preamble to the Rules of Professional Conduct, for example: furthering the public’s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system; working to strengthen legal education; providing civic leadership to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who, because of economic or social barriers, cannot afford or secure adequate legal counsel; seeking to improve the administration of justice and the quality of services rendered by the legal profession; promoting diversity and diverse participation within the legal profession; providing professional services at no fee or a reduced fee to persons of limited means or to public service or charitable groups or organizations; encouraging and counseling peers by providing advice and mentoring; and fostering civility among members of the bar.
Roy W. Davis, Jr., is a recipient of the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Davis earned his undergraduate degree from Davidson College in 1952, and graduated cum laude from UNC Law School in 1955. While at UNC Law School, Mr. Davis was selected for the Order of the Coif. In 1960, Mr. Davis began practicing in Asheville with the Van Winkle Law Firm, where he has practiced for over 50 years.
Mr. Davis is a past president of the North Carolina State Bar, past vice-president of the North Carolina Bar Association, a past member of the ABA House of Delegates, and is currently a member of the Board of Law Examiners. Mr. Davis is also a past president of the Buncombe County Bar, where he was honored with the Bar’s Centennial award in 2003. In addition to his service to the bar, Mr. Davis is also very active with Pisgah Legal Services, serving on the board, as President, and recently as a co-chair of a capitol campaign to raise money for adequate office facilities for volunteer attorneys.
In 2009, Mr. Davis was the recipient of the Chief Justice’s Award for Professionalism, which is “presented annually to an individual or organization whose contributions have demonstrated the highest commitment to genuine professionalism and the highest standards of legal ethics.” Mr. Davis’s promotion of ethical, professional, and courteous conduct among members of the bar, coupled with his pro bono work and service to the legal profession make him a role model in western North Carolina and a deserving recipient of the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award.
