News Article

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-Womble Carlyle attorney Elizabeth (Liz) Arias has been named one of the Triad's Forty Leaders under 40.

The Forty Leaders under 40 Awards are given annually by the Triad Business Journal and the Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This year, 130 nominations were received for the awards. The goal of the Forty Leaders under 40 Awards is to recognize outstanding young leaders for their contributions to both their professions and the community. Former winners include Womble Carlyle attorneys Alison Ashe-Card and Chris Douglas.

"We are extremely proud of Liz," said Betty Quick, Managing Member of Womble Carlyle's Winston-Salem office. "She does so much outstanding work - for clients, for the firm and for the community. We are pleased to see her receive such a wonderful and deserved recognition."

Liz has built a thriving estate planning and tax advice practice during her tenure at Womble Carlyle. But a regular part of her work week is spent on helping low-income residents with pro bono matters.

For example, through the North Carolina Bar Association, she partners with Hospice in Winston-Salem to provide free wills, powers of attorney and other documents to low-income individuals with terminal illnesses. Liz also works with Legal Aid of North Carolina's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to prepare free income tax returns for qualifying low-income taxpayers.

Liz also recently accepted a pro bono case working with the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children to help a teenage girl from Honduras. The girl fled abuse and gang violence in her home country to come to the United States. After deportation proceedings were instituted against her, Liz took on her case and has worked to help her. Through Liz's efforts, which took several months, the girl was placed in the custody of her older brother and temporarily allowed to stay in the U.S. Now Liz is working to qualify the girl for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status so that she may remain in the U.S. permanently.

At any given time, Liz works on five or six different pro bono cases. In fact, she was named one of the firm's Pro Bono Champions in February 2008 for her outstanding commitment to helping others.

She also spends a great deal of time in service to the legal profession. She currently is the co-chair of the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association's Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section. The Legislative Committee works actively to review, revise and draft trusts and estates laws. She also is the Secretary of the Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section of the Bar Association.

This year's Forty Leaders Under 40 winners were honored at a Feb. 24th ceremony at the Embassy Suites in Greensboro.