News Article

NEW YORK—The ties between Womble Carlyle and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund are strong—and getting stronger.

The firm is a past recipient of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Corporate Leadership Award, making Womble Carlyle the first law firm ever to receive the highest honor given to a business organization in recognition of its support of the Fund and its member educational institutions. Brent Clinkscale, a member in the firm's Greenville office, currently serves as the Fund's General Counsel and is on the Fund's Board of Directors.

The firm renewed its commitment to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund at the Fund’s recent 21st Anniversary Dinner and Leadership Institute, held Oct. 24th-27th at New York City’s Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. Womble Carlyle sponsored the Anniversary Dinner and nearly 20 Womble Carlyle attorneys and staff members were in attendance.

"The Anniversary Dinner is something we look forward to each year," Clinkscale said. "During the past 21 years, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has provided scholarships for more than 6,000 students to attend college, graduate school or law school. We at Womble Carlyle are honored to help such a worthwhile cause."

Clinkscale added that the Thurgood Marshall College Fund provides many other benefits besides college scholarships. Many companies attend the Leadership Forum in order to meet with some of the top college students in the country concerning internships and job opportunities.

For firms and businesses like Womble Carlyle, attending the Fund’s events can be a tremendous client development opportunity. "Our clients love to come to these events,” Clinkscale said. The firm’s association with the Fund also provides a tremendous retention tool for Womble Carlyle's diverse attorneys. Plus, the Anniversary Dinner and Leadership Institute give the firm a chance to get to know—and possibly recruit—outstanding attorneys who attend the annual meeting.

Womble Carlyle's Managing Member Keith Vaughan chaired the 2006 Anniversary Dinner and in 2003, accepted the Corporate Leadership Award on behalf of the firm. "Our relationship with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund is one we cherish," Vaughan said. "We are proud to support the outstanding efforts of the Fund and look forward to this relationship growing even stronger in the years to come."

This year's Anniversary Dinner attracted 2,000 people, including 600 students, and raised $11 million. This includes a major gift from Microsoft, which announced a $6 million technology grant to the 47 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) supported by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

"This event gets bigger and more successful every year," said Howard Grubbs, a regular attendee of the Anniversary Dinner. "It's an honor to participate."

Womble Carlyle has a personal connection to the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, as Virginia Hoptman served as a law clerk in his office early in her legal career. "The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a wonderful tribute to Justice Marshall. He devoted much of his life ensuring that everyone could access the tools and resources necessary for success, and that is exactly what the Fund does," Hoptman said.

Several Womble Carlyle attorneys participated in roundtable discussions and workshops as part of the weekend Leadership Institute. Jermaine Johnson and Antonio Lewis attended the annual career fair, where they offered advice to students who soon will be entering the job market.

Womble Carlyle attorneys, staff and spouses attending the event were Keith and Lydia Vaughan, Brent Clinkscale, Jacquelyn and Victor Austin, Howard Grubbs, Betty and Robert Temple, Stuart Brock, Kenneth and Holley Lewis, Virginia Hoptman, Jessie Fontenont, Antonio Lewis, Jermaine Johnson, Rory Whelehan, Jason Belk, Sandra Miller, Gloria Agard and Russell Thomas.

Several Womble Carlyle clients and prospective clients also participated: O'Melveny & Myers/Ace Bermuda, Comcast, RLJ Holdings, American Express, Rice Financial, The Washington Group and Carver Bank.

Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO of Gallup, received the Founder's Award for his service to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Womble Carlyle has a close relationship with Gallup, which provides a variety of data assessments for the firm. During his acceptance speech, Clifton announced that he and his family were making a surprise gift of $500,000 to the Fund.

Dr. Ralph Shrader, Chairman and CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., received the Fund's Corporate Leadership Award. Noel Hankin, Senior Vice President of Moet Hennessy USA, accepted the Community Leadership Award, while Jackson State University President Dr. Ronald Mason Jr. received the Educational Leadership Award. Entertainer Janet Jackson received the Fund’s Breaking Barriers Award.