(CHARLOTTE, N.C.)—The North Carolina State Bar Council has appointed Irvin W. “Hank” Hankins as Chairperson of the IOLTA Board of Trustees. Mr. Hankins is a Partner in the Charlotte office of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP.
The North Carolina State Bar Plan for Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (“IOLTA”) was established by the North Carolina State Bar and the North Carolina Supreme Court to generate income from lawyers' trust accounts in order to fund programs for the public's benefit. Since 1984, NC IOLTA has provided over $50 million in legal aid to those in need.
“Hank has served as a NC IOLTA trustee over the past two years--the most difficult years in program history,” said Evelyn Pursley, Executive Director of NC IOLTA. “IOLTA has been hard hit by the economic downturn…The trustees have been working very hard to make good decisions regarding grant and reserve funds in order to provide much needed assistance to legal aid organizations throughout this economic downturn. In making these difficult decisions, we have valued Hank’s financial acumen as well as his calm presence.”
Mr. Hankins was Parker Poe’s managing partner from 1986-2002, and has served as the Firm’s general counsel since 2002. He also advises professional organizations regarding management issues, partnership structures, partnership disputes and legal ethics. Mr. Hankins has been named to Woodward/White’s The Best Lawyers in America in Commercial Litigation.
Mr. Hankins has held numerous leadership positions, which include serving as the President of the North Carolina State Bar from 2007-2008, President of the UNC Law Alumni Association from 2004-2005 and General Counsel to the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce from 2002-2003. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Queens University and was recently reappointed to a two-year term in the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates. Mr. Hankins has been named a Fellow by the American Bar Foundation.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has 230 lawyers in six offices located in major markets across North Carolina and South Carolina. The Firm provides legal counsel to large commercial and public organizations on litigation, corporate and regulatory matters. It has been recognized in recent years as one of the fastest growing law firms in the United States and as an award-winning leader in the use of technology to provide better and more efficient service to domestic and international clients.