Raleigh, NC – 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP in Raleigh. The law firm, known for its general corporate, litigation, environmental, tax, real estate, lending and public policy practices, boasts a staff of 98 in its downtown Raleigh PNC Plaza office. With firm roots dating back to the late 1960’s, Parker Poe attorneys have made major contributions to the growth and development of Raleigh and the greater Triangle community.

Parker Poe will celebrate its golden anniversary with a series of community events. To recognize Parker Poe’s history and overall contributions to Raleigh, the firm has partnered with the City of Raleigh (COR) Museum to curate a special installation highlighting the firm’s role in the City of Oaks over the past five decades. The installation will feature exhibits and banners of historical milestones, and will be on free public display in the City of Raleigh Museum lobby from January 15 through the end of the month.

The installation will be previewed at a private Parker Poe cocktail party on January 14 for 300 invited guests including clients, business and community leaders, and current and former employees. Local theatre actors portraying area historical figures including Sir Walter Raleigh and Dorothea Dix, will be on hand to provide entertainment and interact with guests.

To reaffirm the firm’s commitment to Raleigh, Parker Poe will work with the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department to make a donation toward the redevelopment of Moore Square, one of the founding historic squares of the city.

“Parker Poe’s 50th anniversary celebration highlights the tremendous work the firm has done since opening its doors in Raleigh in the 1960s,” says Kevin Chignell, Parker Poe’s Raleigh Office Managing Partner. “We are extremely proud to be citizens of this great city. With a rich history and tradition of excellence behind us and a tremendously talented group of attorneys, we look forward to continued service as leaders in the Raleigh community and across the state.”

Milestones for Parker Poe’s Raleigh Office include:

• 1965  - The firm is founded as Sanford and Cannon, begun by former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford
• 1973 – Dan Blue joins Parker Poe and is the first African American lawyer at a major law firm in the state of North Carolina
• 1975 – J. Allen Adams serves in the North Carolina House of Representatives for five terms
• 1982 – Catharine Biggs Arrowood becomes the first female partner at Parker Poe
• 1990 – Parker Poe Thompson Bernstein Gage & Preston merges with Raleigh firm Adams, McCullough & Beard
• 2001 – Charles Meeker is elected Mayor of Raleigh and goes on to serve five consecutive terms in office
• 2007 – Russell Killen is elected Mayor of Knightdale and serves in that capacity for eight years
• 2010 – After a nearly ten-year project led by Charles Meeker, Fayetteville Street reopens to traffic, marking the revitalization of downtown
• 2012 - Parker Poe receives the Medal of Arts from the Raleigh Arts Commission, the City of Raleigh’s highest arts honor, for its lifetime extraordinary achievement in support of local arts
• 2012 – Raleigh Hall of Fame inducts J. Allen Adams, Retired of Counsel, for his career in law, public service, and civic leadership and his powerful advocacy for equality and justice, arts and education and cultural institutions serving the City of Raleigh and State of North Carolina
• 2015 – Raleigh Hall of Fame inducts Charles Meeker for his role in the modernization of Raleigh

Parker Poe, through legal and charitable work, continues to play an important role in the growth and prosperity of the City of Raleigh. Parker Poe attorneys are involved with economic and civic organizations in the city, and serve on numerous boards including Advanced Energy, Alliance of AIDS Services Carolina, Burning Coal Theatre Company, CAM Raleigh, Carolina Ballet, Equality North Carolina, Finance and Administrative Legislative Committee, Governors Commission to Modernize State Finances, Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Marbles Kids Museum, North Carolina Economic Developers Association, North Carolina League of Municipalities, North Carolina Symphony, Raleigh Transit Authority, Urban Land Institute, and Wake County Mayor’s Association.

About City of Raleigh Museum
City of Raleigh Museum educates the public about North Carolina’s Capital City. Under management by the Historical Resources and Museums Program of the City of Raleigh’s Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Raleigh Museum is dedicated to teaching those who visit about the past, present, and future of Raleigh. For more information, please visit www.raleighcitymuseum.org. For information about the Parker Poe installation at the City of Raleigh Museum and display hours, please contact the museum at 919-996-2220.

About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has approximately 200 lawyers in five 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.