Clayton Morgan installed as 128th NCBA president 

By Jason Thomas
[email protected] 

Clayton D. Morgan of Raleigh was installed as the 128th president of the North Carolina Bar Association on  June 24 at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Winston-Salem, an NCBA news release stated. He will also serve in 2022-23 as president of the North Carolina Bar Foundation. 

Chief Justice Paul Newby of the Supreme Court of North Carolina administered the oath of office while Morgan’s wife, Kimberly, held the Bible, according to the release. 

In his installation address, Morgan provided a high-level snapshot of the state of the organization and discussed numerous areas of interest, including diversity and inclusion, civics-based education, attorney self-care and wellness and access to justice. 

“Every legal need in our state presents an opportunity to help protect people by using our legal skillsets,” Morgan said in the release. “I therefore applaud the Association’s members for repeatedly answering the call to lend your time, talent and treasure toward addressing this need.” 

Morgan serves as associate general counsel at Duke Energy. He has been with Duke Energy and its predecessors since 1996 and has served as Associate General Counsel since 2004. 

A native of Greensboro, Morgan graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987 with a degree in radiologic science. He completed the joint JD/MBA program at Wake Forest University in 1991, earning the Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Babcock Graduate School of Management and the Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law. 

Morgan served as president-elect of the NCBA and NCBF in 2021-22 and as chair of the Audit & Finance Committees of the Association and the Foundation. He served from 2011-14 on the NCBA Board of Governors and the North Carolina Bar Foundation Board of Directors, and is also a former co-chair of the Awards and Recognitions Committee and Minorities in the Profession Committee, and past chair of the Nominations Committee. 

Morgan has been a member of the NCBA Corporate Counsel Section for more than 30 years and served as chair of the section in 2018-19. He received the section’s Corporate Counselor’s Award in 2021. 

In addition to his service within the NCBA and NCBF, Morgan is a past chair of the Legal Aid of North Carolina Board of Directors. He began his LANC board service in 2014 and served as vice chair in 2017-19 and as chair in 2019-21. 

Patti Ramseur elected president-elect 

Patti Ramseur of Greensboro was elected to serve as president-elect of the NCBA. 

Ramseur will serve throughout 2022-23 as president-elect of the NCBA and the North Carolina Bar Foundation, and as chair of the Audit & Finance Committee of both organizations, according to a news releaese. She will be installed next June at the 2023 Annual Meeting as the 129th president of the NCBA. 

Ramseur was elected unanimously by acclamation and, in keeping with NCBA tradition, was ushered to the stage by those past presidents who were in attendance at the event. 

“Our bar association and foundation touch communities in real and meaningful ways,” Ramseur stated in her acceptance remarks, according to the release. “As members of the legal profession, we are uniquely situated to serve and help in ways that other cannot.”   

“Without a doubt, while things have changed over my time with this association, one thing remains true, and it is extremely important. Now, more than ever, we need a strong Association and Foundation. We have the opportunity to continue to do great work together; this is our opportunity to thrive. I look forward to serving alongside all of you.” 

Ramseur is a native of Burke County. She graduated with honors from North Carolina State University, where she majored in applied sociology with a concentration in criminal justice, and Wake Forest University School of Law. She began her legal career as a law clerk to Judge Ralph A. Walker of the N.C. Court of Appeals. 

Ramseur joined Alex Maultsby in 2020 to establish the employment law firm of Ramseur Maultsby LLP, where she focuses her practice on employment litigation and counseling.