Pictured L to R: Lou Bissette, James Kilborne, Joe McGuire
The North Carolina Bar Association Centennial Award honors an individual member of each Judicial District for outstanding service which benefits our local community. Examples of such service include: elected and/or appointed service to local government; civic involvement on boards of community agencies; involvement in public service projects; and volunteer involvement with schools, churches, or other nonprofit organizations. The award is named in honor of the Bar Association’s Centennial (1899-1999).
Centennial Award Winners: 2017 – Leah Broker 2016 – Carol Goins 2015 – Clifford C. Marshall 2014 – Judge Rebecca Knight 2013 – Larry McDevitt 2012 – John Mason 2011 – Sheila Lambert 2010 – Judge Dennis Winner 2009 – Bob Deutsch 2008 – Jack Stevens 2007 – George Ward Hendon 2006 – Richard A. Wood 2005 – David Gantt 2004 – David Hillier 2003 – Roy Davis 2002 – Kerry Friedman 2001 – Lou Bissette Full Text of Lou’s Speech JOSEPH P. MCGUIRE, PRESIDENT OF MCGUIRE WOOD AND BISSETTE IN ASHEVILLE, NC, HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO RECEIVE THE 2018 CENTENNIAL AWARD FROM THE 28TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT BAR AND NORTH CAROLINA BAR ASSOCIATION. I HAVE KNOWN JOE MCGUIRE SINCE 1978 WHEN HE RETURNED TO ASHEVILLE TOJOIN HIS FATHER’S LAW FIRM (McGUIRE WOOD ERWIN AND CROW). JOE IS A GRADUATE OF UNC CHAPEL HILL (A MOREHEAD SCHOLAR) AND THE HARVARD LAW SCHOOL (MOOT COURT FINALIST). HE PRACTICED FOR THREE YEARS WITH THE KILPATRICK CODY LAW FIRM IN ATLANTA BEFORE RETURNING TO HIS BELOVED ASHEVILLE. IT IS INTERESTING THAT I JOINED HIS FATHER’S FIRM IN 1976, ONLY TWO YEARS BEFORE JOE – LOOK AT US NOW! I LOOK LIKE I’M 80 AND JOE STILL LOOKS LIKE HE IS 25! THE NORTH CAROLINA BAR ASSOCIATION CENTENNIAL AWARD HONORS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF EACH JUDICIAL DISTRICT FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE WHICH BENEFITS OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA BAR ASSOCIATION CENTENNIAL AWARD WAS TO INSPIRE LAWYERS TO THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF PROFESSIONALISM AND SERVICE, AS WELL AS TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LAWYERS. FOR OVER 40 YEARS JOE MCGUIRE HAS PRACTICED CIVIL LITIGATION IN STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS AT BOTH TRIAL AND APPELLATE LEVELS. I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT THAT IF I EVER NEEDED A LAWYER TO REPRESENT ME, IT WOULD BE JOE McGUIRE. HIS PREPARATION FOR TRIALS IS LEGENDARY AROUND OUR FIRM AND HE LEAVES NO STONE UNTURNED IN REPRESENTING HIS CLIENTS. IN ADDITION, JOE MCGUIRE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY INVOLVED WITH MANY COMMUNITY FOCUSED ORGANIZTIONS. HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON: THE BOARD DIRECTORS OF THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ASSOCIATION OF ASHEVILLE AND BUNCOMBE COUNTY. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GIVENS ESTATES RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEADERSHIP ASHEVILLE FORUM (FORMER PRESIDENT). THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, HARRY C. MARTIN AMERICAN INNS OF COURT (FORMER PRESIDENT). HIS FORMER SERVICE INCLUDES: CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE CENTER FOR DIVERSITY EDUCATION AT UNC-ASHEVILLE (2008-2011). PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF WNC CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (2004-2011). CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF BREVARD COLLEGE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE LIBRARY SYSTEM. CO-CHAIR OF BUILDING BRIDGES OF ASHEVILLE. BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE GENERAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, UNC-CHAPEL HILL (2003-2006). JOE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS INCLUDING THE CITIZEN LAWYER AWARD FROM THE N.C. BAR ASSOCIATION (2014), THE CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM LEADERSHIP ASHEVILLE AND THE JOSEPH P. MCGUIRE FIRST YEAR SEMINAR ON CRITICAL THINKING AT UNC-CHAPEL HILL HAS BEEN NAMED FOR HIM. JOE’S PASSION FOR THE LAW, HIS COMPASSION FOR HIS CLIENTS, AND HIS DEDICATION TO SERVICE ARE A TRUE TESTAMENT TO HIS INSPIRATIONAL CHARACTER. JOE MCGUIRE IS TRULY A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE FINEST OUR PROFESSION HAS TO OFFER. WHETHER HE IS OFFERING HIS EXPERTISE IN LEGAL SERVICES, OR ADVOCATING FOR A COMMUNITY CAUSE, HE EXEPLIFIES THE TRUE DEFINITION OF A CENTENNIAL LAWYER.