News

Hawsons celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 23rd Annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award luncheon presentation on June 13. This annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Hawsons (Hawsons) receives Safe Alliance’s 2024 Commitment to Justice Award in recognition of the firm’s Pro Bono work and commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Hawsons Litigation and Privacy & Data Security Associate Rachel LaBruyere accepted the award on behalf of the firm. In attendance was Hawsons Member Sarah Byrne, Associates Precious McLaughlin and Haley Sink, and Hawsons Member Amanda Franklin, who currently serves on the board for Safe Alliance.

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm has been named as a finalist for the 2024 Chambers USA Awards in the DEI: Outstanding Firm category. Winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony taking place on June 13.

Hawsons (Hawsons) is honored to be named as one of two area firms selected for the Wells Fargo Legal Department’s 2022-2023 Outside Counsel Diversity Award recipient. This annual award recognizes an outside law firm demonstrating great efforts toward improving engagement of diverse personnel at all levels of participation in Wells Fargo matters and in creating a culture of equity and inclusion in their workplace and community.

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) and Robinson Bradshaw are pleased to announce that Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB) is the recipient of the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2023 Filling the Justice Gap Award. Part of the 2023 NCBA Pro Bono Awards, the award recognizes "an attorney, law firm or organization making innovative strides with providing legal services to close the legal services gap in North Carolina."

Hawsons (Hawsons) is proud to support Charlotte Rescue Mission’s Miracle at Cedar Street campaign. The Miracle at Cedar Street campaign is raising funds to build a new facility for their Rebound Men’s Program. The program provides a cost-free residential recovery program for men in the Charlotte community.

Hawsons celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 22nd Annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award luncheon presentation on June 6. This annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Hawsons (Hawsons) was recognized as a recipient of the Lawyers of Color (LOC) Aspire Diversity Award on May 18. Hawsons Financial Services Senior Counsel Jonathan Murray and Litigator Jamea Richardson represented the firm at the LOC awards last week in Washington, D.C. Lawyers of Color is devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities.

Hawsons celebrated International Women’s Day Program by gathering for a TED Talk Video titled, “A Girl Who Demanded School” by Kakenya Ntaiya. Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya is the founder and president of Kakenya’s Dream, an international nonprofit organization leveraging education to empower girls, end harmful traditional practices, and transform communities in rural Kenya.

Hawsons celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 21st Annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award luncheon presentation on June 8. This annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Hawsons has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index as a Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality for its commitment to advancing inclusion in the workplace. The firm received its rating for the 2022 Corporate Equality Index and achieved a perfect score of 100 which earned the honored designation. Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. 

Hawsons PLLC is pleased to announce that it has established billable credit for diversity and inclusion-related work. Effective immediately, Hawsons will provide up to 50 hours of billable credit on an annual basis for diversity and inclusion-related work to associates, counsel, and staff attorneys.  The goal of the policy is to recognize firm attorneys who are individually and collectively supporting efforts that will continue to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Hawsons was a proud sponsor of the Carolinas' Veterans Day Festival at Truist Field on November 11. The event was also sponsored by Veterans Bridge Home, the Charlotte Knights, Lowe's and Truist, among others.

Hawsons and its Public Service Committee are proud to share this short video celebrating the commitment of our attorneys and staff to volunteerism and pro bono work. To learn more about the firm’s most recent service investments please download our 2021 Annual Service Report.

Hawsons celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 20th annual Sally and Bill Van Allen Public Service Award presentation on September 15. The annual event recognized the achievements of firm employees and community partners who make significant service contributions. This year’s event also included a celebration of Mrs. Sally Van Allen who is set to celebrate her 100th birthday in October.

Leading national, regional and local law firms have joined forces to create the Carolinas Social Impact Initiative, an effort to foster a more inclusive community and reduce systemic barriers to social and economic mobility in the Carolinas. Today they are also announcing their first program, the Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB), which will provide volunteer legal services to low-income entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Charlotte area.

Hawsons is proud to be a sponsor of the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 2021 Virtual Valentine Ball and the main sponsor of the Virtual Valentine Ball kick-off party.

Today, on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Hawsons thanks it’s brave clients, community partners and Charlotte Triage volunteers. 

Hawsons’s Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project Leader Sarah Byrne served as a guest speaker for the Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST): The Podcast episode 4 titled, “Taking Back Control" which aired December 8.

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that the firm is the recipient of Bank of America’s 2020 Pro Bono Award, which was presented during a virtual ceremony on October 22.

Hawsons commits to bringing awareness today, World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - during the year in which the United Nations is focusing on championing human trafficking first responders. 

Charlotte Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring Member and Team Leader Zach Smith has served as a member of the Mecklenburg County Bar (MCB) Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the last year. 

The Hawsons Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project had a busy month raising awareness by training hundreds of professionals and onboarding a dozen new client matters. 

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that members Joseph (Joe) A. Fernandez and Valecia M. McDowell have been named to Lawyers of Color’s fifth Power List, which is presented with the support of the Diverse Partners Network. 

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Member Kate G. Cole has been selected as one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2020 Women in Business Achievement Award winners. 

Charlotte Litigation Member Nader Raja is one of ten diverse attorneys that have been selected for inclusion to the Wells Fargo Legal Department’s 2020 Charlotte Diversity College.

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that it has been named a 2019 Lawyers Weekly Diversity & Inclusion Awards winner. 

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that WomenInc. Magazine, a publication dedicated to comprehensive coverage of women’s achievements in business, has named the firm to its Top 100 Law Firms for Women list. 

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Charlotte White Collar, Regulatory Defense and Investigations Member Valecia M. McDowell has been named to the inaugural Lawyers of Color “Nation’s Best” list, which is presented by Major, Lindsey & Africa with the support of the Diverse Partners Network. 

Hawsons was highlighted in the Charlotte Business Journal and Business North Carolina’s Daily Digest on September 5 for its commitment to the Charlotte Pro Bono Triage.

Hawsons PLLC (Hawsons) is pleased to announce that Financial Services Member Amy K. Johnson has been selected as a Corporate Counsel 2019 Women, Influence & Power in Law Award winner. 

A victory for the Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project and its advocacy work! On July 22, Governor Cooper signed into law a bill increasing access to justice for human trafficking survivors. Charlotte Ethics and Compliance Counsel Sarah Byrne chaired the NC Human Trafficking Commission subcommittee responsible for drafting legislative recommendations providing post-conviction relief and a civil remedy for human trafficking.

Hawsons hosted the 18th annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award Luncheon on June 6. This event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Congratulations to the following 26 Hawsons attorneys who have completed 50 or more hours of pro bono legal services in 2018 and are members of the 2018 NC Pro Bono Honor Society.

Hawsons is pleased to announce that Corporate Member Lesley Lewis has been named to the "50 Most Influential Women" list for 2018 by The Mecklenburg Times. 

2018 NCBA YLD Legal Feeding Frenzy Chair and Litigation Associate Kristen Kenley organized a press conference and service event to kick-off the 2018 North Carolina Legal Feeding Frenzy.

The Charlotte Business Journal awarded  Employment & Labor/ Litigation/ Privacy and Data Security Member Karin McGinnis with a 2018 Women in Business Achievement Award at the Women in Business Awards event on February 12.  

Hawsons was honored by Feeding the Carolinas, an association of 10 food banks in North and South Carolina, on December 15 for forming the association and helping to develop a strategic plan.  At the opening ceremony the organization raised over $100,000 and received 10 tractor trailers full of food to benefit all 10 food banks in the Carolinas. Corporate Member Steve Hope led the pro bono project for the firm.

For the fifth year in a row, Hawsons earned the title of Large Firm division winner for the 2017 Legal Feeding Frenzy! The Frenzy was conducted from March 6-31, and brought in over 300,000 pounds of food to be distributed statewide in the effort to eradicate hunger.

The Charlotte Chamber has awarded Hawsons with the Belk Innovation in Diversity Award.

Profiles in Diversity Journal has named the Firm a 2014 Diversity Leader.