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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

GUARDIAN AD LITEM
January 2006 to present
Advocate for abused and neglected children in DSS foster care proceedings.

VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND CLINICAL SUPERVISING ATTORNEY
January 2005 to June 2005
Duke University School of Law, Children’s Education Law Clinic

VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND CLINICAL SUPERVISING ATTORNEY
September 2003 to June 2004
UNC School of Law, Criminal Law Clinic

PARTNER 1991 to 2002
Bradshaw, Vernon & Robinson (formerly Barber, Bradshaw & Vernon) in Pittsboro, NC
Engaged in criminal and civil district court trial practice specializing in misdemeanor defense, juvenile delinquency defense, child abuse and neglect cases, domestic violence cases, DWI and other traffic matters, divorce, child support and child custody cases.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE 1984 to 1990
UNC Institute of Government (now UNC School of Government)
Compiled and edited court procedure manuals for NC prosecutors and clerks of court.

ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY 1981 to1984
15B Judicial District (Orange County and Chatham County, NC)
Prosecuted criminal felonies, misdemeanors and juvenile matters.

EDUCATION

JURIS DOCTOR 1980
University of Santa Clara School of Law, Santa Clara, CA

B.S. PSYCHOLOGY 1974
Trinity College, Hartford, CT

PUBLIC SERVICE

ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING/COMMUNITY PENALTIES PROGRAM
Board member 1991 to 1999

CHATHAM COUNTY DSS FOSTER PARENT PROGRAM
Certified foster parent January 2004

CHATHAM COUNTY ELECTION CHIEF JUDGE
Mannschapel precinct: 2004 and 2006

CHATHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS
Tutor 1989 to 2000

CHATHAM COUNTY PROJECT TURNAROUND (juvenile drug treatment program)
Founding member and advisory board member 1999 to 2002

CHATHAM COUNTY TOGETHER!
Mentor for at-risk children since March 2004; Board member since 2006

CHATHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Founding member and board member 1992 to 1996

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCACY PROJECT
Volunteer supervisor of UNC law students representing clients in domestic violence
proceedings since 2000

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 15B GUARDIAN AD LITEM AND PARENTING COORDINATOR
January 2006 to present

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 15B INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMITTEE
Spring 2002

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Spring 2007 to present

ORANGE/CHATHAM CRIMINAL & JUVENILE JUSTICE PARTNERSHIP
Board member 1992 to 2002 and 2007 to present

ORANGE COUNTY RAPE CRISIS CENTER
Board member 1982 to 1984

UNITED WAY OF CHATHAM COUNTY
Board member 2000 to 2002

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

CHATHAM COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
DANIEL POLLITT CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION
DURHAM/ORANGE WOMEN ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION
JUDICIAL DISTRICT 15B BAR ASSOCIATION (President 1996-1997)
NC ACADEMY OF TRIAL LAWYERS
NC ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN ATTORNEYS
NC BAR ASSOCIATION
NC JUVENILE JUSTICE & CHILDREN’S RIGHTS COUNCIL
NC STATE BAR (admitted to NC bar in August 1981)
ORANGE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Born in Warsaw, NY on April 30, 1952.
Moved to Chapel Hill and married Jim Vernon, a Chapel Hill “native”, in 1981. We have 2 sons: Ben, graduated from UNC in 2006 and lives in Boulder, CO, and Amos, a senior at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, CA.