Smith Moore Leatherwood Attorneys Tapped to Lead Women’s Professional Forum
Posted: 12-14-2009 : GREENSBORO, N.C.

GREENSBORO, NC – One of Greensboro’s foremost organizations consisting of women business professionals has selected Smith Moore Leatherwood’s Laura Deddish Burton as its next president. Burton will guide the Women’s Professional Forum in 2010, while Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP colleague Jeri L. Whitfield will serve as secretary of the Forum’s foundation. The Women’s Professional Forum was founded in 1977 as Greensboro’s first women’s professional organization. The organization paves the way for accomplished professional women in the Greensboro area to connect through monthly networking events, grow as leaders, earn recognition for achievements and to serve the community.

Burton is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in immigration law. Her practice focuses predominantly on immigration and international law. In addition to her work with the Women’s Professional Forum, she also serves on the board of the French-American Chamber of Commerce of North Carolina, Inc., and the School of HES Foundation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

In 2009, Burton was selected by Law & Politics magazine for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers – Rising Stars’ listing for her work in immigration law. She’s also been selected each year since 2007 for inclusion in Woodward/White’s The Best Lawyers in America. She is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Whitfield will help guide the Women’s Professional Forum Foundation, which serves as the charitable outreach division of the organization and focuses on Nurturing Girls to be Tomorrow’s Leaders. A Board Certified Specialist in workers’ compensation law, Whitfield has extensive litigation experience handling complex occupational disease cases, including asbestos-related litigation, while her civil practice includes handling toxic tort and premises liability claims before trial and appellate courts.

She has been selected by her peers as a North Carolina Super Lawyer, and cited as one of the top 50 women lawyers in the state. She has also been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for over 10 years.

Whitfield also serves as vice-chair of the Board of Legal Specialization, as an executive committee member of the Chief Justice’s Committee on Professionalism and is a past president of the Eighteenth Judicial District Bar. She holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a law degree from The George Washington University.

About Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP Tracing its roots to 1919, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP counsels clients throughout the Southeast, the nation and abroad. Recognized for a personal commitment to solving complex legal issues, Smith Moore Leatherwood attorneys bring a passion for excellence, teamwork and innovation to their representation of clients in over 80 practice areas and industry groups. Smith Moore Leatherwood has more than 180 attorneys practicing out of offices in Charlotte, NC; Raleigh, NC; Greensboro, NC; Wilmington, NC; Greenville, SC and Atlanta, GA. Visit http://www.smithmoorelaw.com for more information.