On Thursday, November 9, 2017, Essex Richards Partner Edward G. “Woody” Connette was named as the recipient of the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation’s 2018 Ayscue Professionalism Award at the annual Law & Society Luncheon. The luncheon was hosted by the Mecklenburg County Bar and the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation.
The award is given each year to a current or former member of the Mecklenburg County Bar in recognition of exemplary professionalism. Criteria for nomination include: “outstanding service through or on behalf of the Mecklenburg County Bar or the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation for the benefit of the legal community or the community at large; substantial and significant service to the community, to the Bar, or to the justice system, whether on the basis of lifetime contributions or a specific project; and embodiment of the traits to which all attorneys should aspire: high ethical standards, model conduct, unquestioned integrity, and consistent competence.” To read more about the award, click here.
Woody is the fourteenth recipient of the award, which was first given to Osborne Ayscue in 2004. Woody’s long-time law partner, Lou Lesesne, had the honor of introducing him at the luncheon. Lou remarked, “I learned a lot from Woody, especially when it comes to that quality that we refer to as professionalism: not just his enormous talents as a lawyer, and not just his remarkable record of service to the Bar and to the community, not just his status as a Renaissance Man. I’m thinking more of his unfailing civility and evenhandedness, his wisdom and perspective, his good humor, even in difficult circumstances, and above all, his integrity.“
Woody practices with Essex Richards’ litigation group. For over forty years, he has represented clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries, loss of family members by wrongful death, long-term disability benefit claims, and a variety of litigation matters. He has also participated in class action litigation including consumer, employment, shareholder, and civil rights actions.
Essex Richards, P.A. congratulations Woody on this great honor.