Chapter 6

D. Grace Carter, NCCP, CLA
 Intellectual Property Paralegal
Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.
3054 Cornwallis Rd.
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2257
PH:  919.541.8500

Federal and State Litigation
D. Grace Carter lives and works in Raleigh, North Carolina. She received her BS from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, where she flourished as a costumed song and dance character at Chuckie Cheese®. Local Tallahassee attorneys recognized her unique skill set and hired her as a word processor. Although she missed the applause, the desire to dance with a flaming cake subsided and she focused on becoming a paralegal.

Grace found a mentor and new home when she moved to North Carolina in 1990. Patent attorney, James D. Myers, introduced her to the world of intellectual property litigation. Grace discovered that intellectual property law allowed her to stretch her intellectual muscles and she remained at Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec until April of 2004 when she accepted a position with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. She has left the world of intellectual property to focus on state and federal litigation.

As a paralegal educator, Grace has enjoyed sharing her life and work experience with students at Meredith College. In her legal technology classes, she instructs her students how to use the electronic tools available for today’s paralegals.

Grace is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Legal Assistants Division (Chair 2003-2004, Pro Bono Committee Chair, and CLE Committee Member), the North Carolina Paralegal Association (Parliamentarian), and National Association of Legal Assistants (Certified Legal Assistant). She has worked alongside the Bar Associations Continuing Legal Education Department in planning multiple programs. As an inaugural member of the North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification Program Board, Grace is looking forward to working with attorneys and paralegal across the state of North Carolina in establishing practice standards for the paralegal profession.