Brooks Pierce attorneys Henry Frye and Jim Phillips have been named to the annual list of the Triad’s Most Influential People published by the Triad Business Journal.
The list recognizes individuals who are having a profound impact on the region, whether its through their workplace or their community involvement. This year’s list includes 113 of the Triad’s top leaders.
“We want Brooks Pierce lawyers to contribute in meaningful ways in the communities we serve and to our state and nation. I am very pleased that our lawyers have been honored – in this case for their contributions to the growth and well-being of the Triad,” said Ed Winslow, Brooks Pierce’s managing partner. “Both Henry and Jim are exceptional attorneys, and they are active, engaged citizens and leaders. Brooks Pierce is proud but not surprised that the Business Journal has listed them among the Triad’s most influential people.”
Frye was recognized for his impact on North Carolina’s legal and political landscape and his continued involvement in the local community. Frye was the first African-American on the North Carolina Supreme Court and the first African-American legislator elected to the state House in the 20th century. After retiring from the Court in 2001, he joined Brooks Pierce, where he focuses on appellate advocacy, mediation and commercial arbitration. Frye is a widely recognized community advocate and serves in leadership roles in many nonprofit, academic, professional and civic organizations. He is presently serving as the chair of the board of directors of the non-partisan, nonprofit N.C. Institute of Political Leadership (IOPL).
Phillips is listed as one of the Triad’s top leaders for his professional success at Brooks Pierce and his leadership in the community, including serving as director of the James B. Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy and serving as chairman of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance. He is also co-chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Committee on Judicial Independence. Representing primarily businesses and business professionals, Phillips has extensive experience in federal and state courts, in administrative proceedings, and before local governing bodies, and has litigated complex business matters in federal and state courts in North Carolina and across the United States.