Immediate Past-President
Judge Sam J. Ervin IV of the N.C. Court of Appeals administered the oath of office to Brinkley as his son, Sam, held the Bible.
Brinkley served as law clerk to Judge Ervin’s father, the late Chief Judge Sam J. Ervin III of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, after graduating from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1992. Sam Brinkley is named for Judge Ervin III.
A partner at Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan in Raleigh, Brinkley becomes the fourth member of the firm to serve as president of the NCBA, following in the footsteps of U.S. Sen. Willis Smith (1941-42), James K. Dorsett Jr. (1959-60) and John L. Jernigan (1999-2000).
Professional Summary
Martin Brinkley has broad experience the areas of corporate law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust and trade regulation, public finance, charitable foundations and nonprofit organizations, and appellate litigation. He regularly represents clients in the distribution, life science, energy, manufacturing, technology, franchising, health care and banking industries.Brinkley chairs Smith Anderson’s Legal Opinions Committee.
Education
University of North Carolina, J.D. 1992
University of Cologne, Institute for Ancient Studies (Rotary Foundation Scholar), 1988-89
Harvard University, A.B. summa cum laude, Classics, 1987; Phi Beta Kappa
Phillips Exeter Academy, 1984
Representative Accomplishments and Honors
Law Clerk to Chief Judge Sam J. Ervin, III, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Executive Articles Editor and Staff Member, North Carolina Law Review
Listed, Woodward/White, Inc.’s The Best Lawyers in America (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions)
Listed, Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite (Business Law, Corporate Law)
Listed, North Carolina’s Super Lawyers (Business/Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions)
Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rated
American Law Institute
Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Adjunct Associate Professor of Law, University of North Carolina
North Carolina Bar Association, Citizen Lawyer Award
Triangle Business Leader Media’s Pro Bono Impact and Impact Law Leader Awards
Representative Professional and Community Activities
North Carolina Bar Association: President, 2011-12; President-Elect, 2010-11 (Board of Governors, 2000-03; Co-Chair, “4ALL” Task Force, 2007-08; Chair, Strategic Planning and Emerging Trends Committee, 2004-06; Chair, Young Lawyers Division, 1998-99; Business Law Section Uniform Commercial Code Committee)
American Bar Association (Antitrust and Business Law and Litigation Sections; Business Law
Section Committees on Legal Opinions and Uniform Commercial Code)
Editor, Legal Opinions Newsletter, Committee on Legal Opinions, American Bar Association Section of Business Law, 2007-10
American Judicature Society
Christ Church, Raleigh (Senior Warden, Clerk and Vestry member)
Vice Chancellor, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
The North Caroliniana Society (Secretary-Treasurer and director)
Center for Law and the Humanities (Treasurer and director)
Bar Admissions and Memberships
North Carolina State Bar
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina