Two from Mount Airy graduate law school

The recent round of commencement ceremonies at various institutions has included not one, but two people from Mount Airy who graduated from Campbell University School of Law.

William Ashley Sparks and Cassidy Lauren Willard were among a record 173 graduates of the university’s Norman Adrian Wiggins law school, according to information from Campbell.

This occurred during the university’s 46th hooding and graduation ceremony, which was held at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh in May.

In addition to earning degrees, the two local students distinguished themselves otherwise.

Sparks was recognized as a member of The Order of Barristers, a national honorary organization with a purpose of encouraging oral advocacy and brief-writing skills through effective law school oral advocacy programs.

The Order provides national recognition for individuals who have excelled in advocacy and service at their respective campuses.

Also the Student Bar Association president, Sparks delivered the invocation for the graduation program.

“Give us grace, mercy and understanding to help us navigate our legal careers,” the graduate from Mount Airy said during the prayer.

“We pray we make our families proud, we make Campbell Law proud and we make You proud.”

Willard, who graduated magna cum laude, was awarded The Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr. Constitutional Law Award.

It goes to a student who has demonstrated excellence in the area of constitutional law.

Willard’s parents are Mike and Candy Willard.

The recent graduate advised Monday that she will be working at Waldrep, Wall, Babcock and Bailey PLLC, a firm in Winston-Salem which specializes in commercial transactions, bankruptcy and health-care law.

Sparks is the son of Sean Sparks and Amy Sparks.

He will be working with Wilson, Lackey, Rohr and Hall, a general practice firm in Lenoir.

“I will mainly be practicing criminal defense (traffic tickets, DUIs, misdemeanors and felonies), family law and personal injury law,” Sparks disclosed Monday.

“But I will have the ability to practice in other areas of the law when needed.”

Speakers at the commencement ceremony provided a springboard for Sparks, Willard and their classmates to succeed in the legal field.

They included North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, who gave the keynote address and urged the Class of 2024 to remember some guiding principles while moving forward with their careers.

“What is the reason you chose law?” he asked.

“You’re obviously very bright — studies show your generation wants to make a difference,” Newby added. “You want to earn money, but you want to truly make a difference — you want to leave things better than they were.”