Attorney Janet Ward Black is the principal owner of Ward Black Law located in Greensboro. It is one of the largest woman-owned law firms in our state. The firm’s clients have received settlements of more than $100 million over the last 10 years. The firm represents people injured at work, in accidents, and by dangerous products and environmental hazards across North Carolina.
A graduate of Davidson College cum laude in economics and Duke Law School, Black served as the third woman president of the North Carolina Association of Trial Lawyers and the fourth woman president of the North Carolina Bar Association. She was the second lawyer in history to serve as president of both organizations.
The program she created while president of the 16,000 member Bar Association, “4 ALL,” has been used as a model in the United States and Canada for providing free legal services to the poor. The 4ALL program included a telephone call-in day during which more than a thousand NC lawyers provided free legal advice to any person who called a central toll-free number. More than 7000 people consulted with a lawyer that day. Over 100,000 North Carolinians have been assisted by a North Carolina lawyer at no charge since “4 ALL” began.
Black is a frequent lawyer educator and motivational speaker. She is a Trustee Emeritus of Hood Theological Seminary and has served on many non-profit boards and on many international mission trips. She received the North Carolina State Bar’s Distinguished Service Award in 2009 and the Charles Murphy Award for Public Service by Duke Law School in 2010. Black has been named in North Carolina Super Lawyers, North Carolina’s Legal Elite and The Best Lawyers in America and her firm has been named as one of the Best Law Firms in America by US News & World Reports since 2010. She is a member of the Women’s Presidents Organization and C12, Christian CEOs and Business Owners’ Group. She was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2016, the highest civilian honor in the state of North Carolina. She received the North Carolina Bar Association Litigation Section’s “Advocate’s Award” for skill, ethics and dedication to clients and the community in 2018. She was named the Community Foundation of Great Greensboro’s Woman of the Year in 2018 and Personal Injury “Lawyer of the Year” in the Triad by US News & World Report in 2020. Black served as Miss North Carolina 1980. She won a Grand Talent award at the 1980 Miss America pageant.
Work Experience
• Attorney, Ward Black Law, Greensboro, North Carolina, 2006 – present
• Attorney, Donaldson & Black, P.A., Greensboro, North Carolina, 1992 – 2006
• Wallace Whitley Pope & Black, Salisbury, North Carolina, 1989 – 1992
• Assistant District Attorney for Cabarrus and Rowan Counties, 1985 – 1988
• Native of Kannapolis, North Carolina
• 1982 Graduate of Davidson College cum laude in Economics
- Lunsford Richardson Honors Scholar
- Charles A. Cannon Scholar in Chemistry and Economics
- Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honor Society
• 1985 Graduate of Duke University School of Law
Presently
• Member, C12 Christian CEO and Owners Group, Greensboro, 2005 to present
• Member, Women Presidents’ Organization, Greensboro, 2008 to present
• Board Member and Chair of Advancement Committee, International Cooperating Ministries, 2010 to present
• Board of Advisors, First Citizens Bank, Greensboro, 2009 to present
• Master of the Bench, Joseph Branch Inn of Court, 1995 to present
• Trustee Emeritus, Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury
• Legislative Advisory Committee Member, North Carolina Bar Association
• Women to Women Advisory Council, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, 2016 to present
• Board Member, Legal Aid of North Carolina, 2022 to present
• Member, Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, National Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Litigation, 2023 to present
Awards and Recognitions
• Named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Women” by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and the Mecklenburg Times, 2024
• Named to the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Personal Injury Law The Power List, 2023, 2024
• Voted the Readers’ Choice – Personal Injury Attorney in the Greensboro News & Record, 2023
• Named “Icon” by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 2023
• Recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award, NC Advocates for Justice, 2021
• Recipient of C12 Hero Award by C12 Christian CEOs and Business Owners Group, 2021.
• Recipient of the NCBA (North Carolina Bar Association) Litigation Section’s Advocate’s Award, 2018
• Named Personal Injury “Lawyer of the Year” in the Triad in 2013 and 2020 by US News & World Report
• Named Greensboro’s Woman of the Year in 2018 by the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.
• Recipient of the Ebbie Award by North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2019
• Awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by NC Governor Pat McCrory, 2016
• Awarded the Kellie Crabtree Award by NC Advocates for Justice, 2015
• Awarded the Citizen Lawyer Award by North Carolina Bar Association, 2013
• Recipient of Woman of Justice Award, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 2012
• Recipient of the Athena Award, Partnership Greensboro 2012
• Recipient of Duke Law School Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service 2010
• Recipient of the North Carolina Bar Distinguished Service Award 2010
• Recipient of “Women in Business” Award, The Business Journal, 2009
• Named a “Woman of Achievement” by General Federation of Women’s Clubs of North Carolina 2007
• Named in North Carolina “Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics Magazine 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 including one of the top 50 women attorneys in North Carolina 2006-2015, 2018
• Listed in Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers 2010, 2011
• Rated with a AV Preeminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s American Registry of Lawyers (20 years)
• Named in “North Carolina Legal Elite” by Business North Carolina 2007, 2010
• Named in “Best Lawyers in America” 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• Named a “2008 Impact Law Leader” by Triad Business Leader Magazine
• Named a “Woman Extraordinaire” by BizLife Magazine 2007
• 1980 Miss North Carolina and recipient of Grand Talent Award at 1981 Miss America Pageant
• Recipient of N.C. Jaycees Award of Excellence, 1980
• Recipient of “Outstanding Community Leaders of America” – 1987
• Named “Business Associate of the Year” by the American Business Women’s Association, Reidsville Chapter, 1994
• Ward Black Law listed in “Best Law Firms in America” by U.S. News & World Report 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025
• Ward Black Law named “Professional Advisor of the Year” by Business Leader Magazine 2010
• Motivational speaker to over fifty civic, community and youth organizations since 1985
• Girls’ State Speaker on the Judiciary and Law as a Profession for Women since 1989
• Continuing Legal Education speaker since 1989 for North Carolina Bar Association, Wake Forest University, and North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
Formerly
• President, North Carolina Bar Association 2007 – 2008(16,000 members)
• President-Elect, North Carolina Bar Association 2006-2007
• Chair, Strategic Planning Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 2001-2002
• Chair, Litigation Section of the North Carolina Bar Association (1900 members)
• Member, Long Range Planning Committee, North Caroline Bar Association
• Chair, Subcommittee on Image and Leadership, North Carolina Bar Association 2000-2001
• Board of Governors and Executive Committee Member, North Carolina Bar Association 1998-2001
• Co-Chairman, Ethics Committee, Litigation Section, North Carolina Bar Association
• Member, Task Force on Women in the Profession, North Carolina Bar Association
• Appointed by NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin to the NC Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice, 2015 to 2017
• President, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (now North Carolina Advocates for Justice) 2002-2003 (3900 members)
• President-Elect, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2001-2002
• Chair, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers Political Action Committee 2004-2006
• Legislative Vice President, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2000-2001
• Vice-President of Membership, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers 1998-2000
• Board of Governors and Executive Committee Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice 2017-2018
• Board of Governors Member, NC Academy of Trial Lawyers 1995-1998
• Co-Chair, Access to Justice Campaign Statewide, Legal Aid of North Carolina– Triad Division 2006-2010
• Advisory Panel Member, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Greensboro 2002-2009
• Member (2002-2005) and Co-Chair (2005), Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Advisory Panel
• CEO Selection Committee Member for North Carolina Advocates for Justice 2015-2017, 2022
• Board of Governors Member, American Association for Justice 2005 – 2008
• Trustee, Roscoe Pound Foundation 2006- 2007
• Board of Directors, Mercy Mission Teams, Greensboro 2000 – 2010
• Trustee, Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, NC 2000-2008
• Board of Directors Member, Volunteer Center of Greensboro 2001-2005
• Board of Directors Member, Women’s Resource Center of Greensboro
• CEO Selection Committee Member, NC Advocates for Justice 2015-2017
• Steering Committee Member, NC Institute of Government Judicial Education Fund
• Co-Chair, PAC Task Force, Association of Trial Lawyers of America 1998-1999
• Member, Rules Committee, NC Business Court
• Chair, Vice-Chair, Board Member, Presbyterian Counseling Center, 1993-1997
• President, Rowan County Bar Association, 1992
• President Elect, Rowan County Bar Association 1990 – 1991
• President, Rowan County Democratic Women, 1991-92
• Stewardship Campaign Co-Chairman, Fellowship Presbyterian Church
• Elder and Co-Chair of Building Committee, Fellowship Presbyterian Church
• Piedmont Players Board of Governors, Rowan County
• Member, North Carolina Democratic Party Judicial Nominating Committee
• Crisis Council Shelter Board of Directors, Rowan County
• First Vice-Chairman 1989 – 1991, Rowan County Democratic Party
• First Woman Member, Salisbury Rotary Club
• Board of Trustees, Rotary Foundation, Paul Harris Fellow
• Subcommittee for Legal Profession- Member, Hobbie Center for Values and Ethics, Catawba College
• Board Member, NC Center for Entrepreneurship, 2010 to 2014, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity to Honduras
• Board of Advisors, First Citizens Bank, Greensboro, 2009 to 2020
• National Advisory Committee, Win-Win Resolutions, Inc., Greensboro
• Liaison Counsel for the State of North Carolina for Federal Court Breast Implant Litigation
• Member, Plaintiffs Steering Committee, Asbestos Multidistrict Litigation, appointed by Hon. James Giles, US District Judge, Eastern District Pennsylvania 2007-2015
• Elder, Church on 68, Greensboro, 2010 to 2022
Professional Organization Memberships
• American Association for Justice
• Christian Trial Lawyers Association
• North Carolina Bar Association
• North Carolina Advocates for Justice
• North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys
• Women’s Professional Forum, Greensboro
