A Message from Mary Gurganus

This month, we’re honoring Ruth Whitehead Whaley, a remarkable attorney born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, whose work helped open doors for generations to come.

In 1925, she passed the New York bar and became one of the earliest Black women to practice law in New York. In 1933, she became the first Black woman licensed to practice law in North Carolina, achieving that milestone during a time when barriers were built to keep talented people out.

Her legacy lives on at Fordham Law, where top students are recognized as Ruth Whitehead Whaley Scholars, and through the Ruth Whitehead Whaley Trailblazing Alumnus Award presented by the Black Law Students Association.

Her story is a reminder that progress is often made by people who refuse to quit, even when the path is steep.

Spotlight: Clayton Keck Jr.

Clayton Keck Jr. is a co-founder of Inclu, a tech company built on a simple idea, modern technology should be accessible to every business, not just the biggest or best connected. Inclu’s mission is to bridge the technology divide and help entrepreneurs and underserved communities use tools that move their work forward, including AI.

Alongside co-founders Jason Hughes, Andre Lassiter, Chris Wingfield, and Carl Burnside, Clayton helped shape Inclu into more than a platform. Their team focuses on practical solutions that help businesses grow and stay connected, including marketing automations, CRM solutions, AI-powered chatbots, and an all-in-one inbox that supports communication across multiple channels.

Learn more about Inclu here

Free Online Estate Planning Workshop

If something happened tomorrow, would your loved ones know what to do next?

Join us for a free, one-hour online estate planning workshop focused on the essentials of wills, trusts, and planning ahead. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the documents that may be part of an estate plan, the decisions that matter most early on, and how planning can help reduce stress and uncertainty for your family.

Presented by Sheneshia Fitts, Senior Attorney at Triangle Estate Lawyers.

Tuesday, February 24, 7:00 to 8:00 PM

Register Today!

Live Cyber Crisis Simulation for Executive Leaders

Experience a live cyber incident response simulation designed for executive leaders, led by Mark Wiener of BizCom Global. Practice real-time decision making during a ransomware style crisis, strengthen your incident response and business continuity planning, and see how Microsoft 365 Business Premium supports modern security and productivity choices.

Register here

Join Our FREE Online Second Saturday Divorce Workshop

If you are contemplating separation, already in the middle of a divorce, or feeling overwhelmed by “what ifs,” this workshop offers practical information you can use right away. You are welcome to attend, listen, and ask questions at your own comfort level.

Join us on Saturday, February 14th, 2026. At this workshop, you will hear from:

Real Estate Guidence with Bill Riccadonna

Financial Advisor Ivan Ellis

Attorney Justin Nichols with Triangle Divorce Lawyers

Sign-Up for our next workshop!

Partner Resource Spotlight: Our Blog Library

Looking for shareable, practical content to support the people you serve? Our blog is updated regularly with North Carolina focused guidance on divorce, custody, separation, and related planning topics, written to be easy to understand and useful at the “what do I do next?” stage.

You can browse the full library here 

If you have a unique perspective you’d like to add (financial, real estate, therapy, insurance, business, or another partner angle), we’d love to hear it. Reply and let us know your topic idea, we are always open to collaborating on a guest blog featuring your expertise alongside our team.

Visit our Triangle Divorce Lawyers YouTube channel to explore short, attorney-led videos that break down common questions in a clear, approachable way. Most are under 3 minutes, so you can learn at your own pace, whenever it fits your day.