The North Carolina Bar Association will recognize Ted Edwards, an attorney from the Raleigh office of Smith Moore Leatherwood, as a recipient of the 2011 Citizen Lawyer Award next month. The award presentation will take place at the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville during the NCBA’s annual meeting June 23-26.

The NCBA established the Citizen Lawyer Award in 2007 to recognize attorneys who provide outstanding public service for their communities. Recipients have included elected and appointed government officials, coaches, mentors, and voluntary leaders of non-profit, civic and community organizations. Through this award, the NCBA aims to inspire other members of the Bar Association to participate in their communities as Citizen Lawyers.

"Our firm is extremely proud of Ted for his long-term commitment and dedication to public service," said David Otterson, partner in charge of the firm's Raleigh office. “We congratulate him on this well-deserved award.”

Edwards, a partner in the Raleigh office of Smith Moore Leatherwood, focuses his practice on providing counsel to owners, engineers and contractors regarding construction project administration and construction litigation. He was awarded the William L. Thorpe Pro Bono Attorney Award by the NCBA for his work with low-income North Carolina citizens, was selected by Law & Politics Magazine for inclusion in the North Carolina Super Lawyers – Rising Stars edition in 2009, was recognized by Business North Carolina as Legal Elite in 2008 and 2009 and received the top “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Edwards is currently president-elect of the Wake County Bar Association and is also the immediate past president of the African-American Real Estate Professionals of North Carolina, the past president of the Construction Professionals Network of North Carolina and past chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the N.C. Bar Association. He is on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County and a founding member of United Minority Contractors of North Carolina.

Edwards received his bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1991 and his juris doctor from the Duke University School of Law in 1994.