Meredith Nicholson Honored with 2025 Citizen Lawyer Award

NicholsonPham is proud to announce that founding partner Meredith Nicholson has been recognized with the Citizen Lawyer Award by the North Carolina Bar Association. This honor celebrates lawyers who go beyond their practice to serve their communities and champion justice, and Meredith’s career embodies that commitment.

For decades, Meredith has been at the forefront of advocacy for marginalized communities in North Carolina. Her work has helped courts navigate new and often uncharted legal landscapes—from the recognition of same-sex marriages and divorces, to the assignment of gender markers on birth certificates for transgender citizens, to advancing protections in surrogacy and adoption. She has been a voice for those too often unheard, supporting the rights of women, LGBTQ individuals, and families who fall outside traditional molds.

That advocacy extends into the culture of NicholsonPham itself. Meredith deliberately built the firm as a safe harbor for every kind of person—clients and colleagues alike. Today, the firm reflects her values through a workforce that is fully DEI by design: multinational, multiracial, and inclusive of both straight and gay professionals. The result is a team whose diversity strengthens their advocacy and offers clients the assurance that they will be welcomed exactly as they are.

Meredith’s dedication to equity and inclusion is not confined to the courtroom. She has been a visible political advocate, engaging with policy conversations and public forums to ensure that the rights of women and the LGBTQ community are advanced and defended in North Carolina and beyond.
Recognition as a Citizen Lawyer is a fitting acknowledgment of a career dedicated to justice, inclusivity, and community leadership. We are proud to celebrate Meredith’s contributions and look forward to the ways she will continue to open doors, challenge barriers, and empower every client who entrusts NicholsonPham with their future.