(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — Bill Farthing, a Partner in Parker Poe’s Charlotte office, has been honored by Elon Homes and Schools for Children for his work on behalf of the Kennedy Charter School, a charter school owned and operated by Elon Homes.
Mr. Farthing was presented with the 2014 Kennedy Award at the EHSC Board of Governor’s luncheon held at the Myers Park Presbyterian Church on Friday, September 19.
The award is given to someone who has gone to great lengths to assist EHSC in achieving its mission of serving the educational needs of children to lift them out of a cycle of poverty, and in connecting EHSC with the broader community. Kennedy Charter School, a tuition-free school serving K-12 students in communities with high poverty levels, is one of EHSC’s primary areas of focus, along with its significant foster home program. The Kennedy Award is the highest honor offered by EHSC.
Mr. Farthing worked with EHSC President Rev. Dr. Frederick G. Grosse and Johnson C. Smith University President Ron Carter to create a connection between Elon Homes and Schools for Children and Johnson C. Smith University that has resulted in Kennedy Charter School undertaking to move its campus and operations to the campus of JCSU. Part of the move has already occurred, and the remainder of the charter school will move its entire campus to JCSU in 2015 The move has benefited the school dramatically in increasing its enrollment, enhancing educational opportunities for its children through a unique partnering with JCSU, and strengthening the endowment of EHSC through facilitating the sale of Kennedy Charter’s former campus. In addition to serving as legal counsel for EHSC and Kennedy Charter, Mr. Farthing has served in many capacities for Johnson C. Smith University over the years, including serving on its Board of Trustees and as University Attorney.
Mr. Farthing is currently a partner at Parker Poe, having served as the firm’s Chairman and Managing Partner from 2002 to 2012. He also works to ensure a strong presence of the firm in the communities it serves, and is a current board member of several leading nonprofits, including the Arts & Science Council and Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont, where he serves as President. He was recently appointed by Governor McCrory to the N.C. Ethics Commission.
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Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has more than 200 lawyers in five offices located in major markets across North Carolina and South Carolina. The firm provides legal counsel to large commercial and public organizations on litigation, corporate and regulatory matters.