News & Resources Katherine Wiggins Fisher Receives 2017 North Carolina Bar Association’s Citizen Lawyer Award

May 30, 2017

By Jane Paksoy
N.C. Bar Association
Monday, May 29, 2017

The N.C. Bar Association has recognized Katherine Wiggins Fisher of Rocky Mount for her dedication to worthy community and civic causes by awarding her the 2017 Citizen Lawyer Award.

Fisher’s past and present extensive community involvement includes serving as a senior youth leader and deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Rocky Mount, tutor for the Boys and Girls Clubs, board member of Meals on Wheels of Rocky Mount and member of the Nash Community College Board of Trustees.

Fisher did not realize how much of her volunteer work involved students and education until she recalled her volunteer history. In her mind, she has just been doing what she’s “supposed to do.”

Fisher’s parents were both educators, and she remembers the impact each of her parents made on the students they taught. In particular, her father was a football coach and went above and beyond for his student athletes, even driving them to camp if they did not have a ride, with Fisher and her sister in tow.

Fisher’s longest involvement has been with Nash Community College, where she has been on the Board of Trustees since 2007. Sam Dickens, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said that Fisher’s biggest asset to the board is “the knowledge she brings from the legal standpoint when (the board) is trying to set policy and consider all points of view.” He said the board can always rely on her to give guidance around legal areas in a “plain and competent” manner.

Fisher encourages attorneys to get to know their community and identify areas where they can assist. She suggests looking through the local Chamber of Commerce, the community board in the local newspaper or to just ask around to other attorneys to see what they are involved in.

Fisher said her involvement became overwhelming a couple years ago when she was chairwoman of the N.C. Bar Association Family Law Section, vice chairwoman of the Chamber of Commerce, board of trustees member at the community college and deacon at her church in addition to having twin children in elementary school. Fisher came to the realization that she could not do it all and reigned back some of her involvement.

Even still, Fisher remains active with her church, Nash Community College and the Family Law Section of the N.C. Bar Association. A proponent of her own advice, Fisher said that if you have a passion, and there is definitely a need, just get involved.

Further information regarding the Citizen Lawyer Award can be found here.