Curriculum Vitae
Jo Ann Ragazzo
OFFICE ADDRESS:
Duke Law School
Box 90360
Durham NC 27708-0360
Tel: (919) 613-7142
Fax: (919) 613-7231
ragazzo@law.duke.edu
HOME ADDRESS:
107 Marin Place
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
Telephone\Telefax (919) 969-0033
EDUCATION:
- University of North Carolina School of Law
Van Hecke-Wettach Building
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
J.D. with honors in 1984; Staff member of North Carolina Law Review 1983 to 1984; Order of the Coif awards for family law (A+) and legal research and writing. - University of North Carolina School of Education
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Study toward masters degree in education, 1975 - East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
B.S. in education, 1975; 3.4 GPA
EMPLOYMENT:
- December 1, 1996 to present: Solo practitioner. Civil dispute resolution practice including mediation, arbitration, and trial advocacy in the areas of personal injury, medical negligence, workers compensation, construction (commercial and residential), and real property disputes. Juvenile court advocacy as guardian ad litem and attorney for parents and children. Admitted to practice before all North Carolina state courts, U.S. District Courts for all North Carolina districts, U.S. Court of the Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Member of N.C. State Bar, NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, 15-B Judicial District Bar, Orange County Bar (secretary-treasurer 1995; vice president 1996), and Women Attorneys of Orange County.
- Northen, Blue, Rooks, Thibaut, Anderson & Woods, LLP
P.O. Box 2208
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
(919) 968-4441
December 1, 1991 to November 30, 1996: Partner
November 1, 1987 to December 1, 1991: Associate Attorney
General civil litigation practice with emphasis on personal injury, medical negligence, construction disputes. - Moore & Van Allen LLP (formerly Powe, Porter & Alphin)
Durham, North Carolina
August 1984 to November 1987: Associate Attorney
General civil litigation practice with emphasis on medical negligence defense. - Institute of Government
Knapp Building
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Summer law clerk in 1983 supervised by Michael Smith (currently director of the Institute) with emphasis on legal research and writing for publications involving law enforcement. - Alexander & McCormick (now Alexander & Miller)
Attorneys at Law
1526 E. Franklin St.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1979 to 1981: Paralegal for real estate and civil litigation
Summer 1982: Law clerk - Northwestern Bank (now First Union)
E. Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1976 to 1979: Customer service, teller, bookkeeper.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
- Adjunct professor at University of North Carolina School of Law in legal research and writing program for first year law students, 1987 to 1988.
- Arbitrator for 15-B Judicial District for mandatory district court arbitrations from 1990 to present.
- Mediator certified by North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission from 1996 to present.
- Member of 15-B Judicial District Fee Arbitration Committee from 1997 to present.
- Member of the Juvenile Advisory Committee of the Orange-Chatham Justice Partnership from 2004 to present
- Volunteer/Attorney Mentor for Orange County Teen Court.