Ann Shy
Attorney,
Mediator,
Conflict Consultant, Parenting Coordinator
Anna Farmer
Associate Attorney, Mediator
My background in law, dispute resolution, health policy, and philosophy puts essential tools in clients' hands to navigate sensitive quality-of-life conflicts with legally binding results. Entering law school in my early 40's gave me a depth of understanding about justice and the law that is less likely in recent college graduates. Having been through a divorce that included attorneys and mediation, and continuing to co-parent two sons with my prior husband, informs my approach to client integrity. As a consumer of legal services, I encountered attorney attitudes, attorney fees, and attorney communications that sometimes brought relief and sometimes brought greater distress under already stressful circumstances. I aspire to serve others using the same high standards that I expected when I was a client.
My style is client-centered. I deliver firm, direct advice to clients based on a thorough understanding of their needs, wants, and expectations. I achieve this understanding through the unconventional business practice of not billing for reading/listening to/responding to emails and phone messages from clients. I believe information is power, and therefore must reject the billable hour when it limits the flow of information between me and my clients.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, I worked in public health in Research Triangle Park, NC, on projects funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the World Bank. Projects included bioterrorism education, breast cancer research, Hepatitis vaccine promotion, and international consulting in emergency risk communication. I earned my Juris Doctor at North Carolina Central University School of Law and an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution at the School of Law's Dispute Resolution Institute. I earned my Executive Master's at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration. I earned by Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Boston College, graduating magna cum laude.
I graduated summa cum laude from the North Carolina Central University School of Law, with a Certificate in Dispute Resolution. When I began my law school journey, I wanted to graduate not just with excellent grades but with the skills needed to be a successful attorney. To reach this goal, I chose to get involved with various experiential learning opportunities, including the Dispute Resolution Institute, the Family Law Clinic, and the Moot Court Board.
Through the Dispute Resolution Institute, I earned my Certificate in Dispute Resolution in addition to my Juris Doctorate. This certificate program provides education and training on methods of dispute resolution other than litigation — having a judge make the final decision in your case is just one of many options for reaching a resolution. Through my coursework, I also completed the Certified Training on 40-Hour Mediated Settlement Conferences in North Carolina. Mediation is an essential component of many family law cases in North Carolina, and completing both my certificate and my mediator training provided me extensive experience with the mediation process. I now volunteer as a mediator at the Dispute Settlement Center in Carrboro, continuing my passion for peaceable conflict resolution.
Beginning in my second year of law school, I served as the Vice Chair of Intra-School Competition for the NCCU Law Moot Court Board. I sought this leadership role to deepen my involvement with moot court, as I am passionate about appellate practice, and to serve as a mentor to incoming students who shared that interest. In addition to organizing our intra-school competitions each semester, in the spring of 2024 I competed at Howard University's Charles Hamilton Houston National Moot Court Competition. My team was awarded third place for our brief, and placed in the quarterfinals of the overall competition. Arguing novel legal issues taught me to think creatively about the law, and strengthened my advocacy skills.
In my final year of law school, I worked as a Certified Legal Intern in the NCCU Family Law Clinic. Through the Clinic, I took on my own clients and worked on a wide variety of family law cases. I appeared on behalf of my clients in Durham County Family Court to successfully resolve child custody and divorce matters. I also volunteered with Legal Aid of North Carolina by leading the file-it-yourself divorce workshop with my classmates. Working in the Clinic allowed me to develop my professional identity and gain confidence in providing accurate and helpful legal advice.
Outside of school, I worked as a paralegal for Ann Shy. I observed and assisted with countless client meetings, mediations, and hearings. I drafted legal documents for Ann’s review and kept clients up to date about their pending cases. Ann modeled the principles of compassion and fierce advocacy for justice. This work prepared me for many of the tasks I perform in my current role, and taught me the unwritten rules of practicing family law in and around Orange County.
I am excited to continue working with Ann as her Associate Attorney. I pride myself on being a compassionate and goal-oriented legal resource for my clients. I use my knowledge of dispute resolution, my legal research and writing skills, and my years of experience in family law to help my clients reach satisfactory resolutions and move forward with peace of mind.
Through the Dispute Resolution Institute, I earned my Certificate in Dispute Resolution in addition to my Juris Doctorate. This certificate program provides education and training on methods of dispute resolution other than litigation — having a judge make the final decision in your case is just one of many options for reaching a resolution. Through my coursework, I also completed the Certified Training on 40-Hour Mediated Settlement Conferences in North Carolina. Mediation is an essential component of many family law cases in North Carolina, and completing both my certificate and my mediator training provided me extensive experience with the mediation process. I now volunteer as a mediator at the Dispute Settlement Center in Carrboro, continuing my passion for peaceable conflict resolution.
Beginning in my second year of law school, I served as the Vice Chair of Intra-School Competition for the NCCU Law Moot Court Board. I sought this leadership role to deepen my involvement with moot court, as I am passionate about appellate practice, and to serve as a mentor to incoming students who shared that interest. In addition to organizing our intra-school competitions each semester, in the spring of 2024 I competed at Howard University's Charles Hamilton Houston National Moot Court Competition. My team was awarded third place for our brief, and placed in the quarterfinals of the overall competition. Arguing novel legal issues taught me to think creatively about the law, and strengthened my advocacy skills.
In my final year of law school, I worked as a Certified Legal Intern in the NCCU Family Law Clinic. Through the Clinic, I took on my own clients and worked on a wide variety of family law cases. I appeared on behalf of my clients in Durham County Family Court to successfully resolve child custody and divorce matters. I also volunteered with Legal Aid of North Carolina by leading the file-it-yourself divorce workshop with my classmates. Working in the Clinic allowed me to develop my professional identity and gain confidence in providing accurate and helpful legal advice.
Outside of school, I worked as a paralegal for Ann Shy. I observed and assisted with countless client meetings, mediations, and hearings. I drafted legal documents for Ann’s review and kept clients up to date about their pending cases. Ann modeled the principles of compassion and fierce advocacy for justice. This work prepared me for many of the tasks I perform in my current role, and taught me the unwritten rules of practicing family law in and around Orange County.
I am excited to continue working with Ann as her Associate Attorney. I pride myself on being a compassionate and goal-oriented legal resource for my clients. I use my knowledge of dispute resolution, my legal research and writing skills, and my years of experience in family law to help my clients reach satisfactory resolutions and move forward with peace of mind.