LAP Director
Robynn E. Moraites
2237 Park Road
Charlotte, NC
28203
1-800-720-7257 or
704-892-5699
Robynn Moraites is a medical educator and a lawyer. She graduated from Florida State University, magna cum laude, with a BS degree. Her work as a medical educator at the University of Miami School of Medicine included running a public health program where she developed continuing education programs for medical professionals and organized events for targeted, hard-to-reach professional populations.
Robynn attended the University of North Carolina School of Law and in 2004 earned her JD with honors along with a masters degree in city and regional planning. Her first position after law school was with what is now McGuire Woods, formerly Helms Mulliss & Wicker, where she worked with the litigation and environmental practice groups. From there she transitioned to an in-house counsel position with Premier, Inc., a national health care company. Subsequently, she joined the firm of Bringewatt & Snover, where she developed a general commercial practice, specializing in municipal, education, and health care law. She left Bringewatt & Snover in 2011 as a partner to take the position of director of the North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program.
Robynn is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the ABA. Previously, she was an active LAP volunteer. She enjoys volunteering time to organize and develop retreats and recovery conferences and has organized numerous such events over the years.
Robynn and her husband Mike love the outdoors: cycling, mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking. Hunter, their well-behaved, trail-running dog, travels with them as often as possible.
Edmund F. Ward, III
LAP Assistant Director
Edmund (Ed) F. Ward III
PO Box 25908 (27611-5908)
217 E. Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
1-877-627-3743 or
919-828-6425
Edmund F. (Ed) Ward, III joined the North Carolina State Bar on May 17, 1999 as Director of FRIENDS, at the time, a new Bar program of outreach to lawyers suffering from depression and/or other mental illnesses. Ed serves now as Assistant Director of the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) as the LAP is inclusive of both the FRIENDS and PALS programs. A graduate of Campbell University, Ed is credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) and a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Certification Board. His professional career has included work as an addictions counselor, clinical supervisor and approximately fifteen years as a hospital administrator.
Ed is two-term, past-president of Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC) and past-president of the North Carolina Association of Addiction Treatment Program. He is the recipient of APNC's Norbet Kelly Award and the APNC Outstanding Achievement Awards. He also is the recipient of the Walter Mitchell Award given by the North Carolina Association of Alcoholic Residential Facilities.
Towanda C. Garner
Piedmont LAP Coordinator
Towanda C. Garner
PO Box 25908 (27611-5908)
217 E. Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
1-877-570-0991
1-919-828-4620 ext. 290
Towanda C. Garner started employment with The North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) as the Piedmont LAP Coordinator on March 28, 2005. Her educational background consists of the completion of undergraduate studies at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC where she acquired a B.A in Psychology, Minor - Child Development and Family Relations; completion of graduate studies at North Carolina Central University with a M.A. degree in Psychology, Concentration - Clinical. She is also a licensed clinical addications specialist. Her professional experience includes working as a Clinical Director and a Program Director at a drug rehabilitation treatment center in North Carolina.
Towanda enjoys working with people and witnessing the joy of recovery and emotional healing from chemical addiction and mental illness. As the Piedmont LAP Coordinator, she says, "I'm grateful to be a part of an organization that provides support and services to protect the public by assisting lawyers and judges who are professionally impaired by reason of substance abuse, addiction, or debilitating mental conditions; to assist impaired lawyers and judges in recovery; and to educate lawyers and judges concerning the causes of and remedies of such impairment. I thank lawyers, judges, and law students who allow the LAP to assist them, because I adamantly believe we need each other to survive in this life."
Towanda resides with her husband and daughter in Clayton, North Carolina.
Buffy Holt
Assistant to Robynn Moraites
1-800-720-7257
Joan Renken
Assistant to Edmund F. Ward III
919-828-4620 ext. 269