In this episode, we feature excerpts from an interview with Russell M. Robinson II, the founding partner of the Robinson Bradshaw law firm. Robinson was born in Charlotte, NC, in 1932 and attended Princeton University for most of his undergraduate years. He then earned his Juris Doctor from the Duke University School of Law. Robinson is the author of Robinson on North Carolina Corporation Law, a publication providing coverage of the business corporation, limited liability company, and nonprofit corporation statutes in North Carolina. 

In the interview, Robinson shares the 5-year journey of writing the first edition of his book, how he and his partners started their law firm, and his opinions on how the practice of law has changed over the years.    

"The practice of law has fundamentally changed and not for the better," Robinson said on the podcast. "More and more lawyers take-on their clients' position and lose their independence to be able to examine that position because it becomes their position too. That's an undermining of professionalism that I think is really regrettable." 

This interview was conducted in 2018 by John R. Wester of the Robinson Bradshaw law firm for the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism's Historical Video Series. A full version of the interview can be found on the NCcourts Youtube Channel.