Title: Attorney
Company: Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC
Location: Raleigh, NC
Education: JD, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, Campbell University (2018);
BA in Political Science and Government, Campbell University (2015)
Career History: Associate Attorney, Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC (2019-Present);
Document Review Attorney, Dauntless Discovery (2019);
Law Clerk, Triangle Law Group (2018-2019);
Summer Law Clerk, Kurtz & Blum, PLLC (2017);
Legal Intern, Wake County Family Court (2016);
Legal Intern, Alpha Legal (2015);
Lobby Attendant, Campbell University (2012-2015);
Cashier, Walmart (2012)
Taylor Scruggs-Smith, Esq., Attorney at Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of law.
Wielding legal expertise in family law and real estate transactions, Ms. Scruggs-Smith attributes her successful career as an attorney at Whittaker & Hamer, PLLC to her mother—a licensed clinical therapist who raised her on her own and was the first in her family to hold an advanced degree. Her mother encouraged her to work hard and strive for whatever dream she had in life no matter what and promised to always be supportive. Upon graduating from high school, Ms. Scruggs-Smith was determined to become a lawyer and attended Campbell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government in 2015. She subsequently enrolled at the institution’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, during which time she cut her teeth in the field as a legal intern for both Alpha Legal and Wake County Family Court in 2015 and 2016, respectively. She also served as a summer law clerk at Kurtz & Blum, PLLC in 2017.
The following year, Ms. Scruggs-Smith passed the bar and obtained a Juris Doctor, which she considers her proudest and most notable achievement, and also received a Trial Advocacy Award. Afterward, she became a law clerk at Triangle Law Group and then a document review attorney for Dauntless Discovery. Since 2019, she has excelled at Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC, a North Carolina-based firm through which she handles closing transactions; has taken over family law matters; and is dedicated to building the firm’s civil litigation. She also leads consultations and real estate closings; on Fridays, she serves as counsel in court for divorces in Wake County. Among her numerous responsibilities, she also helps sign off on title searches for closings and answers questions with the paralegal in regards to title policy, separated parties, and separation agreements.
In addition, Ms. Scruggs-Smith remains on top of developments in her field as a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina State Bar, Tenth Judicial District Bar, Wake County Bar Association, and Capital City Lawyers Association. Looking ahead, she hopes to become more involved in volunteer work, especially in service of minorities, and animal rescue organizations—as well as better establish the civil side of her firm. Upon reflection on her accomplished career so far, Ms. Scruggs-Smith considers her journey to have been different and at times challenging as an African-American and a woman. However, she was determined “to not let anyone get her down” when she was mistaken for either a secretary or a paralegal. Instead, she took it “as a push to keep going.”