Internship
2020 SUMMER INTERNS
Shannon Martells
Shannon Martells is a New Hanover County naitve born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Shannon was an active member of numerous activities from a young age. At age two, she began taking dance lessons which led to years of competitive dance until the age of 18. She competed at various competitions around the country and went on to win many scholarships and awards. In high school, while balancing over 25 hours of dance training and schoolwork, she was a member of the Key Club, Legacy Ambassadors, the Lyceum Academy, and was the business editor of the yearbook. In 2015, she was selected to attend the county level Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and was later recognized at the state level to represent New Hanover County. Shannon graduated from New Hanover High School with honors in June of 2016. That fall she enrolled at East Carolina University and is set to graduate in May 2020.
At East Carolina, Shannon majored in the field of Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in Family and Community Services. Shannon continued to stay involved on campus during her time at East Carolina University by being a member of multiple organizations. She was a member of the Pre-Law Society, Order of Omega Greek Life Honors Society and Delta Zeta Sorority in which she held a number of leadership positions. She declared a concentration in Family and Community Services and after graduation, she plans to obtain her Juris Doctorate Degree and pursue a career as a family law attorney.
Shannon has a passion for working with children and families as she has worked as a Preschool teacher for over three years and believes this career will provide a way to make a difference in the lives of others.
During 2019, Shannon spent the summer as judicial intern at the New York Supreme Court where she gained valuable insight into the inner workings of the justice system. In January of 2020, she began interning at the Law Office of D. Cole Phelps. She is a hard worker and very eager to learn.
2019SUMMER INTERNS
Kelby Hicks
Please help us congratulate law student, Kelby Hicks, on completing a very challenging and rewarding summer internship with our firm. Kelby, thank you for all of the contributions you made to our law firm this summer. We are better because of you!
Regarding his internship experience, Kelby said, “I learned so much during my summer internship about the practice of law. I saw what a good day in court looks like, and the joy clients have when you work miracles on their behalf. I saw what a bad day looks like, when, despite meticulous preparation, things do not go your way.”
Kelby is a member of the December 2020 class at Elon Law School, where he is currently pursuing a dual J.D./M.E.L.P. degree. He graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in May 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science, aspiring to practice corporate or environmental law. He is a member of the National Lawyers Guild; Elon Law’s Black Law Students Association; Greensboro Bar Association; North Carolina Bar Association’s Intellectual Property and Young Lawyers divisions; and American Bar Association’s Environmental and Business Law sections highlights his intersecting interests in law/government, business, and social & environmental justice.
Throughout his undergraduate tenure, Kelby held numerous positions and participated in a variety of extracurricular activities as a student-athlete, member of the university’s NAACP chapter, Model United Nations participant, and was an initiate into the Alpha Nu chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. His community involvement speaks to his passionate commitment to service and social equity, including participation in and contributions to peer mentorship/enrichment initiatives like Guilford County’s “Communities in Schools” program and the Roanoke Valley’s “World Changers” program. Prior to attending law school, Kelby was employed by the North Carolina General Assembly as a Legislative Assistant for NC Senate District-3.
Kelby has occupied his time making strategic investments in his future life goals, recently being selected as a 2017 Lex Fellowship awardee and graduating with the inaugural class of North Carolina’s Capitol Leaders program. He was selected as an HBCU panelist for the NC Legislative Black Caucus Foundation’s annual banquet in 2017 where he was tapped to address the historical significance and critical role of these institutions. Prior to that, he completed Duke University’s Summer Institute on Law & Policy where he gained insight into various legal topics and reviewed controversial Supreme Court cases on Capitol Hill. These invaluable experiences have equipped him with many of the tools necessary to thrive in the legal profession
Emily Gorman
Please help us congratulate Emily Gorman on completing a very challenging and rewarding summer internship with our firm. Emily, thank you for all of the contributions you made to our law firm this summer. We are better because of you!
Emily Gorman was born in the state of New York but raised by her parents in Roper, North Carolina from the age of four. Emily attended Plymouth High School where she was the Senior President of Honor Society and an active member of HOSA-Future Health Professionals. As a HOSA member, Emily volunteered at blood drives and earned her Prevent Blindness NC certification to give free eye exams to the elementary students in Washington County. Emily always assumed that her passion for helping others would take her into the medical field.
Upon graduating in the top ten of her class at Plymouth High School in 2015, Emily continued her education at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. She had plans to major in Biology and later attend dental school, but she quickly found an interest in Psychology. After two years as a Psychology major, Emily added a second major in Sociology. She was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society of Sociology at the end of her junior year. She believes that her two majors furthered her understanding of people and what she can do to help them.
During her time at Meredith College, Emily completed an internship with Haven House Services in Raleigh, North Carolina. This non-profit provides community-based services to at-risk youth and their families in Wake County. Emily participated in the Restitution and Community Service program, as well as the Second Round boxing program. As an intern at the Haven House, Emily found that her passion for helping others was best suited with the younger population. She engaged with at-risk youth on Saturdays during community service and after school in the Haven House gym.
After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Meredith College in May of 2019, Emily interned with The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps, PLLC in the Summer of 2019. She has an interest in becoming a Juvenile Court Counselor and knows that her desire to help the youth achieve greatness will take her where she is ultimately meant to be.
2017 SUMMER INTERNS
Janazia Dixon
Janazia Dixon, a Washington County native, was an active member of clubs and organizations in her community at a very young age. She was a member of the youth choir at the Temple of Christ Church in Plymouth, North Carolina and a Brownie in the Plymouth, North Carolina branch of The Girl Scouts of America Association. She was also involved in recreational sports such as soccer, softball, and basketball.
During her school years, Janazia began to take a liking to volleyball and basketball, receiving many athletic and academic awards. Her ambition in and out of the classroom gained the attention of the women’s basketball program at North Carolina Wesleyan College. In May of 2015, Janazia signed to play basketball at North Carolina Wesleyan College, and in June of 2015 she graduated from Plymouth High School with honors. She was also a 2015 recipient of The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps Scholarship.
Janazia is currently a junior at North Carolina Wesleyan College. Initially, her plan was to attend Wesleyan and major in Exercise Science but ultimately decided to major in Criminal Justice. After graduation, she plans to enroll in a graduate program to obtain her Masters of Social Work and pursue a career as a juvenile delinquent counselor. She believes that her love for children, her passion for helping others, and being a source of comfort is her calling. This motivates her to do all things to help children, especially those of Washington County.
On May 15th, 2017 Janazia became an intern at The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps, PLLC. She is very hardworking and dedicated to the firm, characteristics that are vital and parallel to those of the staff at the firm.
Evan Waters
Evan Waters, a native of Washington County, was raised in Creswell, North Carolina. In June of 2016, Evan’s dedication to his personal growth and education allowed him to graduate from Creswell High School as the valedictorian of his class. During his time at Creswell High School, Evan was a member of JROTC and served as the Battalion Commander, the highest student position for the program. In addition to this, he also held leadership positions in the National Honor Society and FFA, and was also selected to be a part of Washington County School’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee. Evan held the position of class president his junior and senior year. His commitment to his future helped him to achieve multiple scholarships, allowing him to further his education.
After high school, Evan began attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in August of 2016 where he is majoring in Political Science. After graduating college, he hopes to attend law school to in order to work as an attorney. One of the scholarships that Evan received was the Golden LEAF scholarship. One component of this scholarship program is a summer internship each summer for the four-year duration of the scholarship program. To complete the first of his summer internships, Evan began working at The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps, PLLC in June of 2017.
2014 SUMMER INTERNS
Our firm established an internship program in the Summer of 2014. This is a very competitive internship program that will undoubtedly deliver very challenging and rewarding experiences. During the first year of our internship program, we had two interns that were accepted. The two interns were Daniel Stephens and Rashad Moore.
Daniel Stephens
Daniel Stephens graduated from High School in Jacksonville, NC and then attended Pensacola Christian College from August 1998 to May 2001. Daniel married Lacey Clough on July 14, 2001 and joined the United States Marine Corps in December 2001 as a Military Policeman. During his two enlistments in the Marine Corps, he served as a Military Policeman, a marksmanship instructor, and a drill instructor. While in the Marine Corps, Daniel was accepted to and graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies. Daniel then applied for and was accepted to Officer Candidate School. He successfully passed this course and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. During the remainder of his time in the Marine Corps, he served as the Assistant Protocol Officer. A knee condition caused Daniel to have to leave the Marine Corps. He was given a medical discharge under honorable conditions.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Daniel was accepted as a student by North Carolina Central University School of Law in July of 2012. He began classes in 2012 and is currently in his third year of law school. He will graduate in December 2014, a semester ahead of schedule. He is currently on track to graduate with honors.
During the Summer of 2014, Daniel served as an intern in our office while taking 11 summer credits at the law school. His time in the military taught him that the ability to put into practice the things he has learned is vital to having a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter you are being taught. Daniel is anticipating taking the state bar exam in Florida and moving to central Florida with his wife, Lacey, and their three children, Dylan, Kaylah, and Myles. In May of 2015, Daniel graduated with his juris doctorate degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
“Because of this internship, I have a better understanding of what goes into running a law practice than I ever could have learned in a classroom. Law school teaches you to think like a lawyer. Being an intern with The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps will teach you what it means to be a lawyer. Attorney Phelps emphasizes that compassion for those you represent is as important as the manner in which you represent them. The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps is about helping the people who are not able to help themselves. You learn how to help people with numerous legal issues while balancing your business goals and professional obligations with the needs of your clients. There is no greater reward than knowing that you have been of service to those who need you most! Thank you, Attorney Phelps!”
Rashad Moore
Rashad Moore graduated high school from Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, NC. Being born and raised in Charlotte by his parents, Michael and Liz Moore, he decided to attend East Carolina University in Greenville, NC in the fall of 2009. The following year, Rashad went on to play college basketball in Virginia at Bridgewater College. He led the team as captain for one season. While in Virginia, Rashad joined his fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi while picking up a major in sociology. The next year Rashad continued his education back at East Carolina and changed his major to psychology. It was during the following summer that Rashad pursued a long time passion for law, while interning with a local attorney in Greenville, NC.
After graduating Cum Laude from East Carolina, Rashad was accepted as a student to the North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2013. Recently, Rashad finished his first year of law school and is preparing for his second year. He plans to graduate in May of 2016. Rashad has goals to take the North Carolina bar exam, and work as an attorney practicing civil and criminal litigation.
During the Summer of 2014, Rashad interned with Justice Cheri Beasley, an Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court, as well as our firm. In May of 2016, Rashad graduated with his juris doctorate degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
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