On May 2, America celebrated the 67th anniversary of Law Day and North Carolina’s theme for 2025 was “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.”
The Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association solicited nominations statewide for recipients to receive the coveted annual Liberty Bell Award.
According to Attorney Sidney Thomas, co-chair of the Liberty Bell Award Committee, the NCBA Young Lawyers Division encouraged submissions reflecting the theme in our state and noted that the recipient should be someone who exemplifies lifelong service to the law in North Carolina.
The 2025 Liberty Bell Award was presented to District Court Judge Diane Phillips Greene who serves Robeson County Judicial District 20.
The Awards Ceremony took place May 2 at a luncheon in Raleigh where Justices and Judges from the Appellate Courts, were in attendance, including Judge Donna Stroud from the NC Court of Appeals and past recipients were also present; including former US Congressman Mike McIntyre II.
Greene was appointed to the Robeson County Judicial District 20 District Court Judgeship on April 5, 2021 by Gov. Roy Cooper. Greene was officially sworn in on April 9, 2021 and she presides over a variaty of district court cases, including criminal, traffic, civil, domestic and family matters. Without opposition, Greene retained her seat following the November 2024 election.
Greene, the first African American female to ever practice law in Robeson County, began her career with Legal Services in Pembroke, where she started the Domestic Law Unit and Southeastern Family Violence Center, which today, still helps women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
Greene was the first African American Assistant Public Defender hired to work with the Robeson County Public Defender Office, and as a Senior Assistant Public Defender, for nearly 17 years, she tried very high-level felony cases.
With strong motivation to help the senior population, Judge Greene built from the ground up an Elder Care Resource Center in Lumberton, started her own elder law practice, established a home care agency and an adult day care center. She helped hundreds of individuals, disabled citizens, veterans, seniors and their families live safely and independently in the comfort of their own homes and communities.
Greene graduated with honors from Goldsboro High School, valedictorian with a Bachelor’s degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte and her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. She is a member of the NC District Court Judges Association, numerous bar associations and serves on several boards and commissions.
She is the first woman to ever be elected President of the Robeson County Bar Association. She was appointed by former NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker to serve on the NC Innocence Inquiry Commission. Judge Greene was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar on Dec. 4, 2017.
Greene started Lambda Eta Zeta Chapter, the Robeson County graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and she also started Pi Lambda Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. on the campus of University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1982, making Pi Lambda Chapter the first African American Greek-letter Sorority on the campus of UNCP. Greene served for six years as the 19th Eastern Regional Director of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Greene is the recipient of several honors and awards, including 2023 Outstanding Achievement for Judicial Impact Award; Entrepreneur of the Year and the ComForcare National Outstanding Community Leader Award. On March 22, 2018, Judge Greene received the very prestigious NC Order of the Long Leaf Pine awarded by NC Governor Roy Cooper. This award is the highest honor a governor can bestow upon a civilian. In June of 2023, Judge Greene was named an Honorary Member of the National Las Amigas Inc.
In accepting this very prestigious award, with deep humility and thanks, Greene said the following:
“What makes this award so incredibly distinguishing to me, is the list of your past recipients – Former Chief Justices and Associate Justices of the NC Supreme Court, a Former Senator, Congressman, Governor, District Court Judges … I am in awe of these inspiring lawyers, judges, politicians, leaders. I know many of them and I know their incredible, impactful work. And for me to now be recognized among them gives me pause because the difficult, emotional, painstaking hard work I have done for my entire career has never really felt like work … it is just my passion, dedication and commitment to truly serve the public … to do everything I can to enhance life for others. I competently and enthusiastically embrace the awesome responsibility of ensuring our courts are fair, open and honest for everyone entering our hallowed halls of justice.
“Across the country, for Law Day 2025, the legal profession is focusing on our Constitution. And I say today, as I have always said and wholeheartedly believe ~ Our Constitution – Our Rule of Law – Our Judicial System provide the fundamental framework for our country, our states and communities to have and enjoy a civil, orderly society. It is what sets us apart,” Greene said.
Greene is a member of First Baptist Church in Lumberton where she works in many capacities including being the third woman in the history of the church to serve as a Trustee.
Greene is married to Anthony Greene and she has three stepdaughters and four grandchildren.
