Geoff Hulse honored
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on October 28, 2004 1:57 PM
Geoff Hulse, a criminal defense lawyer for 19 years, has received the highest award given by the 8th Judicial District Bar Association for his tireless work in the community.
Hulse received the Tommy Jarrett Citizen Lawyer of the Year Award during a recent bar association meeting at Walnut Creek Country Club. The district spans Wayne, Lenoir and Greene counties.
Hulse said he was very proud to receive the award, because it demonstrates the finest quality in an attorney and was based on the work of the person for whom it was named.
Hulse said the award was given on an irregular basis for those who were "zealous advocates for their clients, kept a sense of humor and symbolized an attorney's giving back to the community -- something that Tommy did."
Jarrett was the first winner of the award, and it was later named in his honor.
Hulse said another lawyer who came to mind who deserved the award was his father, the late Herb Hulse, who practiced law in Goldsboro for many years.
The award was presented by Hulse's friend and partner, Glenn Barfield, in front of other members of the firm of Barnes, Braswell and Haithcock.
Hulse said he realized that he was the winner because Barfield was presenting it and the other members of the firm were present.
Hulse serves as chairman of the Wayne County Board of Elections.
He also was president of the county's United Way drive and a member of the vestry at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. board. He also was chairman of the Wayne County Museum and served as the 8th District counselor between 1995 and 2003.
Hulse graduated from Goldsboro High School in 1973, earned a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed law school in 1985 at Campbell University.
He practiced law with his father and his older brother, Bruce, until joining his present firm in 1990.
Hulse and his wife, Lee, have two daughters, Hailee, 14, and Lura, 12. They live in Goldsboro.