Laura Neal Gibson ‘10 receives award for indigent defense training

RALEIGH - Campbell Law School alumna Laura Neal Gibson '10 is the recipient of the 2026 Professor John Rubin "Ruby" Award for Extraordinary Contributions to Indigent Defense Training Programs.

Gibson, who practices in Washington, North Carolina, was given the award by Phil Dixon and John Rubin at the 2026 Spring Public Defender Conference held in May in Cherokee, N.C. The Office of Indigent Defense Services (IDS) hosts the annual conference which includes an awards ceremony honoring public defenders across the state.

The Commission on Indigent Defense Services voted unanimously to recognize Gibson with this honor at its February 2026 meeting, according to the IDS website.

Gibson currently serves as Chief Public Defender for District 2 serving Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington counties. Her main areas of practice are criminal defense, criminal law and white collar crime, according to Martindale.com.

Gibson is also the newly elected vice president of the North Carolina Association of Public Defenders (NCAPD).

Gibson earned her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL

Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation's top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation's best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts nearly 5,000 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2026, Campbell Law is celebrating 50 years of graduating legal leaders and 17 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina's Capital City.

Contributors