SALISBURY — When it comes to the law, it is all in the family for newly-sworn in attorney Avery Locklear.

Last week, Locklear was officially sworn in to the N.C. Bar Association by Rowan County Chief District Court Judge Charlie Brown in the Rowan County Superior Court, but she has been with the firm Ward and Smith in Wilmington for about two weeks already.

Locklear’s father is Landis attorney Rick Locklear, and her mother, Charlene, is a former chief probation/parole officer for Rowan County, so Avery and her older sister, Sara, spent a lot of time traveling between their parents’ offices, said Rick Locklear. Sara went on to become an assistant district attorney in Mecklenburg County.

A 2015 graduate of South Rowan High School, Avery had an outstanding high school career as a basketball player. She was selected player of the game time and time again during her high school career, and when she graduated, the team made it clear she would be missed. She obtained her undergraduate degree from UNC Pembroke in 2019. She then went on to get her Juris Doctorate from UNC Chapel Hill this past spring.

“My dad and Sara have always been my inspiration,” said Avery at the ceremony. “I’m excited for the future, and enjoying where I am,” she added. She is currently working in labor and employment law, and though several at the ceremony mentioned it would be nice for the family to come together at some point, Avery says she is happy in Wilmington.

“It’s an awesome thing, this family of lawyers,” said Brown. “The two of you (Avery and Sara) have achieved so much — I feel the pride I know your parents are feeling.”

Rick Locklear said his focus when his daughters were growing up was on “being a good father, and I think the most important thing I did was to listen.”

Brown said although Avery is not working in Rowan County, he was pleased she was able to be sworn in “here at home. It just seemed like the right thing.”