Paul A Suhr

Personal: Born in Korea as son of its national poet (January 20, 1940) and came to the United States in January of 1966. Residing in North Carolina ever since. Naturalized citizen of the USA.

Education: BA in English from Campbell College (1969), MA in English from UNC-Greensboro (1972), MS in Library Science from UNC-Chapel Hill (1975), and JD from NCCU Law School (1988)

Careers: Writer and poet, 1958-1973; professional librarian, 1975-1985; lawyer, 1989-current

Practice: Practiced in criminal law in District and Superior Courts of Wake County over 20 years (except for capital cases). Practiced also in federal courts. Practiced in immigration law. Admitted to practice in the US. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Tried numerous jury trials in Federal and State Superior Courts. Memorable acquittals and hung juries include State v. Montgomery. Tried numerous District Court cases. Admitted to practice, April, 1989.

Integrity: Successfully led a pardon petition (pro bono) for Chong Sun France and won her freedom in 1989. A single mom whose child, left alone at home, died suffocated under a toppled TV in freak accident. She was convicted of murder and was serving a 20 year sentence. Won a number of asylum and cancellation of removal cases in the Immigration Court and Board of Immigration Appeals--a Congolese girl whose hands were permanently maimed by military thugs who stomped on her hands trying to reach the mother forcibly raped in front of her; a Honduran lesbian married to a policeman who constantly abused her, beating her and kicking her belly causing a miscarriage; Salvadoran boy and girl physically abused by their maternal uncle, a Kenyan accountant who has been residing in the States over twenty five years with two very bright children and a sick wife, a Mexican construction worker with four children with superb academic records, a Honduran widow with three children married to a community watch leader murdered by gangs, a Honduran policeman who protested corruption and persecuted therefor.... Son of an internationally acclaimed national poet of Korea. Wrote a reflection of the poet's life in the 2015 issue of Azalea published by Harvard University. Wrote and published poetry and short fiction. Created and ran the longest running public service program (for 21 years) for the local bar, Lunch with a Lawyer, matching lawyers, judges and prosecutors with assigned-at-risk youths during the summer months, which won awards from City of Raleigh, State of North Carolina and from local and state bars. Won a medal and award from President of Republic of Korea in 1989.