Members of the Executive Board are entrusted by the Capital City Lawyers Association with the duty of conducting the business of the Association between meetings. The Executive Board has delegated authority in key areas of the Association’s work and to this extent members have a special responsibility to ensure that the necessary business of the Association is carried out efficiently, effectively, and in a manner appropriate for the proper conduct of public business.
2025-2028 Executive Board
President, Taylor Higgs (practicing as Taylor Scruggs-Smith). Originally from the DC Metro area, Taylor relocated to North Carolina in 2011 for school though she still has great pride for her hometown in Prince George’s County in Maryland. Taylor received her both her Juris Doctorate and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Campbell University in 2018 and 2015 respectively and has been practicing law since 2019. Taylor has been involved in CCLA since 2022, serving on the Event Planning Committee under President Ayeshinaye Smith. Taylor became president in 2024 and was elected to a second term in 2025.
In 2025, Taylor was awarded Wake County Bar Association’s Equity Champion Award.
Vice President, Aaliyah Russell. Aaliyah became involved in CCLA under President Taylor’s first term as a member of the Event Planning Committee. She gladly volunteered to be involved again in 2025. Aaliyah earned her Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law, where she completed the accelerated 2.5-year program. During law school, she studied abroad in South Africa with a focus on prisoners’ rights, gaining valuable insight into advocacy and justice on a global scale. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Treasurer & Parliamentarian. Manuel Colon. Manuel aka “Manny” became involved in CCLA under President Taylor’s first term. He served as Parliamentarian and then moved to include Treasurer in 2025. He graciously agreed to continue supporting CCLA as treasurer and parliamentarian in the next term.
Manny graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology in 2025, and then proceeded to obtain a Master’s in Trust & Wealth Management (2019) plus his J.D. (2022) from Campbell University.
Secretary, Enisha Smith. Enisha became involved in CCLA during President Taylor’s first term as part of the Event Planning Committee. The majority of our social media campaigns come from her work. Enisha completed her bachelor’s at North Carolina A&T State University in Criminal Justice. Enisha got her J.D. at North Carolina Central University School of Law. After completing her J.D., Enisha returned to North Carolina A&T State University to pursue a second Bachelor of Science degree, this time in Electrical Engineering.
Enisha enjoys staying active through workout activities and spending time outdoors hiking and walking trails. She also values quality time with family and enjoys traveling to experience new cultures.