When William Edgar “Willie” Greene walked into a barbershop in the 1950s and asked for a flat top, the barber’s response was blunt: “We don’t do that cut.” Greene found another barber. For the next seven decades, that distinctive haircut never changed, earning him the nickname “The Flat-Top Attorney” across Western North Carolina’s courthouses. Greene’s real legacy wasn’t his haircut but five decades of service to his clients and community, built on creative problem-solving and meticulous preparation.
That legacy will now inspire future generations of lawyers through the William Edgar Greene Law Scholarship, a $1 million endowment at UNC School of Law. The gift comes from Greene’s daughter, who recently married and became Diana McGee ’87 (B.A.). The scholarship’s origin traces back to McGee’s late husband, Scott Corbett, and a conversation during his final week of life.
“His last request was to fund Carolina Law with a large donation,” McGee recalls. “This was totally unexpected by me.” Corbett wanted to honor Greene, a double Tar Heel who earned his bachelor’s in 1949 and law degree in 1951, with a gift to the institution that prepared him for his incredible career.
After Corbett’s death, McGee spent eight years in legal proceedings to make that vision real. “One of the most important reasons why I filed the caveat was to ensure that Scott’s charitable wishes would be honored; otherwise, his wishes most likely would not have been honored,” said McGee. The Brooks Pierce legal team that fought alongside her reflected Carolina at every turn. James C. Adams II and Thomas Varnum both earned undergraduate degrees, while Ryan Fairchild ’14, Daniel Colston ’17, and Adam Tarleton ’07 all earned their law degrees from Carolina Law, making it, as McGee says, “a Carolina team accomplishment.”
Commitment to Country, Community, and Clients
The man they fought to honor began his life in service. Greene flew 35 missions over the Pacific Ocean as a B-29 gunner during World War II. On one of those missions, at just 19 years old, he kicked a stuck bomb out of the aircraft. Years later, someone asked if he was ever scared. His response captured his characteristic dry wit: “Not on the way back.”
That steady courage followed him into civilian life. After marrying his sweetheart Nancy and earning his law degree, Greene moved to Asheville in 1952. As his son Eddie noted at Greene’s 100th birthday celebration, this was “way, way before the city was easy to get to.” Greene built his practice from scratch in construction and insurance law, and while most attorneys might expect clients from mountain communities to struggle with legal fees, Greene saw opportunity. “Dad really kept his clients’ financial interests at the forefront,” said McGee. “If a client could not pay for legal fees, he would often barter for them. A new sidewalk here, two Wolf Laurel lots there, and a lot in between.”
Greene approached every client with tireless dedication. His command of the law — grounded in meticulous research and an uncanny ability to read a courtroom — often left judges and opposing counsel both impressed and unsettled. He understood juries, he understood people, and he never hesitated to guide his clients toward the path that best served them.
His commitment to learning was constant. At one point, he even became a local authority on maritime law. “In Western North Carolina?” said McGee, with a laugh. “Yes. As it turns out, any boating accidents on inland lakes fall under maritime law — and we have plenty of lakes for power generation.”
What ultimately made Greene a local legend was not just his legal skill, but his deep appreciation for the places and people he served. Community shaped his work, and in turn, his work strengthened the community he loved. He was well known around local courthouses for his holiday gifts of nuts and candies to bailiffs and court reporters. He served as president of the Asheville Jaycees and North Asheville Little League.
His most significant contribution came when he led the integration of Asheville restaurants without drama or violence as head of the Asheville Council on Race Relations. An 11:30 a.m. Tuesday lunch at Buck’s on Tunnel Road accomplished what protest and conflict might have otherwise required. It was quiet work that changed lives.
“Dad’s philosophy with each case was to research, research, research; dot every ‘i’, cross every ‘t’, practice, practice, practice. Then repeat,” said McGee.
Paying it Forward
That philosophy will now support students from the region Greene served. The scholarship will benefit those from or with meaningful ties to Western North Carolina. “Mom and Dad moved to Asheville. I grew up here and have a special place in my heart for this area,” said McGee. Now 100 years old, Greene has approved both the scholarship’s formal name, the William Edgar Greene Law Scholarship, and its informal moniker, Willie’s Flat-Top Scholarship.
McGee, along with her brothers Eddie and Freddy Greene, envisions the scholarship as the beginning of a larger legacy that may eventually include support for legal interns, additional scholarship support, and an endowed professorship. They hope the first recipients will gain more than tuition support; they’ll have the opportunity to step into Greene’s world where legal fees could be paid in sidewalks, where lakes meant maritime law applied, and where a Tuesday lunch could help integrate a city.
“This transformational gift will open doors for talented students from Western North Carolina for years to come,” says Interim Dean Andy Hessick. “Willie Greene’s service to his community throughout his career is exactly the kind of commitment we celebrate at Carolina Law. We’re honored that Diana McGee has chosen to honor her father in this meaningful way, and we’re grateful for her perseverance in bringing Scott Corbett’s vision to life.”
McGee hopes future recipients will know her father’s dedication to his work and community and carry that forward in their own practice. Most of all, she hopes they’ll experience what Greene did throughout his career: the joy of the work itself.
