Attorneys
Raleigh, North Carolina
| Senior Counsel | |
| phone | (919) 856-9494 |
| fax | (919) 856-9499 |
Prior to law school, Justice lake was a military Intelligence Staff officer In, the United States Army from 1956 - 1958. He earned his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 196O and became a partner in a privately held law firm in September of that year. He represented Wake, Harnett and Lee Counties in the N.C. Senate for two terms from 1976 through 1980. In 1979, the N.C. Centre for Public Policy Research ranked him among the ten most effective members of the N.C. Senate. Justice Lake was the Republican Party's nominee for governor in 1980 and served as the state's lead delegate to the Republican National Convention that year. He has served as Assistant and Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice, as Legislative Liaison for Governor Jim Martin and as a Special Superior Court Judge. He was appointed by the governor to the N.C Supreme Court in 1992, elected to a full term on the Court In 1994 and elected Chief Justice in 2000.
The firm's practice areas include complex business litigation, business formation and exit strategies, licensing and distribution, agribusiness, employment law, white collar criminal defense, trusts and estates and government representation. For more information, call (919) 856-9494 visit http://www.shanahanlawgroup.com
- Bar Admissions:
- North Carolina, 1960
- Education:
- Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston Salem, North Carolina,
1960
J.D. - National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada, 1987
- Wake Forest College, Wake Forest, North Carolina,
1955
B.S.
Major: History - Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, North Carolina, 1951
- Published Works:
- State's Civil Nuisance Anti-Pornography Law, Legislation, 1977-1980
- Public Utility Reform Laws, Legislation, 1977-1980
- Private School Law, Legislation, 1977-1980
- Criminal Justice Reform Law, Legislation, 1977-1980
- News & Observer Publishing Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, Reporter, 1955
- Representative Cases:
- State v. Garner, 417 S.E.2d 502 (N.C. 1992)
- State v. Gaines, 421 S.E.2d 569 (N.C. 1992)
- State ex rel. Utilities Com'n v. Public Staff-North Carolina Utilities Com'n, 424 S.E.2d 133 (N.C. 1993)
- Bailey et al v. State of N.C. Dept. of Revenue, Dept of Treasury, 348 N.C. 130 (1998)
- Stephenson et al v. Bartlett et al (Easley, Basnight, Black, Cooper), 355 N.C. 354 (2002)
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Assistant Adjutant, Personnel Officer, 525 Military Intelligence Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1957
- Member, Staff and Faculty, Teaching Military Intelligence Courses, United States Army Reserve School, Raleigh, 1960 - 1968
- Honors and Awards:
- Ranked one of the ten most effective senators in the General Assembly, Center for Public Policy Research, 1979
- Appointed by the Governor to the Supreme Court of North Carolina , 1992
- Elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court , 2000
- Eagle Scout
- NC Consumer Council Commendation
- Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree, Campbell University
- Herbert Harley Award, American Judicature Society
- Charles R. Jonas Award for Outstanding Service by Elected Official
- Order of the Long Leaf Pine
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Wake Forest University
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Wake Forest University School of Law
- Citation for Distinguished Public Service, N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry
- Distinguished Eagle Scout, National Eagle Scout Association
- The Jesse Helms Award for Courage, Wake County Republican Party
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Senate Judiciary II Committee
- Chairman
- Public Utilities and Energy Committee
- Chairman
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Wake County Bar Association
- Vice-Chair, Executive Committee
- Association of Interstate Commerce Practitioners
- North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Raleight Junior Chamber of Commerce
- Weswyn Club of Raleigh
- President
- Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
- Scabbard and Blade National Honorary Military Association
- York Rite Masonic Order
- Mason
- State Judicial Council
- Chairman
- Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism
- Chairman
- North Carolina Actual Innocence Commission
- Founder and Chairman
- National Conference of Chief Justices
- Board of Directors
- Wake Forest University
- Board of Visitors of the School of Law
- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Board of Visitors
- Boy Scouts of America
- Advisory Board, Occoneechee Council
- Ridge Road Baptist Church, Raleigh
- Member, Past Chairman, Board of Trustees
- Past Employment Positions:
- Supreme Court, Chief Justice, 2001 - 2006
- Supreme Court, Associate Justice, 1995 - 2000
- Supreme Court, Associate Justice, 1992 - 1993
- Superior Court, Judge, 1985 - 1990
- Office of the Governor, Governor's Legislative Liaison, 1985
- Department of Justice, Assistant and Deputy Attorney General, 1969 - 1976
- Lake & Nelson, Law Partner, 1976 - 1985
- Boyce, Lake & Burns, Law Partner, 1965 - 1969
- Lake, Boyce & Lake, Law Partner, 1960 - 1965
- North Carolina Senate, Member, 1976 - 1980
- United States Army, Military Intelligence Staff Officer, 1956 - 1958
- U.S. Army Reserve, 1958 - 1968
- N.C. State Militia, State Staff Judge Advocate, 1989 - 1992
- Fraternities/Sororities:
- Lambda Chi Alpha
- Phi Alpha Delta
