In 1978, senior partner Joseph B. Cheshire V established the professional license defense section of the firm. The focus of the section began with defending attorneys before the North Carolina State Bar in grievance, disciplinary, and reinstatement proceedings.

Alan M. Schneider joined the section in 1990 and, in addition to expanding the section’s State Bar practice to include applicants to the North Carolina State Board of Law Examiners, he also broadened the practice to include the licensing defense of other professionals, such as doctors, nurses, chiropractors, accountants, realtors, and others.

The process of receiving and responding to a grievance is often a very traumatic experience for most attorneys as well as other licensed professionals. Not only is the professional's competence or integrity called into question, but sometimes, depending on the seriousness of the allegations, his or her very privilege to practice a particular vocation may be jeopardized. We take that very seriously and are committed to giving clients quality and individualized representation throughout the process.

In addition to primary defense work, the section is also routinely called upon to consult with and render advisory opinions to attorneys and other licensed professionals on a wide variety of ethics issues.

Assisting Joe and Alan in the professional license defense section are attorneys John Keating Wiles and Brad Bannon, paralegals Moira Bitzenhofer and Ben Spiker, and administrative assistant Noel Keck.