This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Read our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chad Essick was named managing partner of Poyner Spruill on April 1, 2026. He succeeded Dan Cahill, who remains with the firm as a litigator and assistant general counsel. Essick began working in the firm\u2019s messenger center as a college student 25 years ago. He joined the firm after graduating from Campbell University School of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-161571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161571\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
CE:<\/strong> It\u2019s focused on intentional and purposeful growth across our practice areas. It\u2019s not growth for growth\u2019s sake. We have a strong platform in North Carolina, and while we regularly represent clients with interests and operations beyond the state, we don\u2019t necessarily see the need to expand our office footprint outside of North Carolina. Our focus is on continuing to grow strategically, invest in our people, and provide exceptional service to our clients.<\/p>\n We are also embracing the advancements of AI and technology. It\u2019s evolving so rapidly, and we want to make sure our attorneys have the tools they need to serve clients in the most effective and efficient ways possible.<\/p>\n AALM:<\/strong> What are Poyner Spruill\u2019s biggest practice areas you are looking to grow?<\/p>\n CE:<\/strong> I think we have some of the best financial services and banking attorneys in the state on both the front-end lending side and the back-end creditor\u2019s rights portion. Our litigation group, including our construction law team, is thriving and handling matters of significant importance across the state.<\/p>\n My area of land use, zoning, and real estate development certainly has growth opportunities given all the development and investment happening in our region and the state overall.<\/p>\n Another area for our continued expansion is our representation of local governments, educational institutions, and healthcare practices. Our employment lawyers are working around the country handling employment litigation and employee benefit matters, and I certainly see us expanding in that practice area as well as our corporate group that includes our tax and trust and estates practice.<\/p>\n AALM:<\/strong> Do you anticipate adding more attorneys?<\/p>\n CE:<\/strong> In 2025, we added 11 new attorneys. We\u2019ve added six in the first half of this year, and several additional opportunities that I think will happen before the end of the year. Our growth spans the full spectrum from our robust summer associate program to associate- and partner-level lateral hires that make sense in the areas that we\u2019re looking to grow.<\/p>\n AALM:<\/strong> What are the firm\u2019s values and what is the culture you want to continue?<\/p>\n CE:<\/strong> Our people and our culture are our greatest strengths. It\u2019s what allows us to recruit and retain really good lawyers that stay here a long time. We have attorneys and staff that have been here 20, 30, 40, even 50 years. We try to value people holistically, not just as attorneys or legal professionals. We want people to have successful careers here, but we also want them to have time for their families and interests outside of work. We want to be engaged members of the communities we serve. We don\u2019t want growth to dilute the intentional culture we have built.<\/p>\n AALM:<\/strong> How would you describe your leadership style?<\/p>\n CE:<\/strong> My goal is to empower folks to run their practices the way they see fit and treat them as professionals.<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to think I\u2019m good at being an active listener and responding very quickly to folks who need help or have concerns. And secondly, leading by example, and not asking anyone to do anything that you\u2019re not willing to do yourself. One of the things I think our firm members value the most is communication. People want to know what\u2019s going on. They want transparency. I aim to continue to communicate effectively and frequently with folks within the firm and with our clients.<\/p>\n The post Chad Essick Charts Course for Poyner Spruill as New Managing Partner<\/a> appeared first on Attorney at Law Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/attorneyatlawmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/black%400.5x.png?w=1080&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n