SMITHFIELD – On February 9, 2023, the North Carolina State Bar re-certified John P. “Jack” O’Hale as a Specialist in Criminal Law (State and Federal). Mr. O’Hale has held a Criminal Law Specialist certification from the North Carolina State Bar since November 19, 1992. He is only one of four North Carolina lawyers who have held this important distinction for more than 30 years.
Mr. O’Hale was licensed to practice law in North Carolina in September of 1975 and he is admitted to practice before all North Carolina Courts, the United States Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of North Carolina.
Jack O’Hale served as Chairman of the Criminal Justice Section in 2003 and 2004 and in 2020 he received the Wade Smith Award from the North Carolina Bar Association. According to the North Carolina Bar Association, the Wade Smith Award is given annually to the criminal defense attorney who exemplifies the “highest ideals of the profession”.
Jack was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2007. The College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada, and Fellows are chosen by invitation only after a thorough vetting process. Membership in the College is limited to one 1% of the total lawyer population of the State in which the lawyer practices.
Since 1995, Jack has been recognized as one of the best lawyers in America and he has been routinely recognized by North Carolina Business Magazine as one of North Carolina’s Legal Elite for criminal defense. Since 2016, Jack has been nationally ranked by the National Academy of Criminal Defense lawyers.
Mr O’Hale was graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC School of Law. He served on the Board of Directors for both the UNC Law Alumni Association and the UNC Law Foundation. He also served three terms on the UNC Board of Visitors. Mr O’Hale was a member of the Johnston County Board of Education from 2000-2008.
You’re like the Energizer Bunny. No one does it like you.
Huge Congratulations!!
JB and Veronica Weaver
congratulations Jack, it was a pleasure to talk to you at the courthouse the other day. Glad to see you are still taking care of business.
congratulations Jack!
Good neighbor, he and his family!