legal experience

Jack Nichols has been licensed as an attorney since August 1977. He has focused his legal career on administrative law, civil litigation and representing nonprofits. He worked in State Government from 1978 until 1985 and served as legal counsel to the Secretaries of Human Resources and Administration; he also served as Deputy Legislative Liaison to Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. Since entering private practice in 1985, he has represented clients before numerous regulatory bodies, in addition to representing different occupational licensing boards over the last 40 years. 

He has tried over 100 hearings in the Office of Administrative Hearings, including one of the first cases filed in 1987. He has litigated cases including licensure and unjust dismissal, sexual harassment, EEOC claims, retaliation and whistleblower cases on behalf of both public and private employees and employers. Nichols previously served as General Counsel for eleven licensing boards, including N.C. Board of Nursing, N.C. Board of Barbers and Electrolysis Examiners, N.C. Social Work Certification and Licensure Board, N.C. Board of Funeral Services, N.C. State Board of Architecture, N.C. Board of Opticians, and N.C. Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

Nichols has also represented clients before the N.C. Utilities Commission; N.C. Banking Commission, N.C. Industrial Commission and the following Occupational Licensing Boards: N.C. Dental Board; N.C. Real Estate Licensing Commission; N.C. Board of Pharmacy; N.C. State Board of CPA Examiners; N.C. Board of Psychology; N.C. Board of Licensed Professional Counselors; N.C. Board of Massage and Bodywork; N.C. Board of Occupational Therapy; N.C. Board of Examiners for Engineers & Land Surveyors; N.C. Locksmith Licensing Board; and N.C. Board of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors. 

He was counsel of record in FTC v. N.C. Board of Dental Examiners and tried the eight-week case before the Administrative Law Judge, the FTC and the Fourth Circuit. He assisted in the case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued its decision in 574 U.S. 494 (2015). 

He is counsel of record in over 50 appellate cases and has made numerous CLE presentations. Previously, he taught Administrative Law and Constitutional Law at UNC Department of Political Science, and at Campbell Law School. He is presently an adjunct professor teaching North Carolina Administrative Law at Campbell Law School and High Point School of Law.

He has been listed as a “Super Lawyer” in North Carolina Super Lawyer from 2005 to the present. Jack has been one of ten listed in Best Lawyers in American for North Carolina in Administrative Law from 2003 to the present. His peers have recognized him with an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies that a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.