Personal and Education Background
Richard A. Schwartz received his B.A. from Duke University in 1975, and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978. In 1979, after spending time as Vice President and General Counsel for a jazz record company in New York, Mr. Schwartz returned to North Carolina, and joined Tharrington, Smith & Hargrove. In 1991, Mr. Schwartz opened his own law firm, devoted exclusively to the practice of education law. The law firm prides itself on its reputation for serving the education law needs of North Carolina school districts.
Mr. Schwartz has served several terms on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Council of School Attorneys, in addition to being past President. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Council of School Attorneys. Mr. Schwartz currently serves as Vice Chairman of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust and on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Partnership for Excellence. In addition, he is President of the Foundation Board for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT).
Mr. Schwartz is a frequent speaker at the district, state and national level on many different topics dealing with education law.
Mr. Schwartz has two children, Jonathan, who attends Duke University, and David, a Junior in high school.
- B.A., Duke University, 1975
- J.D., UNC-Chapel Hill, 1978
- Artists House, Inc., New York, N.Y., Vice-President and General Counsel, 1978-1979
- Tharrington, Smith & Hargrove, Attorneys At Law, Raleigh, N.C., 1979-1990, Partner (1982)
- Schwartz & Shaw, P.L.L.C., 1991-Present
(formerly Richard Schwartz & Associates)
Areas of Practice
Education Law
Legal Jurisdictions
Admitted to bar, 1978, North Carolina. Engaged in the practice of law for 26 years. Admitted to all levels of state courts, all Federal court jurisdictions in North Carolina, Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Professional Activities
Bar Association Memberships
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Education Law Committee
- Wake County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Annual Report on Developments in Education Law, Former Editor
North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
National Council of School Attorneys
- Board of Directors, 1995 to 1999
- Presenter
North Carolina Council of School Attorneys
- Board of Directors (several terms)
- Past President
Education Law Association
N.C. International Commission
North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT)
- President of the Foundation Board
- Co-Chairman of the Holocaust Endowment Fund
North Carolina Partnership for Excellence
North Carolina Council on the Holocaust