Stephen Rawson is a partner in the firm’s Education Law Section. His practice is focused on litigation defense for boards of education, particularly in the areas of special education, personnel, bond forfeitures, and appeals. He also serves as general counsel for three county boards of education. Prior to joining Tharrington Smith in 2013, Steve served for one year as the Dean’s Fellow at Duke University School of Law, and for two years as a law clerk to Justice Robin Hudson on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Steve earned his undergraduate degree in physics with honors from Duke University in 2005. He taught 7th-grade science in Louisville, Kentucky for two years, during which time he also earned a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Louisville. Steve returned to Duke and earned his law degree with honors in 2010. He lives in Durham with his wife and two sons, Emerson and Lincoln. In his spare time, Steve enjoys golf, fishing, and homebrewing.
Duke University School of Law
- Juris Doctor 2010 with honors
- Chairman of the Moot Court Board
- Appellate Litigation Clinic
University of Louisville
- Masters in Education, 2007
Duke University
- BS in Physics 2005 with honors
- Dean’s Fellow at Duke University School of Law
- Law Clerk to Justice Robin Hudson on the North Carolina Supreme Court, 2011-2013
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina Bar Association, Education Law Section Member
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Eastern District of North Carolina
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Middle District of North Carolina
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Western District of North Carolina
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United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
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United States Supreme Court
- Wake County Bar Association
- 10th Judicial District Bar
- Troubleshooting Contracts for Cloud-Based Products and Services, Education Law, the newsletter of the North Carolina Bar Association Education Law Section, November 2015
- State v. Daniels, No. 15-1085, NC Court of Appeals (March 15, 2016)
- Faires, et al v. State Board of Elections, et al., No. 84A16, NC Supreme Court (May 6, 2016)
- State v. Navarro, No. 15-1065, NC Court of Appeals (June 7, 2016)
- Vlasaty v. Wake County Board of Education et al, E.D.N.C (September 20, 2018)
- A.H. v. Craven County Board of Education, E.D.N.C. (August 14, 2017)
- State v. Cash, No. 19-460, N.C. Court of Appeals (March 17, 2020)
- State v. Smith, No. 19-790, N.C. Court of Appeals (June 16, 2020) (amicus)
- K.I. v. Durham Public Schools Board of Education, 20-1834, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (December 5, 2022)
- Gilliam v. Bertie County Board of Education, 2:20-CV-16-D, Federal District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (unanimous jury verdict, December 13, 2022)
- D.W. v. Onslow County Board of Education, No. 22-770, N.C. Court of Appeals (April 18, 2023)
- State v. Stubbs, No. 22-802, N.C. Court of Appeals (May 2, 2023)
