Poyner Spruill LLP is pleased to announce that Chad Essick has assumed the role of Managing Partner, effective April 1, 2026. In this role, Essick will focus on continuing to provide a high level of client service, implementing the firm’s strategic plan, supporting the firm’s attorneys and staff, and guiding Poyner Spruill with a thoughtful, forward-looking approach grounded in the firm’s culture and values.
Essick has been at Poyner Spruill for more than twenty-five years. He began working in the firm’s messenger center as a college student and went on to build a distinguished legal career representing clients in all aspects of real estate acquisition and development, with a primary focus on land use, zoning, and entitlements. Essick has received numerous accolades for his legal practice, notably being named a Leader in the Law by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly in 2025 and receiving recognition in the Best Lawyers in America® and Chambers USA publications as a leading attorney for zoning and land use matters.
Essick succeeds Dan Cahill as a part of a planned transition.
