James Holshouser

Jim E. Holshouser, Jr. practices with the firm’s Financial Services and Economic Development group in Raleigh and co-chairs the Public Policy & Government Affairs group for North Carolina.  He served as governor of North Carolina from 1973 to 1977 after four terms in the General Assembly, where he was vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and House Rules Committee.

He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Real Estate Section and was appointed by the chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court to serve on the Judicial Response Committee. He has also served as a special advisor to the Research Triangle Regional Partnership Board of Directors.

As the state’s chief executive, Mr. Holshouser sat on the executive committee of the National Governors Conference and chaired the Southern Growth Policies Board. He also served on the Study Commission on Reorganization of State Government and the Legislative Study Commission on Student Financial Aid.

Active in higher education, Mr. Holshouser is member emeritus of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. As a board member, he chaired both the Personnel Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee, and led the UNC Presidential Search Committee in 1996-1997.

He has served on the Board of Trustees of Davidson College and the Board of Advisors for Lees McRae College; chaired the Board of Trustees of St. Andrews Presbyterian College; and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the new law school at Elon University.

Mr. Holshouser has been named Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Davidson College, Appalachian State University, Elon University, UNC Wilmington and St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

Additionally, Mr. Holshouser has a broad interest in health care issues.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the United Network for Organ Sharing, which the federal government designated to oversee and establish rules for the distribution of organs for transplants in the United States; chaired the Board of the Matter of Life Consortium, Inc., which seeks to increase statewide education and involvement in organ and tissue transplantation; and is honorary chairman of the National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina.

Other honors and activities include national winner of the Jaycee Freedom Guard Award for participation in civic, religious, and governmental activities; Advisory Board for the Study of the American South; North Carolina Political Review Advisory Board; North Carolina Community Foundation; DonorsChoose Board; North Carolina Center for Advancement of Teaching Foundation Board; chairman of the Steering Committee for Eisenhower Fellowships; Institute of Government Foundation; Jim Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership; North Carolina Community Development Initiative, Inc.; NCLM Local Leadership Foundation; Southern Regional Literacy Commission; and Governor’s Commission on Literacy.

• N.C. Supreme Court Judicial Response Committee
• Member Emeritus - University of North Carolina Board of Governors
• Advisory Board - Elon University Law School
• Honorary Chairman - National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina
• Vice Chairman - North Carolina Foundation for Advanced Health Programs, Inc.
• Special Advisory - Research Triangle Regional Partnership Board of Directors
• Former Governor of North Carolina (1973-1977)
• Former Executive Committee of the National Governors Conference
• Former Chair of the Southern Growth Policies Board
• Former Vice Chairman of N.C. House Judiciary Committee & House Rules Committee

• "State Bar Honors Cunningham, Holshouser"
  On April 3rd, The Pilot featured an article entitled "State Bar Honors Cunningham, Holshouser." Jim Holshosuer is a former North Carolina Governor and Of Counsel for Nexsen Pruet.
• Governor Holshouser Scholarship Awarded
  Nexsen Pruet congratulates Josh Hallingse, recipient of the 2011 Governor James E. Holshouser Professional Development Scholarship.
• Meida Outlets Publish Article about Dell Incentives Written by Holshouser and Pearson
  Nexsen Pruet attorneys Jim Holshouser and Ernie Pearson co-authored the article entitled "How the Dell Incentives Worked."
• Former Governor and Assistant Commerce Secretary To Lead Public Policy & Government Affairs Practice
  Nexsen Pruet is pleased to announce the expansion of its Public Policy & Government Affairs Practice into North Carolina. The practice will be led by former Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. and Ernest Pearson.
• "Nexsen Pruet signs lease with Highwoods, looks to hire"
  The Triangle Business Journal reports on Nexsen Pruet's upcoming move in Raleigh.
• Governor Holshouser Scholarship Awarded
  The North Carolina Economic Developers Association has awarded the 2010 Governor James E. Holshouser Professional Development Scholarship.
• "Multi-County Economic Partnership Dream Comes to Fruition at Triangle North"
  Southern Business and Development's 2010 Small Town South Edition features an article written by Nexsen Pruet attorney Ernie Pearson entitled "Multi-County Economic Partnership Dream Comes to Fruition at Triangle North."
• Nexsen Pruet: Only Law Firm Listed for North and South Carolina in "Trade Allies" Directory
  The new edition of Southern Business & Development magazine features the "1st Annual Trade Allies Directory." Nexsen Pruet is the only law firm listed in both North and South Carolina.
• "Altman Weil: Law firm mergers jump 33%"
  The Triangle Business Journal reports that the "marriage of Cary’s Sanford Holshouser and Columbia, S.C.-based Nexsen Pruet" is one of many deals that has led to a significant jump in law firm mergers during the first quarter of 2009.
• "Tar Heel law firm joining S.C. firm"
  The January 5th, 2009 edition of the Raleigh News and Observer reports on Nexsen Pruet's new North Carolina office in an article called "Tar Heel law firm joining S.C. firm."
• Nexsen Pruet Opens Raleigh Office; Ernie Pearson & Former Governor Holshouser Join Firm
  Nexsen Pruet today announced the opening of a Raleigh office that will include Ernie Pearson, former Assistant Secretary of Economic Development for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and former Governor Jim Holshouser.

• How the Dell Incentives Worked
  Dell Inc. shut down production at its Forsyth County, N.C. facility.... An unexpected increase in orders kept the facility open for ten months longer than the computer company expected in October of 2009 when it announced that the Winston-Salem plant would close. Following the announcement, a debate emerged over the value of economic development incentives.
• Public Policy and Government Affairs Expansion
  The Public Policy and Government Affairs Practice Group was recently expanded to build upon our diverse and unique knowledge of government and how it works – and how it can work for you.