Paul Tharp

Paul Tharp Esq., is an associate attorney at Arnold & Smith PLLC and manages personal injury law and workers’ compensation matters while leading appellate and post-conviction work. He has spent two decades helping people injured, assaulted, or abused, along with families who lost loved ones. He has secured multiple multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and settlements. He also handles civil rights claims, wrongful arrest cases, serious motor vehicle injuries, appeals, and post-conviction proceedings throughout North Carolina state and federal courts with substantial courtroom experience.

Paul earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, with a minor in Philosophy. He passed the North Carolina and Florida bar examinations after law school. He is admitted before the US Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit, and all three federal district courts in North Carolina for appellate practice.

Paul has tried bench and jury cases in state, federal, and administrative courts across North Carolina. He has argued civil and criminal appeals before state and federal appellate courts, including matters reaching the US Supreme Court. He has also handled post-conviction petitions, Motions for Appropriate Relief, habeas corpus matters, and related proceedings. His injury work includes fatal crashes, serious motor vehicle collisions, excessive force claims, and wrongful arrest cases statewide.

Paul Tharp belongs to the North Carolina State Bar, North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Mecklenburg County Bar, and Gaston County Bar. He brings extensive trial and appellate experience to high-stakes injury and post-judgment matters. His work reflects a willingness to take difficult cases through trial or appeal when necessary. He continues to represent clients across North Carolina in injury, civil rights, appellate, and post-conviction matters statewide.

Law Office Affiliations

• Associate Attorney, Arnold & Smith, PLLC
• Member, North Carolina State Bar
• Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
• Member, Mecklenburg County Bar
• Member, Gaston County Bar

Licensed State

• North Carolina

Education

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of North Carolina at Wilmington
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)