NCLW Leaders in the Law: Thomas E. Terrell Jr., Partner Fox Rothschild 

Thomas E. Terrell Jr., Partner Fox Rothschild 

Greensboro 

With his focus on local government law and litigation, Tom Terrell has helped clients successfully navigate land use, zoning, and environmental matters in more than 350 counties and municipalities across three states.

“As a cub lawyer, I was politically active some of these cases came to me, and my practice grew from there,” he says.

Terrell earned both his bachelor’s and law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Recently, Terrell played a key role in the rezoning of the approximately 2,000-acre megasite in Randolph County, where Toyota is constructing its lithium battery plant.

Growing up: I spent my school days in High Point while growing up and spent the weekends and summers working on our family farm near town.

Biggest personal accomplishment: When my time here is done, I want the person doing my eulogy to point to my kind, generous, loving, and hard-working sons as my greatest personal accomplishments.

First job: I did farm chores from elementary school through college – everything from fencing, to barn construction, to pregnancy-testing cows. I learned that you work when work needs to be done and you do it without whining or complaint.

Biggest career challenge: Most governmental practices gravitate to Capital cities, but I was able to develop my huge practice footprint from a small firm in High Point and then my firm in Greensboro, neither of which gave me much support for business development. And I did it at a time when land use was a “backyard” practice.

Advice for aspiring attorneys:  Don’t apply to law school just because you can’t think of anything else to do.

Work-life balance: I’m not the best person to ask this question, but I do have many farm animals (donkeys, guineas, and chickens), and when I’m around them I become very relaxed and happy.

Childhood goal: I remember declaring in kindergarten that I wanted to be a fire chief. But I started thinking about law and politics even in elementary school.

Favorite vacation destination: Damariscotta, Maine.

A month off: I’d spend time with family, fishing, and doing things on our farm.

You didn’t know: I discovered and published the earliest poetry known to have been written in the Colonial South outside of Virginia (1698) and I was one of the original three members of the Clef Hangers, UNC-CH’s premier men’s a cappella group. (“Premier” is an adjective earned years later).