Eddie Speas

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on January 7, 2009 - 10:09am.
Tags:

Office District Status
General Counsel Statewide Appointee
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Democrat 2009
Level of Government  
Governor's Administration  
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
April 18, 1945 Elkin, NC Raleigh, NC

Synopsis

Eddie Speas is Gov. Beverly Perdue's general counsel. A longtime North Carolina attorney, Speas worked in the attorney general's office from 1971 to 2003. During that time he served as special deputy attorney general and head of the education section as well as head of the litigation and education division. From 1998 to 2003, he was chief deputy attorney general. In 2004, he joined Poyner & Spruill, becoming a partner at the firm. He was named Perdue's gubernatorial counsel in January of 2009. 

Trivia

His wife works in Washington, D.C.

Endorsements

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Debra
Children
son, Eddie; daughter, Cynthia

Eddie Speas is Gov. Beverly Perdue's general counsel and a former chief deputy attorney general for North Carolina.

Early Life and Education

Edwin M. Speas Jr. was born April 18, 1945, in Elkin, N.C., to Edwin Sr. and Mary Kelly Speas. His father ran a hardware store and served on the local school board; his mother was a school teacher.

He grew up in Boonville, N.C., 30 miles west of Winston-Salem.

He graduated from Boonville High School in 1963. 

He earned a bachelor of arts in history from Wake Forest College (now University) in 1967. 

He earned a law degree there in 1971.

Professional Career 

During law school, Speas interned at the state attorney general's office.

After passing the bar exam in 1971, he went to work there on criminal appeals, but soon came to work on educational issues. 

He served under attorneys general Robert Morgan, James H. Carson Jr., Rufus Edmisten, Lacy Thornburg, Mike Easley and Roy Cooper.

From 1975 to 1990, he was special deputy attorney general and head of the education section, handling legal matters regarding the state Board of Education and the UNC system.

From 1990 to 1998, he was senior deputy attorney general and head of the special litigation/education division, which was created by Attorney General Thornburg to handle complex litigation that would otherwise require hiring outside counsel.

In that role, he represented the state on a Congressional redistricting case, a series of cases dealing with the taxes on state pensions and a cap on the number of prison inmates.  

From 1998 to 2003, he was chief deputy attorney general, supervising the 250 attorneys who represent state agencies.

In 2004, he retired from state government and joined Poyner & Spruill as a partner at the firm. He focused on helping clients with government-related issues.

In 2006, then Speaker Jim Black's attorneys hired him to argue that it was not illegal to sign over blank checks to another politician. 

In 2007, Governor Easley appointed him to a four-year term on the N.C. Education Lottery Commission. He resigned in 2009.

In 2008, N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker appointed him to the State Judicial Council, a group which works on issues facing the judiciary. He resigned in 2009.

Perdue Administration 

He was named Perdue's general counsel in January of 2009.

In that role, he will work on a daily basis with the governor and her staff to resolve legal issues. 

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith and Jane Stancill. 

Occupation

Attorney





Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info



Education

bachelor of arts
Wake Forest University
Graduated: 1967		 juris doctorate
Wake Forest University
Graduated: 1971

Military

Not specified.

Links










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