NCSB Journal Spring 2026

THE DISCIPLINARY DEPARTMENT

Grievance Committee and DHC Actions

obligations, and failed to act with reasonable diligence while representing a client. Ralls was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland, OH, failed to communicate with his client, failed to prop erly supervise his nonlawyer assistant, failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s and intermediary organization’s conduct complied with his professional obli gations, and failed to act with reasonable diligence while representing a client. Ralls was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland, OH, failed to communicate with his client, failed to prop erly supervise his nonlawyer assistant, failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s and intermediary organization’s conduct complied with his professional obli gations, engaged in deceitful and dishonest conduct by threatening his client with an impermissible charging lien, and failed to act with reasonable diligence while repre senting a client. Ralls was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland OH, failed to communicate with his client, failed to prop erly supervise his nonlawyer assistant, failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s and intermediary organization’s conduct complied with his professional obli gations, engaged in deceitful and dishonest conduct by threatening his client with an impermissible charging lien, and failed to act with reasonable diligence while repre senting a client. Ralls was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland, OH, failed to communicate with his client, failed to prop erly supervise his non-lawyer assistant, failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s and intermediary organization’s conduct complied with his professional obli gations, and failed to act with reasonable diligence while representing a client. Ralls was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland, OH, failed to communicate with his client, failed to prop erly supervise his nonlawyer assistant, failed

NOTE: More than 32,500 people are licensed to practice law in North Carolina. Some share the same or similar names. All public orders of discipline are available on the State Bar’s website. Suspensions & Stayed Suspensions Anita B. Hunt of Durham did not prop erly maintain and disburse entrusted funds and handled entrusted funds in violation of an injunction. On December 19, 2025, the DHC entered a Consent Order of Discipline imposing a five-year suspension, stayed for five years upon compliance with conditions. Jason Davis of Cary pled guilty pursuant to North Carolina v. Alford in Wake County Superior Court to three counts of felony lar ceny of a firearm and one count of second degree arson. On November 7, 2025, the DHC entered a Consent Order of Discipline imposing a five-year suspension, stayed for five years upon compliance with conditions. Grievance Noncompliance Actions before the DHC Mary L. Rogers of Charlotte failed to comply with grievance investigations. On November 5, 2025, the DHC entered an order suspending her law license for non compliance. Jonathan Davis of Lumberton failed to comply with grievance investigations. On November 5, 2025, the DHC entered an order suspending his law license for non compliance. Johnathan Connor of Lumberton failed to comply with grievance investigations. On November 21, 2025, the DHC entered an order suspending his law license for non compliance. Grievance Review Panels One Grievance Review Panel was held this quarter. Censures R. Steve Monks of Raleigh failed to act with reasonable diligence, failed to commu

nicate with a client, engaged in conduct involving misrepresentation, continued to represent a client after a conflict of interest arose, and failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his paralegal’s conduct was compatible with his professional obligations. On January 5, 2026, the DHC entered a Consent Order of Discipline imposing a censure with conditions. Davis Whitfield-Cargile of Brevard knowingly disobeyed a court order, used means while representing a client that had no substantial purpose other than to embar rass a third person, and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. Whitfield-Cargile was censured by the Grievance Committee. Earnest N. Bailey of Hendersonville failed to provide competent representation, failed to act with reasonable diligence, inten tionally violated an established rule of proce dure or evidence, knowingly disobeyed an obligation under the rules of a tribunal, failed to make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation consistent with the interests of his client, and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. Bailey was cen sured by the Grievance Committee. Earnest N. Bailey of Hendersonville failed to provide competent representation, failed to act with reasonable diligence and prompt ness, made false or misleading communica tions concerning his services, failed to abide by his client’s decisions concerning the ob jectives of representation, did not communi cate with his clients, collected a clearly exces sive fee, failed to protect his client’s interests upon termination, failed to participate in the mandatory fee dispute resolution process, did not respond to the State Bar’s letters of notice, and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the ad ministration of justice. Bailey was censured by the Grievance Committee. Jason Ralls of Cleveland, OH, failed to properly supervise his nonlawyer assistant, failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s and an intermediary organiza tion’s conduct complied with his professional

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