Board Certified Specialist – Criminal Lawyer

The North Carolina State Bar’s Board of Legal Certification has re-certified Damon Chetson as a specialist in state and federal criminal law after a thorough review of his application for recertification and upon recommendation of the speciality committee. Mr. Chetson’s certification status will continue for a five-year period. Mr. Chetson was first certified in 2016 and now will be certified until 2026.

Board Certification, as the Bar says, is an “indication that the lawyer has intentionally focused his or her legal practice to improve the proficiency and quality of the lawyer’s legal services and to stay current in the specialty field.”

The minimum requirements are at least 25 percent or more of the lawyer’s practice time devoted to the specialty, confirmation of the lawyer’s ability by peers, and passage of a 6 hour exam in the field.

“I am honored to have been recertified as a specialist in state and federal criminal defense,” said Mr. Chetson from his office in Raleigh.

Since 2019, Mr. Chetson has had the following positive trial results (not including the favorable pleas he has worked out):

1. (1) Secured (with co-counsel) a life sentence in Wake County where the state sought the death penalty in a triple homicide (2019)
2. (2) Hung a federal jury (in Elizabeth City) in a firearm by felon case (2019)
3. (3) Secured the only victory in a the largest federal RICO prosecution in U.S. history (in Charlotte) (2019)
4. (4) Hung a Wake County Jury (with co-counsel) in a Wake County first degree murder case with 10 jurors voting “not guilty” (2019)
5. (5) Won multiple gun counts in a federal trial in New Bern, North Carolina in (2020)
6. (6) Had a client found guilty after rejecting a favorable plea offer in a Second Degree murder (2021)
7. (7) Won a 924(c) gun count (in Elizabeth City) in a guns and drug case (2021)
8. (8) Won a first degree murder and felon-in-possession of a firearm in Johnston County (2021)