Stephen Cash

Steve, a partner at Searson, Jones, Gottschalk & Cash, is one of North Carolina’s leading trial attorneys. Through compassion, patience, and a thorough, intellectual and practical knowledge of the law and the legal system, he has consistently been able to provide an elite level of representation to businesses, individuals, and their families.

Over the course of his career Steve has practiced law in a wide variety of areas, including both blue collar and white collar criminal defense, civil rights, complex business litigation, and personal injury and wrongful death. Examples of cases he has successfully litigated through trial include first-degree murder, disputes within securities investment firms, public corruption, and tax evasion. As a result of these successful outcomes, Steve has been named as a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and has been recognized as a North Carolina Super Lawyer since 2013 in Business Litigation and Criminal Defense, and by Business North Carolina magazine as a Legal Elite in Criminal Law since 2016. He currently maintains Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent rating.

Steve considers service to our community to be a vital part of his profession. He has served on several boards of directors in the area, including the Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina and Buncombe County Partnership for Children. He has served on the board of the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of North Carolina, including as president. In addition, for many years Steve and his wife served as a foster home for shelters and animal welfare organizations across Western North Carolina.

Steve was born in Fletcher and raised in Fairview, just outside of Asheville. He comes from a family of legal professionals.  Upon graduation from law school in New Mexico, Steve practiced law in a respected civil rights defense firm in Albuquerque. After the birth of his first daughter, Steve and his wife made the easy decision to return to his hometown and settled down in the Asheville area to raise their family. Steve currently resides with his wife and two daughters on a small farm in Madison County.

Education

• University of North Carolina, B.A., 2003
• University of New Mexico, School of Law, J.D., 2008

Associations & Memberships

• New Mexico Bar Association
• North Carolina Bar Association
• North Carolina State Bar

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
• U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of North Carolina
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of North Carolina

Practices & Industries

• Criminal Defense
• Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
• Civil Rights
• Business Litigation

Honors

• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite:  Criminal Law, 2016-2017, 2022, 2024-2026
• North Carolina Super Lawyers®: Business Litigation, 2013; Criminal Defense, 2014-2026
• The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation, 2024-2026; White Collar Defense 2026
• Martindale Hubbell® AV Preeminent®
• Federal Bar Association - Western District of North Carolina, President 2025-2026