Jackson A. Lanier’s path to the law began not in a classroom, but in a small town in rural North Carolina, where he was raised by a hardworking blue-collar family who taught him that service to others matters more than personal gain.
At thirteen, Jackson walked into his first Teen Court session—a peer-led diversionary program for young offenders—and found his calling. What started as curiosity became a decade-long commitment to juvenile justice. The experience showed him how the legal system could transform lives when wielded with empathy and purpose.
Jackson became the first in his family to attend college, earning admission to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, he worked alongside the UNC Football team, traveling the country and learning what it meant to be part of something larger than himself. As a student journalist, he told stories that mattered—stories that reached over 6 million viewers and listeners across North Carolina. His commitment to truth and clarity earned him the award of Stembler Scholar, the highest honor bestowed by UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
But journalism taught him something unexpected: he didn’t just want to report on injustice—he wanted to stand in the arena and fight it.
Jackson became the first in his family to attend law school, enrolling at North Carolina Central University School of Law. He was selected for Law Review and later elected Articles Editor, where he led a team reviewing submissions and shaping scholarly discourse. He authored three published legal articles on habeas corpus, trademark infringement, and juvenile plea bargains—each reflecting his belief that the law should be both intellectually rigorous and accessible to those it serves.
Even as his legal education intensified, Jackson never left Teen Court behind. He continued volunteering weekly, co-founded a campus organization supporting Teen Court programs across the state, and wrote a handbook that is now used by high school students throughout North Carolina to understand courtroom procedure and advocacy. His years of service earned him the North Carolina State Bar’s Pro Bono Student Award and Equal Justice Works’ Regional Public Interest Award.
After graduation, Jackson joined the Seventh Circuit Public Defender’s Office in Spartanburg, South Carolina. There, he managed a varying caseload of around 200 clients facing charges ranging from misdemeanors to violent felonies with mandatory minimums of 25 years. He stood beside people in their darkest moments, fought for their rights in bond hearings, plea hearings, and trials, and learned the weight that both defendants and their advocates carry.
Today, Jackson serves as an Assistant City Attorney and Prosecutor for the City of Myrtle Beach. In this role, he represents the people in Municipal Court, prosecuting ordinance violations and misdemeanors while working closely with the Myrtle Beach Police Department to ensure justice is balanced with compassion. He handles Quality of Life Court, Domestic Violence Court, and Homeless Court—specialized dockets that require not just legal acumen, but an understanding that every defendant is a person deserving of dignity.
From a thirteen-year-old volunteer in a rural small-town courtroom to a city prosecutor in a major coastal tourist hub advocating for the local community, Jackson’s career has been guided by a simple principle: the law exists to serve people, not the other way around. Whether defending the accused or prosecuting violations, his work is rooted in the belief that justice should educate, empower, and restore—never merely punish.