There were two fewer lawyers with active licenses in cities within Sharp County in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter, according to the Arkansas Judiciary.
In total, there were nine active legal licenses recorded in the county at the time, compared to 11 in the previous quarter.
The majority of these licenses were granted in Cherokee Village (5).
Data refers to all lawyers who were actively practicing during this time period. Lawyers in good standing do not have any complaints or disciplinary actions being taken against them.
Arkansas recorded one of the highest percentage increases in resident active attorneys nationwide from 2024 to 2025, with a growth of 11.75%, according to the ABA’s 2025 Profile of the Legal Profession. The number of resident active lawyers in the state rose from 6,808 in 2024 to 7,608 in 2025.
As of April 1, 2026, average lawyer salaries in Arkansas ranged from $90,401 for an entry-level attorney handling routine legal work (Attorney I) to $228,885 for highly experienced attorneys managing complex cases with significant autonomy (Attorney V). Mid-level attorneys, such as those in Attorney III roles—who handle highly complex legal work with moderate supervision—earn on average $169,432 in Arkansas, compared to $187,549 nationwide.
The United States has more than 1.3 million active lawyers, with employment projected to grow 4% between 2024 and 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Lawyer Name | Bar Number | Date of Admission |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Renee Clay-Thomas | 2022060 | 04/12/2022 |
| Donna L. Gurley | 2002034 | 04/17/2002 |
| James Michael Gift | 2021155 | 09/08/2021 |
| Jody Lee Shackelford | 2019037 | 04/09/2019 |
| Jon Richard Abele | 76151 | 08/27/1976 |
| Michelle Cushman Huff | 93105 | 08/26/1993 |
| Patrick M. O’Donnell | 2022267 | 10/20/2022 |
| Raymond Timothy Starken | 99003 | 01/06/1999 |
| Thomas William Langevin | 2016233 | 09/26/2016 |
Information in this article was obtained from the Arkansas Judiciary. The source data can be found here.
