After nearly 15 years, Mickey Thompson is no longer the solicitor for Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board. At their June 25 meeting, zoners replaced him by a unanimous vote. Erich Shock was selected as Thompson's successor, with Terry Faul serving as Shock's assistant.

Thompson is the chief operating officer at Pennsylvania Venture Capital, which is owned by controversial developer Abe Atiyeh. In the past several years, Thompson has been forced to recuse himself from matters involving Atiyeh or one of his competitors. In 2012, then DCED Director Joe Kelly publicly called on the Zoning Hearing Board to replace Thompson because his role as legal advisor might unfairly tarnish the board. The board resisted that move, though some members did feel it was time for a change.

Thompson is a 1999 graduate of the Syracuse University School of Law, and had a near perfect record on court appeals of board decisions.

He was absent from the June 25 meeting.

Shock, who was also absent, is a 1992 graduate of the George Mason University School of Law. He is a shareholder at Fitzpatrick, Lentz and Bubba and a former president of the Lehigh County Bar Association.

Shock's assistant, Terry Faul, was present and provided legal advice to the board during hearings. A partner in the King Spry firm, Faul is a 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.