In 1828, Maverick traveled to Winchester, Virginia, to study law under Henry St. George Tucker, Sr. He became licensed to practice law in Virginia on March 26, 1829, and several weeks later he received his license to practice in South Carolina. He soon established a law practice in Pendleton. The following year he ran for a seat in the South Carolina legislature, advocating for a peaceful resolution to the tariff problem and against nullification. This was not a popular strategy, and Maverick placed 9th out of 13 candidates, gathering 1,628 votes.