UNSUNG HEROES INSIDE: Celebrating the behind-the-scenes champions at South Carolina law firms
CONTENTS BRIANNA BOWLING................................ 11
SHELLY DZIADON ................................... 13
APRIL BRACCO ...................................... 11
FANNY HALL ........................................ 13
MICHAEL BURNEY.................................. 12
AMY KELLY ............................................ 13
EMILY COWAN........................................ 12
CHARLENE PIEPER ................................. 14
BRIAN DUFFY ...................................... 12
KATHRYN WESTURN .............................. 14
TOM DUKA ............................................. 12
SEAN WOLFF ......................................... 14
UNSUNG HEROES
BRIANNA BOWLING
PARALEGAL BOWMAN & BROOKE COLUMBIA, S.C.
Cool under pressure, Brianna Bowling has proven to be an indispensable member of Bowman & Brooke’s Columbia office. She began her career working in the civil division of the South Carolina attorney general’s office. Today, at Bowman & Brooke, Bowling enjoys having an opportunity to learn in a fast-paced environment. “This job always keeps me on my toes and has taught me how to adapt,” she says. “I also love having the opportunity to work with a variety of people, which has given me different perspectives on how to approach this job and has helped me grow as a paralegal.” From her first trial, Bowling has appreciated the support from attorneys and staff that has supported her growth. “I have several trials under my belt, and I have solidified my role as the trial paralegal in our Columbia office,” she says. “I feel I have absorbed knowledge, used my resources, and learned to grow and adapt in order to succeed.”
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APRIL BRACCO
PARALEGAL ANGELL MOLONY AIKEN, S.C.
April Bracco hails from Ohio and has made her home in Aiken, S.C. since 2007 where she is a paralegal at Angell Molony. She got her start in the legal profession as a judgment clerk with the Aiken County Clerk of Court before taking a job with Angell Molony seven years ago. She enjoys the fast-paced nature of her busy firm’s judgment collection and asset search divi-
sion. “I also love the personal interactions and relationships I have made with our real estate division,” she says. “I never know what’s about to come across my desk, which keeps things interesting.” Bracco says she is proud of the growth the firm has seen in recent years. “From just Kevin [Molony] and I crammed into a small office in Aiken to now having offices in Greenville and Columbia, our hard work and dedication to our clients has paid off and has been fun to be a part of,” she says.
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MICHAEL BURNEY
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING COLLINS & LACY COLUMBIA, S.C. For Mike Burney, the best days are when his firm acquires a new client, or when he is able to implement a new program or service. Burney, director of business development and marketing at Collins & Lacy, built his career on journalism, marketing and sales at local television stations in North and South Carolina. He gained corporate experience as the vice president of corporate affairs at Jefferson Pilot Financial, where he built a multimillion-dollar rebranding project and national ad campaign. Today, he’s found his home at Collins & Lacy, building audience and growing the client base. “I love that the firm accepted my idea to start a podcast,” he says. “‘The Legal Bench’ podcast now has over 60 published episodes.” He also enjoys playing a key role in the firm’s growth strategy and working with attorneys. “After years of working with smart, highly trained physicians, it has been a pleasure to work with highly intelligent attorneys,” he says. “I’m impressed with their laser focus on serving our clients.”
BRIAN DUFFY
FOUNDER AND SHAREHOLDER DUFFY & YOUNG CHARLESTON, S.C. Speaking with great admiration for his father, retired U.S. District Judge Michael Duffy, Brian Duffy says he was eager to follow him anywhere, including into the law. Today, Duffy is founder and shareholder at Duffy & Young, where he is a trial lawyer. The firm is nearly 17 years old. Duffy is also the founder of The Charleston Forum, a nonprofit organization that uses conversation to address issues of race and division. “The Charleston Forum has made and continues to make a difference in our community and beyond,” Duffy says. “I am proud of this effort because it has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone in the law, work with different members of the community and develop many meaningful relationships along the way.” Duffy enjoys helping people resolve important issues favorably. “This is a good as it gets as a lawyer,” he said. “As our firm has grown, I enjoy working with younger lawyers and finding opportunities for them.”
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EMILY COWAN
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT YARBOROUGH APPLEGATE CHARLESTON, S.C. Emily Cowan’s superpower is helping keep the Charleston Law Firm of Yarborough Applegate running smoothly. For Cowan, it’s a labor of love. She was attracted to legal work for the opportunity to help others, and in her job, she does that every day. “My favorite aspect of the job is the chance to support those in need,” she says. “Our law firm mainly helps clients who have suffered a loss or life-changing incident, and it is important to me to build meaningful connections with the clients and make them feel like a priority.” A graduate of UNC-Asheville with a degree in psychology, Cowan joined Yarborough Applegate in 2020 where she serves as executive assistant to four partners and coordinates various processes to ensure the firm stays organized and runs smoothly. In her role at the firm, Cowan lives by ‘empathy in action.’ “It’s about turning understanding into action and creating a positive impact in people’s lives,” she says.
TOM DUKA
FIRM ADMINISTRATOR GRAYBILL, LANSCHE & VINZANI COLUMBIA, S.C. Tom Duka long harbored the idea of going to law school but dismissed it after undergrad. Then, he was tempted by an opportunity to join a law firm as a messenger in 1986. That’s all it took took to continue down the path to a career at a law firm. Today, he is the firm administrator at Graybill, Lansche & Vinzani. “The workplace and atmosphere enticed me as the people in the profession are smart, driven and geared toward solving problems and helping people,” he says. “Those attributes are ones I admire and aspire to reflect, and now I’ve been part of this profession for most of the last 37 years.” He is known for his ability to juggle accounting and administrative functions and keep the firm running smoothly, always with a positive attitude. “I’ve been called the ‘chief cook and bottle washer’ and don’t disagree with that sentiment,” Duka says. “I enjoy automating and refining workflow processes and strive to provide prompt and accurate service to the firm.”
DECEMBER 2023
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UNSUNG HEROES
SHELLY DZIADON
FANNY HALL
SENIOR PARALEGAL CORDELL & CORDELL GREENVILLE, S.C.
PARALEGAL THE FLOYD LAW FIRM SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C.
Shelly Dziadon started her paralegal career in her hometown of Chicago, but law wasn’t her first choice. She wanted to be a nurse. “At that time, nursing classes were backlogged for several months,” she says. “It was important for me to be able to help people through hard times in their lives, so I switched my career focus and enrolled in a paralegal program.” Today, she is a senior paralegal in the Greenville office of Cordell & Cordell, a national family law practice with offices in 35 states. Dziadon’s favorite part of her job is helping clients in need of legal support alongside her co-workers, calling them an “awesome team.” At the end of the day, she feels successful when she has helped her clients resolve their cases. “I am proud that I am able to make even a small difference in the life of someone who may be going through one of their toughest situations,” she says.
For over 32 years, Fanny Hall has worked side by side with Dalton Floyd performing duties ranging from legal matters to academia. She is known for her sharp skills and many talents. She’s also popular with clients and is a diligent and motivated paralegal. Hall was 23 when she began her career at a different firm, but she harbored a desire to work for The Floyd Law Firm, which was right across the street from her home. “I submitted my resume, and the rest is history,” she says. Her job is all she imagined it to be. “From learning about our clients’ past experiences, helping protect their assets, and learning of all the people in the community, I find every aspect of this position interesting,” she says. Over the years, Hall has witnessed the firm’s growth and changes, and appreciates the many people she has met along the way. “I have developed many long trusting relationships with our clients,” she says. “Our clients are a top priority for me.”
AMY KELLY
PARALEGAL AND DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION SOWELL + DuRANT COLUMBIA, S.C. The leaders at Sowell + DuRant credit Amy Kelly as key to launching the firm in 2018. For Kelly, it was a labor of love. “I am proud of the fact that I’ve been able to find great people to work with over the years,” she says. “I have worked at Sowell + DuRant for over five years, helped Bess and Biff start the firm, and at a previous job, I worked with the same attorney
for over 16 years.” Kelly’s job as a paralegal and director of administration is a perfect fit for her skill set and interests, which include reading, writing, practicing teamwork and organizing. “The legal profession allows me to use these skills to enable the attorneys I work with help their clients solve disputes in which they may be involved,” she says. Kelly also enjoys using technology to enhance efficiency. “I like the fast pace that comes with litigation,” says. “Work is always different and never mundane.”
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CHARLENE PIEPER
FACILITIES COORDINATOR NELSON MULLINS RILEY & SCARBOROUGH COLUMBIA, S.C. Charlene Pieper is the go-to facilities coordinator at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, and the employee whose phone number others at her law firm are most likely to have on speed dial. Pieper’s main role is to help lawyers and staff throughout the firm’s 33 offices move in and out of their offices during renovations, expansions or lease changes. Pieper says her career was the result of a lucky happenstance when she lived in Alaska. “There was an opening at a law firm in Anchorage when I decided to get a job after being a stay-at-home mom,” she says. “It turned out to be the life path I was fortunate to find.” With support from the firm’s leaders, Pieper started an art lease program with colleges and high schools to lease student, faculty and alumni art to exhibit in the firm’s offices. “We get beautiful, original art in our offices, and the artists display their work in a professional environment,” she said. “It’s a winwin for everyone.”
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KATHRYN WESTURN
OFFICE MANAGER YARBOROUGH APPLEGATE LAW FIRM CHARLESTON, S.C. At Yarborough Applegate Law Firm, Kathryn Westurn is called “simply the best” in her role as office manager. She is known for her ability to do it all. She handles finances, human resources, IT, and the list goes on. She exceeds expectations every time. Westurn says she has been around law firms her whole life. Her father was an attorney in Columbia, and she recalls summer jobs working in his office. “I got a taste of how law firms worked while scanning documents all day long and sending out hundreds of creditors notices,” she says. “Even though these tasks were mundane, I learned that every job at a law firm is important and enables others to do their jobs.” Today, she loves her work because of her firm’s team environment and the people she works with every day. “I wear a lot of different hats and engage in diverse tasks on a daily basis, all while helping my colleagues and clients,” she says.
SEAN WOLFF
DIRECTOR OF IT AND OPERATIONS COLLINS & LACY COLUMBIA, S.C. Sean Wolff had just finished a round of information technology coursework and was studying to take the Cisco Certified Networking Associate exam when a family member asked him if he was interested in working at a law firm. “It seemed like a great opportunity, so I interviewed for the job and started as an office assistant, helping the firm’s IT contractor,” Wolff said. Today, he is director of IT and operations at Collins & Lacy and has worked in that role for 22 years. Known for his willingness to go beyond the call of duty, Wolff is always cheerful and willing to help. He has a reputation for treating everyone he encounters as a lifelong friend and measures success not by his own individual accomplishments but how he has helped his colleagues. Variety is Wolff’s favorite part of the job. “We have new challenges to solve every day, and no two days are the same,” he says.
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