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S O U T H C A R O L I N A L A W Y E R S W E E K LY I N ove m be r 21, 2022
JANE H. DOWNEY
JANET BROOKS HOLMES
PARTNER MOORE BRADLEY MYERS LAW FIRM COLUMBIA, S.C.
PARTNER THE MCKAY FIRM COLUMBIA, S.C.
As a bankruptcy attorney and partner at Moore Bradley Myers Law Firm in Columbia, Jane Downey appreciates the opportunity to make a positive difference in her clients’ lives. “It is important to me to be able to show my dedication to protecting and advocating for my clients’ rights,” she says. “Showing up and doing the day-today for them is what excites me.” Downey is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a specialist in bankruptcy and debtor/creditor law and as a certified as a mediator and arbitrator. She is also certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. She is a member of the board of directors for Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE), and recently shared National Credit Awareness Month tips about financial awareness and career planning for new graduates. Downey also volunteers with the South Carolina Bar’s Ask-a Lawyer Program. She is on the board of directors of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation and served as past chair of that organization’s Carolinas Network. Active in her community, Downey co-founded Open Streets Columbia, an initiative to temporarily close streets to vehicle traffic to give people the opportunity to use the streets for walking, bicycling, playing, and meeting neighbors. She has been awarded the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, which she considers her top professional accomplishment. “This rating is awarded to only lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability,” Downey says. “To know that only 10% of attorneys have achieved this prestigious honor, was incredible and humbling.” She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Furman University and earned her law degree from Emory University School of Law.
Over the course of her career, Janet Brooks Holmes has received numerous accolades and recognitions, including being named Miss South Carolina – United States in 1995. But of all her awards, she treasures her recognition as the 2020 G. Dewey Oxner, Jr., Mentor of the Year Award the most. The South Carolina Bar established the annual Mentor of the Year award in 2013 to recognize individuals who have performed exemplary service and demonstrated professional excellence as a mentor to a new lawyer participating in the Supreme Court’s Lawyer Mentoring Program. “Encouraging my mentee as she boldly faced the challenges that we’ve all encountered during our early years has been a rewarding experience,” Holmes says. “I am fortunate to have had this experience as a mentor and am excited to see what my mentee’s future holds.” With over 20 years of litigation experience, Holmes has tried cases in state and federal court and has argued before state and federal appellate courts. She practices in all areas of civil litigation, primarily defense. She is a partner at The McKay Firm in Columbia, S.C. A native of Greenville County, S.C. Holmes received her bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and went on to earn her law degree from the University of South Carolina. She is immediate past president of the Federal Bar Association’s South Carolina Chapter Holmes says her favorite aspect of her job is the variety of clients she represents. “I am passionate about building trust and advocating for the truth with my clients,” she says. “Knowing they feel safe and trust me is an honor.” When Holmes is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family. “I love sitting down and watching Clemson Football as a family or watching the kids play sports,” she says. “Having quality time with family is such a blessing to me.”
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