Janet Brooks Holmes

from South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law 2022

Kenneth Berger

Janet Holmes considers herself a passionate advocate for her clients, a characteristic that makes her a successful lawyer, and after 30 years in practice, she most enjoys mentoring new lawyers.

“I feel privileged to have been selected by the South Carolina Supreme Court as one of the two Mentors of the Year in 2020,” she said.

Lauren Trask, now an associate attorney at Collins & Lacy, recalls how she benefi ted from Homes’ mentorship.

“She would not only help me work through the angles of any issues, but she also helped ease concerns by explaining situations that she had experienced and by leaning on her years of practice for reference,” Trask said.

Holmes, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clemson University and earned her law degree at the University of South Carolina, practices in all areas of civil litigation at the McKay Firm in Columbia where she is a partner.

She credits her father with sparking her interest in pursuing a career in law.

“When I was three years old, my father told me I could argue with the wall, and he’s never reversed his opinion,” she said. “My father strongly encouraged me to apply to law school and become a lawyer.”

When Holmes was a teenager, she read "Rage of Angels," a novel by Sidney Sheldon. To this day, it remains one of her favorite stories about lawyers. One TV series stands out too.

“While I haven’t watched many shows or movies that genuinely portray an attorney’s life, I do like the attorneys on the 'Law and Order' series and its spinoff s,” she said.

In 1995, Holmes was crowned Mrs. South Carolina and recently served on the Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization board of directors. She describes early career aspirations with stars in her eyes and is glad she took the pathway to a career in law.

“I always wanted to be a movie star,” she said. “But since that was not going to happen, I think I’m right where I should be.”

Partner, The McKay Firm, Columbia