The fine print* summer 2016

SCHOOL OF LAW / UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / SUMMER 2016

the fine print*

LEADERSHIP IN LAW New alumnus-funded program provides opportunities for students to develop critical skills for advancing their legal careers.

Contents

SUMMER 2016 School of Law Dean / Robert M. Wilcox Director of Communications / Rob Schaller Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations / Michelle Thaxton Hardy Law Communications Office 701 Main Street, Suite 202 Columbia, SC 29208 Phone: 803-777-5611 Email: rschaller@sc.edu Editor in chief: Rob Schaller Contributing writers: Laura Kotti, Haley Sprankle, Rob Schaller the fine print* is the alumni magazine for the University of South Carolina School of Law. Stay connected: University Home Page: sc.edu School of Law Home Page: law.sc.edu School of Law Alumni and Development: giving.sc.edu/supportlaw Facebook: facebook.com/UofSCLaw Twitter: twitter.com/UofSCLaw LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/UofSCLaw Instagram: instagram.com/UofSCLaw Flickr: flickr.com/UofSCLaw University Magazine Group / University Creative Services Editor / Chris Horn Magazine Designer / Brandi Lariscy Avant Proofing Editor / Carolyn Parks Photographer / George Fulton, Keith McGraw, Rob Schaller Illustrator / Maria Fabrizio, ’08 BFA *Because every good lawyer should read the fine print.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetics, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The University of South Carolina has designated as the ADA Title II, Section 504 and Title IX coordinator the Executive Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity Programs. The Office of the Executive Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity Programs is located at 1600 Hampton Street, Suite 805, Columbia, SC; telephone 803-777-3854. UCS16093 6/16

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pg. 4 In this issue 4/

Engineering Equality A new study focuses on diversifying law school student bodies.

6/

Passing the Torch Children’s Law Center director Harry Davis retires after a 40-year career in child advocacy.

8 / ON THE COVER Leadership in Law New alumnus-funded program provides opportunities for students to develop critical skills for advancing their legal careers.

10 / Let There Be Light!

A preview of the law school’s light-filled new home.

12 / Q&A with Pamela Robinson 13 / Mark Your Calendars!

14 / Buying a Bride A closer look at the matrimonial practice that helped build the United States.

15 / Read & Repeat 17 / Alumni News But wait, there’s more!

Find additional content online at law.sc.edu/thefineprint

L

eadership lies at the very core of our mission as a law school. There are so many tangible examples of how the University of South Carolina School of Law is leading the way in word and deed. In past issues, we have highlighted the remarkable leadership records of our alumni in national professional

organizations. In this issue, we turn your attention especially to the leadership shown by our faculty, staff, and students.

One of our most exciting new student experiences is the Konduros Leadership Initiative Program, detailed in our cover story. The program, which began last fall, focuses on helping our students jumpstart their paths to leadership positions. It is

ROBERT M. WILCOX, DEAN Committed to Excellence

a unique offering designed especially for our students, and it will make a significant difference for those who participate. Soon we’ll have a network of Konduros Leader­ship alumni across the nation, poised and ready to do great things.

Our faculty continue to build upon our law school’s reputation as a thought leader in matters of law and policy. You’ll read about Prof. Eboni Nelson, who has recently received a grant to study aspects of the law school admissions process that could potentially blaze a trail for more women and minorities to enter the legal profession.

Then there is Prof. Marcia Yablon-Zug’s thought-provoking new book chronicling the history of mail-order brides and showing how the pioneering efforts of these women helped build America.

Speaking of pioneering women, we sat down with our own Pamela Robinson, named South Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s “2016 Lawyer of the Year,” to learn the origins of the groundbreaking Pro Bono Program she helped create, how she keeps the program fresh after so many years, and why she came to law school on a dare.

Just as Pam has led the Pro Bono Program to excellence for more than a quarter century, another of our alumni, Harry Davis, has guided the development of our Children’s Law Center into one of the state’s most important organizations serving the interests of children. In this issue we say goodbye to Harry, who retired in May after 12 years as director of the center, and we welcome Michelle Dhunjishah as his successor.

Michelle has a proven track record of helping South Carolina’s children, and we know she will continue to build upon the work begun under Harry’s remarkable leadership.

Finally, you’ll go behind the construction fence to see some recent photos that will help you visualize the progress and the impact of our new home. With less than a year until we move in, we couldn’t be more excited. Stay tuned for more updates in the months to come, as we roll out our schedule for a year of commemorative events around this new building and the 150th anniversary of our school. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating!

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Engineering Equality T

he legal profession has been called one of the least diverse in the country. According to a 2012 ABA demographics report, 88 percent of lawyers are white. Additionally, the 2015 “Law360 Minority Report” revealed that fewer than seven percent of minorities are law firm partners.

And while countless attempts have been made within the legal industry to ameliorate the problem, University of South Carolina School of Law professor Eboni Nelson believes the key to real change starts with law schools.

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“Higher education serves as a gateway to opportunity for many young adults; it’s imperative that those gateways remain open to everyone,” Nelson said. “Law schools in particular play a vital role because they train many of our democracy’s leaders and policymakers.

That’s why it’s so important that they adequately reflect the diversity of our society.”

Nelson, who has written extensively on affirmative action in higher education and the constitutionality of race-conscious student assignment

plans, was recently awarded a grant by Access Group to determine if there is a relationship between the race of firstyear law students and their race-neutral identity factors, such as educational experiences and family circumstances. She hopes to learn whether law schools can create a more diverse student body and provide greater educational access to students of color without having to ask specific questions about race.

While she admits there has been an overall increase in minority law students during the past few decades, Nelson says

many law schools still suffer from a lack of diversity. And affirmative action programs, which often aid with diversity issues, are not as prevalent as they used to be. They have also been attacked as unconstitutional in cases like Fisher v University of Texas, in which a prospective white student, Abigail Fisher, was denied admission and challenged the university’s admissions process, stating that the consideration of race was discrimination. While Fisher did not win, the case crystalizes the need to find other means of admitting more minority students.

“If we can help law schools understand how race-neutral admissions factors help — or hinder — their

“Higher education serves as a gateway to opportunity for many young adults; it’s imperative that those gateways remain open to everyone,” Nelson said.

“Law schools in particular play a vital role because they train many of our democracy’s leaders and policymakers. That’s why it’s so important that they adequately reflect the diversity of our society.” ability to assemble a racially diverse student body, it will go a long way to providing greater access to students of color,” Nelson said. “We need to do all that we can to ensure that the doors of opportunity are open to everyone, that everyone is encouraged and equipped to walk through those doors, and that they feel welcomed and included once they enter.”

Nelson will conduct her study along with Ronald Pitner, a professor in the university’s College of Social Work, and Carla Pratt, associate dean for academic affairs and educational equity and professor of law at Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. They expect to publish their results next spring.

Join the School of Law and the Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough Center on Professionalism for a national symposium on veteran access to justice, focusing on the delivery of legal services through medical-legal partnerships, veteran treatment courts and law school veterans clinics.

WHAT WE AND NEED TO ABOUT VETERAN ACCESS TO JUSTICE A RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM OCTOBER 7, 2016

Learn more: law.sc.edu/va2j

Keynote address by Leigh A. Bradley, general counsel for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Approved for 5 hours CLE ethics credit.

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Passing the Torch fter more than a decade as director of the Children’s Law Center at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Harry Davis has given up one title in hopes of earning a new one: World’s Best Grandpa.

Davis retired in May after a 40-year career dedicated to advocating on behalf of the youngest citizens of South Carolina, including the past 12 at the CLC. Under his leadership, the center dramatically expanded its educational programs, which annually train more than 15,000 attorneys, family court judges, guardians ad litem and other child advocates. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children, the only multidisciplinary policymaking body tasked with studying children’s needs and issues and coordinating legislative efforts on their behalf.

But perhaps his lasting legacy will be the CLC’s new permanent home in the historic Whaley House, a project Davis began in 2005. Located directly across Gervais Street from the new law school, the Whaley House will provide the CLC with much needed room to add a mock child abuse crime scene and courtroom, plus additional classroom space. While Davis

has retired as director, he will remain on staff with the School of Law to oversee the completion of the Whaley House restoration.

That will leave the CLC’s new director, Michelle Dhunjishah, time to focus on her new role, and move the center forward through a new emphasis on research that she hopes will ultimately shape public policy for children.

Dhunjishah is the former executive director and general counsel for the S.C. Foster Care Review Board, where she oversaw more then 25,000 case reviews of children in foster care and advocated that children and youth in foster care have permanency as soon as possible. The former legal writing adjunct instructor at the School of Law has also been the chairperson of the Children’s Law Committee of the S.C. Bar and an associate member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

“I am excited about leveraging the expertise of the Children’s Law Center staff with the intellect of the School of Law faculty to improve outcomes for South Carolina’s vulnerable children,” said Dhunjishah.

Former Children’s Law Center director Harry Davis (left) with new director Michelle Dhunjishah

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Leadership in Law NEW ALUMNUS-FUNDED PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL SKILLS FOR ADVANCING THEIR LEGAL CAREERS. t’s Monday morning and you haven’t even had your second cup of coffee when the call comes in. Your heart sinks as you discover that millions of dollars have been embezzled from your firm’s biggest client — by one of your legal assistants who has disappeared.

Is it the wave of adrenaline or the flood of questions that hit you harder? What will you do? How do you tell the client what happened? What about other clients? Prospective clients?

How do you handle the media? How do you win back trust? Can you lead your firm back, or is this the end? Law school didn’t prepare you for this…

Or did it?

This scenario — which actually happened in Taiwan — was given to students at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Their task was to devise a strategy to lead their firm through this crisis, answering all those questions and several more. After formulating their plans, they heard from guest speakers, including a managing shareholder of the Columbia office of a national firm, who revealed how they would have handled the situation. Only then did the group learn how leaders at the Taiwanese firm actually reacted, and brought their practice back from the brink.

It was just one component of the School of Law’s new Konduros Leadership Development Program, which tasked students with learning different communication strategies and reinforcing their problem-solving and relationship-building skills. The ultimate goal: to equip them with the necessary tools to assume leadership positions in an increasingly complex world.

The program was launched last fall, thanks to funds provided by 1954 alumnus Jim Konduros who credits the law school with helping him develop the strategic thinking and counseling skills that guided him throughout his successful career.

“Often, you have an opportunity to participate in leadership development programs once you’re actually in practice, but the Konduros program brings that element into the law school, so you’re getting it before you even leave,” said Dean Rob Wilcox. “This is the kind of unique

8 / S C H O O L O F L AW

program you can’t get anywhere else. It acknowledges that we are looking to prepare students more fully for practice, and leadership is a key component of that.”

The highly selective program is based on other successful leadership development initiatives such as the Liberty Fellowship, which brings together successful individuals who are already active in their communities. It is also entirely voluntary, meaning that all the requirements are performed in addition to regular coursework, and for no academic credit.

“We chose 15 students to participate in the inaugural class. There were a large number of applicants, so it was a very difficult decision,” said Jill Kunkle, associate director of career services who helped create the format and coordinates the program. “Likewise, the students who applied knew that this was going to be a big commitment, but the payoff in their future careers would be worth it.”

“As a future lawyer, this program reaffirmed some leadership techniques that I had already acquired, while helping me learn new ones more specifically tailored to the legal profession,” said Rosanne Prim who graduated in May. “But as a student, the program provided unique networking opportunities for me and my fellow Konduros classmates.

“Spending time with established professionals is a great reminder of why we worked so hard in law school, and it provided the extra motivation to keep pushing through with our best efforts to the finish.”

In addition to the seminars and intensive networking opportunities, students also worked in groups to come up with solutions to problems facing South Carolina. Projects included a plan to change the public perception of vocational schools, attracting more students interested in high-paying manufacturing and technical jobs in the Palmetto State; working with the S.C. Attorney General’s office to address cyberbullying and sexting incidents; and a program to help law students learn healthy coping mechanisms now, so they’ll be ready to handle the stress of practicing law later.

“Law school can be stressful, and it doesn’t get any easier in practice. Substance abuse is a huge problem in the field,” said recent graduate Ashlea Carver. “I think it’s really important to teach law students how to manage stress and take care of themselves so they can have healthier and more fulfilling lives when in practice.

“Programs like the one we’re advocating will help create a more open dialogue surrounding mental health as well as give students some practical ways to take care of their mental health and wellness.”

While the third-year students who completed the program have since graduated, spread out across the Southeast and are now preparing for the bar exam, all of the participants remain committed to the law school, agreeing to serve as mentors to future participants, and helping build a network of Konduros Leaders across the nation.

“I really look forward to staying in touch with this class and seeing where their careers take them,” said Kunkle. “They are a very talented group, and it says a lot about them — and their investment in the program — that they want to stay involved.”

2016

Konduros Leaders

Matthew Adkins, ’17 Ashlea Carver, ’16 Harry Dixon, ’16 Akemini Isang, ’16 Jonathan LeCompte, ’16 Brian Mickelson, ‘16 Sterling Moose, ’16 Thomas Moran, ’16 David Pace, ’16 Nate Pierce, ’16 Rosanne Prim, ’16 Julia Spitler, ’16 Chelsea Stewart, ’16 Robbin Wilder, ’17 J. Ashley Wright, ’16

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Let There Be Light!

One of the most striking features of our new home is the number and size of the windows, inviting light to shine throughout the building. Taken in April, these photos provide a glimpse of the beauty that awaits us in 2017. We’re making plans now to celebrate the grand opening of our new building and the 150th anniversary of our school. Stay tuned for more information, and we hope you’ll join us for a full slate of exciting activities next year!

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Karen J. Williams Ceremonial Courtroom

Looking across the courtyard at the main staircase

The grand entrance into the Perrin Family Lobby

The reading room

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QA &

with

Pamela Robinson

Read the full interview at

law.sc.edu/thefineprint/summer2016/robinson

As the nation’s first all-voluntary program, the Pro Bono

what would work in S.C. and what would not. I called

Program has long been a point of pride for the School

the ABA and AALS, but this was so early that there were

of Law, as has its director, Pamela D. Robinson. She has

no models. They said it was a great idea and to let them

been recognized both locally and nationally for her work,

know how it worked out. It’s funny because now the ABA

most recently being named the “2016 South Carolina

has an entire Center for Pro Bono able to advise.

Lawyer of the Year” by South Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly.

You were once an elementary school teacher.

What was your reaction when you heard that you had

What led you to a career in law?

won Lawyer of the Year?

Simple — I came to law school on a dare. After teaching

The British word “gobsmacked” pretty much describes

first grade and working as a children’s librarian, I realized

my reaction. I was most appreciative of the honor as

I had to have a graduate degree to move up. A friend

I was able to share the experience with students, past

thought I could use my organizational and teaching abili-

and present. The realization that a state employee in the

ties to solve problems and a law degree could greatly

public service sector was being recognized did not sink

enhance my skills. I decided that if USC accepted this

in for a few days. The entire 2016 Leadership in Law Class

Clemson girl, I was going! I still consider myself a teacher.

was amazing, and I was honored to be a part of such an

I just don’t have to fit in those little first grade chairs!

accomplished group.

How has pro bono changed during your career?

The Pro Bono Program is almost 30 years old.

For all that it has changed — with technology and the

How did it begin?

demands of each generation — the core idea that you

The seeds of the idea were planted through a conversa-

are making a difference for people has not changed and

tion with former dean John Montgomery. He had recently

never will. The success of the Pro Bono Program has

returned from a meeting where another dean was talking

always come from the amazing work of thousands of

about mandatory pro bono! Our reaction was about the

students learning the value of service and putting pro

same: What? We needed to be more realistic. We knew

bono into action.

12 / S C HO O L O F L AW

SCHOOL OF LAW HONOR ROLL 2015–2016 1867 LAW SOCIETY $25,000 and Above LAW SCHOOL BENEFACTORS

O C T.

7

$10,000 to $24,999

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

LAW SCHOOL

Legal IT Seminars The School of Law hosts a series of free seminars helping lawyers make better use of technology, with continental breakfast and CLE credits included! This fall’s sessions will be on Aug. 25, Sept. 8 and 22, Oct. 6 and 20, and Nov. 3 and 17, from 7:45 – 8:45 am.

PHILANTHROPISTS $5,000 to $9,999 LEADERSHIP SOCIETY $2,500 to $4,999 DEAN’S CIRCLE $1,000 to $2,499 (*$1,801 or Greater = USC “President’s Society”) JAMES PETIGRU SOCIETY $500 to $999 LAW SCHOOL PATRONS $250 to $499 BARRISTERS $100 to $249 ADVOCATES $1 to $99 We want to count you as a supporter! Please make your gift today: giving.sc.edu/SupportLaw Honor Roll 2015–16 to be published in fall 2016.

October 7–8: Class Reunion Weekend If you are a member of the class of ’66, ’71, ’76, ’81, ’86, ’91, ’96, ’01, ’06, or ’11, grab your dancing shoes and get ready for a party AND a tailgate before the USC/UGA football game.

October 27: UofSCLaw Upstate Alumni Bash Join alumni from across the state as we meet in Greenville for live music, good food, and great conversation.

STAY UP-TO-DATE We’re always working to keep you up-to-date on news and events here at the School of Law. But we need your help.

Have you recently changed jobs? Have you moved, or do you have a new phone number or email address?

Please let us know so we can keep in touch with you.

It’s easy to update your information! Just complete our online form at law.sc.edu/alumni/update.

November 9: Endowed Scholarship Luncheon Honoring those alumni and friends of the law school who have so generously created endowed scholarships at the School of Law, making it possible for many of our students to pursue their legal education.

November 10–11: SC Journal of International Law and Business Symposium The symposium will focus on the effects of climate change policies and regulations on global business, including transportation and energy industries.

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Buying a Bride A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MATRIMONIAL PRACTICE THAT HELPED BUILD THE UNITED STATES

A group of Montana men advertising for wives, ca. 1901. Photo courtesy of National Park Service, Glacier National Park Archives Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches is published through New York University Press.

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“

W

ithout marriage, there could be no stable family units, no children, and no future. And without mail-order brides, one could argue, there might not be a United States of America.

The entire colonial endeavor hinged on marriage,” says University of South Carolina law professor Marcia Yablon-Zug, whose new book, Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches, traces the phenomenon as far back as our nation’s first permanent English settlement, Jamestown.

Zug explains that mail-order brides were brought to the colonies with the express purpose of growing the population and ensuring the survival of the settlements. Because of that, she believes these women were heroes and should be remembered as such in American history.

“They were taking incredible risks, and as a result, the country reaped great benefits,” she says.

Certainly, the overwhelming perception of mail-order brides doesn’t reflect this attitude, and Zug admits it wasn’t her perception either when she first started looking into the topic.

“When I began researching this book, I thought I would discover that mail-order marriage was bad and had always been bad, but it turns out more often than not to be beneficial and even empowering for women,” says Zug, whose legal research focuses on the intersection of family law and immigration law.

Today, the mail-order marriage industry continues to thrive, but perhaps for slightly different reasons.

In recent years, American women have experienced significant improvements in their educational and financial prospects. During this same period, the prospects for many middle and working-class men have stagnated. As Zug points out, the result of this disparity is that increasing numbers of men are viewed as unsuitable partners.

“With dwindling local marriage prospects, many of these rejected men consider mail-order marriages,” says Zug. “What interests me most is the women they are marrying are the same kind of women who are rejecting them here. Most of these women are doctors, lawyers, accountants — and most of them want to work. They expect to. The difference is they also expect to be wives first.”

Overall, Zug believes mail-order marriage is nothing like the grim stereotype prevalent in today’s culture. In her book, she argues that the practice has actually improved the lives of many of these women — and the men they marry.

& Repeat

THINGS TO KNOW

Read

Top 25% among all law schools for students with the least loan debt, according to U.S. News & World Report 2016 rankings.

ABOUT TODAY’S LAW SCHOOL

7 years in a row named a “Best Value” law school by National Jurist magazine.

on National Jurist’s list of schools with the most Big Law partners as alumni.

49th

in the nation for producing the most

on the National Law Journal’s list of “Go-To” law schools

influential federal judges, according to

for the percentage of 2015 grads hired by the 100 largest

a study from Ravel Law, a legal research

law firms.

and analytics company.

View the digital version of this magazine to get links to these statistics: law.sc.edu/thefineprint

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Responsible.

Educated.

Prepared.

ASHLEA CARVER, ’16 Deputy Conflicts Officer and Regulatory Affairs Associate Georgetown Medical University, Washington, D.C.

That’s how we train students at the University of South Carolina School of Law. With classes taught by nine different judges, plus externships, clinics and more, our students receive hands-on experience and mentoring that prepares them to meet the challenges of legal practice. If you’re looking to hire, look no further than the University of South Carolina.

Visit law.sc.edu/career or call (803) 777-8479 to see how we can help.

alumni news 1968

1979

1983

1989

1992

O. Wayne Corley,

Salley Elliott joined

Debra Jackson ,

John F. Kuppens ,

S. Scott Bluestein ,

McNair Law Firm PA, was named a member of USC’s Board of Visitors in December.

the S.C. Department of Corrections as the chief legal and compliance officer in December.

administrative judge for the City of Florence, was honored as Francis Marion University’s Outstanding Alumna of the Year in February.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, was elected as first vice president of DRI, the Voice of the Defense Bar, in October.

Bluestein Law Firm PA, was elected secretary-treasurer of the Admiralty Section of the Federal Bar Association in November.

Costa Pleicones

ascended to chief justice of the Supreme Court of South Carolina in January.

1969 Ronald J. Jebaily,

Jebaily Law Firm PA, received a Lifetime Service award from the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Educational Association Board in March.

Elizabeth Owen Mann ,

Greenville Technical College, was appointed to serve as a regular member of the Board of Paralegal Certification in January.

David Moore joined

Turner Padget Graham & Laney PA as an insurance litigation attorney in January.

1981

1975

F. Douglas P. Evans ,

Jay Bender, Baker

Brown Massey Evans McLeod and Haynsworth LLC, was appointed to the Children’s Museum of the Upstate Board of Trustees in January.

Ravenel & Bender LLP, received the S.C. Press Association Lifetime Achievement Award in March.

Kenneth Suggs , Janet

Jenner & Suggs LLC, received the Southern Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious War Horse Award in February.

1978 Mike Thurmond ,

Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak LLP, was inducted into the Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame in November.

1982 Clarence Davis and Jim Griffin (1987) announced the opening of their new firm, Griffin & Davis LLC, in March.

Daryl G. Hawkins was

re-elected to the S.C. House of Delegates in March.

1984

Elizabeth Scott Moise, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, was elected to a threeyear term on the My Carolina Alumni Association Board of Governors in September.

William “Bill” O. Higgins joined Gray-

1990

bill Lansche & Vinzani LLC in October.

Donald “Donnie” Cranfill expanded his

William “Bill” P. McElveen Jr. , was

new startup company, Camp Nana Papa, with his brother, Todd Cranfill, in September.

William McSorley was

appointed to serve as a regular member of the Board of Paralegal Certification in January.

elected chair of the Executive Committee of Adams and Reese LLP in January.

1985 J. Rene’ Josey, Turner Padget Graham & Laney PA, was elected as secretary-treasurer of the Board of Directors of the S.C. Bar Foundation in September.

1987 Jim Griffin and Clarence Davis (1982)

announced the opening of their new firm, Griffin & Davis LLC, in March.

J. Charles “Chuck” Ormond and Ben Dunn

(1996) announced the opening of their firm, Ormond Dunn, in April.

Rhonda R. Mims, Paul

Hastings LLC, was named chair of the Executive Leadership Council in March.

Nick Nicholson , Hayn-

sworth Sinkler Boyd PA, was elected to the S.C. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in October.

1993 Michele L. Stumpe, Taylor English Duma LLP, was named one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Women Who Mean Business” honorees in October.

Michael W. Smith (1969), Christian & Barton LLP, was installed as the 66th president of the American College of Trial Lawyers in October 2015.

Smith makes the sixth alum to serve as the president of a national legal organization in just the past three years, and the 12th in the past 15 years (see Spring 2015 issue for more).

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ALUMNI

news

1994

1996

1997

Hervery B.O. Young , Tenth Circuit Public Defender’s Office, was appointed to serve as a regular member on the Board of Paralegal Certification in January.

Ben Dunn and J. Charles “Chuck” Ormond (1990)

Louise M. “Ceasie” Johnson joined Riley

1995 Allyson Haynes Stuart

joined Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal LLC as of counsel in January.

David Wyatt , Gleaton

Wyatt PA, joined the American Football Coaches Association in February.

announced the opening of their firm, Ormond Dunn, in April 2016.

Jacqueline “Jackie” H. Patterson was

appointed to NBSC’s Greenville Advisory Board in December.

Catherine Smith

received the 2016 Clyde Ferguson Award from the American Association of Law School’s Section on Minority Groups in December.

Legacy Gift

Pope & Laney LLC in January.

1998 Garrett D. Steck was

elected as a shareholder at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA in January.

Catherine Templeton joined the State

Ports Authority as senior vice president of external affairs in September.

1999 Brian Comer became

2002 James H. Burns

returned to Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in September as a partner after serving as S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s chief of staff.

Josh W. Dixon became

a shareholder with McNair Law Firm PA in April.

Terence A. Quinn

2005 Kahn D. Hobbs was

promoted to special counsel at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP in November.

Meliah BowersJefferson , Wyche

PA, was selected as a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” movement in October. She was also appointed to serve as chairperson of the Board of Paralegal Certification in January.

became a shareholder with Saleeby & Cox PA in April.

Ryan Earhart and David Overstreet announced the opening of Earhart Overstreet LLC in January.

joined Futures Without Violence in December as general counsel.

Robert R. Sansbury III

2003

2006

Elizabeth S. Kahn

Stephen W. Long was

MacLean in October.

C. Clifford Rollins

was named a shareholder at Richardson Plowden & Robinson PA in January.

John M. Scott III

joined Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA in March.

2001 Brian Autry joined

Kenison Dudley & Crawford LLC in December.

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began managing the seventh location of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLC in February.

a voting shareholder at Collins & Lacy PC in January.

Francesca Macchiaverna joined Hunter

Considering leaving USC Law in your will or estate plans? Let the law school know, so we can help you maximize tax benefits, and ensure that your gift is used exactly as you intended. To learn more or to document your estate intention, contact our office of development at (803) 777-3408.

Michael Kozlarek

Rangeley C. Bailey

was named partner with Jebaily Law Firm PA in March.

Linda A. Seabrook

joined Turner Padget Graham & Laney PA in November.

Amy Neuschafer

became a voting shareholder at Collins & Lacy PC in January.

announced the opening of Sansbury Law Firm LLC in January.

elected as a partner at Baker & McKenzie in January.

2004

April N. Vance ,

Elizabeth Ashley Anderson , York Six-

teenth Circuit Public Defender’s Office, married Jason Stopinski in April.

South University, was appointed to serve as a regular member on the Board of Paralegal Certification in January.

T. Brooke Allen joined

2007

Jebailey Law Firm PA in January.

Brian P. Kelley became

Candice Arren Jeffords , Johnson &

Johnson Inc., married James Bruce Groetzinger in December.

Andrew Wilson

joined Rogers Townsend & Thomas PC in January.

a shareholder with Elmore Goldsmith PA in February.

David H. Kunes

became a shareholder with Evans Carter Kunes & Bennett PA in January.

ALUMNI

David M. Padgett and F. Lee Prickett

announced the opening of their new firm Holder Padgett Littlejohn & Prickett LLC in January.

Craig Pisarik , Pisarik Law Firm LLC, was admitted to the American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys in September.

P. Jason Reynolds

joined Rikard & Protopapas LLC in December.

2008 Henry S.K. “Skip” Duffee, Jr. , Nation-

wide Insurance, married Staci Amanda Hoylen in January.

Margaret Fox joined

Griffin & Davis LLC in March.

Lawrence M. Hershon

was named partner at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP in January.

Christopher King was

elected as a member (partner) of Nexsen Pruet LLC in January.

Laura F. Locklair was

named partner at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP in January.

Bonnie A. Lynch was

named a shareholder at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA in January.

R. Brent Thompkins

was named a shareholder at Spencer & Spencer PA in January.

Burl Williams was

elected as a member

(partner) of Nexsen Pruet LLC in January.

Robert Williams

joined Dority & Manning PA as an associate in April.

2009 Sarah Sloan Batson ,

Wyche PA, was named a shareholder of the firm in November.

Brett D. Budlong

joined Graybill Lansche & Vinzani LLC in November.

Walt H. Cartin was

named partner at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP in January.

Laura C. Cook joined

James C. Hardin III PLLC as an associate in November.

Virginia Sheftall and

Ralph Nichols Riley (2009) were married in April.

Marshall Tinsley married Joel Minton in March. In April, she was named Star of the Quarter by the S.C. Bar.

2011 Sheila Bias joined Fisher & Phillips LLP in April.

John Carroll joined

Nexsen Pruet LLC as an associate in October.

Guy M. Dabbs IV

joined Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms LLC as an associate in December.

Cody T. Mitchell,

was named partner at Moore Taylor in February.

Lucas Warr & White, was named an ambassador for the S.C. Bar Foundation in December.

Gary T. Pope was

Tommy Preston ,

William “Bill” Fortino

named a new member of Pope Flynn LLC in April.

Ralph Nichols Riley and Virginia Sheftall

(2010) were married in April.

2010 Tiffany D. Gibson ,

Boeing Corp., received an ABA Young Lawyer Division Star of the Year award, the 2015 ABA Law Student Division Friend of the Division Award, and was appointed to NBSC’s South Carolina Local Board of Directors.

S.C. Department of Social Services, Child Support Services Division, was named an ambassador for the S.C. Bar Foundation in December.

the S.C. Office of the Attorney General in March.

Christopher J. Scott

Wayne Grooms in February.

became a shareholder with Saleeby & Cox PA in April.

Ranee Saunders joined

Brooke Ashleigh Tumblin married Eric

2012 Lacy Randal Lee and Joel Alexander Kozak were married in September.

2013 Katie M. Brown joined Willson Jones Carter & Baxley PA in Feb­ ruary.

Eve Goodstein joined

Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte LLC in September. She was also selected to serve on the Board of Kids’ Chance of South Carolina in February.

Thomas A. Limehouse Jr. joined Duffy &

Young LLC as an associate in November.

Brittany M. McIntosh

joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in December.

2014 John C. Alfieris joined Holder Padgett Littlejohn & Prickett LLC in April 2016.

Christina L. Rogers

joined Fisher & Phillips LLP as an associate in August.

John Paul Simkovich

joined Willson Jones Carter & Baxley PA in November.

2015 Sarah A. Assemany

news

Carter & Baxley PA in December.

Bradley D. Barringer

joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in December.

John Beck joined

Drew Eckl & Farnham LLP in February.

Kensey Collins joined

the S.C. Department of Corrections as a staff attorney for the Office of General Counsel in December.

Nicole Cuadrado

joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in December.

Christopher Fedalei received a 2016

James E. Clyburn Political Fellowship in January.

Elizabeth “Sandi” Hudson Hall joined

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in December.

Stephen C. Huegel

joined Adams and Reese LLP in November.

Jennifer Jokerst

joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in December.

Samuel Vernon Priddy IV joined

Turner Padget Graham & Laney PA in Nov­ember.

joined Willson Jones

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We make South Carolina stronger.

Nathan Cooper endured more than a dozen operations because of rare birth defects — and that motivated him to help society’s most vulnerable. The 2016 School of Law graduate completed the Children’s Law Concentration Program and hopes to advocate for S.C. children who need help now.

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NATHAN COOPER, ’13, ’16 LAW