1959

The American Inns of Court Foundation, America's oldest, largest and fastest growing mentoring organization, has elected Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough senior partner Ed Mullins to a term on its Board of Trustees beginning July 1. Mullins, of the John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court, will represent the Fourth Judicial Circuit. An active trial lawyer for 49 years, Mr. Mullins is Chair Emeritus of the Firm and its Litigation Department and was instrumental in the growth of the law firm from five attorneys to 425 attorneys with 10 offices in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, DC, and Boston.

1968

Collins & Lacy, P.C. is pleased to announce that founding partner, Joel W. Collins, Jr., has been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers - Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008 for his work in Civil Litigation Defense. The Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition features attorneys throughout the United States who are selected through a rigorous selection process that includes considerable polling, research and evaluation, peer recognition and professional achievement.

1977

Charleston educator Andy Abrams, interim dean of the Charleston School of Law since January, was named the school's new dean.

1978

Mark Sanford appointed Charleston attorney Thomas Waring to the State Election Commission. Waring is a member of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, as well as the American, South Carolina and Charleston County bar associations.

1986

The McNair Law Firm in Columbia - one of the state's largest - announced that Inez Tenenbaum has joined its ranks as of counsel. Tenenbaum, elected state education superintendent in 1998 and 2002, will handle financial matters, such as bond referendums for new construction or renovation projects, for client school districts.

1987

Jennie Elizabeth Clark (2006) and William Glenn Yarborough III, both of Asheville, were married April 19, 2008, at Rose Hall Bed and Breakfast in Columbia.

1990

The Jeffcoat Law Firm announces that Jay G. Anderson has joined the firm in their Myrtle Beach office located at 2024 Corporate Center Dr., 29578.

1992

Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP announces that Richard J. Steele has joined the firm located at 4601 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 400, Raleigh 27609.

Attorney General Henry McMaster announces the hiring of John Crout with offices located at 1000 Assembly St., Columbia 29201.

1993

Charlotte Entertainment and Sports Attorney William Bray gave the keynote address for Regent Law School's Entertainment, Sports, and Intellectual Property Legal Society's End of Year Banquet in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Bray is a frequent speaker on issues related to NASCAR and motorsports law. He is an adjunct professor of sports law for the Sports MBA Program at UNC-Charlotte's Belk College of Business, and in 2006 he served as the chair of the North Carolina Bar Association's Sports and Entertainment Law Section, where he organized its first-ever motorsports seminar, Law in the Fast Lane.

1994

Paul deHolczer accepted an appointment as Trustee for Thornwell Home for Children. deHolczer is a member of Moses Koon & Brackett, PC, a Columbia firm with practice in eminent domain, general litigation, business organization, insurance defense, probate and estate planning.

1996

Ronald B. Cox has joined the Columbia office of Nexsen Pruet as Special Counsel in the business litigation practice group. Cox is an experienced litigator who has concentrated his practice in the areas of civil litigation, product liability, toxic torts, and construction litigation.

2002

Davidson County (Tennessee) District Attorney General Torry Johnson has announced the addition of Robert Homlar and to the staff, as Assistant District Attorney General. Prior to being hired at the District Attorney's office, Homlar was an associate at Blackburn & McCune, PLLC. He has also served as an Assistant D.A. in Augusta, Ga.

Christopher M. Olds has joined the Charlotte office of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. He came to Womble Carlyle from the law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. Olds, an associate, represents national commercial clients in business, products liability and personal injury cases. He has experience in complex business litigation, including disputes related to distributorship agreements, defaulted loan agreements for secured collateral, non-compete agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair and deceptive trade practice claims. While in law school, Olds served on the editorial board of the South Carolina Law Review and was named to the Order of the Wig and Robe.

Lyles, Darr & Clark, LLP announces that Kenneth William Nettles Jr. (Neth) has become an associate of the firm located at 104 N. Daniel Morgan Ave., Ste. 300, Spartanburg 29306.

2003

Rebecca Tebeau Miller and Charles John Wentzell, Jr., both of Greenville, were married May 10, 2008 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Columbia. Wentzell is an attorney at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, P.C. in Greenville.

Sarah Ganss Drawdy announces the opening of The Drawdy Law Firm, LLC located at 2315 N. Main St., Ste. 218, Anderson 29621.

2004

Brandon W. Smith announces the opening of Smith Law located at 1111 Bay St., Beaufort 29902.

Attorney Mullen Taylor has joined the Columbia office of McAngus Goudelock & Courie. Her practice will focus on municipal law, water law, energy and natural resources law, and land use law. Taylor spent 12 years in state and local government before obtaining her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law. During law school, Taylor received a CALI Award for land use planning and served as associate editor for the Southeastern Environmental Law Journal. She is a frequent lecturer on water law and a member of the American Bar Association's section of environment, energy and resources.

Willson Jones Carter & Baxley, PA announces that Mitchell K. Byrd has become an associate in the firm's Greenville office located at 872 S. Pleasantburg Dr., 29607.

Smith Law, LLC announces that Mary Coleman Smith has joined the firm located at 1111 Bay St., P.O. Drawer 1023, Beaufort 29902.

2005

Tricia A. Blanchette announces the opening of Law Office of Tricia A. Blanchette, LLC located at 107 Oak Park Dr., Ste. B, Irmo 29063.

Katherine Adele Grimes of Charlotte and Robert Joseph Richardson of Blythewood were married May 10, 2008 at First Presbytarian Church in Columbia.

Attorney Jennifer Ross MacLeod has joined Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims as an associate in the trusts and estates practice group. She will focus on estate planning. She was previously employed as a staff attorney with the S.C. Supreme Court and as a law clerk for the state General Assembly's Senate Judiciary Committee.

2006

Jennie Elizabeth Clark and William Glenn Yarborough III (1987), both of Asheville, were married April 19, 2008, at Rose Hall Bed and Breakfast in Columbia.

Catherine Courtney Walker of Chapin and Shaun Christian Blake of Charleston were married May 10, 2008 at The Lace House. Blake is employed with the law firm Ellis, Lawhorne and Sims.

Collins & Lacy, PC is pleased to announce that Rebecca K. Halberg, an associate with the firm, was recently named as the co-winner of the Charles C. Foster Rotarian of the Year Award by the Rotary Club of Five Points. The award is named after the Rotary Club of Five Points' first president, Charles C. Foster, who served as President in 1954 -1955. In addition, she was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for her role in raising money and awareness for Alzheimer's research. Halberg is an associate practicing in workers' compensation.

Duffy & Young, LLC announces that Lee A. Walters has joined the firm located at 96 Broad St., Charleston 29401.

2007

Merline & Meacham, PA announces that Douglas B. O'Neal has become an associate of the firm located at 812 E. North St., Greenville 29601.

Jennings Anderson has joined the law firm of Nicholson & Anderson as an associate. During his time as a law student at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Anderson was the student works editor for the South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business, and he worked in the Office of General Counsel for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. He received his master's degree in international studies from the University of South Carolina in 2004.

Glenn Mondrae "Monty" Bell took office as a new magistrate for Darlington County on June 23. He was recommended for the post by state Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville and appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford. He worked with the 4th Circuit Solicitor's Office focusing on criminal domestic violence cases

2008

Joey Bowers has many accomplishments he can be proud of during his time at the law school. He was a Compleat Lawyer Bronze medal recipient, finished in the top 10 percent of his class, was a member of the South Carolina Law Review and is now one of the five finalists being considered by USC for a campaign called, "The Face of Y'all," designed to find two representatives of the school's alumni from the last decade. More information on the campaign can be found here thefaceofyall.com. There will be videos and a chance to vote for the finalists in the coming weeks.

In Memoriam

1963

Harry LaFoy Edwards of Ridgeland Drive, Greenville, died July 19, 2008, at Greenville Memorial Hospital. He was Managing Editor of the S.C. Law Review. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of South Carolina. He was a member of the South Carolina Bar and admitted to practice in the S.C. District Court in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was a practicing corporation lawyer for more than forty-five years.

1968

Reese Joye, a nationally known Lowcountry attorney, leading expert in DUI law and pioneering personal-injury litigator, died Sunday. He was 70. Joye worked for the Boeing Corp. in Seattle as an in-house lawyer. He and his wife, Jackie, moved to Mount Pleasant in 1968, the year he started the Joye Law Firm. From the start, Joye was deeply involved in the community. He helped form the city of North Charleston, founded the Public Defender Corp. of Charleston and I Care organization for prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. He came to be known as an expert in DUI law, testified before Statehouse panels and wrote several books on the subject.

1969

James Oliver Griggs, 64, native of Florence, SC, passed away Wednesday, July 10, 2008, in Heritage Nursing Home. Jim Griggs was a Realtor in the Florence area for over 40 years. He was President of Griggs-Floyd & Grantham, Inc. for many years, a company which he co-founded, as well as a Commercial and Residential Developer. He was the first CCIM in Florence and a funder of the Florence Multiple Listing Service. He was voted Realtor of the Year in 1981, served on the Board of Directors of Florence County Progress, 1987-1991, Board of Directors of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, 1998-1999, and held the position of Vice-President of Economic Development for the Chamber from 1998-1999, Chairman of Business and Development for Vision, 2000, and served as a Foundation Member of the Board of Florence-Darlington Technical Education. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

1976

James W. Johnson Jr., a former state lawmaker who became a Circuit Court judge and presided over the criminal proceedings after the collapse of Carolina Investors Inc., has died. He was 56, and had been battling cancer. Johnson began practicing law as an assistant attorney general under Attorney General Daniel R. McLeod in 1976. In November 1981, he returned to Clinton to begin a private practice. In 1984, Johnson was elected to the state House of Representatives. The General Assembly elected Johnson as a circuit judge in February 1992.

1977

Major General Samuel L. Reid, US Army Retired, completed his life on earth and started his new life with the Lord on 13 June. After serving in the South Pacific during the 2nd World War, he was stationed in Bejing, China where he spent a year under house arrest after the Communists came to power. His military career included assignments as Division Artillery Commander and subsequently Chief of Staff in the 3rd Infantry Division, Wurtzburg, FRG; Chief of Staff, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; Director of Enlisted Personnel, Department of the Army; and Chief of Staff, Third US Army. After retiring from the Army, General Reid graduated from Law School at the University of South Carolina in Columbia and practiced law in Beaufort, South Carolina.

1978

Daphne Dell Sipes passed away May 24, 2008. She was an accomplished attorney with several publications. Sipes was on the South Carolina Law Review, was employed by several law firms and then entered the area of academia which began at The University of Texas in San Antonio. She later served as a General Counsel at The University of South Carolina.

1994

Lynne McLees Ray, 61, passed away June 14, 2008. Born July 15, 1946 in Walhalla, S.C., she was a graduate of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina Law School in 1994. She was a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, and served as a volunteer for many organizations, including Ask a Lawyer, United Ministries and The Art Museum. She was an avid and accomplished equestrian and served as the Executive Secretary on the Board of Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. She served as a Deacon for the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Greenville.