1943

A 90th birthday party was held for Sarah Leverette on January 29, 2010 at the Palmetto Club in Columbia, SC. At that event, it was announced that the house passed a resolution to recognize and honor Leverette for her leadership and achievements as an attorney, educator and volunteer. The full text of the resolution can be viewed online.

1958

J. Edward Bell, founding partner of the Bell Legal Group, announced today that The Honorable David Walker Harwell, retired Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of South Carolina, has joined Bell Legal Group as a senior partner in its Georgetown office. Justice Harwell brings more than 50 years of legal experience to Bell Legal Group, including 21 years of service as a South Carolina Circuit Court Judge, 10 years of service in the South Carolina Legislature, and 20 years as a practicing attorney. He will work closely with Mr. Bell on select cases and will continue his work in mediation and arbitration as part of his commitment to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), a means of conflict resolution that he was instrumental in bringing to South Carolina.

1965

Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson & Delgado, LLC announce that O. Eugene Powell Jr. has joined the firm located at 1614 Taylor St., Columbia 29202.

1968

Collins & Lacy, P.C. is pleased to announce that Joel W. Collins was awarded the 2010 Chapter Service Award by the South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). The award was created this year by the Executive Committee of the South Carolina Chapter of ABOTA and will be named after Mr. Collins and called the Joel W. Collins South Carolina ABOTA Chapter Service Award in future years. The award was created and awarded to Joel for his exemplary service to the South Carolina Chapter. Collins was recognized for his efforts for ABOTA on a national level, having served as President of the ABOTA Foundation in 2008, as well as his tireless work on developing the first James Otis Lecture Program for South Carolina which was host to 135 selected high school students at the South Carolina State House on September 18, 2009.

1969

Harris DeLoach Jr. of Sonoco Products, was elected to the 2010 class of the S.C. Business Hall of Fame. The awards - established in 1985 by Junior Achievement of Central South Carolina and The State newspaper - honors S.C. business leaders who champion free enterprise and serve as role models. Winners are selected by a secret panel of business and academic leaders. DeLoach is chairman, president and chief executive of South Carolina's second-largest publicly traded company, Hartsville packaging giant Sonoco. DeLoach, a Columbia native, helped boost annual sales more than 70 percent to more than $4 billion since taking over Sonoco in 2000. He did this by shifting more business from industrial to consumer packaging. Hall of Fame recipients will be honored at a banquet on May 27 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

1971

Thompson Henry, PA announces that John B. (Jack) McCutcheon, Jr. has become an associate of the firm located at 1314 Professional Dr., Myrtle Beach 29577.

1986

Rep. Paul Agnew, of Abbeville, has been named as a new board member to Upstate Forever. Agnew has represented District 11 in the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2005. A graduate of Erskine College and the University of South Carolina School of Law, Agnew has been a practicing attorney for more than 20 years and currently serves as president of the Abbeville County Bar Association. A longtime advocate for conservation, he was a founding member of the Upper Savannah Land Trust. He has served on the United Way Regional Board of Directors, Erskine College Alumni Board, Piedmont Tech Board of Visitors, Abbeville-Greenwood Regional Library Board, Greater Abbeville Chamber of Commerce Board, and the Abbeville County Development Board. He is also the attorney for Habitat for Humanity and the Guardian ad Litem program.

Beattie B. Ashmore announces the opening of Beattie B. Ashmore, PA, Attorney at Law and his relocation to 650 E. Washington St., Greenville 29601.

1988

Clawson & Staubes, LLC announces that Matthew S. Moore III has joined the firm as Of Counsel located at 126 Seven Farms Dr., Ste. 200, Charleston 29464.

1993

Thompson Henry, PA announces that Lisa A. Thomas has become an associate of the firm located at 1314 Professional Dr., Myrtle Beach 29577.

1994

Jackson Lewis, LLP announces that Lisa R. Claxton has become a partner with the firm located at 55 Beattie Place, Ste. 800, Greenville 29601.

1996

Melissa M. Frazier announces the opening of Frazier Law Firm, PC located at 3303 Hwy. 9, E., Little River 29566.

Dale R. "Bubba" Samuels announces the opening of The Samuels Firm located at 50 S. Alexander St., Ste. B, Buford, GA 30518.

1997

Clawson & Staubes, LLC announces that Peggy Urbanic has been elected member of the firm located at 126 Seven Farms Dr., Ste. 200, Charleston 29464.

1998

Wills & Massalon, LLC announces that Christy Ford Allen has been named a partner. The firm will now be known as Wills, Massalon & Allen, LLC, located at 134 Meeting St, Ste. 100, Charleston 29401.

Cofield Law Firm announces that Huntley Smith Crouch has joined the firm as an associate located at 809 S. Lake Dr., Lexington 29072.

Clawson & Staubes, LLC announces that G.P. Diminich has been elected member of the firm located at 126 Seven Farms Dr., Ste. 200, Charleston 29464.

1999

Thompson Henry, PA announces that Jill W. Fennel has become an associate of the firm located at 1314 Professional Dr., Myrtle Beach 29577.

Rogers Townsend & Thomas, PC announces that Franklin H. Turner III has been selected to become shareholders of the firm located at 220 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 109, Columbia 29210.

2000

Attorney Paul E. Sperry has been elected to partnership in Carlock, Copeland & Stair's Charleston office. Sperry concentrates his practice on construction litigation matters and has represented design professionals, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and owners in lawsuits involving construction related disputes. He also provides non-litigation support for construction clients, including contract review and advice related to payment and industry issues. Sperry has taught seminars on a variety of construction law topics, including mechanical liens, delay claims and construction contract clauses.

2001

In the Greenville, S.C. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough office, Benjamin A. Barnhill was promoted to partner. Barnhill focuses his practice on corporate securities, mergers and acquisitions, bank regulatory and executive compensation matters.

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC announces that Kyle Dillard of the Greenville office has been elected shareholder. The firm is located at 300 N. Main St., 29601.

The Stanley Law Firm, LLC announces that Jon Craig Howell Jr. has joined the firm as an associate in the Myrtle Beach office located at 1065 London St., Myrtle Beach 29577.

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. the nation's third-largest labor and employment law firm, is pleased to announce that Bernhard Mueller, in the firm's Raleigh office, has been elected shareholder. Mueller was named to the position at the firm's Annual Shareholders Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia on January 31. Mueller assists U.S. and foreign companies in obtaining and maintaining employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for their key employees. His experience includes obtaining temporary, nonimmigrant "work visas" and permanent immigrant visas (commonly referred to as "green cards") based on the multinational executive and manager, labor certification, and outstanding researcher strategies. He also assists businesses in I-9 employment eligibility issues, including self-audits, government investigations, and preparation of compliance programs. In addition to his immigration assistance, Mueller also aids employers with a broad range of corporate, employment, and labor matters. He represents clients in employment-related litigation as well as in administrative matters before the EEOC and the Department of Justice.

2002

Shannon Leigh Goff was named a partner at the Nashville-based law firm Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. She is also a leader of the firm's Women of Waller program, which provides opportunities to the firm's women attorneys for mentoring, community service, leadership development skills, and work-life balance options. She practices tax law, including ERISA, employee benefits, incentive plans, ESOPs and executive compensation.

Ford & Harrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, is pleased to announce that David H. Tyner in the firm's Spartanburg office been named partner to the firm effective January 1, 2010. David Tyner focuses his practice on employment law, including defending employers in discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination litigation. He represents employers in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. He has also practiced before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Court of Appeals. His published cases include Bowling v. Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital, 635 S.E. 2d 624 (2006), and Coakley v. Horace Mann Ins. Co., 609 S.E. 2d 537 (2005).

2003

On Saturday, February 6, 2010, Scott Brandon was honored as the year's Silver Medal Award winner for the American Advertising Federation-Coastal Carolinas (AAF-CC). The Silver Medal is unique among advertising awards. It is given to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering industry standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. This award is to honor individuals for lifetime achievements in the advertising industry.

2004

W. Cory Hughes announces the opening of The Law Office of W. Cory Hughes, LLC with mailing address at P.O. Box 9686, Greenville 29604. Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC announces that Brady R. Thomas has become an associate of the firm located at 730 Jackson St., Barnwell 29812.

2005

Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson & Delgado, LLC announce that Blake Hewitt has joined the firm located at 1614 Taylor St., Columbia 29202.

2006

The law firm of McAngus Goudelock & Courie is pleased to announce that attorney David Bornemann has been accepted into the South Carolina Bar Association's Young Lawyers Leadership Academy Class of 2010. The Young Lawyers Leadership Academy is a highly selective program designed to equip young lawyers with networking opportunities, professionalism training, community awareness and other skills necessary to give back to the profession, enhance their professional growth and position themselves as leaders in the community. Bornemann practices workers' compensation defense in MG&C's Columbia office.

2007

Gibbes Burton, LLC announces that Richard W. Allen has become an associate of the firm located at 308 E. St. John St., Spartanburg 29302. Allen's practice areas include construction and design, commercial and corporate litigation, employment and benefits, and professional negligence.

Daniel Hunnicutt announces the opening of The Law Offices of Daniel Hunnicutt located at 1320B 4th Ave., Conway 29528. J. Allen Mastantuno announces the opening of the Mastantuno Law Firm, LLC located at 171 Church St., Ste. 160, Charleston 29401.

2008

Mr. and Mrs. William M. Bechtler of Rock Hill, S.C., are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Sandi Rae Hovis to Mr. James Tyler Burns, both of Rock Hill. Tyler is a solicitor with the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina.

In Memoriam

John Redmond Coyle, 61, devoted husband, father, and Christian, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 3, 2010. He was an active member of the Pickens legal community serving as an attorney on Main Street in Pickens for 37 years. A graduate of Easley High School in 1966, Redmond went to Clemson University and received a BA degree in History. While at Clemson he was a member of the Army R.O.T.C. Redmond was formerly a member of Sertoma and had served on the board of Easley Baptist Hospital. He was formerly a Public Defender in Pickens County for over 10 years and served on the Defense Court Board. He also served as a captain in the National Guard in the JAG office in Spartanburg.

Ralph Phillips, Jr., a Spartanburg attorney, died Friday, February 26, 2010 at Lexington Medical Center. Phillips was a 1962 graduate of Union High School; a 1966 graduate of Wofford College with a Bachelor of Science Degree, and a 1969 graduate of University of South Carolina School of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree. Phillips practiced law in Union, SC from 1969 to 1993 and in Spartanburg, SC from 1993 to 2010.He is a former City Judge for the City of Union, a former Union County Solicitor and a former 32nd Mason and Shriner.

Melvin L. Roberts, 79, of 214 Roberts Ave., died Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, at his home in York. Melvin served in the U.S. Armed Forces from 1947-1948 and 1951-1952 and graduated law school in 1954. He was the only person to have graduated from USC-Columbia with a BS degree and a JD law degree in a four-year term and was a member of The Wig and Robe and the associate editor of Law Quarterly. After completing his education in Columbia, S.C., he and his wife, Bobbie, moved to York County in 1955, where he lived for the remainder of his life. He was the longest serving member of the S.C. State Bar, served on the York County City Council for eight years in the 1960s and was a two-term mayor of York in 1972. He had an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 1976. He was active in the City of York Annual Veteran's Day Parade and in many city events and generously donated to many organizations in York County. Melvin's accomplishments are too many to mention. He was admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, the S.C. State Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit, the U.S. District Court of S.C. and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Some of the Appellate Court rulings from his cases helped shape S.C. law.

Mortimer Fenton Smith of Cayce died February 6, 2010. Her served in the US Navy during WW II and served in the USAF as a legal officer during the Korean conflict. Mortimer received both his undergraduate (1949) and law degree (1950) from the University of South Carolina. A former mayor of City of Cayce, he practiced law in Cayce for 30 years. He was a Lexington Court Family Court judge for eight years and served on the Board of Directors of First Federal Savings and Loan of Cayce for more than 30 years, five of those years as board chairman. He was a past president f the Cayce-West Columbia Lions Club where he was an active member for 35 years.