Motley Rice LLC, One of the Nation’s Largest Plaintiffs’ Litigation Firms with South Carolina Roots Motley Rice is a nationally recognized law firm proudly based in the Lowcountry. We fight for “Causes, not just Cases®” taking on cases large and small, especially for our neighbors. While we have a national reach, we are honored to have deep roots in South Carolina and are committed to doing our best to lead and support our local community in every way we can.
Motley Rice has a strong history of resolving some of the most complex and high stakes civil cases in the country. We invest considerable time and resources into our clients’ cases because we aspire to obtain the best possible outcome. This wouldn’t be possible without our vast network of likeminded co-counsel who strengthen our impact for plaintiffs in numerous case types, including toxic torts, environmental contamination, securities fraud, mesothelioma, workplace injuries and wrongful death.
We fight to protect our clients through all phases of litigation, including the courtroom and the negotiating table, and regularly prosecute class actions against well-funded and formidable adversaries such as Fortune 500 companies. In recent years, Motley Rice attorneys led negotiations for a nearly $15 billion class action settlement with Volkswagen in the wake of its “Clean Diesel” emissions scandal and then advocated for South Carolina to use its settlement funds to replace old school buses across the state. As liaison counsel, we helped negotiate a $192 million securities class action settlement for SCANA shareholders who alleged the energy company misled the public regarding its failed nuclear reactor project. We obtained an $8 million jury verdict in Charleston for the widow of a Summerville man who died after falling through a gap in an elevated platform at Boeing’s North Charleston facility. And when nine brave Charleston firefighters tragically lost their lives in the June 18, 2007, West Ashley Sofa Super Store blaze, we did not hesitate to unite with co-counsel to litigate wrongful death and survival actions for their families.
Today, Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice serves as co-lead counsel in the National Prescription Opiate Multidistrict Litigation and the firm has worked to achieve monetary and injunctive relief for South Carolina and other communities alleging deceptive marketing and/or overdistribution of opioid drugs. Joe is also co-lead counsel in the federal AFFF MDL filed in U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, helping steer litigation for public water systems, communities and people exposed to toxic, PFAS contamination in groundwater near military bases, airports and other sites where firefighting foams were used. North America’s largest fire-fighting union, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), recently retained Motley Rice to help lead its legal efforts seeking to spur industry-wide changes that remove toxic PFAS from protective bunker gear, one of the fire fighters’ leading health risks. And notably, 2023 S.C. Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law honoree Carmen Scott is at the forefront of national litigation for women who developed ovarian cancer after using talc-based baby powder for feminine hygiene.
Motley Rice is headquartered at 28 Bridgeside Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464, and has additional offices in Connecticut; Washington, D.C.; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; and West Virginia. For more information, call 1.800.768.4026 or visit www.motleyrice.com.
Carmen Scott is the attorney responsible for this communication. Motley Rice LLC, a South Carolina Limited Liability Company, is engaged in the New Jersey practice of law through Motley Rice New Jersey LLC. Esther Berezofsky is the attorney responsible for New Jersey practice.
*Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Samantha Albrecht is an attorney who loves to travel. She has visited 13 different countries and says her travels feed her mind and soul — and balance her professional life.
“Traveling gives me the opportunities to experience different mindsets, ways of life, and cultures which in turn improves my ability to communicate and interact with my cl he said.
Albrecht’s entrance into employment and e ducation law was a happy accident.
“I initially fell into this area of practice because I was moving and needed a job, but once I began to practice, it was a perfect fit,” she said.
Albrecht, who is devoted to activities of the S.C. Bar, serves as CLE co-chair for the employment law section and a co-chair for the young lawyer’s division student outreach committee, and enjoys interacting with students across the state.
An avid runner, Albrecht has completed a marathon on the Great Wall of China, and is training for the Chicago Marathon.
As far back as Beattie Ashmore can remember, dating back to his upbringing in Greenville, he always wanted to be a lawyer. Today, he practices law as a principal attorney in the town he grew up in.
Ashmore started his career as a federal prosecutor and still focuses on matters in the federal court system. His practice consists of representing individuals and corporations in both criminal and civil cases.
“I’ve been fortunate with my law practice,” he said. “I’ve been involved in numerous state and federal trials, and having my own law firm with a dedicated staff gives me the ability to work hard and play hard.”
Ashmore believes it is also his duty to help others, regardless of area of specialty or even profession.
“I do a good bit of pro bono work in our magistrate’s courts and it’s a great opportunity to help those that are truly in need,” he said.
Shaheena Bennett is a self-described hometown lawyer who believes in protecting the rights of her clients at all times. Widely respected by her peers, she is well known as a zealous advocate.
Born and raised in Moncks Corner, Bennett founded the Bennett Law Firm in 2008. She focuses on personal injury and wrongful death matters, as well as entertainment and sports law, criminal defense, and civil litigation. She is also a certified mediator in the South Carolina Circuit Courts.
She considers her practice a mission to develop personal relationships with her many clients by providing a high level of service, and striving to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Bennett is a past president of the Berkeley County Bar Association and is active in a variety of bar organizations including the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association and the Black Lawyers Association.
From a young age, Christie Brimm had her eye on becoming a doctor. She’d been accepted into medical school when she took a philosophy class that changed everything.
“The critical debate and search for meaning and truth energized me,” she said. “When I enrolled in my medical school classes, that same passion was not there, so I left medical school on good terms, took the LSAT to keep my options open, and for the first time considered a career in law.”
Brimm practices solely in the areas of bankruptcy and debtor-creditor law. When Congress passed the 2020 Small Business Reorganization Act, Brimm was selected as one of only two attorneys in South Carolina to be a Subchapter V case trustee.
“I love what I do and I am so fulfilled in this practice area,” she said. “It is academically challenging for me, and I get great satisfaction from helping people in financial distress find a way forward.”
When Jennifer Burnett started out, she focused on defending nursing homes charged with abuse and neglect. Now, as managing partner at Harbin & Burnett, she practices on the plaintiff ’s side.
“I was interested in the medicine and enjoyed this type of litigation,” she said. “When I decided to switch sides to become a plaintiffs’ lawyer, I knew I wanted to represent families of loved ones who had been neglected or abused at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.”
Burnett recently completed a term as president of the South Carolina Association for Justice, a role she describes as the highlight of her career. She is also secretary of the Tucker W. Hipps Foundation, an organization that works to raise awareness of and prevent hazing.
She has also learned valuable lessons about leadership.
“I have found that the most successful leaders support and encourage others to excel in their contributions and that leadership is often more about enabling others to shine,” she said.
Nichole Davis grew up in a military family and lived all over the world, graduating from high school in Japan.
Watching “The Cosby Show,” she was fascinated with the show’s family matriarch, Claire Huxtable, an accomplished attorney, whose intellect, wit and eloquence sparked her interest in becoming a lawyer.
“The older I got, the more I realized that the law impacts everything and everyone, and I wanted to help people navigate the legal system and achieve their goals,” she said.
Today, Davis handles plaintiff personal-injury cases. For the last eight years, she’s organized a mock trial based on a fairy tale or Disney movie for children participating in The RAM Foundation Summer Enrichment Program. The most recent trial was based on “The Little Mermaid.”
“This is my way of making the system less scary for kids by giving them a positive experience and planting a seed that they have the ability to make the system better,” Davis said.
Ashley Creech intended to parlay her love of history into a career in higher education, but she pivoted to law school while enrolled in a graduate program.
“I enjoy working with clients, co-counsel, and defense counsel to understand how different perspectives inform a case,” she said. “I love the truth-seeking aspect of the law and have found that can bring my clients a lot of peace, despite some of the tragic circumstances they often face.”
Creech handles personal injury matters at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phelps. She is vice president of the S.C. Association for Justice and is active in the American Association for Justice and the York County Bar Association.
From her experience, Creech says she has learned that there are extraordinary people everywhere.
“I’ve also learned the importance of recognizing other people’s gifts,” she said. “And I understand that stepping back to allow them to use their gifts doesn’t diminish my own value or contributions.”
G.P. Diminich recalls spending summers in Italy, where he would visit family members who were attorneys. Their stories intrigued him and convinced him to pursue his career in the law.
“They were knowledgeable and entertaining, and worked in diverse areas from litigation to transactional law,” he said.
Diminich is the Charleston managing partner and wealth strategies regional service line leader at Shumaker, fpr which he represents high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and privately held businesses. He focuses on tax and estate planning and business and is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
“I was drawn to this area because I enjoy the interaction between drafting documents and the litigation of the same,” he said. “It brings two wildly different skill sets together.”
Diminich says his clients and career have taught him to always go the extra mile and never give up.
“Many cases have turned on working hard and discovering critical information at the last minute,” he said.
As both a son and a grandson of attorneys, Franke Eppes can’t remember a time when he didn’t dream of becoming a lawyer. “I started going to court at about age 2 and began paying attention when I was 4 or 5,” he said. “I like helping people that need help and do not know where to turn.”A partner at Eppes & Plumblee, he focuses on complex litigation and criminal defense.
Yet even after a long and most successful career in law, Eppes still considers the awards he received for teamwork, spirit and sportsmanship in college as his top accomplishments. He is also a recipient of the Greenville Bar’s Tommy Thomason award, given to lawyers that exhibit a profound love and respect for the bar.
“If you do your best and do the job that is in front of you, you will get opportunities to do more without having to scheme for them,” he said.
Natasha Hanna can’t remember not wanting to be a lawyer.
“I was drawn to the excitement of solving problems and helping people,” she said. “That excitement still drives me today and I love what I do.”
Natasha Hanna Law in Myrtle Beach is a multi-faceted firm focusing on personal i njury, workers’ comp, criminal defense and courtroom litigation. On the other side of the office, the firm runs a real estate closing practice.
“These areas allow me to help our clients solve their problems as well as reach their dreams of home ownership,” she said.
Hanna says she loves giving back to her community and volunteers on a variety of boards.
“I currently serve as the vice chair of the Coastal Carolina University Board of Trustees, and I love watching the students come to our town to learn and succeed,” she said. “They motivate me to continue the hard work we do.”
Molly Flynn credits her self-described “gift of gab” and her parents, who are lawyers, with inspiring her to become an attorney.
“I determined that my love of public speaking, inability to shy away from confrontation, and logical reasoning skills could be put to good use as a lawyer,” she said.
As a civil litigation defense attorney at Collins & Lacy, she focuses on the retail and hospitality industry.
Flynn was previously an assistant solicitor in the 5th Circuit, where she prosecuted domestic violence cases and violent crimes, and served a two-year stint representing public school districts and state agencies. Those roles prepared her for her judicial post in Forest Acres, a place she has come to love. She credits local government officials for giving her the opportunity to serve.
“I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined I would be a judge,” she said. “I have been afforded this incredible opportunity and hope to continue as long as they will have me.”
Hannah Honeycutt was inspired to become a lawyer after she learned that public defenders and legal aid lawyers spend their careers working exclusively in service to low-income people.
After five years as a public defender, she is now executive director of the South Carolina Access to Justice Commission.
“As a public defender, I was often frustrated that I couldn’t help my clients with the myriad other things they needed, including accessing civil legal services,” she said. “Working for the Commission means I have a more systemic impact in making our justice system more accessible for everyone.”
Honeycutt takes particular pride in the Statewide Civil Legal Needs Assessment, an 18-month long research project that yielded a report about the legal needs of low-and-moderate-income people and how they access justice.
“For the first time, we have hard data to not only illustrate exactly what the problems are here, but also to support meaningful, data-driven solutions,” she said.
Jennifer Johnsen is passionate about giving back to her community and has been deeply involved in United Way of Greenville for 30 years.
From volunteering to serving on the organization’s board, she appreciates the organization’s mission of providing individuals with education, financial stability and basic needs.Her service also gives her an opportunity to lead and influences her perspective on leadership.
“Leadership is not about the leader, rather it’s about empowering those around you to achieve their greatest potential,” she said. “It’s about building strong relationships, providing inspiration and guidance, and motivating performance.”
Johnsen, a partner at Gallivan, White & Boyd, focuses her practice on insurance coverage and also practices ERISA and commercial litigation.
Starting out, she thought she’d be a transactional attorney, but later found her passion for litigation.
“Practicing law allows me to use my strongest skills, reading, analysis, problem-solving and communication, and I have discovered I love trial work,” she said.
Asmall-town lawyer in Mike Kelly’s hometown of Emporia, Va. inspired him to pursue his own career in law, and he has never looked back.
“I started working in his office while in high school and college, and I decided that was what I wanted to do,” Kelly said. “I still love the practice of law to this day.”
Kelly focuses on social security disability and workers’ compensation, and has become a leader both in his profession and his legal community. He is a past president of the Richland County Bar Association and the South Carolina Bar, and is a past president of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
“Some people think they are not qualified or comfortable being in a leadership role, and that has never bothered me,” Kelly said. “Have I been scared or afraid I would fail? Of course, but I keep on plugging and so far, so good.”
Mark Joye credits his father and his experience in the Boy Scouts for inspiring his dedication to helping his clients, colleagues and community. “My top personal accomplishment is saving a fellow lawyer’s life from the dangers of alcoholism,” Joye said. “He and I speak about this now at seminars around the state.”Joye and his wife set up a foundation to support many local organizations, and established a college scholarship for high school students in Charleston County.
He handles personal-injury cases at his firm, which is a strong community supporter and has given over $250,000 in college scholarships to students across the state.
He recently prevailed in a federal case on behalf of a local charity after an insurance company failed to pay a fire claim on a school building for low-income kids in North Charleston.
“I represented the school for free,” he said. “The multi-million-dollar settlement was my most satisfying settlement in 33 years of practicing law.”
Tom Killoren credits his father with setting a powerful example and inspiring him to practice law.
“My father is the best lawyer and person I’ve ever known,” said Killoren, who practices personal injury at KD Trial Lawyers in Spartanburg.
Killoren’s penchant for using his practice to help people spills over into his community service. He volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, and along with the opportunity to lend a helping hand for those in need, he enjoys the manual labor that comes with it.
“The feeling of immediate satisfaction of painting or landscaping is a good feeling, especially for those needing assistance,” he said.
When it comes to successful leadership, Killoren believes strong organizational skills is key.
“A well-organized plan can move a case or a project quickly and efficiently,” he said.
And a fun fact that Killoren’s colleagues may not know: His son played high school basketball with NBA star Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Technology is in Doug Kim’s soul.
Kim parlayed his role as a systems engineer into a thriving intellectual law practice. As computers began making their way into the business world of the ‘90s, Kim noticed a knowledge gap in the legal profession. In 1995, he determined a lawyer with a technical background could have a promising future, so he went to law school.
“My hunch proved correct as the world became increasingly technical,” he said. “In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that software could be patented, which opened the floodgates for opportunities in this field.”
The founder of Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm in Greenville, Kim has a passion for entrepreneurship. He participates in organizations like InnoVision, NEXT, SC Launch, The Hill at Furman, and Clemson University Research Foundation to support entrepreneurs.
“These organizations benefit from volunteer support, which helps them thrive and expand,” he said. “Creating these connections are crucial for young businesses.”
Becky Laffitte has parlayed her long and distinguished career into a life of service to both the legal profession and her community.
Her numerous professional affiliations include membership in the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. She is also a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America, and is a certified mediator and arbitrator.
Laffitte has a diverse litigation practice and participates in Robinson Gray’s 20 Years Strong Service Project. She says her career and leadership roles have taught her that “words and actions reflect who you are, and a leader should adhere to their moral principles, values, integrity, honesty and trustworthiness in inspiring others to reach their full potential.”
Her career path has included a variety of destinations. About 25 years ago, as president of the Junior League, she met style icon Martha Stewart at a league event, and was invited to Stewart’s farmstead in Connecticut, where she toured her recording studio, gardens and chicken coop.
As a partner at Riley, Pope & Laney in Columbia, Roy Laney runs a successful practice that focuses on commercial transactions and litigation. But he is equally passionate about pro bono work, finding immense reward in working on parole issues and real estate matters, as well as assisting small businesses and families who need a helping hand.
“Many of these cases seem small, but they’re big issues to the people involved,” he said. “Providing pro bono service to those who need help is probably the best thing I’ve done.”
Laney is president-elect of the South Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society and serves in the American Bar Association House of Delegates. He is a past president of the South Carolina Bar and the Richland County Bar Association.
“I try to listen, gather information and facilitate the discussion to generate as many ideas as possible,” he said. “Once decisions are made, it’s important to develop an action plan to ensure those ideas are implemented.”
PerryMacLennan credits his parents with planting the seed that led him to his career in law.
“My parents thought I would make a good lawyer because I argued with them so much,” he said. “And most of the people I considered important and successful when I was growing up — politicians, CEOs, local community leaders, were all lawyers, so I thought there must be something to it.”
MacLennan practices in employment law and economic development. He particularly enjoys assisting nonprofit organizations with employment law matters at discounted rates or pro bono.
He enjoys giving back to his profession and has held leadership roles in the South Carolina Bar and American Bar Association Young Lawyers Divisions.
For MacLennan, authenticity and setting good examples are hallmarks of leadership.
“Those in leadership positions must exemplify the characteristics that you want others to emulate,” he said. “But you must be yourself and strive to be the best version of yourself.”
Angus Macaulay considers the legal profession “the family business.”
“My grandfather was a lawyer in the small town of Chester and my father was a lawyer in Richmond,” he said. “There’s one uncle, three first cousins, a brother and sister, and they’re all lawyers,” he said.
Macaulay is a shareholder at Maynard Nexsen in Columbia, where he represents employers in litigation and gives them advice on current laws and how to apply those laws in their workplace. He is also a certified mediator.
As South Carolina Bar president from 2012-2013 (and still an active member today), Macaulay perceived early on that there can be too much of a good thing — he says the greatest leadership lesson he learned was to limit meetings to one hour.
“I was president of the organization and noticed that attendance was going down,” he said. As soon as I announced that the meetings would only last an hour, attendance skyrocketed.”
The opportunity to help people inspired Danielle Metoyer Mitchell to pursue a legal career. She credits her parents and great uncle for recognizing her strengths and passion for favoring the underdog and they encouraged her to become a lawyer.
Mitchell is a partner at Mitchell Ramseur where she practices family law as a litigator and mediator.
“I am drawn to advocating for people’s most fundamental needs, such as protecting their children, and to facilitating agreements resolving the legal aspects of family issues,” she said.
Active in her profession and her community, Mitchell volunteers on the Board of Trustees at Saint Joseph Catholic School of Greenville and serves as a mediator with the Upstate Mediation Center, and with the Upstate Fatherhood Coalition. Leading and volunteering are vital to her call to service.
“Being a leader is not the same thing as being loudest,” she said. “An effective leader can listen, guide, and help people get themselves going in the right direction.”
Stephen Mitchell took his father’s advice when it came to following him into the law.
“My father used his law degree to help run the family business and encouraged me to enter private practice,” he said. “He said it would give me more options and he was right.”
Today, Mitchell is managing partner of Fisher Phillips’ Columbia office.
He says sheer luck led him to practice employment and labor law. After starting his career as a solicitor in Greenville County, he had an opportunity to work with a top labor firm that needed a young attorney with trial experience.
“The firm partners were patient and taught me labor and employment law,” he said. “It’s a fascinating area of the law.”
For Mitchell, being a leader means being direct and open with colleagues.
“I think you also need to accept that you will make mistakes and should be willing to own them and adapt, and often apologize,” he said.
An athlete, military officer and attorney, Stanley Myers’ career has been groundbreaking on multiple fronts.
A graduate of the Citadel and the David A. Clarke School of Law, Myers completed the 64th Military Judge Course, becoming the third military judge for the South Carolina Army National Guard, and the first African American to hold that position in South Carolina.
Myers practices in a variety of areas including personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense and military law. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates.
He says that he’s learned that recruiting, training and trusting his staff enables him to effectively delegate duties, and he strives to avoid asking them to do anything he would not do himself.
“I’ve also learned to realize I’m only human and to be gentle on myself, but to also make no excuses and own my mistakes,” he said
Growing up in Kingstree, Leah Montgomery was impressed with the attorneys she viewed as essential to business and often community leaders.
“I knew I wanted to influence change in my home state that I love so much, which led me to study political science in college with the goal of pursuing a career in law and public service,” she said.
She launched Palmetto Legal Solutions in 2016 to feed her passion for advising small businesses on employment law compliance and business law issues.
During Montgomery’s second year in law school at the University of South Carolina, she overcame serious health issues and graduated with honors.
“I had two heart procedures and considered taking a leave of absence but decided to remain an active student,” she said. “This experience taught me that I could not only persist through a difficult situation, but with hard work and focus, I could be successful.”
After earning her college degree in psychology, Bhumi Patel thought she’d get a paralegal certificate and work at a law firm. But her husband encouraged her to go to law school instead.
“He must have recognized something in me that I couldn’t see in myself,” she said. “My desire to succeed is often motivated by a good challenge, and I am thankful for the way he challenged me.”
Patel is a partner at Burr & Forman, where she practices real estate law. She recalls graduating from law school in 2008 during the economic recession when legal jobs were scarce and started her career doing foreclosure work for a bank until the market picked up.
As vice president of the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, Patel believes good leaders must also be good listeners.
“Leadership means recognizing the strengths and abilities in others and encouraging them to use those for their personal and professional growth,” she said.
Mike Polk started his career in the Navy. Upon his discharge, he enrolled in law school at the University of South Carolina and later settled into the Midlands region, where he began practicing law at the Belser Law Firm.
Over his 25-year career as an estate and probate attorney, he has helped countless clients plan for their future.
Polk constructs wills and trusts, and set up powers of attorney, as well as probate administration and litigation. He also helps families seek the appointment of a guardian or conservator for those without estate planning documents. He has also served as an administrator and conservator in special circumstances.
In addition to his estate practice, Polk assists with business formation, planning and disputes, and he helps creditors assert their rights in state, federal and bankruptcy courts. He has appeared at virtually every level of court in South Carolina.
Polk is president-elect of the Richland County Bar Association and serves on its executive committee.
Wen she turned 50, Mary Sharp set aside her fears, took the plunge, and started her own personal injury practice. Six years later, the Sharp Law Firm in Beaufort is thriving.
Sharp, a certified mediator who serves as a municipal court judge, is active in a variety of professional and community organizations, including the South Carolina Bar House of Delegates, the South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, and the South Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society. She is past president of the South Carolina Bar and has learned valuable lessons in leadership from her experiences.
“I have learned that it is most important, when leading an organization, to keep focused on the long-term goals of the organization, and to not get side-tracked with distractions that don’t further those goals,” she said.
Sharp also enjoyed an early career in the movies. She was an extra in the movies Bull Durham in 1988 and Forrest Gump in 1994.
As a teenager, Carmen Scott was inspired to pursue her legal career after observing a system that places financially vulnerable individuals at a disadvantage and equates financial means to power.
Today, she primarily represents plaintiffs in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.
She also advocates for human trafficking victims against hotel franchises and other corporate entities accused of enabling trafficking.
“Representing human trafficking victims became part of my practice as the inhumanities inflicted on them made their way to my desk,” she said. “I am fortunate to work in a firm that allows me to pursue justice for individuals when there is a need.”
Scott has also volunteered for the Make-A-Wish Foundation for 16 years and views teamwork as a critical component of leadership.
“I value relationships, particularly with younger lawyers with whom I work,” she said. “I know it is important to leave the ladder down for those behind me so that they can likewise achieve their professional goals.”
Since his childhood, Skip Utsey has enjoyed studying logic. That, combined with a heart for life’s underdogs, set him on a path to the law.
A partner at Clawson Fargnoli Utsey in Charleston, Utsey focuses on insurance coverage issues, medical malpractice, appeals, and other personal injury matters. He is also chancellor (legal counsel) for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.
“I have been fortunate to handle all kinds of litigation in my career,” he said. “I like helping people and providing them peace of mind, even if it sometimes means telling them something they didn’t want to hear.”
He values the successful roles he has played in several appellate decisions.
“I am proud of the fact that I was one of the people who helped clarify the law or create new law in a way that not only helped our clients, but will benefit others who may find themselves in similar situations,” he said.
At Land Parker Welch, the attorneys and staff treat clients like family, according to partner Ricci Land Welch.
As her firm’s website attests, Welch believes practicing law in a close-knit community requires a special touch.
“We’re a small-town practice and we run into our clients when we go to Wal-Mart or the grocery store, so we try to be accessible,” Welch writes. “Most of us don’t screen our calls in the office and we call people back as soon as we can.”
Welch, who is the daughter of firm founder John C. Land III, joined the firm in 1996.
Just after joining the firm, she was co-counsel to anti-discrimination lawyer Morris Dees in a high-profile hate-crime case, Macedonia v. Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in which the defendant organization and several individuals were found guilty of burning the Macedonia Baptist Church in Manning.
““I really like helping people and I truly enjoy my work,” she said.
“Perhaps becoming a lawyer was just meant to be,” she said. “Law is also a great mix of many of my interests, including reading, writing, and problem-solving.”
The Greenville native is a shareholder at Baker Donelson, where she practices business litigation, focused on healthcare.
Wrenn is her firm’s Women’s Initiative leader for the Carolinas and serves as an editor of the Women’s Initiative’s quarterly newsletter, Strive.
“The Women’s Initiative aims to increase the representation of women in leadership positions at the firm, create diverse attorney teams for clients, and improve career development for women attorneys,” she said.
Wrenn believes leaders come in all shapes and sizes and lead in their own personal ways.
“In my experience, key to becoming a successful leader is being able to motivate and effectively help others feel valued, invested in, listened to, and appreciated,” she said.
From productivity to authenticity, David Wilson says he has learned valuable lessons throughout his career and is able to put them to good use in his HOA practice at Law Firm Carolinas.
“That which gets recognized and reinforced gets done, and that which doesn’t get recognized and reinforced doesn’t get done,” he said of productivity. “My career has been a source of great entertainment. I never know what I’m going to be working on from day to day, but it is always new and interesting.”
An Eagle Scout, Wilson devotes time to his church and provides emotional and spiritual support to those in need. When he’s not working, you might find him on a windy beach honing his surfing skills, especially during the hurricane season — his favorite time of year.
“I always look for hurricanes to hit the east coast so we can get some good waves,” he said.
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