Read Q&As with some of our alumni, who share their success stories and offer advice on career paths and more.
Christopher Taylor (2000) was formally invested as a Circuit Court Judge for South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit on May 9. Several classmates and colleagues, including Judge Kaymani West (2000), were in attendance to celebrate the occasion.L-R: Hon. Kaymani West; Hon. Christopher Taylor; SC Representative Chris Hart; Dep. Solicitor Fifth Circuit Curtis Pauling, III; and Ass't Solicitor Fifth Circuit Donna Green.
Amanda Clark was honored with the Distinguished Young Lawyer Award by the Buncombe County Bar for her FEMA crisis relief efforts after Hurricane Helene. Now at Fisher Stark P.A. in Asheville, she led a volunteer effort that aided 80 residents and coordinated over 300 hours of service.
Trey Branham and his firm, Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, have been named a finalist for the 2025 Elite Trial Lawyers Award in product liability. The firm earned national recognition for major verdicts in asbestos-related talc cases, including multiple wins against Johnson & Johnson.
Elizabeth “Beth” J. Palmer (JD 2005) and Alice F. Paylor (JD 1977) were two of the four attorneys from Saxton & Strump named South Carolina Super Lawyers
National plaintiffs firm Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, has been recognized by ALM and Law.com for securing two of the largest jury verdicts of 2024. Trey Branham is the firm's founding partner.
Nicolas J. Cherry has been elevated to partner in the Litigation Department at Fox Rothschild LLP. Cherry is based in the Greenville, South Carolina office. Fox Rothschild LLP is a national law firm with 1,000 attorneys coast to coast.
Trey Branham, founding partner of Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, has been selected by Lawdragon to its 2025 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know. The listing celebrates legal leaders who are “selected for their roles founding, growing, leading and innovating on behalf of a legal enterprise seeking change, profit, to be a home, a voice.” Mr. Branham is a well-known advocate for those who have been victimized by corporations.
Ellis Forest III was named Director of Development and General Counsel by Cothran Properties, a Greenville-based commercial, industrial, and residential developer. Ellis will handle legal matters associated with land development, land acquisitions, and leasing for Cothran’s diverse product portfolio.
Sharon Bramlett (’85) has joined Turner Padget as a Columbia-based shareholder. A leader in commercial real estate and finance law, Bramlett brings 40 years of experience and is widely recognized for her expertise in financial services regulation across South Carolina.
Bill Pollock has been recognized again in the 2025 NC edition of Super Lawyers for his practice in Construction Litigation for the tenth consecutive year. He was also named a "Top 100 NC Lawyer" as well as "Top 25 Raleigh Lawyers." Additionally, Bill was included in the 2025 "Legal Elite" list by Business North Carolina magazine for Construction.
John Cella was selected for inclusion in the 2025 NC edition of Super Lawyers in Estate Planning & Probate. John was also recognized the Business North Carolina magazine's 2025 "Legal Elite" list in Tax & Estate Planning by peer review. John recently received NC State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law.
William “Billy” McGee ‘92, CEO of Gallivan White Boyd, has been named to Greenville Business Magazine’s 50 Most Influential for 2024.
Gray T. Culbreath ’88, of Gallivan White Boyd will serve as President of the Southeastern American Board of Trial Advocates until the end of 2025.
John G. Tamasitis ‘14 and Christopher T.G. Trusk ’15 of Williams Mullen have been elected partners of the firm effective February 1st.
Turner Padget Elevates Ben Calhoun (’17) to Shareholder
Danny Smith ‘74 and Patrick Smith ‘90 of Spartanburg-based Smith Legal Group, P.C. were recognized as a Tier 1 firm in Greenville for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms
William "Billy" Moore Jr. '83 of Moore & Van Allen was awarded the Order of the Palmetto.
The Honorable Amy W. McCulloch '90 was named President of the National College of Probate Judges.
Mary Stewart DeLong '24 and Chase Stokes O'Reilly '24 joined Turner Padget.
Gray Culbreath '88, John T. Lay '91, David Rheney '89 and Ronald K. Wray II '92 have been recognized in the 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation.
Lesley A. Firestone was selected as a Charleston Regional Business Journal 2024 Women of Influence Award winner.
Robbie Poplin '86 received the 2025 Best Lawyers' International Arbitration - Commercial Law "Lawyer of the Year" award in Atlanta
Jessica J.O. King '96, Ryan W. Trail '08 and Richard H. “Dick” Willis '81, have been named among South Carolina's 2024 "Legal Elite" by Columbia Business Monthly, Greenville Business Magazine, Charleston Business Magazine and B2B: The Grand Strand.
Mary Harriet Moore '21 was featured in Primerus's Weekly Attorney Spotlight
William P. DuBose, IV '22 joins Wilams Mullen.
Drew English '98 joins Adams and Reese LLP.
Gray T. Culbreath ‘88 (Ranked in Band 2), John T. Lay ‘91 (Ranked in Band 1) and Lindsay A. Joyner ‘10 (Ranked as Up and Coming) were ranked in in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA.
Catherine Hood Kennedy was recently sworn in as the president of the Senior Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar.
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