It’s that time of year to sign up for a committee with the South Carolina Bar. The Next Gen Committee recently asked committee chairs throughout the Bar to share a few words via video about their respective groups and why members should get involved. Check out the above video featuring Chris Koon and the In-House Counsel Committee.
Serving on a committee introduces you to new colleagues and helps you grow in the legal profession. SC Bar committees—which are composed of Bar members from throughout the state—develop, implement and oversee many goals and programs for our organization.
All members are invited to volunteer their expertise, time and talents to benefit the SC Bar, the legal profession and the communities we serve. Learn more and sign up to serve in 2021-22 by visiting www.scbar.org/getinvolvedand be sure to watch out for more videos spotlighting different committees each week.
The ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center also will host a21-day Pride Month challengethat will provide engaging resources to participants throughout the month to help support building habits toward Pride learning. The challenge kicks off today, June 10. You are welcome to sign up during the whole month of June.
Board of Governors recap
The SC Bar Board of Governors met in-person and via video conference Thursday, June 10 and approved:
A request from the Civil Rights Task Force to establish a section. The matter will go to the House of Delegates in July;
A request from the SC Access to Justice Commission to help fund a statewide civil legal needs assessment; and
A request from the Next Gen Committee for funding to support an upcoming event.
The Board voted to establish the Judicial Independence Committee and to fill two vacancies in the House of Delegates with Elizabeth (Bess) Battle of Marion and Nicole Workman of Lancaster. In addition, it voted to form a subcommittee to study the proposal from the Professional Standards Subcommittee of the Diversity Committee to amend the Standards of Professionalism. The BOG also voted to forward a slate of candidates to the South Carolina Supreme Court for appointment to the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. It also approved re-appointments to the Commission on Indigent Defense.
Finally, the BOG received updates from the Five-Year Strategic Diversity Plan Implementation Task Force. The next meeting will be July 15 via phone and video conference.
As hurricane season kicks off this month, the SC Bar Young Lawyers Division and the American Bar Association YLD are preparing now for disaster-related legal assistance in South Carolina.
The YLD operates a hotline for SC residents after a Presidential declaration of a major disaster and is now seeking lawyers (of all ages and experience levels) who are willing to assist hotline callers by providing answers to basic FEMA and disaster-related questions. Most disaster survivors have basic legal questions related to FEMA applications and appeals, landlord-tenant law, construction law and insurance law that can be answered in one phone interaction. Lawyers who sign up for the hotline will be provided a free Disaster Legal Services Quick Reference Guide.
If you are interested in assisting with the hotline after a major disaster hits South Carolina, please sign up here. The SC Bar’s Pro Bono Program will partner with the YLD to offer a free CLE on disaster legal services on June 30 (6 hours MCLE credit). Register here.
Save the date for the 19th Amendment program with SC Bar, ABA + UofSC
Mark your calendar now for an exciting day-long program that will delve into the history and impact of the 19th Amendment. The South Carolina Bar, American Bar Association Judicial Division, and University of South Carolina School of Law will present "The Complex and Courageous Campaign for Women's Suffrage and Parity in Our Democracy: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment," from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 16.
The event will be held at the Karen Williams Courtroom at the UofSC School of Law with 6.33 MCLE credit hours available. This program will be available in-person and via live webcast. The link to register for the in-person version is availablehere, and the link to register for the webcast version is availablehere. Please note that if you plan to attend in-person at the UofSC School of Law, seating is limited, as we will be following guidelines for social distancing and masking set by UofSC, so be sure to register early!
Story behind the story: Carr offers insight on "Move It and Lose It!"
In her recent article for SC Lawyer, Rachel Carr of Hinson Faulk discusses the law for lost and damaged items by interstate moving companies. It’s the passion she has for working with first time buyers and a claim that came through her office that inspired this article.
"As attorneys, we are faced with new facts for each client that we have to navigate,” she says. “One of the best ways we can prepare is to read what other attorneys are seeing in their practice and learn from each other. This scenario came through my office and will likely go through someone else's."
Learn the story behind the story and get insight on Carr’s experience as a real estate attorney in this Bar News story.
Seeking information on a will
The family of Celia Knowlin is seeking information or documents about her will, which was likely written in Georgetown. Ms. Knowlin died in January 2019. If you have any information, please contact Frances Berry at (860) 878-7794.
Summer CLE opportunities
Stay afloat on your CLE requirements with these summer program opportunities offered by the SC Bar CLE Division. We've got you covered to keep your legal skills sharp all year round.
TheSC Bar CLE Big Ticketincludes all live webcasts plus most on-demand programs for one low price. That’s access for a year to every live webcast and most on-demand programs for the low-cost of $495, making it easy and affordable to stay compliant. Learn more about the Big Ticket here.
On-demand + Teleseminars
Want more CLE? These recorded on-demand courses and teleseminar options are a convenient way for SC Bar members to fully meet the 2021-2022 MCLE requirements. Explore these programs below:
ADVANCE SHEET UPDATES June 9, 2021 Supreme Court Opinions
This appeal arises from the circuit court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Dennis Powell, Jr. ("Respondent") on his claims challenging the internet publication and lifetime duration of his mandated registration as a sex offender under the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry Act ("SORA"), S.C. Code Ann. §§ 23-3-400 to -555 (2007 & Supp. 2020). The circuit court held SORA's lifetime registration requirement is punitive under the Eighth Amendment and violates Respondent's rights to due process and equal protection. The court also determined SORA does not permit publication of the State's sex offender registry on the internet. Mark Keel, Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division ("SLED"), and the State of South Carolina (collectively, "Appellants") appeal the circuit court's decision. The Court held SORA's lifetime registration requirement is unconstitutional absent any opportunity for judicial review to assess the risk of re-offending. The Court further held subsection 23-3-490(E) permits dissemination of the State's sex offender registry information on the internet. Accordingly, the Court affirmed as modified in part and reversed in part.
Powell v. Keel, Op. No. 28033 (S.C. Sup. Ct. filed June 9, 2021) (Shearouse Adv. Sh. No. 19 at 9) is available online.
Announcements
Firm & hiring announcements
Axelrod & Associates, P.A. announces that Jonathan Miles has joined the firm’s Myrtle Beach office located at 4701 Oleander Drive, Myrtle Beach 29577.
Burr & Forman, LLP announces that Michael Burchstead has joined the firm located at 1221 Main St., Suite 1800, Columbia, 29201.
Buxton & Collie, LLC is pleased to announce that Michael W. Allen, Jr. has joined the firm located at 940 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 100, Mount Pleasant, 29464. (843) 606-2397.
GaffneyLewis LLC announces that Randi Lynn Roberts, Nashiba Boyd and Robert Blain have been promoted to equity partner status. Roberts and Boyd are based in the firm’s Columbia office located at 3700 Forest Drive, Ste 400, Columbia, 29204, and Blain is in Charleston serving as the managing partner for the Charleston office located at 171 Church Street, Suite 160, Charleston, 29401.
The Lokey Law Firm, LLC announces that it has relocated to 3955 Faber Place Drive, Suite 103, North Charleston, 29405.
Willson Jones Carter & Baxley, P.A. is pleased to announce that Andrew MacLeod has joined the firm in the Columbia office located at 3600 Forest Drive, Suite 204 Columbia, 29204.
Lawyer discipline
By order of June 3, the Court transferred James Sarvis to incapacity inactive status pursuant to Rule 28, RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR.
Upcoming Events
June 11
Practice and Procedure Committee June 18
Ethics Advisory Committee Meeting
Animal Law Committee
Professional Responsibility Committee Meeting June 25
Conventions Committee
Got an Announcement? Email Jamie Metz at jamie.metz@scbar.org
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