Letter from the editor

The New Year often finds us considering the events of the past and making resolutions for the future. Many of us will resolve to loose the extra weight that we acquired the previous year, spend more time with our families, work longer and harder or stop and smell the roses. Let’s face the truth — most of us will forget our resolutions by March. It’s easy to abandon personal resolutions, but we often truly commit to a task when someone else is depending on us. Therefore, I challenge you this year to resolve to mentor a young person in your community, your church or synagogue.

Our youth (teenagers) need role models, and this responsibility rests on the shoulders of young professionals, particularly young lawyers. Sure, we show them that young people can succeed by our lifestyles, but it’s not enough for them to simply see us pass them on the street in nice cars or breeze by them at the mall wearing our top designer labels. In fact, that’s part of the problem. Our youth only see the end results of success on television with musical artists, actors or even high profile lawyers. But no one is teaching them how to get to that end result. Outside of textbooks and classwork, many don’t have practical tools needed to succeed in society.

Our youth need to get to know successful, young professionals. They need to learn how we made it and how we strive each day to be our personal best. They need a reason to hope for a great future. So this year, I encourage you to reach out to just one young person. If you don’t know where to begin, the Bar offers opportunities to meet and interact with youth through mock trial competitions, the Cinderella Project and the We the Jury Project. You can also check with your local community agencies like Big Brother/Big Sister, the Urban League or ministry groups.

Beyond this challenge for the New Year, The Bar Tab Committee wants you to start off the year with a bang, and this edition contains advice and pearls of wisdom from some “seasoned” members of the Bar. You will also find committee reports from the various divisions of the YLD that offer avenues through which you can get involved.

Additionally, we have included a new section entitled “From a Young Lawyer’s Perspective.” This section is devoted to our opinions on issues that affect our state or the practice of law for young lawyers. We encourage you to submit articles, supported by facts of course, that express your opinions. Finally, take a look at what other YLD members suggest as great reading material for the cold winter months.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing from you.

By Alana Odom Williams, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Columbia

Back to the top.

"I wish that I knew then what I know now..."
Good advice from good lawyers

In the spirit of starting 2005 on the right foot, The Bar Tab asked seasoned lawyers what is one thing they know now that they wished they had known when they started their practice.

Marti Bluestein of Bluestein and Nichols, LLC recalls, “As a young lawyer, I had a boss who was also my mentor. Luckily for me, I practiced in the same two areas of law as my boss. It was wonderful to be able to walk down the hall and ask him questions about our practice areas.” For those young lawyers not lucky enough to find that kind of resource in house, Bluestein recommends “that you take a look at your practice area and determine who you consider to be the outstanding lawyers. It does not hurt to ask other lawyers who practice in your field who they consider to be good lawyers. For instance, I have had discussions with respected defense lawyers about the best plaintiff’s lawyers in my practice areas. Court staff and judges can also be a source of information about the best lawyers. Once you have determined who you would like to be your mentor, give him or her a call.”

In addition, Bluestein notes, “Gaining perspective from lawyers in other law firms is very valuable. Some of the best advice that I have been given over the years has come from lawyers who did not practice with me who could take a fresh look at a problem that I had been living with for an extended period of time.” In short, draw from other lawyers’ experiences as much as possible.

Kaye G. Hearn, Chief Judge S.C. Court of Appeals, reminds young lawyers that they should “play the part” even if they do not yet feel they are ready to “be the part.” Or, as put by her mentor, Justice Julius B. Ness, “if you want to be a lawyer, look like one.”

Bill Short of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA reminds young lawyers to “be patient.” He says he had no idea when he acquired the degree of patience this profession requires with respect to courts, other lawyers and even your own clients.

Gray Culbreath of Collins and Lacy, PC says, “The only easy day was yesterday.” He also points out that “to be successful you have to be a good lawyer and a good business person.”

Tara Nauful, also of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA stresses the need to “have a life.” Although there is always pressure to spend too much of your time on work and at the office, balance is important for you and your practice.

And as we kick off this new year, it is important to keep in mind the sage advice of Bill S. Preston and Ted “Theodore” Logan,“Be excellent to each other and party on dudes!”

By Sara Spruill, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA, Columbia

Back to the top.

Charleston Wills Program

Nearly two dozen Charleston lawyers gave up their weekends on November 6 and 13 to write free wills for emergency personnel. More than 70 wills were written for Charleston-area firefighters, sheriff’s department personnel and emergency medical staff as part of the Wills for Heroes Program, begun in 2001 by Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough attorney Anthony Hayes.

“I was very impressed by the turnout from the Charleston Young Lawyers,’’ Hayes said. “We had attorneys from big firms, medium firms, small firms and solo practitioners on hand. The large attorney turnout is a real testament to the commitment of Charleston Young Lawyers to their community.”

Wills For Heroes was initiated by Hayes three years ago following the devastating terror attacks in the Northeast in which several hundred emergency personnel perished. “Many emergency responders are under age 40 and don’t have wills,” he said. “Dying without a will can be a devastating experience for a family. With a will, there doesn’t have to be a lot of questions about what goes where. Putting together these wills reduces the burdens families have, should something happen.”

Emergency personnel from John’s Island, North Charleston, Summerville and Mount Pleasant were among those who received wills under the program last month. Since 2001, more than 1,500 firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians have had wills prepared free of charge as a result of the program in South Carolina, Arizona, Georgia and Virginia.

Back to the top.

Bar Convention and young lawyer reception

For the first time, the Young Lawyers Division will host activities at the Bar Convention. The 2005 Convention is scheduled for January 20-23 at Charleston Place Hotel. All young lawyers are invited to join us on Saturday, January 22, for CLE credit and an informal reception.

The CLE seminar is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. and will include topics that are of particular interest to young lawyers, including a panel discussion on how to handle specifics situations and how the new lawyer’s oath affects everyday practice. Other topics are “How to Build a Client Base,” “How to Manage Time in Order to be More Productive” and “A Basic Primer on What to do When Appointed to a Criminal or Family Court Appointment.” For Convention registration information, visit www.scbar.org.

The YLD reception will be at Anson’s from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on January 22. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Please take advantage of this opportunity to relax and meet more of the young lawyers in South Carolina.

We hope to see you at the Convention!

By Venus Poe, Vinton D. Lide & Assoc., LCC, Lexington

Back to the top

From a young lawyer's perspective:
This section of The Bar Tab is dedicated to opinions regarding issues affecting our
state or the legal profession.

State action crucial for continued success of State Ports Authority
The operations of the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) contribute approximately $23 billion to South Carolina’s economy each year and are responsible for 281,660 jobs statewide. In fact, the Port of Charleston (the state’s largest port) is the fourth largest container port in the United States and handled more than 1.72 million 20-foot cargo containers during the 2004 fiscal year. With growing concerns that terrorists could use the maritime transportation system to disrupt the nation’s economy, the Port of Charleston has a competitive advantage over neighboring seaports because it has been designated the location for Project Seahawk — the nation’s first port security command and control center. However, Charleston faces increased competition from ports in Savannah, Georgia and Hampton Roads, Virginia, because their legislatures have provided state funding for port expansion and passed important tax breaks for shippers and retail centers. Consequently, in order for the SCSPA to experience continued success, South Carolina lawmakers must enact legislation that provides (1) state funding to the SCSPA for port-related projects and (2) tax incentives for businesses that utilize the state’s ports.

In May 2003 the Port of Charleston was designated the location for Project Seahawk — a pilot port security program that brings more than 47 federal, state and local agencies together to promote inter-agency cooperation and protect the port from terrorist attack. The Seahawk task force is responsible for investigating suspicious containers, cargo, vessels and people that may pose a threat to the port. The Seahawk Command Center houses analysts from security agencies in order to combine inter-modal transportation and harbor security data with information regarding vessels’ crew and cargo. It is also equipped with the latest computer hardware, software and communications infrastructure to monitor incoming cargo and port facilities. Maritime security experts have praised the inter-agency collaboration and information-sharing created by Project Seahawk and hailed the program as the most effective port security project in the United States.

Approximately 95 percent of American imports and exports are carried on the nation’s waterways and through its ports. The combined value of these goods reached nearly $2 trillion in 2003. Consequently, shipping lines are well aware of the devastating economic impact that would result from a terrorist attack on a major seaport. Thus, programs like Project Seahawk that put the Port of Charleston ahead in safety and security are likely to attract more shipping companies to South Carolina, resulting in increased trade and a boost to the state’s economy.

However, the Port of Charleston faces formidable competition from rival seaports in the South Atlantic region. Ports in Savannah, Georgia and Hampton Roads, Virginia have seen increased activity as a result of state incentives designed to increase the flow of commerce through those ports. Further, the Savannah and Hampton Roads ports receive substantially more state funding for port expansion projects. Given the importance of maritime trade to the South Carolina economy, state officials cannot allow South Carolina ports to continue operations under current economic limitations. Lawmakers must protect the thousands of jobs created in the state by maritime trade and enact legislation that enables South Carolina ports to compete with their rival seaports.

Despite operating at an economic disadvantage with neighboring seaports in the South Atlantic region, the Port of Charleston earned $33 million more in revenue between July 2004 and September 2004 (an 18 percent increase) than the same three months in 2003. Moreover, container volume increased almost 16 percent from the same time last year. Thus, it is clear that the Port of Charleston is poised to contribute more than ever to the economic prosperity of the state. However, South Carolina elected officials should take action in order for the SCSPA to continue to benefit from programs like Project Seahawk as it competes with rival seaports. Lawmakers must provide state funding to the SCSPA and enact legislation that encourages economic growth at South Carolina ports to protect the many state residents that depend on port operations for their livelihood.

By Christopher L. Williams, Tecklenburg Law Firm, Charleston

Back to the top

Bar Bits

Mark Your Calendars!

The Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Celebration
is scheduled for Monday, January 17, at 3 p.m. followed by a reception at 6 p.m. The event will be held at the USC School of Law Auditorium with keynote speaker Sen. Darrell Jackson.

Wednesday, January 19th, at 7 p.m.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Pratt, Chair, History Department of University of GA, will present The Radical King: Martin Luther King's Vision for Social Justice and the Pitfalls of Historical Memory. This event will be held at at the McAlister Auditorium, Furman University in Greenville. A reception honoring Dr. Pratt is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the DuPre Rhame Foyer of the Herring Music Pavilion.

Both events are sponsored in part by the YLD Diversity Committee.

The Cinderella Boutique will be held in Columbia, Greenville and Greenwood this year. Both the Columbia and Greenwood locations will be held on March 5, 2005. The Greenville site is scheduled for March 12. Please refer to the Committee Reports located in this issue for more information.

The Golf Tournament is scheduled for March 19, 2005, at the Harbor Course at Wild Dunes in Charleston. The tournament will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. For further information, please contact Aaron Walsh at (803) 799-9791.

Community Law Week is scheduled for May 2 – 8, 2005. Contact Tina Herbert at (803) 779-4545 for details.

Back to the top.
 

News from the ABA

ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarships available
Applications for the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund are being accepted for the 2005-06 academic year. The fund is intended to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to these students. Recipients attending ABA-accredited law schools will receive $5,000 of financial assistance annually. Awards made to entering first-year students may be renewable for two years, resulting in $15,000 of financial assistance during the student’s time in law school. Recipients will be selected based on their qualifications for the scholarship and not on the law school they plan to attend. Applications must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2005. Prospective students can access a copy of the application through the Bar Web site at www.scbar.org/pdf/ABAscholar.pdf.

ABA calls for essay contest entries
The ABA’s 2005 Levit Essay Competition is now accepting entries. This competition provides an opportunity for young lawyers to demonstrate innovative and original research and writing on emerging issues in the field of lawyers’ professional liability law. It is a challenging way for young lawyers to consider legal malpractice issues. The prizes for the winning entry include a $5,000 cash award and an all-expense paid trip to attend the ABA Spring 2005 National Legal Malpractice Conference April 20-22, 2005, in Boston. Submissions to the contest are due by February 17, 2005. The contest is open to young lawyers and law students who are enrolled as members of the ABA by the February 15 deadline. The competition is cosponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers Professional Liability and the San Francisco firm of Long & Levit, LLP. Complete contest rules and the entry application are available at www.abalegalservices.org/lpl/levit.html. If you have any questions, please contact Edna Driver, Committee Administrative Assistant, at (312) 988-5763 or drivere@staff.abanet.org.

Back to the top.
 

Winter reading options

It’s cold outside, and it’s dark when we go to work and when we return home. Bah humbug! But don’t be sad. Your fellow members of the YLD recommend you warm up and cheer up by reading the following books this winter:

  • The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
    I loved this book. It’s fabulous!
    — Richele Taylor, Fisher & Phillips, LLP
  • The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis 
    A good children's’ book with lots of allegory. Can provide both a quick and easy surface read and a great in-depth commentary, on the most innocent level, of the differences between “good” and “evil.”
    — Michael Kozlarack, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP
  • The Dive from Clausen’s Pier, by Ann Packer
    Although this book is a coming-of-age novel about a young woman, it’s hardly typical. Carrie has finally decided to leave her fiance (and childhood sweetheart) when he dives into shallow water and becomes paralyzed. Her subsequent dilemma (The Clash’s age-old question, should I stay or should I go?) brings up questions of love, loyalty, duty and what we must do to be happy, and Ann Packer manages to tackle such heady topics without ever becoming sentimental or cliched. It’s engrossing even though the narrator is at times unlikeable; it’s eminently readable even though readers may disagree with Carrie’s choices. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books I’ve read in the last five years. — Emilie Greene Sommer, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

Back to the top.

Committee reports
Disaster Relief
The Disaster Relief Committee was mobilized in response to President Bush declaring portions of South Carolina disaster areas due to flooding following a number of hurricanes that impacted the state. Committee members worked with state and federal agencies to set up a helpline for citizens to call in with problems. After a request was put out over E-Blast, many Bar members graciously offered their time and efforts to the cause. Several citizens called in with their problems, and all calls were responded to within 24 hours by an attorney offering to find a solution. The immediate response by Bar members demonstrates what it means to practice law in this state.  

Diversity/Minority Impact
The Minority Pre-Law Conference was held on the campus of Benedict College on November 4. In addition to other practicing lawyers, the panel included two young lawyers, John Wilkins of the Richland County Public Defender’s Office and Aisha Lusk of Nelson Mullins. See "Mark Your Calendars" for further Diversity Committee information.

Membership Publicity
The Young Lawyers Division hosted a happy hour reception for new attorneys who were sworn into the Bar on November 15. The reception was held at Meritage in Columbia after the swearing-in ceremony. The Membership Committee hosted the reception to welcome the newly-admitted attorneys into the Young Lawyers Division and to inform those new attorneys about the purpose of and projects sponsored by the Division. Approximately 100 new attorneys and family members attended.

Cinderella Project
The 2005 Winter Dress Drive is taking place in Columbia, Greenville and Greenwood. If you are interested in donating gently worn formals, including bridesmaid and prom dresses, evening bags and unopened makeup, please drop them off at a location nearest you:

  • Columbia: Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, 1310 Gadsden St., or M Boutique, 2820 Devine St. For further details on the Columbia project, please contact Amy Hill at (803) 929-1400 or Ariail King at (803) 771-8000.
  • Greenville: Clarkson, Walsh, Rheney & Turner, P.A., 1164 A Woodruff Rd.; Greenville Mall Main Office, 1025 Woodruff Rd.; or The White Room, 706 E. Washington St. For further details on the Greenville project, contact Erin Brasington at (864) 232-4400 or Leigh Paoletti at (864) 467-8410.
  • Greenwood: Just Formals, 1206 Montague Ave. Ext.; Two Timers Consignment, 204 Montague Ave.; or the SC Centers for Equal Justice, 316 W. Cambridge Ave. For further details on the Greenwood project, contact Velvet Moore at (864) 223-4879 or Beth Pendley at (864) 942-8467.

Wills for Heroes
If you are interested in volunteering to help write wills, please contact Anthony Hayes at (803) 255-9416.

Special Projects
January has been proclaimed by Gov. Mark Sanford as Mentoring Month. The Committee is in the process of contacting schools around the state to solicit participation in the essay contest and plans to have the contest coincide with Mentoring Month. We will award a winner in February or early March. Max Sparwasser is continuing to work on the E-Mentoring initiative. We anticipate having approximately 10 schools participate across the state, targeting 8th grade students.

Back to the top

Articles needed
The Young Lawyers Division is collecting articles for The Bar Tab.
Please send your submissions to Alana Odom-Williams, P.O. Box 11070, Columbia, SC 29211 or alana.williams@nelsonmullins.com.
The deadline for submission for the spring issue is March 14, 2005. We appreciate your help in making the YLD newsletter a success.

 

    

P.O. Box 608
Columbia, SC 29202

Editor:
Alana Odom Williams

Committee members:
Thomas E. Andrews III, LaKeisha Jeffries, S. Venus Poe and Sarah P. Spruill

The Bar Tab is published quarterly by the Young Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar, 950 Taylor St.,
P.O. Box 608, Columbia, SC 29202-0608. www.scbar.org. Copyright ©2005 South Carolina Bar. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the opinions or policies of the Young Lawyers Division or the South Carolina Bar. Unauthorized reproduction or use of the materials contained herein is prohibited.