Carolina Mediation Service

Welcome to

After a twelve year career in agriculture, I am now in my 33rd year practicing law.  For fourteen years I had a general practice trying to meet the needs  of clients in a rural setting.  Real estate, domestic, business transactions, plaintiff and defense work were part of this practice.  From January 1993 until June 1998 I was Chief Deputy Solicitor for the First Judicial Circuit in South Carolina, responsible for prosecuting all criminal cases for both Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.  I tried many felony cases and supervised a staff of lawyers and support personnel.

In June 1998, I was elected by the state legislature as Resident Circuit Judge for the First Judicial Circuit of South Carolina.  In that position I have presided over court terms in 40 of South Carolina's 46 counties.  Upon my retirement from the resident judge's seat in January 2009, I chose to continue to hold court for three weeks each month.  In May 2010 I made the decision to hang up my robe, lay aside my gavel and devote full time to the practice of mediation and arbitration.  I believe my extensive experience on the circuit bench will significantly benefit my clients in this arena.  I am Certified as both a Mediator and an Arbitrator in civil cases and as a Mediator in Family Court cases by the South Carolina Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification.

Additionally, my extra-legal experience will contribute to understanding all kinds of cases.  I have an educational and practical background in agriculture, which includes a basic understanding of mechanics, hydraulics, electricity, construction and management as well as all things agricultural.

For more than 23 years I was involved in municipal government, serving both as a city councilman and as mayor.  This involved working closely with all other levels of government and interaction with law enforcement, water and sewer authorities, financial institutions and all types of government service providers.         

I was a founder and President of Heritage Hall, Inc. a local independent school and for 16 years served as President of the South Carolina Independent School Association, a statewide organization of more than 100 independent schools.  This involvement has given me a good knowledge of education and educational management as well as student discipline and teacher employment issues.     

My wide array of experience, make me uniquely qualified to understand and relate to a broad spectrum of clients.  While my practice is concentrated in the upstate of South Carolina, I am available statewide.  I look forward to discussing your client's needs and how I may be of service to you.