October 23, 2025: The South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association held its Annual Meeting and CLE in Greenville, SC. The meeting began with a board meeting and lunch at which the Honorable Sherri Lydon, U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina, administered the oath of office to the new officers and board members for 2025–2026.
The swearing in was followed by introductory remarks from President Lisle Traywick, and a welcome to attendees and speakers. Attendees included practitioners, federal prosecutors and public defenders, as well as federal judges and law clerks. The first CLE presentation, A History of Drug Treatment Courts, was delivered by the Honorable H. Bruce Williams, Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. Following this was a Fireside Chat on Hot Topics in Employment Law moderated by board member Ashley Cuttino and featuring Mary Kate Littlejohn, Chief Counsel to the Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Following the fireside chat, there was a lively panel discussion on Redistricting Litigation moderated by board member Patrick Wooten and featuring Allen Chaney, Legal Director of the ACLU of South Carolina, and board member and SC Chapter President Lisle Traywick. The final panel of the day was on AI Ethics in the Practice of Law, moderated by the Honorable Paige J. Gossett, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of South Carolina. The panel featured the Honorable William S. Brown, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of South Carolina; Piper Byzet, Law Clerk to the Honorable Bruce Howe Hendricks, U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina; and Kyle J. White of White Davis & White Law Firm in Anderson, South Carolina.
The fantastic and varied CLE presentations were followed by a rooftop cocktail reception to end the day.
August 22, 2025: SC Chapter of the FBA & the 10th Circuit Young Lawyers Division joint CLE hosted by Chief Judge Timothy M. Cain
July 30 – 31 ,2025: Introduction to Federal Practice
The South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association hosted the Introduction to Federal Practice in Greenville, Charleston & Columbia. The event featured presentations from district and magistrate judges, civil and criminal practitioners, court staff, and law clerks, which offered an excellent overview of federal practice in South Carolina. The program was designed for summer law clerks, young associates, and practitioners new to federal court but was of course open to all.
April 17, 2025: Roundtable With United States Magistrate Judge William S. Brown
On April 17, 2025, the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association hosted a roundtable lunch with United States Magistrate Judge William S. Brown at the Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Greenville. More than a dozen attorneys gathered for lunch and conversation in the jury assembly room. Attorney Sheria Clarke of Nelson Mullins then led a discussion with Judge Brown about his transition from private practice to becoming a judge, pointers for attorneys appearing in federal court, and current issues of interest in federal court practice. The attorneys attending the roundtable continued the conversation with Judge Brown with questions and comments about the topics covered. The event was a great opportunity for attorneys to interact with one another and with Judge Brown in an informal setting to enhance their skills in federal court practice.
March 18, 2025: Event with Student Division of the FBA at Charleston School of Law
On March 18, 2025, the Student Division of the Federal Bar Association at the Charleston School of Law hosted a panel discussion featuring three attorneys—Dan Leonardi, Matt Austin, and Allessandra Stewart—who shared their insights into the practice of criminal law. Dan, Matt, and Allessandra are long-time members of the SC Chapter of the FBA and currently served on the Chapter’s Board.
Dan, a partner at Polales, Horton & Leonardi LLP in Columbia, who has handled a variety of criminal and civil matters in federal court, described his experience representing hundreds of federal criminal defendants over the past ten years. Matt Austin, a partner at Nelson Mullins in Charleston, who previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney, described his experience prosecuting complex white-collar crimes, including health care fraud and international money laundering. Allessandra Stewart, a shareholder at Polsinelli in Charleston, where she focuses on health care reimbursement compliance and litigation, discussed her experience as a former Assistant United States Attorney handling criminal and appellate matters. The panel provided the law students with a comprehensive look into the challenges and intricacies of criminal law practice, with an eye to sparking interest in the field among the students.
November 9, 2023: Annual Meeting, CLE and Reception
The SC FBA hosted its Annual Meeting, CLE and Reception at the beautiful Hotel Emeline in downtown Charleston on November 9, 2023. The Annual Meeting and CLE took place from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., with a reception following honoring Judge Lydon, Judge Dawson, and Judge Cherry.
This event was uniquely special. Due to COVID, the SC FBA Chapter had not had the opportunity in quite some time to gather at a large-scale event to catch up with one another and to celebrate the more recently appointed members to the South Carolina federal bench.
The CLE kicked off with Will Jordan, Chief of the Civil Division of the USAO for the District of South Carolina, who tackled the topics of anxiety and depression with transparency and just the right amount of humor. Following Mr. Jordan was a thought-provoking presentation on AI and Cybersecurity from Nelson Mullins partner, Jack Pringle. The tail-end of the CLE was comprised of two panels: one addressing the state of False Claims litigation in South Carolina and one addressing Trial Advocacy and the decline of jury trials. Our esteemed panelists included The Honorable Sherri Lydon, Marc S. Raspanti, Pamela Coyle Brecht, Amy Bower, The Honorable Donald C. Coggins, The Honorable Joseph Dawson, III, The Honorable Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., and The Honorable Molly Cherry. Matt Hubbell of Duffy & Young and The Honorable Paige J. Gossett served as moderators.
SC FBA members capped off the night at a reception under the stars that included toasts to our three honorees from The Honorable David C. Norton, The Honorable Mary Gordon Baker, and The Honorable Bruce Howe Hendricks.
The SC FBA Chapter would like to thank its members, its federal bench, special guests and the many sponsors, who all made this event not only possible but a huge success!
SC FBA Celebrates the FBA’s 100th Birthday
In honor of the FBA’s 100th Birthday this past January, the South Carolina Chapter hosted pizza parties in the Florence, Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston courthouses for all courthouse staff and chambers. These celebrations connected those who work in the courthouse from the Marshalls, Probation Officers, Clerk’s office and Chambers with those of us in the Federal bar. At each event, SC FBA chapter attendees discussed the mission of the Federal Bar Association and the SC FBA chapter, and particularly highlighted the Association’s governmental advocacy at the national level related to all matters concerning the federal judiciary, its employees, and the bar.
November 14, 2019: Health Care Fraud & Collateral Consequences
The SC FBA co-sponsored, along with the South Carolina Bar, an informative and well attended seminar entitled “Health Care Fraud & Collateral Consequences” at the SC Bar Center in Columbia, South Carolina. All of the seminar’s attendees received a hard copy of the recently published Health Care Fraud & Collateral Consequences, Third Edition authored by current and former federal prosecutors. Sessions included discussions on the evolution of the False Claims Act, how a health care investigation begins and potential criminal and civil charges, along with other related health care enforcement topics. Four current and five former Assistant United States Attorneys spoke. The seminar also included panels on potential civil claims, trials and asset freezes, defending health care fraud cases and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The program was moderated by Bart Daniel, a current member and former Board member of the SC FBA. You can order a copy of the Health Care Fraud & Collateral Consequences, Third Edition here: https://www.scbar.org/shop-cle/publication/health-care-fraud-collateral-consequences-third-edition/.
White Collar Crime Conference — October 11, 2019
The SC FBA co-sponsored, along with the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (SCACDL), a successful CLE event on White Collar Crime at the Palmetto Club in Columbia, South Carolina. Sessions included discussions of asset forfeiture and restitution, successful trials, and thoughts from Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jesse Eisinger (formerly of the Wall Street Journal and author of The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives) about historical trends in white collar prosecutions. In the afternoon, the program offered a panel of federal district court judges and magistrate judges to discuss pertinent issues that arise in these cases, and a practitioner’s panel that discussed litigation and sentencing strategies in white collar cases. The program was moderated by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, a member of the FBA and South Carolina Chapter Board of Directors.
Annual Meeting, CLE, and Reception — September 26, 2019
This SC FBA hosted its Annual Meeting, CLE, and Reception at the USC Alumni Center in Columbia. The Annual Meeting and CLE took place from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m., with a reception following from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The event was a special one. Brian Duffy engaged in a “fireside chat” with The Honorable Patrick Michael Duffy regarding civility and his distinguished career as an attorney and member of the federal judiciary. Judge Duffy’s former law clerks also reflected upon significant decisions during his career. You can view Brian and Judge Duffy’s conversation as well as the former law clerk discussion through the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/k5jur4atx2hr43v/Duffy_RE.mp4?dl=0. The Honorable Kaymani D. West, The Honorable Paige Jones Gossett, and The Honorable Mary Gordon Baker also discussed “Practicing Before Magistrate Judges,” and Rob Tyson, Armand Derfner, and Jane Trinkley then presented on recent laws that will affect the 2020 election.
Bench and Bar Luncheon with the Honorable Patrick Michael Duffy—May 16, 2018
The SC FBA hosted a Bench and Bar Luncheon for members and nonmembers with the Honorable Patrick Michael Duffy in the J. Waties Waring Judicial Center in Charleston, South Carolina on May 16, 2018. Judge Duffy shared great advice and personal stories from his career as lawyer and judge with attendees. Thank you Judge Duffy and thank you to President-Elect Cherie Blackburn for coordinating this event.
Columbia Schoolhouse to Courthouse Keys Program—April 24, 2018
In Columbia, SC FBA members, Brook Andrews and Beth Richardson, hosted about twenty students and two faculty members from Eau Claire High School on April 24, 2018. First, the students toured the Matthew J. Perry Courthouse with an introduction to Judge Perry’s life and legacy. The students explored his statue and the case of Judge Perry memorabilia that sits in the entrance of the building. After a brief discussion about federal law and federal courts, the students observed a busy morning of pretrial conferences and plea hearings with Judge Margaret B. Seymour. The group then joined Judge J. Michelle Childs’ clerks for a tour of her chambers. The morning program finished over lunch in the jury assembly room, where Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, and Judge Shiva V. Hodges joined an extended Q&A session.
Charleston Schoolhouse to Courthouse Keys Program—April 19, 2018
In Charleston, the Schoolhouse to Courthouse program was held Thursday April 19, 2018. Twenty-two students from two local schools along with a faculty representatives from each were in attendance. The students had the opportunity to observe two detention/revocation hearings before the Honorable Mary Gordon Baker. During lunch at the courthouse thereafter, SC FBA members, including Cheryl Shoun, answered students’ questions regarding the United States District Court, such as subject matter jurisdiction, geographic area, and so forth. The students also observed a session of BRIDGE court before the Honorable Bruce Howe Hendricks. Before each proceeding the clerk of court, Robbie Shumate, fielded many questions from the students and their faculty advisors. The SC FBA chapter thanks Ms. Shumate in particular for a wonderful job in coordinating the proceedings observed by the students.
Greenville Schoolhouse to Courthouse Keys Program—April 17, 2018
On April 17, 2018, SC FBA members, Tom Vanderbloemen, Beattie Ashmore, Hannah Metcalfe, and Powers Price, hosted a high school class from JL Mann High School at the federal courthouse in Greenville, South Carolina. The students were able to observe criminal pre-trial proceedings presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks. The student then convened in the grand jury room for lunch, where they listened to judges and attorneys, including newly-appointed U.S. District Judge Marvin Quattlebaum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Brewer, and Assistant Federal Defender in Charge Ben Stepp discuss the proceedings and the legal system and were able to ask questions regarding the same.
SC Federal Bar Association & South Carolina Bar Health Care Law Section CLE: False Claims Act/Qui Tam Whistleblower Litigation Involving Health Care Providers–April 13, 2018
On April 13, 2018, the Qui Tam section of the SC Federal Bar Association partnered with the South Carolina Bar Health Care Law Section to host a CLE entitled: False Claims Act/Qui Tam Whistleblower Litigation Involving Health Care Providers at the SC Bar Conference Center in Columbia, South Carolina. The CLE provided 5.75 MCLE credits. Over 60 participants were in attendance, which was due in no small part to a fantastic lineup of speakers with experience in a wide variety of False Claims Act cases. Attendees gained practical insights covering all angles including relators’ counsel, defense counsel, and prosecutors with the Department of Justice. The event was organized by FBA-SC Board members Joe Griffith and Matt Austin.
Investiture Ceremony and Reception for The Honorable Donald C. Coggins, Jr., United States District Court for the District of South Carolina–March 2, 2018
Judge Coggins was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday, November 16, 2017 as a U.S. District Court judge in South Carolina. Judge Coggins is a long-time member and supporter of the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Just before the Investiture ceremony, President Tom Vanderbloemen presented Judge Coggins a plaque from our chapter congratulating him “on his investiture to the federal bench, with great thanks and appreciation for his support of our organization.” Following the ceremony, the SC FBA co-hosted with the Spartanburg County Bar Association a reception for Judge Coggins at the Peidmont Club in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina adopts Standard Preference Number 14 entitled “Opportunities for Young Lawyers”–February 20, 2018
The South Carolina Federal Bar Association supported the United States District Court’s adoption of Standard Preference #14 entitled “Opportunities for Young Lawyers,” and added it to the USDC for the DSC’s Standard Filing Preferences’ website on February 20, 2018. Standard Preference #14 states:
The court is aware of a trend today in which fewer cases go to trial, and in which there are generally fewer speaking or “stand-up” opportunities in court, particularly for young lawyers (i.e.,lawyers practicing for less than seven years). The court strongly encourages litigants to be mindful of opportunities for young lawyers to conduct hearings before the court, particularly for motions where the young lawyer drafted or contributed significantly to the underlying motion or response. The court understands that there may be circumstances where having a young lawyer handle a hearing might not be appropriate – such as where no young lawyers were involved in drafting the motion, or where the motion might be dispositive in a “bet-the-company” type case. Even so, the court believes it is crucial to provide substantive speaking opportunities to young lawyers, and that the benefits of doing so will accrue to young lawyers, to clients, and to the profession generally. Thus, the court encourages all lawyers practicing before it to keep this goal in mind. Schoolhouse to Courthouse with Burke High School
On April 20, 2017, the South Carolina Chapter was privileged to sponsor a Schoolhouse to Courthouse event with Burke High School at the J. Waties Waring Judicial Center. The students enjoyed a BRIDGE drug court session with guest speakers Greg Mullen, City of Charleston Police Chief, and “Soni” Sonefield, former drummer for Hootie and the Blowfish. The students were addressed by the U.S. Marshals Service, and by Judge Hendricks and Judge Baker, who entertained their questions during lunch.
A special thank you to Cheryl Shoun and Chase McNair for organizing the event. Many thanks also to Judge Hendricks and her staff, Judge Baker, and to Deputy U.S. Marshal George Pack, who all made this event a huge success!
