Columbia Lawyers

Long term care and Medicaid planning. Special needs trusts. Guardianship and Conservatorship actions. Probate litigation. Estate administration. Estate planning. Real estate closings. Title searches.

ATTORNEY DAYNE PHILLIPS has dedicated his life to defending those who are wrongfully accused or who have made an unfortunate mistake and need help. He is a trained and experienced South Carolina criminal defense attorney and appellate litigator. He has successfully defended citizens in felony jury trials and has successfully argued before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

Dayne is a former President of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and former circuit representative on that organization's Board of Directors. He is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College and...

Jonathan Lewis graduated from Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont, with a Bachelors Degree in 2011. He returned to Norwich University in 2013, where he graduated in 2015 with his Masters in International Affairs, During this time he lectured upon, and focused in, International Violent Extremism / Terrorism. He has spent over ten years in emergency medicine and Fire/Rescue as a Firefighter/Medic in Vermont, Virginia, and for the Department of Defense at various postings in the Middle East. In 2015 Jonathan decided to pursue the practice of law, and attended the University of South Carolina School...

I am a Columbia, SC personal injury and workers' comp attorney. Since my first day in practice, I have been protecting the rights of those harmed by unsafe drivers, caregivers, and products.

Among the cases I accept are those arising from car accidents, wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries, and on-the-job injuries.

Robert F. Goings focuses his practice on catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and workers compensation. He is known to be a fighter in the courtroom-- just ask the lawyers that go up against him in trial.

Robert grew up on his family's farm in Union County, South Carolina. Mr. Goings is a 2003 graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government, receiving the highest distinction in his major. He graduated with highest honors as a summa cum laude graduate. He was was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa...

Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr., the managing partner at Strom Law Firm, LLC, has been fighting for justice since 1984. Born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1959, Pete attended the University of South Carolina and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts. While attending the University of South Carolina, Pete served as President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Pete attended the University of South Carolina School of Law where he graduated with a J.D. in 1984. After graduating from law school, Pete served as law clerk to the Honorable...

Dave Maxfield has represented thousands consumers in personal and class action cases against banks, credit reporting agencies, and debt collectors. He obtained one of the highest verdicts on record against a furnisher in a a credit reporting case exclusive of fees, numerous large settlements, and in 2019 concluded a vehicle churning class action with total settlement value exceeding $21 million. Dave is the 4-Time Chairman of the Consumer Law Section of the South Carolina Bar and Past President of the 1900-Member Richland County Bar Association. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law....

Marc is dedicated to his clients. His practice focuses on injury and wrongful death matters. Marc takes pride in providing aggressive and effective representation on behalf of each of his clients. He goes above and beyond to ensure that his clients understand their rights and are treated like extended members of the firm's family. Prior to opening the Marc Brown Law Firm, attorney Marc Brown worked for a national law firm defending large corporations and insurance companies. He has experience working on both sides of a case, and he knows exactly how insurance companies evaluate claims and...

Fairness. Empathy. Justice. Dedication. These are the core traits Brent P. Stewart embraces and has exemplified during his last 30 years as a personal injury lawyer. Brent concentrates his practice at Stewart Law Offices on helping victims involved in personal injury claims. He provides exemplary legal counsel and representation in cases involving car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death claims. Brent’s commitment to his clients and his advocacy have resulted in other members of the legal community holding him in the highest regard. Due to his recognized professional excellence and high ethical standards, Brent has been...

Melinda grew up in the greater Columbia, South Carolina area where she currently resides. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina and graduated from Charlotte School of Law with honors (cum laude). While in law school she was inducted into the prestigous Order of the Crown (honor society) and received a merit scholarship. After law school, Melinda spent over eight years at a public interest law firm practicing family law. Melinda was the head family law attorney and was recognized as Attorney of the Year in 2016 while employed at...

M. Rita Metts is a Social Security and VA Accredited Veteran Disability Attorney. For more than 20 years she has helped those whose lives have been disrupted by injuries and medical conditions that affect their ability to work and take care of their families. She offers free question and answer sessions with small groups who have questions about the Social Security Disability and/or Veteran Disability application process.

Mark Chappell is a founding partner of Chappell, Smith & Arden. He concentrates his practice in personal injury, truck and auto accidents, catastrophic injury and product liability cases. Since he was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1985, Mark has handled thousands of cases, winning millions of dollars for injured clients. One of Mark’s cases created a new South Carolina law protecting young ATV riders. Mark served as Chair of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee representing 71 race fans injured in the bridge collapse at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and was the plaintiff’s liaison in the Graniteville train derailment class...

“No one can ever plan for the physical, financial, or emotional toll an accident has on them or their family. I am very grateful that I became a personal injury lawyer because making a positive, concrete difference in someone’s life adds meaning to mine.”

– Stephen Vicari

Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr., the managing partner at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., has been fighting for justice since 1984. Born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1959, Pete attended the University of South Carolina and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts. While attending the University of South Carolina, Pete served as President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Pete attended the University of South Carolina School of Law where he graduated with a J.D. in 1984. After graduating from law school, Pete served as law clerk to the Honorable Frank Eppes, a South Carolina...

H. Patterson McWhirter was born and raised in Walterboro, South Carolina and is a founding member of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A., with offices in Columbia, Lexington, Orangeburg, Sumter, Aiken, Camden and Newberry, South Carolina. We continue to strive to give the very best legal service to the thousands of clients we have been honored to serve over the past 40 years.

The practices focuses primarily in the areas of workers' compensation, medical malpractice, automobile accidents, tractor trailer wrecks, nursing home litigation, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death and all forms of personal injury cases.

Mr McWhirter received his B.A. from...

Peter concentrates his practice in workers’ compensation and mediation, representing the rights of injured workers. Peter obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 1999. He was commissioned as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service 2000. Peter was assigned to the New York Field office, and served in both special protective and investigative missions for the U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security while he was an agent. Peter returned home to South Carolina to attend law school and received his law degree from the University...

Herbert Louthian, at Louthian Law Firm, P.A., is a personal injury lawyer with thirty-six years of experience. He and his father, Herbert Louthian, Sr., have practiced together for years since Bert Louthian received his law degree at the University of South Carolina. Combined, he and his father bring more than eighty years of experience to the personal injury victims of Columbia, South Carolina. After joining his father’s law firm, attorney Herbert Louthian has maintained a sharp focus on personal injury victims in the Columbia area. These injury victims may include those suffering after a motor vehicle accident involving cars, trucks,...

Growing up in the small town of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, home of Gamecock greats Phil Petty and Dylan Thompson, I attended Winthrop University and then received my Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. After graduation, I worked as a staff attorney at the South Carolina Supreme Court, while also moonlighting as a legal writing instructor at the law school.

After leaving the Supreme Court, I worked at an insurance defense firm representing insurance companies, individuals, and corporations in personal injury, bad faith, product liability, and commercial litigation, trying numerous cases to verdict. After...

General legal practitioner. I have represented businesses and citizens throughout the State of SC in: business law matters, civil litigation, criminal defense, personal injury, appeals. I am SC certified Civil Mediator and presently serve as the Town Attorney for the Town of Irmo.

After practicing for over 30 years as a member of a firm, in January 2016, I went solo! I am proud to continue to provide knowledgeable and experienced representation to injured workers in South Carolina Workers' Compensation claims. There's never a fee just to talk to me and see if I can help!

I grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina, in a family of attorneys. The community I grew up in helped one another--no matter the task--which gave me the understanding of and appreciation for the value of good people.

When I moved to Columbia, South Carolina to start law school, I met my wife, Patti, who now works in admissions at USC Law. After graduating early from law school, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in South Carolina while working for the Court of Appeals for two years. Once my term at the...

I am a personal injury attorney with over 16 years of experience handling wrongful death claims, motor vehicle claims, and premises liability claims. I am licensed in Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

J. Scott Shirley is one of the owners of Popowski Callas & Shirley, P.A., and since 1995 has dedicated himself to the firm's Workers Compensation Practice and the representation of injured South Carolina workers and their families. Prior to attending law school at the University of South Carolina, Mr. Shirley worked as a roofer. His experience observing injured colleagues led him to the conclusion that no one was standing up for their rights; insurance companies and employers were backed by high-powered attorneys. His mission then became to put injured workers on equal legal footing with their employers.

Mr. Shirley graduated from...

William L. “Bill” Smith, II is a founding partner of Chappell, Smith & Arden. He concentrates his practice in workers’ compensation and mediation. Bill graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1984. In his years of practice, he has handled thousands of cases for injured workers. He uses his knowledge and experience in workers’ compensation to pursue justice, obtain the compensation and improve conditions for workers

Whether working as a mediator or as an attorney, I seek to empower individuals and families who desire to find fair and sustainable solutions to complex family transitions, conflicts, and legal issues. Some representative types of issues include mediated divorce, collaborative divorce, elder law, estate planning, probate administration, prenuptial agreements, adoptions, name changes, adult guardianships, mediation of almost any type of conflict or disagreement.

Allison has dedicated her career to leveling the playing field for those who have been hurt at work or injured by the negligence of others across the state of South Carolina. Allison is a thought leader in her practice areas and has been a featured speaker by a number of groups including the South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Association of Justice, Injured Workers Advocates, and the National Business Institute. She is also a contributing author to the Law School for Non-Lawyers, The Briefcase Lawyer: Essential Information for Every Practitioner, and The Law of Workers Compensation in South Carolina,...

Mark T. Arden is a partner of Chappell, Smith & Arden. His practice concentrates in the areas of workers’ compensation, complex litigation, personal injury and administrative law. Mark graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1986. In his years of practice, Mark has handled thousands of cases seeking justice for each client.

Bill Green has become a noticeable figure in Charleston. His face is easily recognizable from numerous television commercials and his catchy slogans are heard throughout the Low country. But it is his focus on the concept of customer service to meet the needs and expectations of his clients that has led to his enormous success and reputation. Bill completed his undergraduate degree in 1985 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He continued his stint as a Tarheel and attended law school in Chapel Hill, graduating in 1987. After law school, Bill...

Mark D. Chappell, Jr. concentrates in the areas of personal injury, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, nursing home abuse and neglect, commercial motor vehicle accidents, and intellectual property disputes. Mark is a 2010 graduate of Wofford College and previously worked as a Banker in Charleston, South Carolina before beginning law school. Mark is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and was admitted to practice in 2015. As a law student, he was actively involved in the Student Bar Association, President of the South Carolina Association for Justice – South Carolina School of Law...

Graham Newman‘s work has focused on commercial class actions, contractual litigation, insurance bad faith, and products liability in both state and federal court. His trial court victories have included a $14.5 million insurance bad faith verdict, an $8 million class action judgment, and a $4.75 million products liability verdict. Graham has briefed numerous appeals before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court. He has also argued four cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals and one case before the South Carolina Supreme Court. Graham...

Danny Vega boasts nearly 15 years of experience in the legal profession and has represented over one thousand clients in workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability claims. Danny takes great pride in building strong relationships with his clients, personally handling client intake, claim management, evidence discovery, court proceedings, hearings, and file closure. Danny speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys providing legal services to members of the Hispanic community as he is able to converse with and relate to his Spanish-speaking clients in their primary language.

Jacob Born concentrates in the areas of premises liability, personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, product liability, nursing home abuse and neglect, catastrophic injury litigation and trucking accidents. Jacob received his J.D. from The Charleston School of Law and was admitted to practice in 2011. He was also admitted to practice in Georgia in 2012.

Charles "Charlie" Terreni has practiced law in Columbia, South Carolina, since 1990. He is a 1990 graduate of the University of South Carolina School Of Law. He earned his B.A. degree in International Studies with a minor in French from the University of South Carolina in 1985. After graduating from law school, Terreni practiced with Cooper, Beard & Dibble (1990-91) and with the Dibble Law Offices from 1991 to 1995. He served as Executive Assistant to the Lieutenant Governor from 1995 to 1996. In 1996, he returned to private practice, opening the Terreni Law Firm, LLC. In 2004, Terreni joined the Public...

Wesley concentrates his practice in commercial real estate development. He advises developers, buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, lenders, and investors with regard to real estate development, sales, acquisitions, financing, leasing, construction, land use and zoning, and title insurance matters. Wesley initially served as outside counsel to a commercial real estate development company which focused on large shopping center and free standing drugstore development. He continued his practice at a large firm headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina before co-founding Graybill, Lansche & Vinzani, LLC.

Experienced Trial Attorney & Problem Solver.

Primary areas of legal practice include DUI Defense, Criminal Defense, Workers' Compensation, and Professional Licensing Defense with a niche in representing healthcare professionals before state licensing boards.

Nicholas G. Callas has been practicing law in South Carolina since 1991. He has extensive knowledge and skill representing clients in Workers' Compensation, Personal Injury, and Social Security Disability matters. Mr. Callas provides aggressive, determined, and experienced representation, focused on the best possible results.
He is dedicated to recovering the compensation you need and deserve.

Mr. Callas received his B.A., cum laude, from Boston College in 1982. He earned his J.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1990. Mr. Callas's prior experience includes work as an Assistant State Prosecuting Attorney, Fifth Circuit Solicitor, Richland County. Additionally, he is a...

Margaret A. "Meg" Collins is a lifelong native of Columbia, South Carolina. She attended the University of South Carolina Honors College, majoring in International Relations with a minor in Business Administration. After employment with the South Carolina Senate, Ms. Collins attended the University of South Carolina School of Law, while concurrently clerking for a small firm that focused on secured transactions, collections, creditor bankruptcy and contract law. Once licensed in 1997, Ms. Collins developed a very successful private practice encompassing general civil and domestic litigation, computer and information technology law, business, procurement, municipal and local government representation and...

Lexington Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorney

R. Lawton Harper concentrates his practice solely in Workers’ Compensation. Lawton was born and raised in Beaufort, South Carolina. He left home to attend Elon University in North Carolina, where he graduated in 2017 with a degree in History and Education. After college, he returned to the Lowcountry and served South Carolina as a social studies teacher and basketball coach at Summerville High School. He then enrolled at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he graduated with honors in 2022. He is excited to once again be helping the people of South Carolina. In his free time, Lawton...

Since 1997, Attorney Bob Jung has practiced law in the state of South Carolina. Because he is passionate about helping victims and families who are facing harm due to the negligence of other people, Bob focuses the majority of his practice on personal injury cases. However, he also handles workers’ compensation claims frequently. Prior to practicing law, Bob attended Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in History. During his time at Furman, Bob became a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, where he met Tom Eller, a fellow George Sink, P.A....