From the Executive Director's Desk

• Citation: Vol. 36-6
• Year: 2025

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From the Executive Director's Desk

Vol. 36 Issue 6 Pg. 5

South Carolina Lawyer

May, 2025

We Need to Talk

BY EMMA T. DEAN

Back in June 2024, I found myself in the foyer of the Piedmont Club in Spartanburg, where the South Carolina Supreme Court was holding oral arguments. We were lucky to be part of the reception alongside the Court, and I was there to greet local Board members. An attorney I didn't recognize walked in, grabbed my arm, and said, "We need to talk" - always a great way to start a conversation, right?

But the moment she said, "I went to Erskine College," I exhaled. I'm from Due West, and both of my parents taught at Erskine. She told me that when she got into law school, she ran to tell my dad, a chemistry professor known for his boundless encouragement. "Yeah, of course you did!" he'd told her. "That's awesome!" Then she found my mom, an associate dean of students who was wise, funny, and always focused on equipping students not just for work, but for life. My mom smiled and said, "We all believed you'd get in. We just needed you to believe in you."

That moment stayed with this attorney for two decades. And it reminds me of the kind of belief President Shy Bennett has in every member of our Bar. I've had the privilege of traveling the state and seeing firsthand the way Shy listens, encourages, and connects with our community.

There's so much good in motion as we begin to wrap up one Bar year and head into the next. Our Pro Bono program, for instance, has made incredible strides. Thanks to Thread Partners, Access to Justice, and key staff, we've clarified what's working and what needs support. Under Rusty Infinger's leadership and with Zack Ohanesian now on board, we've built something transformative. So far this year, 92 attorneys have volunteered their time to help 431 people. We've hosted expungement clinics, wills clinics, and even placed 11 direct representation cases across the state. We're no longer just reacting -we're building sustainable partnerships.

Our mentoring program is also growing into a flagship initiative. It's about more than pairing names - it's about ensuring that no new attorney falls through the cracks. And it's not just the mentees who benefit; the mentors grow too, as leaders and as lawyers.

We've also continued to strengthen our relationship with the Court. By traveling alongside them and hosting events with our local bars, we're creating powerful connections. Our Mock Trial students have attended the Court's traveling oral arguments, are being recognized at the State House, featured on magazine covers, and seeing firsthand what justice looks like in action. We're not just doing good - we're telling the story of that good.

But challenges remain. Rule 428 continues to be a complex area requiring compassion and leadership. When attorneys begin to struggle with capacity, Bar leadership gets the call. It's never easy, but we're exploring ways to bring in outside support and make successor roles more meaningful and clearer. Protecting legacies, and the public, is part of our core mission.

We're also addressing the unique needs of rural attorneys, thanks to collaborations with the Joseph F. Rice School of Law and the Nelson Mullins Center on Professionalism. Rural lawyers want to serve - but they need successors and support. And young attorneys need to know these opportunities exist.

Even internally, our staff is embracing change. At a recent all staff meeting, we created a new motto: Together we can, together we will. No prompting -just unity. And it's that spirit that will carry us forward.

I'll close with a quote from my dad. While trying to get a grasp on this "lawyer thing" I chose to do with my life, he came and watched some Supreme Court arguments during my clerkship. Afterwards, now-Chief Justice Kittredge asked him what he thought. His response? "I think I prefer molecules over people. A little more predictable." But people - even unpredictable ones - are why we're here. My hope is that we continue forward with unity, purpose, and belief in one another.

Because that's how we continue to make a difference.