A Message from the President
| Publication year | 2023 |
| Pages | 06 |
By Rusty Infinger
It is my honor and privilege to serve as your 2023-24 SC Bar President and to thank you for allowing me and our entire Board of Governors the opportunity to serve our Bar. I am proud to be a South Carolina lawyer.
Who Am I?
Many of you may not know me. We all practice and work in different areas of being a lawyer and indeed, it is hard to know everyone. So here's a little bit about me: I grew up in a small rural community in the Lowcountry called Rosinville - I like to say we were the bedroom community of St. George. The big city for us was Orangeburg. We were a close-knit community who cared about each other, much like the close-knit community I think we share as lawyers. Since then I have lived in Columbia and now Greenville. It continues to be my honor to live in our great state.
How did I start in Law?
My first law job was working as an intern before I went to law school. Attorney Jim Bell - one of three lawyers in St. George, allowed me to work in his office searching titles for a sewer project for the Town of Harleyville. I was absolutely overwhelmed with how Jim and his very capable staff cared deeply for their clients. I have not forgotten that commitment to service, and I am reminded of that daily as I interact with all of you.
How did I start at the Bar?
My entree into Bar service story is like I bet most of you - someone asked me. I was a relatively young attorney at Nexsen Pruet and one of our partners, Wilburn Brewer, was in line to become president of the Bar. One of his initiatives was pro bono. Wilburn Brewer asked - ok told me - that I would be a member of the Large Firm Pro Bono Committee. That in turn lead to my service and later chairing the then Service to Indigents Committee and working on other Bar committees and sections. This shaped my commitment to Bar service and a passion for working for access to justice to all.
You are President - Now What?
As I was moving forward in leadership of the Bar I was often asked, "What will be your project during your Bar year?" A few things are wrong about this statement. First, it is not "my" project or "my" year. The Bar already is working on so many exciting and impactful projects in our profession and our communities that I certainly hope we will continue and strengthen.
As members of the Bar's Executive Committee, each of us has pledged to...
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