Columbia Chamber of Commerce : Columbia, South Carolina

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Chamber E-gram 6/28/11

Advancements & Recognitions

UK Guide Ranks America's Leading Business Lawyers
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Included in Top Rankings

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., one of the largest and oldest corporate business and litigation law firms in the Carolinas, is pleased to announce that the firm again received numerous distinctions in the recently released Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the annual UK guide that ranks American law firms and lawyers by state and practice areas.

The 2011 edition of Chambers USA stated, “With more than 30 corporate attorneys spread across the South Carolina offices, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd is a strong presence in South Carolina. Supported by the strength of its banking practice, the firm’s corporate group is particularly recognized for its bond work, municipal transactions and tax-exempt finance work.”

In South Carolina, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. is ranked at the top tier of law firms in the practice areas of:

Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions
Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions: Banking & Finance

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd is also recognized for its experience in the practice areas of:

General Commercial Litigation
Real Estate

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd attorneys from the Charleston, Columbia and Greenville offices are regarded as leading practitioners in U.S. law firms and are recognized as "leaders in their fields” including:

Real Estate Practice

Anne S. Ellefson, Shareholder in the Firm’s Greenville office, and Managing Director of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
John B. McArthur, Shareholder in the Firm’s Columbia office, and member of the Firm’s Management Committee
David M. Swanson, Shareholder in the Firm’s Charleston office

Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions

William C. (Bill) Boyd, Shareholder in the Firm’s Columbia office
George S. (Chip) King, Shareholder in the Firm’s Columbia office, also recognized for Banking & Finance
Kathleen C. (Kathy) McKinney, Shareholder in the Firm’s Greenville office, also recognized for Banking & Finance

In recognizing key individuals practicing at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, Chambers USA said, “George (Chip) King is recognized for his expertise in financial regulation, corporate and securities advice, and traditional M&A work. He acts as lead counsel in many of the firm’s largest cases, and sources call him ‘an institution in banking law.’”

The UK guide also said, “Kathleen (Kathy) McKinney is considered one of the premier bond lawyers in the state and is well known for her tax-exempt financing work.”

“William (Bill) Boyd is a longtime corporate lawyer who is respected by peers across the state. Well known for his expertise in complex corporate transactions, Boyd has recently been focusing a significant part of his practice on large-scale industrial development projects,” said the Chambers’ commentary. A former board chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Boyd continues to be recognized as a “Senior Statesman,” a Chambers USA category for name partners who are admired throughout the profession and enjoy immense prestige.

Boyd, Ellefson, King, McKinney, McArthur, and Swanson are consistently included also in The Best Lawyers in America®.

Nexsen Pruet Expands Tax Practice; James Rourke Joins Columbia Office

Nexsen Pruet announced today that James Rourke has joined the firm as an associate in its Columbia office, where he will practice with the firm’s Tax Group.

Rourke returns to Columbia after earning a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from New York University. His law practice will focus on assisting businesses with issues related to federal taxation, state and local taxation, and employee benefits.

“Jim is an impressive young attorney who has keen technical skills and a solid educational background,” said Fred Kingsmore, chair of the firm’s Tax Practice Group. “His strengths will undoubtedly reinforce our far-reaching capabilities in taxation law and will further strengthen this critical practice area for clients and the broader business community of Columbia.”

Rourke earned his law degree, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as a member editor of the Southeastern Environmental Law Journal. His work has been published in that Journal and for use by the Columbia Tax Study Group.

A native of Wilmington, MA, he graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in the History and Literature of America.

The Boudreaux Group Celebrates 35 Years in Business

The Boudreaux Group, a full-service architecture, planning and interior design firm, celebrates its 35^th anniversary today. Since its founding on June 15, 1976, The Boudreaux Group has provided exceptional service and design to numerous educational, civic, corporate and religious clients.

John Boudreaux originally founded the firm out of his determination to design user-minded space and his desire “to prove that people could be honest, have high ethics and still succeed in business in South Carolina.” In 1976, the firm was honored with its first project−enclosing a two car garage into a drama studio for children. Since then, The Boudreaux Group has continued to develop as a community-minded business with a strong eye for good design. As a result of this commitment, the firm has been honored with many high profile projects throughout the Midlands, including USC’s Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center, USC’s Green Quad Residence Hall, Dreher and Blythewood High Schools, the SC Bar’s Conference Center, the Drew Wellness Center and the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s building on Gervais Street. The firm has also served many religious clients in the area, including St. Peter’s Catholic, St. Joseph’s Catholic, Lexington Baptist, St. John’s Episcopal and Shandon United Methodist. Reflecting on the firm’s history, John Boudreaux remarked “Over the past three and a half decades, we have made many friends in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. We have been blessed with great people to work with. I hold the greatest appreciation for our clients and for God connecting us to those clients.” Through relationships spanning the Southeast, The Boudreaux Group has been honored to design the North Augusta Municipal Center in North Augusta, SC, Clemson University’s Holmes & McCabe Residence Hall, Midlands Technical College’s QuickJobs Development Center in Fairfield County, SC, and St. Mark Catholic Church in Mooresville, NC.

For the past several years, the firm has been transitioning into its second generation of leadership. Heather Mitchell, current President of The Boudreaux Group, holds the same values, high standards and community-minded ethics upon which the firm was founded. The firm continues its commitment to giving back to benevolent causes that help lift up members of the community.

DuBose Web Group Hires Director of Customer Support

Morgan Midgett joined DuBose Web Group as Director of Customer Support in June 2011. She is a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design, which is recognized as the most innovative visual arts college in the US, as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts.

Morgan previously served as Graphics Manager for the South Carolina Governor's Office, where she was the administrator for thirteen state agency websites. Morgan, who is also a published illustrator, brings with her more than 10 years of proven experience in web development and freelance design.

DuBose Web Group president Blake DuBose said, “Her pleasant personality, organizational skills, graphic design talent, and web experience make her a great addition to our close-knit team and an asset to our customers.”

DuBose Web Group is part of a family of four companies founded in 1986. Blake DuBose is a monthly commentator for several South Carolina business magazines and blogs.

Nexsen Pruet Attorneys and Practice Groups Rated Among Top in the Carolinas

A leading legal directory has ranked Nexsen Pruet attorneys and practices among the best in North and South Carolina. The newly released 2011 edition of Chambers USA lists six Midlands attorneys as “Leaders in their Field” and gives high marks to the firm in six practice areas.

From Nexsen Pruet's Columbia office,David Dubberly is ranked in the area of Labor & Employment; Mark Knight is ranked in the Corporate/M&A practice area; Alan Lipsitz is ranked for his Corporate/M&A - Banking & Finance work; Marc Manos is ranked in the area of Litigation: General Commercial; Ed Menzie for his Corporate/M&A and Real Estate work and Susan McWilliams is ranked in the area of Labor & Employment and Litigation: General Commercial.

This is the seventh year in a row that Chambers has ranked Nexsen Pruet in the areas of corporate/mergers and acquisitions, real estate law, and general commercial litigation.

Statewide in South Carolina, the firm is ranked in the practice areas of Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking & Finance, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial and Real Estate. In North Carolina, Nexsen Pruet is ranked in the Real Estate area.

Rankings in Chambers USA are based on more than 10,000 interviews conducted across the country. Attorneys are rated based on factors including legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities valued by clients. Lawyers and firms making the list are widely considered to be leaders in the fields.

MG&C’s Jay Courie Re-Elected to Chair Hammond School’s Board of Trustees

McAngus Goudelock & Courie’s Managing Member Jay Courie has been re-elected to serve as the chairman of the Hammond School’s Board of Trustees for a two-year term.

Located in Columbia, Hammond School is the largest independent school in South Carolina. The school enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

Mr. Courie is a founding member and the managing member of McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC. He represents businesses, professional associations and individuals in a variety of matters including contract negotiations, employment matters, finance and insurance issues, governmental relations, procurement, business development and strategic planning.

Lee to help lead two Columbia organizations

Stuart M. Lee, a shareholder of Rogers Townsend & Thomas, PC, has joined the Leadership Columbia Committee and the Board of Directors & Advocates for the Historic Columbia Foundation.

Lee, who heads the firm's Business Banking and Professional Practices Department, is a Leadership Columbia Class of 2004 alumni. The year-long program gives young, promising professionals a chance to connect with the community, build relationships and learn about issues facing the Midlands. As a committee member, Lee will help design and shape the program, as well as aid in selecting future participants.

The Historic Columbia Foundation manages four historic house museums and their associated artifacts. The organization also acts as an advocate for preserving the city's rich architectural past.

At Rogers Townsend & Thomas PC, his practice concentrates on commercial law, with an emphasis on commercial real estate finance; commercial and residential real estate development; and corporate transactions, and commercial real estate transactions emphasis on industrial and utility property transactions.

MG&C’s C. Edward Rawl, Jr. Named ABA YLD District 10 Representative

The law firm of McAngus Goudelock & Courie is pleased to announce that attorney C. Edward Rawl, Jr., has been named American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division District 10 Representative for 2011-2013. As District 10 Representative, Mr. Rawl will represent South Carolina and the U.S. Virgin Islands and serve in the ABA YLD Assembly, the principal policy-making body of the ABA YLD. In addition, he will also serve as a member of the South Carolina Bar’s Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee.

Rawl’s practice focuses on employment law, healthcare law and general liability defense. He handles litigation in both federal and state courts and claims pending with state and federal agencies including the EEOC. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Richland County Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Association, the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association, and Leadership Columbia's class of 2010. He is a frequent author and speaker on employment-related topics.

NAI Avant Welcomes New Executive Administrative Assistant and Marketing Associate

Columbia, SC (June 9, 2011) NAI Avant welcomes Nancy Hoffman and Kaitlyn Mills to its Columbia Office Staff. Hoffman, Executive Administrative Assistant, most recently with Jones Lang LaSalle has over 15 years of commercial real estate experience.

Mills, Marketing Associate, is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing and Management. Mills was a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipient, Capstone Scholar and University Scholar.

MG&C’s Rocky Hughey Named to Kids’ Chance of SC Board of Directors

The law firm of McAngus Goudelock & Courie is pleased to announce that attorney Landon “Rocky” Hughey has been named to the board of directors of Kid’s Chance of South Carolina.

Hughey’s practice focuses workers’ compensation defense. He graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina and received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. He is a member of the South Carolina and Richland County Bar Associations, the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association, and the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association.

Kids’ Chance of South Carolina provides educational scholarships to the dependents of South Carolina workers who have been seriously or fatally injured in work-related accidents or occupational diseases. Founded in 1992, Kids’ Chance of South Carolina has awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships to deserving students.

Chamber News	Business / Regional News
Community Events / Seminars	Member Advancements/Promotions

Chamber members who have information such as free seminars or other events or free services that you would like to be promoted through the Chamber E-Gram may submit information to Kendall Davis by close of business each Wednesday for publication in as many as three issues. Articles are posted in chronological order by their most timely information. Due to space constraints, articles will be included based on timeliness. All material submitted is subject to editing and approval by the Chamber's Communications Department.

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