The Leadership Academy is a selective program designed to train the next generation of Bar members and community leaders.
Participants will be equipped with networking opportunities, professionalism training, community awareness and other skills necessary to give back to the profession and position themselves as leaders in our communities.
Mission & Purpose
The Leadership Academy seeks to provide high quality, interactive leadership training to members to enable them to become effective leaders in local and state bar organizations, in South Carolina communities and nonprofits, and to serve as role models in matters of ethics and professionalism.
This highly selective program is designed to equip members (in practice from 3 to 15 years) to face challenges in the legal community and community at large; maximize networking and relationship building opportunities; nurture principled leadership and increased awareness regarding ethical, professional and community service issues; and develop other skills necessary to give back to the profession and position themselves as valuable leaders in the community. The class meets once a month for approximately five months, with each month’s program focusing on a different topic.
Curriculum
Selected participants are given opportunities to connect with judges and legislators, gaining insight into the political process and opportunities for community leadership. The participants also learn from seasoned lawyers on various topics, including, but not limited to, how to have healthy relationships with clients, judges, and colleagues and the importance of pro bono and community service.
Eligibility
Applicants must have practiced law for not less than three years and for not more than 15 years as of January 1, 2025 (based upon first admission to any state bar). In an effort to achieve diversity among the participants, qualified individuals will be sought from different backgrounds, large and small law firms, the private and public sectors, different practice areas, and different areas of the state. Each class will consist of no more than 20 participants.
How to apply
- Submit the application (completed and signed by the applicant/nominator and employer; applicants may self-nominate)
- Your personal resume (not to exceed three pages)
- A narrative summary (not to exceed three pages, double-spaced) that addresses:
- What do you consider to be the top two problems facing the legal profession today?
- What do you consider to be your most important contribution to the legal profession and the community?
- Please describe your personal goals for developing leadership skills and anticipated application of those skills to impact the legal environment in South Carolina.
- Two letters of recommendation; one of which must be from someone not affiliated with your current employer (letters of recommendation may be sent separately from the application)
- Once class members are notified of acceptance, a $650.00 tuition fee for each participant will be charged, due by January 3, 2026. Make checks payable to “South Carolina Bar.” A limited amount of scholarship money is available.
Please submit your materials by email to Kimberly Snipes at ksnipes@scbar.org or by mail to: Kimberly Snipes, SC Bar, c/o Leadership Academy, P.O. Box 608, Columbia SC 29202. The 2025 application period has ended. The 2026 application period will begin in August 2025.
Applications Closed for 2025
The 2025 application period has ended. The 2026 application period will begin in August 2025.
Leadership Academy
Leadership Academy Graduates by Year
Grady Anthony
Joseph Berry
Cherlyn Borjes
Derek Bush
Brittany N. Clark
Chelsea Clark
Doward Harvin
Alexa Kluska
Annie Kouba
Elizabeth Leverette
Lonnesse P. Mitchell
Michael Nail
Elizabeth Nicholson
Paige Ornduff
Taylor Ott
Jennifer Rainville
Annie Andrews
Tyler Bailey
Brett Bayne
Emma Bennett-Williams
Aleksandra Chauhan
Amber Fulmer
Jerrod Fussnecker
Taylor Davis Gilliam (Young Lawyer of the Year 2020)
Karla Martinez
Cashida Okeke
Chelsea Rikard
Mallary Scheer
Leslie Simpson
Donna Tillis
Mary Vosburgh
Kinli Abee
Allyce Bailey
Dare Bailey
Lester McGill "Gill" Bell Jr.
J. "Scott" Bischoff II
Cheslyne Brighthop
Lyndey Bryant (SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2018)
Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV
Andrew de Holl
Michael Harrington
Alex Kinlaw III
William "Grayson" Lambert
Temitope "Tope" Leyimu
David Paavola
Joseph Rohe
Brook Andrews
Tiffany Gibson
Teckla Henderson
Josh Lonon
Mary E.A. Lucas
Kristen Nichols
Jacqueline Pavlicek
Margie Pizarro
Dyllan Rankin
Ashley Thomas
Tamara Van Pala
John O. Williams II
Nickisha Woodward
Brent Arant
Marshall "Matt" Austin
Patrick Cleary
Cedric Cunningham
Emmanuel Ferguson
Sutania Fuller (Leadership Academy Committee, Co-Chair)
Garrett Johnson
Bess Lochocki
Julie Moore
George Morrison
Amanda "Mandy" Mueller
Lillian "Marshall" Newton
Kerri Brown Rupert
Jasmine Smith (Leadership Academy Committee, Co-Chair)
Brett Lamb Stevens (SC Bar Childrens Law Committee, Chair 2015-2017)
Danielle "Hope" Watson
Rebecca Williams
Sheila Marlouvon Bias (Leadership Academy Committee, Co-Chair 2016-2018)
Nicole Wooten
Michael Wright
Samuel Bass
Brittany Boykin
Ben Connell
Nichole Davis (SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2016)
Shawn Eubanks (SC Bar Education Law Committee, Chair 2013-2016)
Stinson Ferguson
Kenyatta Gardner
Matthew Gerrald
James "Matt" Johnson
James "Tyler" Lee
Alissa Lietzow
Jonathan Lounsberry (SC Bar Practice and Procedure Committee, Chair 2016-2017)
Samia Nettles
Amy Neuschafer
Priti Patel
Andrea Sancho-Baker
Reese Stidham
Andrew Toney
Johanna Valenzuela
Lee Ellen Bagley
Joshua Barr
Mitchell Byrd
Jamie Cade
Charles “Chas” Crawford III
Leslie Fisk
Evan Guthrie
Elizabeth Hamilton
Collie “Trip” Lehn, Jr.
Jason Luck (SC Bar Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, 2012)
Lindsay McGee
Chris Moore
Elizabeth Owen
Laura Paris Paton
Caleb Riser
Jenny Stevens
Kate Usry
Shawn Willis
Twana Burris-Alcide
William Edwards
Emily Gifford
Kristy Goldberg
Joe Good
Natalie Ham
Bradley Hewett
Meliah Bowers Jefferson
Michelle Kelley
Jared Libet (SC Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee, Co-Chair 2015-2017)
Kathleen McDaniel
Walton "Tad" McLeod, IV (SC Bar Conventions Committee, Chair 2016-2017)
I. Ryan Neville (YLD President, 2016-2017; and SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2013)
J. Clarke Newton
Chisa Putman
Shealy Reibold
Jacqueline Smith
Anglea Strickland
Prina Chandrakant Maines
Tod Williams
Jacob “Jake” Barker
Michael Cashman
Rebecca Poston Creel
Erin Farthing
Daniel Goldberg (Leadership Academy Committee, Co-Chair)
Chad Johnston
John Merrell
E. Michael “Mike” Pinilla
Tiffany Richardson
William Sweeny IV
Carmen Harper Thomas
Adam Artigliere
Joshua Cantwell
Mary Caskey
Michelle Clayton
Jay Duvall
Hon. Pandora Jones-Glover
Melissa Maddox-Evans
Elizabeth Palmer (SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2015)
John Robinson (SC Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, 2014)
Eleni Roumel
Elise Scott
Tasha Thompson
Thomas Winslow
A. Mattison "Matt" Bogan
David Bornemann
Tamika Cannon
Jason Davis
Ellie Floyd
R. Britton "Britt" Kelly
Shelly Leeke
Edward McDonnell
Peter Murphy
Rebecca Roser (YLD President, 2011-2012; and SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2015)
Stacy Thompson (SC Bar CLE Publications Committee, Chair 2016-2017)
Martin Driggers Jr.
Tina Herbert (YLD President, 2010-2011; and SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2007)
Jennifer Jeffrey
Brian Knowles
Shelby Leonardi
Lucy Grey McIver
Ashley McMahan
J. Tripp Padgett III
Venus Poe (YLD President, 2007-2008)
Benjamin Traywick
Fred "Trey" Suggs III (YLD President, 2009-2010)
Tiffany Spann-Wilder (YLD President, 2008-2009)
Ginny Waller (SC Bar Young Lawyer of the Year, 2008)
2024 Class Graduation
