Senior Lawyers Division Senior Symposium

Register today!

September 12-14, 2025
The George Hotel • Georgetown, SC

60 years of age or older? Join the Senior Lawyers Division's for its inaugural Senior Symposium. Regardless of your stage or type of practice, this program is tailored especially for members of the Senior Lawyers Division and will cover issues to interest you. Experts will address retirement options and succession planning.

Succession planning in the context of the legal profession can mean different things to different lawyers. When most solo practitioners think of “succession planning” they think of designating someone to take over or wind down their practice when they die and leaving necessary instructions to assist in that process. A lawyer in a larger firm might associate “succession planning” with a process for transitioning the law firm to new management when key senior lawyers retire. Regardless of the nature of the practice or the size of the law office, the smart lawyer will think beyond “who will take over when I’m gone” and consider succession planning as a multi-faceted concept designed to protect clients and law firm interests in the event of a variety of expected and unexpected changes. In this program, we will introduce the concept of succession planning, give tips on how to develop and implement a plan effectively and ethically and provide insight on what happens if you don’t plan. 

A seminar will be held on Friday afternoon, followed by a reception and dinner. On Saturday morning, attendees will enjoy a buffet breakfast prior to the seminar.  Lunch will be on your own. Then members and guests will have the opportunity to select from a wide variety of afternoon activities. Saturday evening members and guests are invited to a reception at a local home followed by dinner on your own. Full details are included below.

The cost to attend is $110 for guests and $240 for members. Breakfast, two receptions, and a dinner are all included in this price. Please note that the CLE sessions are for SC Bar members only.

Accommodations 

THE GEORGE HOTEL
615 FRONT STREET, GEORGETOWN

In Georgetown’s historic district, along its storied waterfront, The George connects the world to its magical waterways and sea islands—and the gifts of life along the water. In beautifully whimsical spaces, the town’s first boutique hotel mirrors and moves like the water itself—inviting, inspiring, sparkling, and surprising—in ways infinite and enduring.

A special room rate has been arranged at $259+ per night for a Historic Double Queen or Palmetto King and $279+ per night for a Carolina Double Queen Water View. Rooms are limited so please make your reservations at SC Bar Sr. Lawyers Division Room Block before August 8, 2025. Check-in is at 4 p.m. with check-out at 11 a.m. Complimentary self-parking.

Agenda

Friday, September 12th 

1 p.m. Registration, Indigo Room, The George Hotel 

1:30-1:40 p.m. Welcome & Introductions
Hon. Catherine H. Kennedy • Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A., Columbia

1:40-2:40 p.m. Let’s Talk About Succession Planning
(1 hr. MCLE/LEPR)
Succession planning in the context of the legal profession can mean different things to different lawyers. When most solo practitioners think of “succession planning” they think of designating someone to take over or wind down their practice when they die and leaving necessary instructions to assist in that process. A lawyer in a larger firm might associate “succession planning” with a process for transitioning the law firm to new management when key senior lawyers retire. Regardless of the nature of the practice or the size of the law office, the smart lawyer will think beyond “who will take over when I’m gone” and consider succession planning as a multi-faceted concept designed to protect clients and law firm interests in the event of a variety of expected and unexpected changes. In this program, we will introduce the concept of succession planning and give tips on how to develop and implement a plan effectively and ethically.

2:40-2:50 p.m. Refreshment Break

2:50-3:50 p.m. When Is It Time? Recognizing Cognitive Impairment in Your Law Office
(1 hr. SA/MH)
Beth Padgett, Director, Lawyers Helping Lawyers • SC Bar, Columbia
This presentation will provide an overview of changes that might occur as we get older and how these changes might show up within the practice of law. If we get more informed about cognitive decline, we can thrive in our careers longer than we might think and enjoy our time in retirement.  We will discuss the following ideas. What do we need to learn about aging? Why don’t we embrace aging? Odd things happening to you?  It’s not always dementia. When it is a dementia-related cognitive decline, what steps can we take? How do we reduce the stigma of cognitive decline?  Bring an open mind and a willingness to explore new ideas about aging and the brain.

3:50-4:35 p.m. What if I Don’t Plan?
Emma T. Dean, Executive Director • SC Bar, Columbia
(45 min. MCLE/LEPR)
A discussion about Rule 428, naming a successor, attorneys to intervene, and how to assist.

4:35 p.m. Adjourn 

5:30-6:30 p.m. Cocktails, Eliza's Outdoor Bar, The George Hotel 

6:30-8:30 p.m. Dinner, Indigo Room, The George Hotel 

Saturday, September 13th 

8:15 a.m. Registration, Indigo Room, The George Hotel 

8:30-9 a.m. Buffet Breakfast, Indigo Room

9-9:10 a.m. Introductions
Hon. Catherine H. Kennedy • Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A., Columbia

9:10-10:10 a.m. How Do I Start Planning?
Doug Brown, J.D. • Summit Success International, Bluffton 
(1 hr. MCLE)
This segment will address key planning challenges, helping senior attorneys avoid common pitfalls in their succession journey.

10:10-10:20 a.m. Refreshment Break 

10:20-11:20 a.m. It’s Time.  What Now?
Barbara M. Seymour, Esquire • Clawson & Staubes, LLC, Columbia
(1 hr. MCLE/LEPR)
In this hour, we will discuss what steps need to be taken to close down a practice, both practically and ethically. 

11:20-11:50 a.m. Panel Discussion
Doug Brown; Emma T. Dean & Barbara M. Seymour
(30 min. MCLE)

11:50 a.m. Adjourn

*Lunch and Afternoon Activities are on your own. 

5-7 p.m. Reception, The Hutto's Home, Georgetown

*Dinner is on your own. 

Please note that CLE accreditation is pending. A request has been submitted to the Supreme Court of SC Commission on CLE & Specialization for consideration. 

*A list of recommended restaurants and suggested activities are provided below.

Meet the Speakers

Doug Brown, J.D.
Doug Brown has been an executive coach for over 10 years. He works with Summit Success International helping lawyers build up their business to a point it can run without them, giving them more time and freedom as well as earning the money they deserve from their ideal clients. Before joining Summit Success, Doug’s experience ranged from starting out at a big firm handling real estate commercial transactions and litigation to being the chief executive for the Connecticut Bar Association and then chief operating officer for a chain of fine jewelry stores. Doug will provide tips on how to best set up your practice for transition. 

Emma T. Dean, Esquire
Emma graduated from Washington and Lee University with a double major in Economics and Politics.  Upon graduating from the University of South Carolina School of law in 2006, she worked at the South Carolina Court of Appeals as a Staff Attorney.  Later, Emma clerked for Justice John W. Kittredge at the Court of Appeals and then at the Supreme Court of South Carolina.  Emma went into private practice at Nelson Mullins, specializing in Appellate Advocacy.  In 2011, Emma became Assistant Chief Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee at the South Carolina House of Representatives.  In 2015, Emma became Chief Counsel where she remained until 2023 when she was named Executive Director of the South Carolina Bar.

Beth Padgett, M.A.
Beth Padgett is the Director of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Program at the South Carolina Bar. She has been with the program since December 2010 and became the Director in August 2022. Beth received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master’s of Education from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Arts in Human Behavior and Conflict Management from Columbia College.  She holds a certification in drug and alcohol counseling through the South Carolina Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and has been certified as a Grief Specialist through the University of Wisconsin at Madison Continuing Education Program. 

Barbara “Barbie” M. Seymour, Esquire
Barbara M. Seymour practices in the area of Professional Responsibility and Legal Ethics at Clawson & Staubes, LLC, in Columbia, SC, assisting lawyers and law firms in ensuring ethical compliance, including conflicts analysis; advertising review; risk management assessment; trust account management training; and, departure and dissolution guidance. Barbara also defends lawyers and judges in disciplinary enforcement matters.

Barbara earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1993. She began her legal career as a trial lawyer in Greenville and then worked as a prosecutor for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel to the Supreme Court of South Carolina for seventeen years, serving as the Deputy Disciplinary Counsel from 2007 to 2017. Barbara frequently presents continuing legal education programs to local, state, and national audiences on a variety of topics related to professional ethics and lawyer wellness.