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. 


Photo by Allen Wallace
Photo by Allen Wallace

Apply for the 2024 Leadership Academy 

The first class/orientation is sheduled for January 18-20, 2024 in Charleston.


Congrats to the 2022 class

Congratulations to the following graduates:

  • Meggie Baker of HopeHealth, Inc., Florence
  • Joel (Jay) A. Berly IV of Butler Snow LLP, Charleston
  • Joseph Bias of Midlands Technical College, Columbia
  • Lamar Fyall of the City of Columbia, Columbia
  • Nicole M. Givens of the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff, Columbia
  • Lee Heath of Motley Rice LLC, Mount Pleasant
  • Scott MacLatchie of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, Columbia
  • Henry D. McMaster Jr. of the Sixth Circuit Solicitor's Office, Columbia
  • Jane H. Merrill of Hawthorne Merrill Law, LLC, Greenwood
  • DeShawn Mitchell of Clawson & Staubes, LLC, Columbia
  • Michelle Powers of Powers Law, LLC, Greenwood
  • Joseph Spate of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA, Columbia
  • Megan White of Richardson Plowden & Robinson P.A., Mount Pleasant
  • Cheryl A. Wright of S.C. Legal Services, North Charleston.

For more information on Leadership Academy, contact Kimberly Snipes at (803) 576-3835 or ksnipes@scbar.org.


Curriculum and Purpose

This highly selective program is designed to equip members (in practice from 3 to 15 years) with networking opportunities, professionalism training, community awareness, and other skills necessary to give back to the profession and position themselves as leaders in the community. The class meets once a month for approximately five months, with each month’s program focusing on a different topic.

The program equips members to face challenges in the legal community and community at large; maximizes networking and relationship building opportunities; nurtures principled leadership and increased awareness regarding ethical, professional and community service issues; develops other skills necessary to give back to the profession; and positions participants as valuable leaders in the community. 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. 


Leadership Academy Committee

Members of the Committee, comprising former graduates of the Academy, set the Leadership Academy session schedule, address policy issues and evaluate program progress.  The Committee also provides continued leadership development, community service and networking opportunities to the Leadership Academy Alumni.

Committee Contacts:
Mary Vosburgh
Charleston Legal Access
mary@charlestonlegalaccess.org

Teckla Henderson
Duke Energy
Teckla.Henderson@duke-energy.com

2020-21 Graduates
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

2019 Graduates
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

2018 Graduates
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

2017 Graduates
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

2016 Graduates
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

2015 Graduates
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

2014 Graduates
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

2013 Graduates
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

2012 Graduates
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

2011 Graduates
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

2010 Graduates
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)

2009 Graduates
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)