May 20, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 28, 2011) — The Young Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar is sponsoring several public service projects across the state during Community Law Week, May 2-6. These projects are designed to promote the legal profession and provide the public with information about their legal rights.

In a new program started by Elmore & Wall attorney Trey Watkins, YLD is partnering with USC’s Center for Children through its Cocky Reading Express program. On Friday, May 6, young lawyers from across the state will travel with Cocky to various elementary schools. They will read aloud to children and talk with them about the importance of reading. After making a pledge to Cocky that the children will read aloud at home with their families, each child is given a book of their very own. The ultimate goal is to reduce the cycle of illiteracy among South Carolina’s children and adults, particularly in those communities that are underserved or disadvantaged.

Young lawyers in Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties will travel to Gray Court-Owings Elementary School. Young lawyers in Calhoun, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties will travel to Sheridan Elementary School and Whittaker Elementary School with Cocky. Young lawyers in Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster and Richland counties will travel to Midway Elementary School, Gadsden Elementary School and Logan Elementary School. Young lawyers in Cherokee and Spartanburg counties will travel to E.P. Todd Elementary School and Mary H. Wright Elementary School and Pauline-Glenn Springs Elementary School. Young lawyers in Greenville and Pickens counties will travel to Fork Shoals Elementary School and Rudolph Gordon Elementary School. Young lawyers in Berkeley and Charleston counties will travel to Angel Oak Elementary School, Murray-LaSaine Elementary School and Daniel Island School. Young lawyers in Union and York counties will travel to Monarch Elementary School.

Mr. Watkins and his committee oversaw other projects across the state. These projects varied by county and included the following:

Young lawyers in Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties are collecting gently worn business suits and other professional clothing from members of the community. The items will be donated to a community-based organization who will distribute them, free-of-charge, to social and economically disadvantaged people for job interviews. They are also collecting children's books to be donated to economically disadvantage and/or battered children.

Young lawyers in Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, Williamsburg, Florence, Marion, Horry and Georgetown counties will visit high schools to share with students their knowledge about the South Carolina legal system and the legal profession. The high schools include: The Academy for Technology and Academics, Aynor High School, Conway High School, Horry County Early College High School, Loris High School, Myrtle Beach High School, North Myrtle Beach High School, St. James High School, Socastee High School and Sumter High School.

Young lawyers in Aiken, Bamberg and Barnwell counties are collecting gently worn business suits and other professional clothing from members of the community. The items will be donated to a community-based organization who will distribute them, free-of-charge, to social an economically disadvantaged people for job interviews.

Young lawyers in Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick and Saluda counties are renovating the Edgefield County Department of Social Services Playroom on May 4. Donations in the form of books, games and toys, may be made to Sherpy & Jones, PA, at 921 Corley Mill Rd., Lexington, and the S.C. Bar Building, at 950 Taylor Street, Columbia.

Young lawyers in Anderson and Oconee counties will have a free wills clinic on May 6 for all Anderson County Law Enforcement.

To view a list of Community Law Week events statewide, visit www.scbar.org/yld.

The American Bar Association, along with a number of bar associations across the United States, observes Community Law Week the first week in May each year. Each bar individually plans a week long schedule of activities to give attorneys a special opportunity to get involved in their communities.

The Young Lawyers Division includes all members of the South Carolina Bar under age 36 and those with less than five years membership.

The South Carolina Bar, which has a membership of more than 13,500 lawyers, is dedicated to advancing justice, professionalism and understanding of the law.

February 18, 2011

Elmore & Wall, P.A., is pleased to announce the addition of William Silverman who has associated with the firm's Raleigh office.  A graduate of the University of Virginia and Wake Forest University School of Law, Mr. Silverman's practice will focus on construction disputes and insurance coverage and defense.  He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, and the Wake County Bar Association.



January 28, 2011

Elmore & Wall, P.A., is pleased to announce that Morgan S. Templeton has been invited to join the prestigious Council on Litigation Management. The Council is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance company, corporations, Corporate Counsel, Litigation and Risk Managers, claims professionals, and attorneys. Through education and collaboration the organization’s goals are to create a common interest in the representation by firms of companies, and to promote and further the highest standards of litigation management in pursuit of client defense. Selected attorneys and law firms are extended membership by invitation only based on nominations from CLM Fellows.

January 25, 2011

On January 7, 2011, the South Carolina Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion on insurance coverage for contractors [to read the opinion click here].  When damage to property is no more than the natural and probable consequence of faulty workmanship, such that the two cannot be distinguished, the Court held that a contractor does  not have coverage under its CGL policy.   The Court held that faulty workmanship must result in an “occurrence” for it to give rise to potential coverage.  An “occurrence” is defined by the Court as “an accident” and involves a fortuity or “chance” component.  For example, the natural and expected consequence of negligently installing siding is water intrusion and damage to the interior.  The Court held that there was no fortuity or chance component to these facts and therefore, no “occurrence.”  The Court pointed out, however, that a finding of faulty work alone may not preclude coverage.  Rather, faulty work may cause an “occurrence” when the event causing damage is fortuitous or by chance and the damage is to non-defective work.  It is expected that a petition for rehearing will be filed before February 3, 2011.

September 17, 2010

Elmore & Wall has announced that four founding shareholders have been selected for inclusion in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers of America.  To read the Press Release click here.