Do you offer free consultations?
Yes, as to our four (4) main areas, however be aware that as to Probate cases, we only handle Informal Probate cases with no contested issues.

Can I talk to the attorney without an appointment?
If the matter falls within one of our four (4) main areas and the attorney is available, he will talk to you. If he is not available and you leave your contact information, he will contact you once he is available.

Do you draft Deeds?
Yes, we can, however it usually saves money to go back to the attorney who did your closing to have a deed drafted. If there was no recent closing done, we can look into it for you, however it often requires additional work and possibly even a title search. There are also special requirements, disclosures and tax ramifications if a deed is done by an elderly person.

Do you draft Wills?
We draft simple Wills, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Powers of Attorney and Living Wills. Please call our office for additional information. If you have minor children that potentially may get something in your Will, at a minimum, you will have to have a Testamentary Trust for each minor child established in your Will. There are also other ways to provide for minors. We generally do not draft these types of Wills, but we can recommend an attorney.

Do you draft Trusts?
No, however we can recommend an attorney.

Do you handle any Family Court Matters or criminal matters?
No, however we can recommend an attorney or attorneys.

If I am terminated from my job, does that mean that I have an employment claim?
No. South Carolina is an at-will employment state, so there has to be more than a termination. Please check out our Employment Law page for additional information.

What Probate issues do you handle?
Only Informal Probate cases with no disputed issues (regardless of whether decedent had a Will or did not have a Will).

Do you require a retainer in Probate cases?
Yes, it is usually ten (10) to fifteen (15) hours of attorney time up-front. If there are assets that can be liquidated, we may take it without a retainer on a case-by-case basis.

Areas We Do Not Handle:
Partition, Foreclosure and Quiet Title actions
Family Law Matters
Criminal Matters
Real Estate Closings
Construction Defects
Vehicle Issues
Consumer Law
Contested Probate Matters - will contests, determine heirs, etc.
Bankruptcy

Other Resources
If we cannot assist you with your legal matter, we may be able to provide the name of an attorney or attorneys you can contact, however there are other legal sources you may want to check with for assistance with your legal matter, as follows:

South Carolina Bar Lawyers Referral Service
If you need to consult an attorney and you’re having trouble finding one, you can consult an attorney for a $50.00 consultation through this service by calling 1-800-868-2284 or going to https://www.scbar.org/public/get-legal-help/find-lawyer-or-mediator/find-a-lawyer/

South Carolina Legal Services
If you cannot afford an attorney, you can call 1-888-346-5592. You have to qualify under their income/asset requirements, and they only take on certain cases.

South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program
If you cannot afford an attorney and South Carolina Legal Services cannot help you, the South Carolina Bar also has a program through which some law firms provide free representation. You can contact them at 1-800-395-3425.

Other Pro Bono Attorneys
Some attorneys and law firms do pro bono (free) work. They are usually located in the medium-sized cities of South Carolina and at larger law firms. For example, if you are in the upstate you might want to check with larger law firms in Greenville, South Carolina to see if they do pro bono work. Most of these will be registered with the South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program (above), however it never hurts to check (if you don’t qualify under any of the above programs).

Out-of-State Lawyers Referral Services
Most states have a Lawyers Referral Program similar to the program in South Carolina. If the incident occurred out-of-state, if you are going to sue an out-of-state Defendant or if another state’s law applies, you might want to check with the other state’s Bar and ask if they have a lawyer’s referral service.