Elon Law alumni are making a difference for their clients and communities in South Carolina, including three Elon Law lawyer-leaders profiled here: James Knox L’11, Chantelle Neese L’13 and John Warren L’13.
Staff Attorney, S.C. Association of Counties, Columbia, S.C.
Undergrad: The Citadel
Military Experience:
- Operation New Dawn Combat Deployment, Iraq, Kuwait, 2011-2012
- S.C. Army National Guard, McEntire Airbase, Eastover, S.C., 2005-2013
Honors & Activities:
- Elections Committee appointee
- Elon Law Running Club
- Innocence Project
INSIGHTS:
“We provide a host of services to the counties in South Carolina. I take pride in the fact that by enabling and building stronger counties, we are building a stronger state that will benefit its citizens.”
“Critical thinking and analysis are the most important skills I gained while at Elon Law.”
REFLECTIONS ON ELON LAW PROFESSORS:
“Professor Friedland had a way of simplifying complex legal concepts and explaining them through practical examples and he always had a great way of keeping his students engaged.”
COMMUNITY SERVICE AND INTERESTS:
- Richland County CASA, advocating for children referred by the Family Court
- American Cancer Society volunteer driver
- S.C. Bar Exam mentor for Elon Law
- Project HELP
- Traveling, running, playing guitar and hunting
Associate Attorney, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Columbia, S.C.
Undergrad: University of South Carolina
Elon Law in three words: “Innovation, Professionalism, Leadership”
Honors & Activities:
- First Place, Elon Law Intramural Moot Court Competition
- Editorial Board Member, Elon Law Review
- Leadership Fellow
- Honor Council
Experience:
- Law Clerk, Simmons Law Firm, Columbia, S.C.
- Extern, N.C. Business Court, Greensboro, N.C.
- Law Clerk, Nexsen Pruet, Greensboro, N.C.
- Student Clerk, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of S.C., Conway, S.C.
INSIGHTS:
“Practicing in South Carolina, I value most the opportunity to engage and work alongside qualified, passionate and respected lawyers.”
“The ‘Elon Law Advantage’ for my career has been the legal education I obtained while simultaneously enhancing my personal, professional and leadership skills.”
“Through classroom engagement, moot court and legal writing courses, I learned to thoughtfully engage ‘on my feet,’ an experience that has had tremendous value in my law practice.”
REWARDING EXPERIENCES AS A LAWYER:
- Volunteering to help families secure guardianship of relatives
- Aiding first responders through Wills for Heroes
INTERESTS:
Biking, camping, cooking and community engagement
Attorney, Simmons Law Firm, Columbia, S.C.
Previously: Judicial Clerk, Justice John W. Kittredge, South Carolina Supreme Court, Columbia, S.C.
Undergrad: University of South Carolina
Elon Law in three words: “Endless opportunities abound”
Honors & Activities:
- Regional Semifinalist, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
- Editorial Board Member, Elon Law Review
- Founder and President, American Constitution Society
- Co-founder, Society for Health Law & Bioethics
Experience:
- Research Assistant, Elon Law Professor Enrique Armijo
- Author, “Holding the Bench Accountable: Judges Qua Representatives,” Washington University Jurisprudence Review, 2014
- Author: “Tale of Two Andersons: Anderson v. South Carolina Election Commission and Anderson v. Celebrezze—An Examination of the Constitutionality of Section 8-13-1356 of the South Carolina Code of Laws Following the 2012 Primary Ballot Access Controversy,” Elon Law Review, 2013
INSIGHTS:
“The South Carolina Bar is small and closely knit. I enjoy getting to know the lawyers that practice in the same areas of law that I do and building relationships that will help to achieve just and fair resolutions of cases in the future.”
“My favorite experience during law school was, without a doubt, Moot Court.”
“Elon is a small school that provides a vast array of resources for every student. The professors are brilliant, the facilities are fantastic and the administration really cares about the success of its students.”
REWARDING EXPERIENCES AS A LAWYER:
“The day that most people walk into a lawyer’s office is often one of the most difficult days of their lives. I enjoy being able to help individuals resolve their disputes so that they may move on with their lives.”