Accolades & Announcements

Please send your announcements and accolades to [email protected].

Turner Padget is pleased to announce that Charleston shareholder Richard S. Dukes has been re-elected to serve as a director of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) for the 2026-2027 term and has been appointed Co-Chair of the FDCC Evolve – AI and Technology Committee, effective August 1, 2026.

**********

Charleston School of Law opened its doors for Fall 2026, welcoming 275 new students, the largest incoming class in the school’s modest 23-year history.

Saxton & Stump is pleased to announce that D. Michael Henthorne has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Labor and Employment and Business Litigation and Strategic Solutions groups.

**********

Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Gavin Wait as a partner in the firm’s Charleston office.

Saxton & Stump shareholder Alice F. Paylor has been named to South Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s 2026 “Influential Women of Law” list, a prestigious recognition honoring accomplished female attorneys whose leadership, advocacy, and professional excellence have made a lasting impact on the state’s legal profession.

**********

The Supreme Court of South Carolina released the results of the February 2026 Uniform Bar Examination, and Charleston School of Law tops the bar passage list in both the First-Time UBE and Overall Pass rankings.

South Carolina Lawyers Weekly has named Saxton & Stump shareholder Cherie W. Blackburn to its 2026 “Employment Law Power List,” recognizing her decades of leadership helping employers and human resources professionals navigate complex workplace laws and compliance challenges.

Charleston School of Law President J. Edward Bell, III, and Board of Trustees Chair Jane H. Aiken are pleased to announce that Jonathan A. Marcantel has been selected as Dean of the Law School, effective immediately.

Johanna Valenzuela has joined Burnette Shutt & McDaniel.

Saxton & Stump announced today the promotion of Zachary J. Duffy and Bijan K. Ghom to equity shareholder.