The Legal Landscape in Greenville
Greenville is a growing city in the foothills of the Upstate of South Carolina. It is a vibrant region with a rich eclectic tapestry of people. The legal landscape in Greenville is as diverse as the residents. Attorneys in the area range from large law firms to small boutique practices. Areas of law practiced in the region include business and commercial, litigation, intellectual property, criminal defense, family law, and personal injury. The common legal needs faced by residents include estate planning, real estate transactions, litigation, family law matters, criminal charges, and personal injury claims .
A variety of different legal services are offered in the city for its over 60,000 residents. Upstate South Carolina has become a crossroads in the state because of its central location. People come from all over the state to have their legal representation. Law firms in the area range in practice areas from commercial and real estate litigation to estate planning and criminal law. Firms, large and small, have recently cropped up in the area because of the booming economy. Moreover, organizations like the Spartanburg County Bar Association and The Greenville County Bar Association bring together the attorneys in the Upstate to provide free legal guidance.
Legal Service Providers in Greenville, South Carolina
As in most metropolitan areas, there are a number of key legal service providers in Greenville, South Carolina. Aside from the myriad of private law practices, the larger legal communities also benefit from public legal services offered by organizations such as the South Carolina Bar Association. Additionally, there are several specialty legal service providers in the area that users should be aware of.
Well-considered legal matters generally start with a topic-specific consultation, such as an Accident Lawyer, Divorce Lawyer or Social Security Disability Lawyer. Each of these services is handled by law firms that concentrate in those fields. While the family lawyers, criminal lawyers, bankruptcy lawyers and even employment lawyers are easy to find, the following providers may be more difficult to locate:
Greenville County Public Defender If you are accused of a crime and cannot afford to hire a private attorney, the public defender will be appointed for you. They are organized and provided full-time staff as well as a satellite law office.
Greenville County Self-Represented Litigant Services This is where you can go for assistance with your court case.
Greenville County Legal Aid If you are not eligible for free legal counsel from the Public Defender but you are below a certain income threshold, you might be able to get free legal help by applying to Legal Aid.
Greenville Bar Association The Greenville Bar Association is primarily a private lawyer organization that supports members and they have a range of resources on their website.
Who Qualifies for Legal Representation in South Carolina
Eligibility for public legal services in Greenville largely hinges on income. The generally accepted threshold is 125% of the federal poverty level for your family size. For the 2019 federal poverty guidelines, that means as a one person household, your income cannot exceed $15,300. If you have two in the household, your income cannot exceed $20,550. If you have three in the household, your income cannot exceed $25,800. And so on — the complete federal poverty guideline chart can be found here: According to the self-reported data from online applications at https://www.scbar.org; low income applicants accounted for approximately 74% of applications, indications that there is a real need among low income individuals across the state. However, the federal poverty guideline is not the only factor to consider. The County of residence is also a determining factor. For example, if you live in Spartanburg county, the low income threshold is higher at 187.5% of the poverty level for your household, or 71.2% of the state median income. While these are the general guidelines, the proximity to the nearest courthouse can also help determine some eligibility, as public interest attorneys in this area often hold clinics on certain days. Without clinics, eligibility may be impossible to determine. Certain case types are accepted based on the nature of the issues being addressed. For example, while custodial matters, divorce and support orders can be considered based on public interest eligibility; issues like adoption, name change petitions and other such less urgent matters cannot be evaluated for public assistance, because they are based on personal preference rather than an immediate need. Demographic considerations may alter eligibility. A public interest attorney may justify extending certain services to a specific group of individuals in a particular area or based on a specific need. For example, if you are a veteran in need of representation, but your family falls over the poverty level by a small margin, you might be eligible for assistance. Similarly, if you are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you may also qualify for assistance from a pro bono lawyer.
How to Obtain Free Legal Services
Greenville County has several private and non-profit organizations that offer free and low-cost legal aid. Each of these groups has its own application process. Some do not require you to have a lawyer to apply for services, while others do. Many of the groups listed below do charge a fee if they take your case, but they do not charge for the application for services.
Piedmont Legal Services
The mission of Piedmont Legal Services is to provide free civil legal assistance to low-income residents in seven upstate counties. Residents do not need to qualify for assistance with other state or federal benefit programs to receive assistance from Piedmont Legal Services. In fact, providers in South Carolina have the most flexible means testing in the country. A full list of qualifying standards is available on Piedmont Legal Services’ website. To apply for legal aid, you must be 18 or older and, if accepted, you are expected to take an active role in your case.
Contact:
Piedmont Legal Services
209 E Calhoun St., Suite 311
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 233-0627
Website: https://www.piedmontlegal.org/
Legal Aid of South Carolina
Legal Aid of South Carolina (LASC) is a statewide non-profit organization, and a division of the Services Integration Consortium, that provides civil legal assistance to low income individuals across the state. LASC’s mission is to provide access to justice for all low income individuals through quality legal advocacy services. While LASC does provide some limited representation to people facing foreclosure proceedings and expungement, most of the services they provide are by telephone (call center) and through the self-help portal of the SC Judicial Branch website.
SC Bar Pro Bono Program
The SC Bar Pro Bono Program is a state-wide effort to provide legal services to persons who would not otherwise have representation. The Pro Bono Program works with attorneys who volunteer their time to represent eligible persons, including low income individuals, senior citizens, and victims of domestic violence, and help those persons receive equal access to justice in South Carolina.
Niche Legal Services Offered
Specialized Legal Services Available in the Greenville Area
Along with this diverse range of general legal services, you will find a number of dedicated firms that have made significant contributions to specific areas of law. For instance, in the realm of family law, the Office of Thomas D. Black Law, LLC provides specific legal services to clients throughout the Upstate regions, as does Childers Kolstad & Associates, LLC, whose focus is on both family and civil mediation. Morgan & Morgan is another established firm that specializes in personal injury law in an effort to protect consumer rights in Greenville, South Carolina.
Immigration law is another major area of focus for legal professionals in the region . Mulvaney & Rogers helps individuals with all aspects of immigration law, including the following areas of consideration: family petitions, political asylum, Citizenship/Naturalization, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), temporary visas, and more.
For those facing criminal charges, The Law Office of George L. Sink, P.A. is well known for criminal defense in the Upstate of South Carolina. They are well versed in all kinds of criminal defense cases, for both state and federal charges.
Finally, if you require legal representation in the municipal court system, you may turn to the law offices of F. Walter Lawrence, who has been practicing law in Greenville, South Carolina since 1988, and has worked on both sides of the law, as a prosecutor and as a defender.
Finding the Best Legal Representation
When seeking legal representation in any field, it is important to choose someone with credentials, experience and the ability to communicate legal concepts effectively. This is also true when finding an attorney in Greenville SC who specializes in your specific area of need. These include family law, criminal defense, business law, and other specialties. Credentials, including having a law degree and passing the bar exam, are essential for any practicing attorney. Experience, both in the particular field of law and in handling cases like yours, makes a representative much more equipped to help you through the process. While credentials are easy to verify, experience may be harder to pinpoint. Check around in the local community to see who can recommend them, and see online reviews of the firm and the specific attorney you are considering hiring. You should also schedule a consultation with the attorney so you can judge their communication abilities by how clearly and directly they answer your questions. Ask about their fees, and be certain you are able to afford their services. Finally, trust your instincts. If you do not feel a connection with the lawyer or the firm and do not believe they are qualified to handle your case, move on and search elsewhere.
Workshops and Community Legal Clinics
In Greenville, SC, a variety of community resources can be found throughout the county to help individuals and families access legal services. Legal aid organizations often give workshops and seminars on a range of topics from the criminal justice system to housing rights, estate planning, and more.
The Greenville County Library System has several branches across the county. It often offers workshops and informational sessions on a range of wide-ranging topics and can refer people to legal assistance. A number of community centers also host legal workshops that provide clients with free information on local ordinances.
Community resource agencies and the library in particular work in conjunction with the South Carolina Bar Association, which is the overarching agency that supports pro bono and legal aid organizations throughout the state. Among its many services, the SC Bar Association offers a Legal Rights Clinic that contains more than 100 publications that compile information on various topics to help people navigate the legal system.
The Greenville County Bar Association offers a referral service that can connect individuals with private law firms or legal aid organizations, depending on their needs.
Successful Cases: How They Were Won
To further illustrate the value of accessing the right legal services, we’ll look at a few composite examples of individuals and families who sought legal assistance in Greenville. The Single Parent: Michelle, a 35-year-old single mother of two young children, was facing difficulties with her estranged husband regarding child support and visitation. With the help of a family law attorney, Michelle was able to obtain an amended child support order that not only reflected her current financial situation but also addressed future educational expenses. Additionally, mediation services were instrumental in establishing a workable visitation schedule that was fair and focused on the well-being of the children. In securing these legal services, Michelle was able to ensure her children’s financial future and maintain a healthy relationship with her estranged husband. The Credit Card Holder Turned Victim: John, a 45-year-old Greenville native, discovered fraudulent charges on his credit card statements. He was initially overwhelmed , unsure if he should report the fraud to an attorney or credit reporting agency first. After researching local Greenville lawyers, he contacted a credit card dispute lawyer who guided him through the steps of reporting the fraud, securing fraudulent transfer lawyers to assist in the recovery of the stolen funds, and restoring his credit score. It was a process, but John was thankful to have the right legal professionals on his side. The Renter in Distress: Jenny, a college graduate, was renting an apartment in Greenville while starting her first job. When mold had developed due to a leaky air conditioning unit, her landlord was naturally reluctant to address the issue. Frustrated, she consulted an attorney for renters’ rights who was based in Greenville. As a result of having the right information from the get-go, Jenny was able to hold her landlord accountable and ultimately relocate as her rental was proven uninhabitable. These case studies each represent unique circumstances and highlight how the right legal professional can make a significant difference in the lives of residents in the Greenville area.