SCAJ Annual Convention
August 6-8, 2026
Each year in August, SCAJ members gather together for three exciting days at the Hilton Resort & Spa on Hilton Head Island. Featuring a dozen seminars delivered by leading legal experts, the convention provides members a chance to qualify for 12 CLE credits which includes two ethics credits. Seminar topics range from ethics, torts and negligence, workers compensation, employment law, social security, criminal law to environmental law. The convention is also an excellent networking opportunity, allowing you to meet with leaders in your areas of practice and join the lively exchanges that take place during dozens of various events, including a welcoming reception on Thursday, dinner and drinks by the beach on Saturday, a live band party on Friday, and culminating with the Judicial Portrait presentation at the Saturday morning breakfast.
Click here to REGISTER TODAY
2026 Convention Schedule
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
| 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | SCAJ Board of Governors Meeting |
| 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Registration |
Thursday, August 6, 2026
| 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Registration |
| 8:00 a.m. | Coffee Break |
| 9:00 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. | CONCURRENT SEMINARS |
Legal Tech Seminar
Liam D. Duffy, Esq., Chairperson
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Netradyne & Fleet Management Technology: How Advanced Driver Surveillance Can Reveal Basic System Failures Alexandra N. Heaton, Esq., Charleston, SC |
| 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | AI Masterclass for Lawyers S. Randall Hood, Esq., Rock Hill, SC |
Employment Law Seminar
Julius W Babb, IV, Esq., Chairperson
| 11:00 a.m. - 11:35 a.m. | Clock In, Cash Out: Successful Intake and Issue-Spotting in Wage & Hour Cases Ashley L. Falls, Esq. and J. Scott Falls, Esq., Charleston, SC |
| 11:35 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. | Teacher Employment and Dismissal Act (TEDA) Emmanuel J. Ferguson, Esq., Charleston, SC |
| 12:05 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Lessons from an Employment Trial Shannon Polvi, Esq. and Chance Sturup, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 9:45 a.m. | Coffee Break |
Social Security Seminar
Stacy E. Thompson, Esq., Chairperson
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | From Infant to Approaching Retirement—Handling Child and Adult Cases at all Levels of Review Stacy E. Thompson, Esq., Columbia, SC |
Criminal Law Seminar
Judah N. VanSyckel, Esq., Chairperson
| 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Statehouse Update Rep. Micajah Pickett Caskey, IV, West Columbia, SC |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Caselaw / Judicial Update The Honorable Frank R. Addy, Jr., S.C. Circuit Court, Greenwood, SC |
| 12:00 p.m. - 12:20 p.m. | Interplay Between State and Federal Sentencing The Honorable Christopher Dolan Taylor, S.C. Circuit Court, Columbia, SC |
| 12:20 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. | It’s Not Like Riding A Bicycle—A Refresher on Evidence for Practitioners The Honorable Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., U.S. District Court, Columbia, SC |
| 10:00 a.m. | Coffee |
| 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. | Lunch On Your Own |
Medical Negligence Seminar
William C. Lewis, Esq., Chairperson
| 1:45 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. | Lessons from Recent Med Mal Trials (Panel Discussion) The Honorable Daniel M. Coble, S.C. Circuit Court, Columbia, SC James B. “Boo” Moore III, Esq., Georgetown, SC Francis M. “Brink” Hinson IV, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 2:35 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. | The FTCA: What is There Not to Love About Federal Court, No Juries and Government Lawyers? Brewster Rawls, Esq., Richmond, VA |
| 3:25 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. | Med Mal Mediations -- Persuade, Don't Regurgitate William B. “Kip” Darwin Jr., Esq., Spartanburg, SC Karl A. Folkens, Esq., Florence, SC Darren K. Sanders, Esq., Mt. Pleasant, SC |
| 1:45 | Refreshment Break |
Family Law Seminar
Bryan W. Braddock, Esq., Chairperson
| 1:45 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. | Is the Tide Changing with Respect to Alimony? The Honorable C. Vance Stricklin, Jr., S.C. Family Court, Columbia, SC Pete Currence, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 2:20 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. | Case Law Update Greg R. Steele, Esq., Anderson, SC |
| 2:35 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. | Parental Alienation in Family Court: Warning Signs and Evidence-Informed Interventions Davis Henderson, PhD, Mt Pleasant, SC |
| 3:10 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Family Law Issued Under the Copper Dome Representative Cody T. Mitchell, Hartsville, SC |
| 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. | Family Court Update: Where We Are and Where We Are Heading The Honorable Letitia H. Verdin, SC Supreme Court, Columbia, SC |
Workers’ Compensation Seminar
Gerald E. Reardon, Esq., Chairperson
| 1:45 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. | Third-Party Cases and Workers' Compensation Liens William Thomas "Tom" Bacon IV, Esq., Beaufort, SC |
| 2:10 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. | Dependency Investigations-When are They Needed and What to Expect Andrew Poliakoff, Esq., Spartanburg, SC |
| 2:35 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | SC Motions Practice- Change is Here! Peter P. Leventis IV, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 3:00 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. | IMES--Pros, Cons, and How to Persuade the Commission Nicholas Skorzewski, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 3:25 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. | Insider Tips From the Dark Side Kelly F. Morrow, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 3:50 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. | Workers' Compensation Commissioners Roundtable |
Young Lawyers Seminar
Jamie Rutkoski, Esq., Chairperson
| 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. |
Tobacco to TikTok: Designed to Addict
|
| 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | SCAJ Annual Business Meeting |
| 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Women’s and Minority Caucus Reception |
| 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. | Ashley W. Creech, Esq., President Kevin R. Dean, Esq., President Elect Welcoming Reception |
Friday, August 7, 2026
| 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Registration |
| 8:00 a.m. | Coffee and Danish – Compliments of The Hilton |
Litigation at Sunrise – A One Day Seminar in One Hour
Justin S. Kahn, Esq., Moderator
| 7:45 a.m. - 7:55 a.m. | New 50/100 NC Auto Law Tom A. Killoren, Jr., Esq., Spartanburg, SC |
| 7:55 a.m. – 8:05 a.m. | Alhborn: If You Don't Know Heidi, You're Committing Malpractice Robert V. Phillips, Esq., Rock Hill, SC |
| 8:05 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Don’t Get Burned on the Way Out: Ethical Withdrawal and Post-Withdrawal Disclosure Duties Thomas A. Pendarvis, Esq., Beaufort, SC |
| 8:15 a.m. – 8:25 a.m. | Five Favorite Deposition Questions Wes B. Allison, Esq, Charleston, SC |
| 8:25 a.m. – 8:35 | Serving Justice, Not Power Ellis I. Kahn, Esq., Charleston, SC |
| 8:35 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. | Rules Update Justin S. Kahn, Esq., Charleston, SC |
Torts & Negligence Seminar
Mark J. Bringardner, Esq., Chairperson
| 8:50 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. | Credibility Wins: Authenticity, Connection, and What Tik Tok Teaches About Persuasion Ashley W. Creech, Esq., Rock Hill, SC |
| 9:20 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. | Trial Ready Systems and Processes Kyle J. White, Esq., Anderson, SC |
| 9:50 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | Social Media Reform Don Migliori, Esq., Mount Pleasant, SC |
| 10:20 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. | Tying Bad Conduct to Big Damages Kenneth E. Berger, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Effective Ways to Obtain and Present Vehicle Data at Trial Ronnie L. Crosby, Esq., Hampton, SC |
Ethics Seminar
Brian M. Barnwell, Esq., Chairperson
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | AI in the Courtroom The Honorable Daniel M. Coble, Columbia, SC |
| 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Advertising Robert F. Goings, Esq., Columbia, SC |
| 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Overwhelmed at Work??? Frances Brown Anderson |
| 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Beach Games |
| 8:30 p.m. - Midnight | BAND PARTY - LIVE BAND RIGHT TO PARTY |
Saturday, August 8, 2026
| 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Coffee with the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Commissioners South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commissioners |
| 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | SCAJ Gala Breakfast – Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow attendees at this casual hearty breakfast that has become a true highlight of the Annual Convention. Compliments of our Diamond; Platinum, Gold, and Silver Sponsors |
| 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Awards and Portrait Presentation |
| 1:30 p.m. | Pickleball Tournament |
| 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | The Judicial Reception honoring all members of the Judiciary |
| 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. | Family Cookout – Compliments of Knie | Beatty | Holloway |
A special “thank you” to Frank L. Eppes, Convention Chair
and Pamela R. Mullis CLE Chair, for all of their hard work.
QUALIFYING FOR 12 CLE CREDITS
INCLUDING 2 ETHICS HOURS
Details
The SCAJ Convention provides members a chance to qualify for 12 CLE credits which includes two ethics credits. Seminar topics range from ethics, torts and negligence, workers compensation, employment law, social security, criminal law to environmental law. The convention is also an excellent networking opportunity, allowing you to meet with leaders in your areas of practice and join the lively exchanges that take place during dozens of various events, including a welcoming reception on Thursday, dinner and drinks by the beach on Friday, a live band party on Friday evening, and culminating with the Judicial Portrait presentation at the Saturday morning breakfast.
Location
Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa Hilton Head • One Hotel Circle, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29928
Cancellation Policy
- Written cancellations received prior to Wednesday, July 1, 2026 will be refunded in their entirety.
- Written cancellations received from Wednesday, July 1, 2026 through Wednesday, July 8, 2026 will be refunded less a $25.00 service charge.
- After Wednesday, July 8, 2026, no refunds will be given.
Upon written notice received by the SCAJ by Monday, August 24, 2026, any registrant who does not attend the seminar may receive hand-out materials.
INCLUDING 2 ETHICS HOURS
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