From staff reports
Beaufort attorney Mary E. Sharp took office as President of the South Carolina Bar on May 6.
An experienced litigator and certified mediator, Sharp founded Sharp Law Firm, LLC, in March 2017.
Judge Stephanie McDonald of the S.C. Court of Appeals swore Sharp in during a virtual annual meeting of Bar members.
“I am proud to have the opportunity to serve my fellow lawyers and state in this new capacity,” Sharp said in a release. “Our profession includes so many dedicated problem solvers committed to making a difference in South Carolina, and I look forward to working with these leaders to improve the profession, our communities and access to justice.”
Sharp has a strong history of advocating for the role of women in the legal profession and is a past president of both the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA) and the S.C. Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA). Sharp was honored by SCWLA with its annual Jean Galloway Bissell Award, in 2019.
In her law practice, Sharp represents clients in trial and appellate proceedings, in civil matters including those involving personal injury, business litigation, construction litigation, and insurance coverage.
She has served on the S.C. Bar Board of Governors since 2014 and is also a past president of the Charleston Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Sharp previously served as NCWBA’s liaison to the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession and on the Board of Directors of the S.C. Bar Foundation.
In addition to serving the legal profession, Sharp is also active in the Lowcountry community. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Penn Center and is a past president of the Board of Lowcountry Legal Volunteers and the Board of Friends of Caroline Hospice.
She received her juris doctorate from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1993 and a B.A. in business administration from North Carolina State University in 1990.
Other executive officers inducted for 2021-2022 were Hagood Tighe of Columbia, president elect; Rusty Infinger of Greenville, treasurer; Shaheena Bennett of Moncks Corner, secretary; Christopher Koon of Columbia, House of Delegates chair; and Roy Laney of Columbia, immediate past president.
The South Carolina Bar is a statewide organization dedicated to improving the legal profession, the law and the administration of justice for all South Carolinians. It serves more than 17,000 lawyer members and provides resources to educators and citizens of the Palmetto State. Learn more at www.scbar.org.
