Attorney Paul Hammack, Managing Partner of Hammack Law Firm P.A., will become a member at Clawson and Staubes. Hammack commented, “By joining forces with Clawson and Staubes, our clients will enjoy expanded geographic areas of service and will benefit from the strength of Clawson and Staubes’ business and commercial sections. This is a real force multiplier.”

The Greenville team will continue to serve clients with whom they have established relationships over the years, while also assisting current Clawson and Staubes clients and working to grow the firm as a whole. With this expansion, the firm will have a total of 35 attorneys and offices in Charleston, Greenville, and Charlotte.

Sam Clawson, Managing Member of Clawson and Staubes, stated, “This exciting opportunity allows us to serve our collective clients with greater resources and a larger geographical footprint. Paul’s impressive background in litigation and trying cases fits the mold at Clawson and Staubes and will be of great benefit to our clients. This is a win-win.”

The Greenville office is located at 223 W. Stone Avenue. (864) 331-8940.

You could say that newly-elected Mount Pleasant Council-man Chris Nickels ended up in the Lowcountry based on a gut feeling. He said he absolutely felt called to Mount Pleasant and then called to serve his adopted hometown. Mount Pleasant voters elected the 48-year-old to the Town Council in November 2011. Public service seemed like a natural progression to Nickels.

After graduating from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s in finance and a minor in economics, he went on to earn his law degree with honors. Opting to head for a warmer climate, he packed up his degrees and his cat and headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico – sight unseen. There he met his wife, Kimarie, and started a family. During one trip to Georgia to visit his in-laws, the Nickels’ took a side trip to Myrtle Beach. On the way there, something else caught their eye.

“As we were driving, we drove through Mount Pleasant and said, “What a lovely community,”" Nickels recalled.

As they zipped around town, Kimarie Nickels remarked, “Wouldn’t it be nice to move back to the South?”

Returning to Albuquerque, Nickels and his wife began serious discussions. In the mid-1990s, after visiting Mount Pleasant just that one time, the family took a leap of faith and moved across the country.

For Nickels, Mount Pleasant just feels like home – from its natural beauty to its Southern charm. In fact, Nickels calls the town “Mayberry on steroids.”

“It’s really remarkable. I like the fact that it’s called a town and not a city,” he noted. “It feels like a town.”

Nickels enjoys the “sense of community” he has experienced in Mount Pleasant, but he also applauds big-city amenities such as the Police, Fire and Public Works departments and the town’s many parks.

Nickels has honed his leadership skills since moving to Mount Pleasant, serving his homeowners’ association as well as on community boards and commissions such as the Mount Pleasant Comprehensive Plan Committee and the Town of Mount Pleasant Board of Zoning Appeals. He also graduated from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Charleston program.

“I learned that rather than just sitting on my hands and squawking about something, it was really important for me to be involved,” he said.

His vision for Mount Pleasant involves strong management of town finances and bridging what he sees as a gap between government and the public.

“Open and accountable government. I’m going to try to make it easier for the average person to get a glimpse into how the government works and how to get involved in the government,” he commented.

Nickels also plans to maintain a focus on promoting the town’s core services and addressing the needs of Mount Pleasant’s aging population.

Outside of his role on the Council and as a partner in Clawson and Staubes, LLC, expect to see the Nickels clan out and about.

Kimarie is a registered nurse at East Cooper Medical Center. They have two children in college, Eric at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Laura at the Medical University of South Carolina. Kathy is graduating from Wando High School in 2012 and will be attending Clemson University.

“We spend a good amount of time at Memorial Waterfront Park. We love to walk and jog there. We enjoy the beaches. We enjoy going dowtown. We love the Pitt Street Bridge and the new Shem Creek Park,” Nickels said.

Clawson and Staubes is pleased to announce that Tim Thompson and Laura Simons have joined its Charleston office.

Tim will head the firm’s taxation and trusts and estates sections. Tim brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the firm, as he is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law, a distinction awarded by the South Carolina Supreme Court, and he has worked extensively in all areas across the taxation, estate, and business spectrum.

Laura has joined the firm’s business litigation section, where she practices corporate law and business litigation. She assists corporations and other business entities with their legal and regulatory needs. Laura is experienced in these matters and represents her clients in all state and federal courts in South Carolina.

On February 11, 2012, along with other members of the Berkeley County Bar Association, Clawson and Staubes attorneys and staff volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. The Berkeley County Bar Association is volunteering one Saturday per month with Habitat until the home is complete. Clawson and Staubes enjoys giving back to the community, having volunteered with Fields to Families, Race for the Cure, and Habitat, as well as many overseas mission trips.

Tim Whisler was recently appointed to the Sea Island Comprehensive Health Care Corporation Board of Directors. Sea Island is a community organization that develops and provides for accessible and affordable health and human service for residents on the five Sea Islands and surrounding communities.

Tim practices with the firm’s commercial law and bankruptcy team, focusing on the area of creditors’ rights with an emphasis on debt collection and judgment enforcement. He represents creditors, lenders, financial institutions, and the like throughout South Carolina in connection with these matters.

Clawson and Staubes is pleased to announce that Andrew Carson has joined its Charleston office. Andrew received his undergraduate degree from Furman University and his juris doctorate from the Charleston School of Law. While at the Charleston School of Law, Andrew served as Associate Managing Editor of the Charleston Law Review and was a member of the Moot Court Board. Andrew has joined the firm’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy team, with focuses on creditors’ rights, foreclosure, debt collection, and litigation.

Established in 1975, Clawson and Staubes has been providing legal services to South Carolina and North Carolina for many years. Clients range from large financial institutions, insurance companies, and developers to local, small business owners and individuals.

Clawson and Staubes is pleased to announce that Bobby Sawyer has joined its Charlotte Office. Bobby received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University and graduated, magna cum laude, from the Charlotte School of Law. Bobby has joined the civil litigation team at Clawson and Staubes, with focuses on general civil litigation, insurance defense, and construction defect litigation. He brings to the table a construction background that is most valuable in handling construction defect claims.

Established in 1975, Clawson and Staubes has been providing legal services to South Carolina and North Carolina for many years. Clients range from large financial institutions, insurance companies, and developers to local, small business owners and individuals.

Kristen Nichols has been chosen to serve on the Master-in-Equity’s Bench Bar Committee. The Committee frequently meets to discuss issues concerning the Master-in-Equity, such as foreclosures. Kristen regularly deals with such issues in her practice. Kristen practices with the firm’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy section, focusing on consumer law, corporate law, bankruptcy, and foreclosures.

Clawson and Staubes Managing Member Sam Clawson has been elected as President of the Berkeley County Bar Association. Clawson and Staubes is the largest law firm in Berkeley County. Sam has served as the Managing Member of Clawson and Staubes for 27 years and practices in the areas of personal injury litigation and insurance defense.