Beaufort, SC

Brent P. Stewart

For attorney Brent Stewart, practicing law isn’t just about winning a case. It’s about helping people when they need it most. When an injury puts someone’s life and livelihood in jeopardy, Brent is intent on assisting them to pick up the pieces. With 30 years of legal experience, Brent is focused on providing comprehensive and compassionate services to everyone who walks through his doors. That means a personalized, one-on-one representation that truly puts clients first. Brent understands the difficulties that clients can face in the aftermath of an accident. They’ve often worked hard to get insurance companies to understand their needs, with little success. Brent refuses to see their efforts wasted or watch them be bullied into silence. He jumps in and marshals all his legal resources to fight for what’s right. Many clients seem surprised that Brent answers their calls personally, meets with them face-to-face frequently and is genuinely invested in their well-being and success. That reflects the family atmosphere the legal team at Stewart Law Offices has built over the years. Brent’s commitment to serving clients has led to significant successes during his legal career. His most notable achievement is earning lifetime membership to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum* and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. These honors are secured only by attorneys who have won million and multi-million-dollar verdicts, settlements, and awards on behalf of their clients. Less than 1 percent of trial lawyers nationwide earn membership to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum*. Brent has also been awarded the AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the premier legal resource for peer ratings and reviews. Only 10 percent of all attorneys achieve this rating, recognizing them for professional excellence and high ethical standards. With this track record of success, it’s easy to see why clients choose Brent to represent their interests in settlement talks and in the courtroom.

Leland Malchow

Leland has collected settlements and verdicts against insurance companies for his catastrophically injured clients in cases involving plant explosions, train derailments, medical malpractice, road construction negligence, product liability, trucking accidents, automobile collisions, workers’ compensation and personal injury complex cases, and premise liability injuries. He and his law firm were recently recognized by America’s High Stakes Litigators for achieving one of the top 100 settlements in the United States stemming from a plant explosion and workers’ compensation claim. Leland and the firm have the mindset and focus on helping people across Georgia and South Carolina who have suffered personal injuries, catastrophic injuries, or death. Prior to founding Malchow Johnson Injury Lawyers, Leland spent close to a decade as a defense trial lawyer for various insurance companies. His experience of defending medical malpractice claims, automobile and personal injury claims, workers’ compensation, and negligence claims in state and federal courts has and continues to arm him with perspective from strategy, negotiations, and all the way to trial. Leland has received some of the highest awards and ratings and been nominated by other attorneys and people in the community. His recognition includes being selected for Best Lawyers in America, Georgia Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite, Super Lawyers, Top Attorneys in Georgia, Best Attorneys in Georgia, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell’s Highest Rating in Legal Ability & Ethical Standards. In addition, Leland was nominated and chosen to serve as president of the Augusta Bar and president of Georgia’s Young Lawyers Section. Leland is a member of the Georgia and South Carolina Bar. Leland firmly believes that his highest priority is giving back to the local community through his service with the Augusta Rotary Club, his membership at St. Mary’s on the Hill Church, and the firm’s financial and service contributions for local charities. He and his wife Janna are the proud parents of three children and seven grandchildren.

Shelly M. Leeke

Shelly M. Leeke is the founder of Shelly Leeke Law Firm and has successfully represented people injured in accidents for over a decade. The firm handles accident cases throughout South Carolina, particularly in the low country counties of the state. Shelly has written numerous articles aimed at helping accident victims understand the legal process. She is an avid promoter of accident victims’ rights under the law and fights insurance companies in the pursuit of protecting these rights and recently published The South Carolina Accident Book, to help South Carolina residents and accident victims to understand personal injury law and the insurance claims process, both before and after an accident. She is a member of both the South Carolina Bar and the Louisiana State Bar. She is an active member of the South Carolina Bar Association, serving on the Disaster Relief board and the Young Lawyer Division committee. She is a member of the South Carolina Association For Justice, the American Association For Justice, the American Bar Association, Rotary International, and the Mount Pleasant Rotary. A native of South Carolina, Ms. Leeke received her Bachelor of Science degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg. She earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she graduated cum laude. She is the recipient of a CALI Excellence for the Future Award, and also earned an Achievement Award from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, CA for her studies in human rights law. She served as a judicial law clerk in the Louisiana Supreme Court. Ms. Leeke is big sister with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Carolina, and when she is not working, she can be found playing tennis, biking, jogging, reading, writing, or spending time with her family.

Sam Bass

Sam Bass is a pillar of his profession who continues to wow his clients at every turn. Sam sets himself apart and has earned a reputation as a highly successful personal injury attorney. He is licensed to practice law in South Carolina as well as multiple federal courts. He concentrates on representing victims of car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, and workers’ compensation claims. Inspired by the injustices he’s seen large insurance companies and corporations attempt, Attorney Sam Bass makes it his mission to hold them accountable and seek justice for his clients. Sam earned his Juris Doctor from The University of South Carolina School of Law in 2008, after an impressive undergraduate and postgraduate experience. Upon graduating from Washington & Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Sam combined his love for travel and service by teaching English to preschoolers in Taiwan. After completing law school Sam was awarded a full scholarship by the Ministry of Education to study Chinese at National Taiwan University. It is this kind of well-rounded experience, patience, and superb communication skills that make Sam a worthy attorney for the people. Sam has tried a diverse range of cases as both a prosecutor and in private practice. This versatile courtroom attorney learned from experience that his most important fight is for you, the individual. His passion to fight for the rights of victims and prevent those victims from being steam-rolled, strong-armed, and bullied by insurance companies led him to join Stewart Law Offices in 2015. Sam became a certified mediator in 2019. When Sam is not hard at work fighting for the rights of his clients, you are likely to find him at home manning the smoker in search of barbeque perfection for his wife Elizabeth, and their three children. Though he spends the majority of his days working hard for his clients, his most cherished part of each day is tucking in his precious little ones while reading their favorite bedtime stories. If you have been injured and need help, Attorney Sam Bass and the legal team at Stewart Law Offices are here to fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.

J. Ashley Twombley

J. Ashley Twombley is an experienced litigator focusing on catastrophic personal injury, estate and probate litigation, and complex business litigation. He served as Managing Editor of the South Carolina Law Review and clerked for a U.S. District Court Judge. He co-founded Twenge + Twombley Law Firm in 2006 and has recovered over $50,000,000 for clients. He holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He has been recognized as a South Carolina Super Lawyer from 2015-2023 and a Rising Star in 2013.

J. Olin McDougall, II

J. Olin “Lin” McDougall, II, Esquire, graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994, and has actively represented the rights of injured victims since 1996. He concentrates in areas such as Serious Injury and Death Claims, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Workers’ Compensation Claims, Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect, Medical Malpractice, Insurance Claims and Litigation, Premises Liability, Defective and Dangerous Products, School and Education Litigation, and Boating and Water Accidents. He was recently honored as one of the “Top Attorneys” in South Carolina and included in The Environmental Trial Lawyers Association - Top 10.

Bennett J. Schiller III

Bennett J. Schiller, III, co-founder of Schiller & Hamilton, is an experienced trial lawyer with over 20 years of practice, focusing on motor vehicle accidents, serious personal injury, and workers’ compensation claims. He graduated from The Citadel with a B.A. in Political Science in 1990 and the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994. He is recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers and has received the American Academy of Trial Lawyers Premier 100 and America’s Top 100 Lifetime Achievement awards. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and is actively involved in community service, including serving on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Beaufort.