Fort Mill, SC

Thomas “Tommy” E. Pope

Tommy Pope is a Senior Counsel at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys in Rock Hill, South Carolina, bringing an extensive background of over 30 years of litigation experience. As part of a dedicated team of personal injury lawyers in Charlotte, he focuses on advocating for individuals who have suffered due to the negligence of others. Tommy was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and grew up in Lesslie. The son of a local sheriff and schoolteacher, Tommy saw the importance of public service being modeled in his house at a very young age. Tommy, a proud Rock Hill High School graduate, chose to attend college at the University of South Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management in 1984. During college, Tommy worked as an agent for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, SLED, and attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, where he graduated with honors. Following his undergraduate studies, Tommy attended the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1987 and was subsequently admitted to practice law in South Carolina in 1988. In 1993, Tommy was elected Solicitor (District Attorney) for the 16th Circuit (Union & York Counties, SC). Throughout his career, Tommy is most often recognized for his 1995 prosecution of Susan Smith in Union County, who made national headlines for the drowning deaths of her two children. Today, he is frequently called upon by various national and international media outlets to provide legal commentary and insight on all types of cases. Tommy retired as Solicitor in 2006 and began his own law firm. In 2008, he joined the Elrod Law Firm to form the Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys, where he has since focused primarily on helping people injured or killed by the negligence of others. Since 2010, in addition to helping manage the law firm, Tommy has also served as an elected member of the South Carolina House of Representatives for District 47. In December 2014, his peers elected him Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, and he continues to serve in that capacity today. Tommy and his wife, Kim, reside in York, South Carolina, and they have four children and four grandchildren. They currently attend Impact Church in Rock Hill. When not working late nights at Elrod Pope or in Columbia during legislative sessions, Tommy enjoys spending time with Kim, taking care of their farm in York, fishing, and relaxing at their home away from home in Holden Beach, North Carolina.

Robert J. Reeves

Robert J. Reeves is a founding member of the firm and a practicing trial attorney with over 36 years of experience. He is a former Registered Nurse (RN) and began his legal career as an insurance defense lawyer. He is licensed in South Carolina and North Carolina. His accolades include membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and SuperLawyers for South Carolina, and he is an inductee into the National College for DUI Defense. He has also earned certificates from NHTSA for DWI Investigation, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE).

Brian Robert Murphy

Brian Murphy is a personal injury attorney in South Carolina. He is recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40. He earned a BS from Winthrop University and a JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Brian Robert Murphy

Brian Murphy is a personal injury attorney in South Carolina. He is recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40. He earned a BS from Winthrop University and a JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Ben P. Leader

Ben Leader, a Rock Hill native and second-generation attorney, attended Northwestern High School and graduated from Clemson University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, and a Minor in Legal Studies. In 2013, Ben received his Law Degree from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in Raleigh, North Carolina. During his time in law school, Ben worked for the Honorable Chief Judge John C. Martin of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and he also worked for a small plaintiff civil litigation firm. Following law school, Ben served as Law Clerk to the late Honorable John C. Hayes III, of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. Ben’s father, Jack Leader, has been an attorney with Elrod Pope since 1989. While Elrod Pope has always been a big part of Ben’s life, he made the decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and officially joined Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys as an Associate Attorney in 2014. Ben was later named a Partner in 2019. Ben now focuses his practice on all types of Personal Injury cases. He has successfully resolved more than 750 injury claims and collected millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. While Ben prides himself on providing high quality service and results to his clients, he is most proud of the strong relationships that he builds with each and every client that he represents. Ben is now one of the firm’s Managing Partners, overseeing the Intake and Marketing Departments. Ben’s strategic insight on managing and growing a law firm has resulted in him being invited to be a guest speaker at national legal conferences, and also on various legal podcasts. When not working in or on the law firm, Ben enjoys spending time with his wife, Lauren, and their two sons. He also enjoys traveling, playing golf, and avidly supporting his beloved Clemson Tigers.

Harold C. Staley, Jr.

Harold C. Staley, Jr., grew up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and is a proud graduate of Berkeley High School. Harold attended college at the University of South Carolina. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from South Carolina in 1993, Harold spent three years teaching school in Nashville, Tennessee. In the Fall of 1996, he decided to continue his education and enrolled in Law School in Michigan. After receiving his Law Degree, Harold returned home to South Carolina and worked at the law office of the now-Honorable Robert E. Watson in Moncks Corner. He clerked for the Honorable R. Markley Dennis from 1999-2000. Harold then relocated to the upstate, where he served as an Assistant Solicitor under former Solicitor (and now Elrod Pope Law Partner), Tommy Pope, for the 16th Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. In 2002, Harold joined the Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys as an Associate Attorney, and he became a Partner in 2007. Harold has enjoyed a successful career as a proven litigator, and he has successfully tried numerous criminal and civil cases to verdict. Harold has always been passionate about helping students interested in the law, and he coached the Fort Mill High School Mock Trial Team for a number of years. He was ultimately recognized in 2002 as the SC Bar’s Law Related Education (LRE) Lawyer of the Year for his attorney coaching efforts. Harold also served as President of the York County Bar Association in 2005-2006, and as a local representative in the SC Bar’s House of Delegates from 2004-2015. Harold now handles all types of Personal Injury cases for the firm. He resides in Fort Mill with his wife, Mindy, and their three children. When not helping serve his clients at Elrod Pope, Harold can often be found fishing offshore or enjoying time in the Lowcountry, which he still considers home.

Jack G. Leader

Jack Leader, a Rock Hill native, graduated from Rock Hill High School before attending college at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. After receiving his undergraduate degree in 1967, Jack attended law school at the University of South Carolina School of Law and received his Law Degree in 1970. Jack has been practicing law in York County since 1971, making him one of the most experienced injury attorneys in the Upstate. Being a personal injury lawyer in Charlotte, he is dedicated to helping those who have suffered due to the negligence of others. Jack has practiced many different types of law and has served on both the plaintiff and defense side of cases over the course of his career. By working for the same insurance companies early in his career that he now goes against, Jack was able to learn how they operate, and this experience provided him with unique perspective and insight that he has used to greatly benefit his clients throughout his career. Jack previously prosecuted cases for the City of Rock Hill, and he also served as the Assistant Solicitor for York County for nearly a decade under Former Solicitor William L. “Red” Ferguson. Jack has tried hundreds of cases to verdict throughout his career, ranging from criminal matters to personal injury accident cases, as well as a number of Medical Malpractice cases. In 1989, a year after his son, Ben, was born, Jack partnered with the late Luther “Luke” Elrod and joined the Elrod Law Firm, which later became Elrod, Jones, Leader & Benson before becoming Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys. For the last thirty-five years, Jack has exclusively represented people who have been injured due to the negligence of others. Jack has also handled hundreds of Social Security Disability cases during his time at Elrod Pope. Jack is now Of-Counsel with the firm, and he practices law alongside his son, Ben, who is now one of the firm’s Managing Partners. Jack has made it his personal mission to try to help people even when he could not personally represent them on a particular matter. If someone calls Jack Leader for help, he is going to find a way to help them. For matters outside of Elrod Pope’s practice areas, Jack has always taken great pride in referring clients to the best attorney equipped to handle their needs. He leans into his extensive network to make certain that anyone who asks him for help is able to receive the best representation possible, even when he is not able to personally take their case. Jack was a founding member of Hospice and Community Care in Rock Hill, where he has also served as the Former Director and Past-President. Jack has also been actively involved in many community activities by serving on numerous city and county boards. He has always taken great pride in giving back to the Rock Hill community that has given so much to him throughout his life. Jack has helped thousands of people during his career, and has also mentored countless young attorneys, paralegals, and students interested in pursuing legal careers. When not helping injured people, Jack can often be found on the golf course with friends or enjoying time with family, most notably with his two grandsons who affectionately refer to him as “Poppy”.