Walterboro, SC

Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr.

Pete Strom, founder of Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., has been recognized as the 2025 Advocate of the Year by the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, receiving the Rev. Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney Award for Justice. He has a lifelong commitment to expanding justice and opportunity, served as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, and has contributed to significant relief for utility ratepayers. His firm, founded in 1996, advocates for personal injury, consumer protection, civil rights, employment, and more.

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.

Mario A. Pacella

Mario A. Pacella, born in Buffalo, New York in 1972, graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1994 and William and Mary School of Law in 1997. He clerked for Judge James E. Graham and served as an Assistant Public Defender in DeKalb County, Georgia. He joined Strom Law Firm in 2000, specializing in class actions, social security disability, worker’s compensation, personal injury, defective products, nursing home neglect, predatory lending, and criminal defense in state and federal courts across South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. He has litigated appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. He was awarded 'Midlands Boss of the Year' by the Legal Staff Professionals of the Midlands (LSPM).

Kennedy Ezekiel

Kennedy Ezekiel, born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2018 and Cumberland School of Law in 2023 (cum laude). She interned for Judge Karon O. Bowdre and wrote for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy. She is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association and focuses on personal injury and civil rights.

Daniel “Danny” E. Henderson, a Hampton County native, graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1979. He has practiced personal injury litigation in Ridgeland for over 40 years, handling general tort cases including vehicular wrecks, premise liability, highway defects, products liability, dram shop, nursing home abuse, and workers compensation.

Matthew Robins

Matthew Robins, born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1991, graduated from Auburn University in 2015 with degrees in Political Science and Economics, and from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2018, ranking fourth in his class. He served as Associate Editor-in-Chief for the South Carolina Law Review and authored a published article. He clerked for Judge John D. Geathers at the South Carolina Court of Appeals. He joined Strom Law Firm in August 2020, focusing on civil litigation, family law, and criminal defense at both trial and appellate levels. He is admitted to practice in all South Carolina state courts and the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Ella Barbery

Ella Sims Barbery graduated from Presbyterian College with an undergrad degree in Biology. She graduated with her Juris Doctorate from University of Tennessee College of Law and received her LLM in Health Law from University of Houston. Mrs. Barbery has experience in Medical Malpractice, professional negligence defense, probate litigation, personal injury, premises liability, estate planning as well as general civil litigation. Mrs. Barbery is a member of the South Carolina Bar and Greenville County Bar Association. Mrs. Barbery serves as a youth minister at her church, volunteers at her daughter’s school and is the Team Manager for her daughters travel soccer teams. Her husband, three daughters, two dogs and herself love to cheer on the Clemson Tigers! In her spare time, she enjoys reading mystery and true crime stories, camping, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.