Nelson Mullins honors Ambassador David Wilkins
October 19, 2016
US Senator Lindsey Graham Helps Former Longtime State Speaker of the House and Greenville Representative Mark Milestone Birthday
The Greenville office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP honored its statesman-diplomat partner, David Wilkins, with a special luncheon on Monday.
Nearly 200 guests crowded the Poinsett Ballroom of the Westin Hotel to join in the celebration of Wilkins’ 70th birthday. Leading the celebration was longtime Wilkins’ friend and colleague, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Graham praised Wilkins for his years of public service.
The event featured a display of Wilkins’ memorabilia from his years serving as U.S. ambassador to Canada and leading the S.C. House of Representatives. The special exhibit came courtesy of the University of South Carolina Special Collections Library, which houses Wilkins’ historical papers.
Wilkins was appointed U.S. ambassador to Canada by former President George W. Bush and served from 2005-2009. He was elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1980 and served for 25 years. He was elected speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1994 and resigned in 2005 to accept the diplomatic post in Canada. At the time, he was one of the longest serving state speakers in the United States. Wilkins has been a partner with Nelson Mullins since 2009. In 2010, then-Governor-elect Nikki Haley tapped Wilkins to chair her new government transition team. He is the recipient of the state’s highest honor, the Order of the Palmetto, and served six years as chair of the Clemson University Board of Trustees where he remains an active member.
Nelson Mullins
Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins has more than 500 attorneys and other professionals with offices in Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. For more information on the Firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com.
