Attorney Steve Sumner named 2022 Lawyer of the Year for DUI/DWI Defense
August 19, 2021
Attorney Steve Sumner has been selected 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Upstate South Carolina in the practice of DUI/DWI Defense by Best Lawyers®. It is the second time he has received this honor.
Best Lawyers® uses a unique methodology to select its annual members and award winners. The organization depends heavily on nominations and peer reviews from other legal professionals who have worked firsthand, or sometimes secondhand, with a nominated attorney. When a nominee stands out due to a significant number of nominations or outstanding peer reviews, Best Lawyers® conducts an in-depth analysis of the data to make its final choices. Only a small percentage of attorneys from across the country earn a Best Lawyers® selection; fewer are named “Lawyer of the Year.”
In 1997, Sumner opened his own practice as a criminal defense attorney with a special focus on defending clients accused of DUI, felony DUI, driving offenses and drug cases. He graduated from the USC School of Law in 1992 and served as a state court prosecutor from 1992 to 1994. His case load consisted of prosecuting DUI, felony DUI, reckless homicide and traffic offenses.
Sumner’s recognition by Best Lawyers® comes on the heels of being named a 2021 “Best Law Firm” by US News & World Report. He is the only Super Lawyer® in the Upstate dedicated to DUI/DWI Defense. In addition, he has received the highest possible rating in legal ability and ethical standards by Martindale Hubbell; holds a “10.0/Superb” rating by Avvo; and has been selected as a “Best Attorney” Lifetime Charter Member to the Rue Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America list. He also has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate.
Sumner currently represents clients in over 25 courts in Upstate South Carolina. These courts include Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Pickens and Laurens counties; as well as the city/municipal courts of Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Greer, Fountain Inn, Easley, Clemson, Central, and Laurens.
