Hon. John Waites recognized with S.C. Bar Special Pro Bono Award
June 11, 2013
COLUMBIA, SC – June 11, 2013 – The S.C. Bar Board of Governors bestowed the Special Pro Bono Award upon Hon. John E. Waites for his outstanding leadership in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. The award was presented at the S.C. Bar House of Delegates Meeting in May at the Dunes Club on Sullivan’s Island.
While serving as Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina, Judge Waites encouraged the provision of pro bono services to those who could not afford counsel. He established a semi-monthly Ask-A-Lawyer phone bank through which bankruptcy lawyers could provide advice to the public. In addition, Judge Waites conducts early status hearings on cases filed pro se to encourage debtors to obtain counsel, helps match the debtors with volunteer lawyers, and refers them to all available resources.
As a result of his concern for the financial literacy of South Carolina students, Judge Waites encouraged the adoption of high school curriculum modeled after the national Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) initiative. The program is designed to educate young adults on the true cost of consumer debt, difficulty of repayment of nonessential consumer debt, consequences of financial problems, and the need for saving and budgeting tools.
Judge Waites said: I am honored to receive recognition from the S.C. Bar for the pro bono efforts of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. The success of our program would not be possible without the significant efforts of the clerk of court and court staff, the nearly 50 volunteer attorneys who assist pro se filers, S.C. Legal Services, and the S.C. Access Justice Commission. It is important in these difficult times for all South Carolinians, including the less fortunate, to have access to the assistance needed to help navigate our legal system. This is particularly true in the bankruptcy context where the law is specifically designed to provide people who are struggling financially the opportunity to address their debts and obtain a fresh start. I am proud of the this program and the help it provides the public.
The South Carolina Bar, which has a membership of more than 14,000 lawyers, is dedicated to advancing justice, professionalism and understanding of the law.
