SC Bar Foundation Welcomes New Board Members

COLUMBIA, SC – The South Carolina Bar Foundation welcomes Byron E. Gipson, Christopher R. Koon, Mary E. Sharp, Elizabeth H. Warner and William K. Witherspoon to its board of directors. As members of the board, these attorneys will be working with the Bar Foundation to advance justice to all South Carolina citizens through the programs and services offered by the nonprofit’s 19 grant organizations.

 

 

Gipson is a shareholder at Johnson Toal & Battiste, PA where he practices in the areas of criminal defense and personal injury. He received his BA in both English and political science from the College of Charleston and his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina (USC) School of Law. Before joining his current firm, Gipson worked as a law clerk to the Honorable L. Casey Manning, chief administrative judge for the 5th Judicial Circuit.

In 2000, Gipson was appointed to the South Carolina Humanities Council board of directors by Gov. Jim Hodges.  He was later elected chair of the Humanities Council in 2004. He is a member of the Columbia Lawyers Association, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and the 100 Black Men of Columbia.

 

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Koon is senior vice president and general counsel at The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. He received his undergraduate from Clemson University and his law degree from the USC School of Law. 

Koon serves on the board of directors for the SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center, Clemson University Humanities Advancement, Richland Library Friends and City Year Columbia. He is a member of the SC Bar House of Delegates. Koon was recognized by the USC Law School Alumni Association with the Compleat Lawyer Award in 2011 and was selected as one of The State’s “20 Under 40” in 2009.

 

 

 

 

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Sharp is a partner at Griffith Sadler & Sharp, PA and serves as a municipal judge for the City of Beaufort. Sharp received her BA from NorthCarolina State University and her JD from the Wake Forest University School of Law.

Sharp has held state and national leadership roles, serving as president of the Lowcountry Legal Volunteers, the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association and the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations. She is currently a member of the SC Bar House of Delegates and sits on the board of directors for Lowcountry Legal Volunteers and the Historic Beaufort Foundation.

In 2009, Sharp was honored as one of 10 South Carolina Leaders in the Lawby South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. Last year, she was selected to participate as one of 44 leaders from across the Lowcountry in the 8th Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative.

 

Warner is the vice president of legal services and the corporate secretary for Santee Cooper. She earned her BA in political science from USC and her Juris Doctor from the USC School of Law. Before joining Santee Cooper, Warner was partner at Buist Moore Smythe & McGee, practicing as a trial and environmental attorney.

Warner was recently named secretary of the SC Bar Board of Governors. She is past chair of the Coastal Community Foundation and past chair of the Trident United Way Women’s Leadership Council.

 

 

 

 

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Witherspoon is an assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia. He earned his undergraduate degree from USC and his Juris Doctor from the USC School of Law, where he served as student body president during his final year.

Witherspoon has served as president of the Richland County Bar and the Columbia Lawyers Association. He has served as a member of the USC School of Law Pro Bono board of directors and public interest law society. In 1999, Witherspoon was recognized by the USC School of Law Alumni Association for his contributions to the legal progression with the Compleat Lawyer Award. This year, SC Lawyer’s Weekly honored him with the Leadership in Law Award.

Witherspoon has volunteered as a mentor for the United Way Big Brother/Big Sister program, Columbia Urban League and Richland County School District One.

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about the SC Bar Foundation and the work of its grant organizations, please visit www.scbarfoundation.org.

 

The South Carolina Bar Foundation funds the advancement of justice by improving access, education and accountability.  Since 1987, the Foundation has allocated approximately $47.6 million to various legal-related organizations that work on behalf of the justice community. For more information, visit scbarfoundation.org.