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CHARLESTON SCHOOL OF LAW

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

J. Edward Bell III, Esquire

President, Charleston School of Law
Founder and Senior Partner, Bell Legal Group
Wofford College, B.A., 1975
University of South Carolina, J.D., 1978

South Carolina native J. Edward Bell III, founder and senior partner of Bell Legal Group in Georgetown, is an attorney, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has distinguished himself as a top litigation attorney at local, state and national levels and has tried more than 300 major cases throughout the United States. Bell is a recognized Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rated attorney. He is listed in The American Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious Top 100 Attorneys; named to Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year, Benchmark’s Litigation Star; and received the SC Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Award. He is the chairman of the board of Garden & Gun magazine, Garden & Gun Land, The Litchfield Company and will now take his place as the president of the Charleston School of Law.

Bell’s work in the legal field is extensive and renowned, yet more notable is his work with students and young attorneys. His history of mentoring students interested in pursuing the law has included assistance with financial aid, internships and housing for national and international students. It is this passion for sharing his knowledge and understanding of the law that led Bell to his newest position as president of the Charleston School of Law.

A graduate of University of South Carolina School of Law, Bell distinguished himself as a top civil litigator in the field of complex litigation law with his success in the demanding auto torts and auto safety field. His unique approach in auto case work led him to establish a Vehicle Safety Research Center, a facility that conducts auto defect investigations, accident re-enactments, develops exhibits, and explores the complex nature of the issues surrounding injury and accident cases. Since its inception, the center has evolved into a multi-disciplined Science and Technology Center used to assist attorneys in unraveling technical information associated with trial work.

His legal career continues to bring him national recognition in the fields of environmental law, auto safety, auto defects and product liability. He is a member of the Bars of South Carolina, United States District Court, District of South Carolina; United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and United States Supreme Court.

Bell’s work in environmental law coupled with his love of Southern culture led him to explore opportunities for land development with an emphasis on environmental conservation. In 2010, he became a partner in Garden & Gun Magazine, LLC, a nationally-recognized Southern lifestyle publication. That partnership, along with the acquisition of an established coastal real estate business, The Litchfield Company, LLC, and the inception of Garden & Gun Land, continues to help broaden his environmental pursuits on a national level.

A native of Sumter, Bell lives in Georgetown with his wife, Dawn, and two young children, Jeb and Middleton. He has three grown daughters, Gigi Bell Hammond of Atlanta, Virginia Bell Flynn of Dallas, also an attorney, and Caroline Bell Stowe of Baltimore. Ed volunteers through Duncan United Methodist Church, Helping Hands and Habitat for Humanity and has sponsored numerous programs in area hospitals, schools and youth organizations. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, SC, is on the Board of Directors of the Mission Society, Atlanta and former board member of Richmont University, Atlanta.

The Honorable Robert S. Carr

Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of South Carolina
Furman University, B.S., 1967
University of South Carolina, J.D., 1971

Prior to being appointed to the Court in 1975, Judge Carr practiced law in Columbia, S.C., served as law clerk to Judge Robert F. Chapman, U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina, and was legal assistant to Sen. Strom Thurmond. Judge Carr enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1968 and retired as a Colonel in 1997. He received numerous awards and medals, including the Legion of Merit. He has served in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, as President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, Chairman of the National Conference of Special Court Judges, and on the Judicial Resources Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

The Honorable George C. Kosko

Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of South Carolina
University of South Carolina, B.S., 1966
University of South Carolina, J.D., 1971
University of Colorado, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1972

Prior to appointment to the Court in 2000, Judge Kosko was in private practice from 1975-2000. He also served as the first Family Court Solicitor in South Carolina and Assistant Solicitor for Richland County. In addition to being selected for inclusion in the first Who’s Who in American Law, Judge Kosko also lectured at the University of South Carolina School of Law on trial issues and ethics and has delivered many papers for the American Association of Airport Executives, the Southeastern Aviation Managers Association, the North Carolina Aircraft Association, and the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission. Judge Kosko is a member of the American Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Association, American Judicature Society, Lawyers/Pilots Bar Association, National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association, Aviation Insurance Association, and the Defense Research Institute.

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Meet Our Dean

Larry Cunningham serves as the chief academic and executive officer of the school, leading the academic, student support, and operational units at Charleston School of Law.

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