CHARLESTON, S.C., March 6, 2023 — Saxton & Stump is proud to announce attorney Rene Stuhr Dukes has joined its Charleston office as an equity shareholder. The move comes at a time of significant expansion for the South Carolina office. The firm has expanded with a new physical office, three new attorneys, and a new practice group. In addition to Dukes, Saxton & Stump has added Emily Ford and M. Calvin Brackin as associate attorneys. Dukes will lead the Family Law Group, as well as continuing to practice education law and represent businesses businesses with employment issues.
“Bringing in Rene and Emily to start our Family Law Group and Calvin as another business litigator in the office will provide additional bench strength for our South Carolina clients,” Saxton & Stump CEO James W. Saxton said. “The success our Charleston office has experienced in just the last eight months has been tremendous. We are looking forward to continuing this growth!”
Dukes comes into Saxton & Stump as an equity shareholder, and in addition to her family law practice, she is part of the firm’s Education and Labor and Employment groups. She earned her law degree magna cum laude at the Charleston School of Law and her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. She has been ranked as “Legal Elite” by Charleston Business Magazine from 2019 to 2022 and was named a South Carolina Super Lawyers “Rising Star” from 2016 to 2022. In 2019, Charleston County named her its “Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.”
Brackin is an associate and part of the firm’s Commercial Litigation group as well as the Business, Corporate and Tax Group. He brings with him experience handling a range of civil and business-related litigation, as well as business organization law. Brackin earned his law degree at the Charleston School of Law and is a graduate of Clemson University, where he earned a degree in economics.
Ford is a member of the Saxton & Stump Family Law and Commercial Litigation groups. Prior to law school, she led a multi-million-dollar workforce development project with federal and state government in West Virginia. She started her legal career doing multidistrict litigation at a full-service law firm before shifting her focus to family law as an associate at a boutique family law firm. She graduated magna cum laude from the Charleston School of Law and earned her M.B.A. and undergraduate business degrees from the University of Charleston in West Virginia.
As the firm settles into its newly renovated office space in the heart of downtown Charleston, it also welcomes the assistance of new support staff. Experienced paralegal Claire Whitsett joins the Family Law Group, bringing with her over 25 years of practice in family law, construction and personal injury.
Saxton & Stump’s strategic growth outlook
The firm was named one of the fastest growing law firms in Pennsylvania by The Legal Intelligencer in 2022. Overall, Saxton & Stump has grown to a team of more than 175 professionals, including 100 attorneys. Recently, the firm has added established groups dedicated to education, public finance, franchising licensing and distribution, investigations and criminal defense and environmental, workplace safety and utilities.
The firm continues to grow based on its strategic plan for 2023 and will continue to expand its current team of lawyers and professionals, focusing on bringing additional resources to support client needs.
Saxton & Stump provides solutions for complex legal issues and partners with clients to create a roadmap for their success. The firm is committed to empowering clients by delivering five-star service and results-focused advice.