In honor of Black History Month and in coordination with the University of South Carolina School of Law’s Black Law Student Association (BLSA), Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP hosted its third BLSA Practical Skills and Writing Workshop on Saturday, February 19, 2022 in the Columbia, South Carolina office.

The BLSA workshop was planned and led by partner Donna Tillis of Columbia and associates Amber Hendrick of Los Angeles and Charles West of Columbia.  BLSA members spent an entire day participating in interactive sessions geared toward the development of practical litigation and corporate law skills.  The workshop included seven panels with both Nelson Mullins professionals as well as outside legal professionals. This year’s workshop featured sessions on legal writing, discovery, evidence, contract drafting, career planning, and courtroom decorum and advice. 

According to Tillis, “In addition to the substantive advice the students receive, the major benefit of the workshop is exposure.  Exposure to an AM Law 100 law firm and to Black lawyers who are devoted to mentoring minority students.”  This year’s workshop supported BLSA’s Black History Month activities and was the premier event for BLSA’s career and development initiatives.  In the future, the team would like to expand this program to other Nelson Mullins offices and coordinate with other BLSA chapters.

Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins has more than 930 attorneys and government relations professionals with offices in 14 states and Washington, DC. For more information on the firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com.