The bedrock of the Mike Kelly Law Group is not me but our employees. I would like to kick off a monthly series of highlighting our amazing employees. First up, our Legal Administrator, Amanda Miller Swearingen. Amanda has been with me for 24 years and elevated herself from being a very young employee to being the Chief Operating Officer of the Mike Kelly Law Group with offices in Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Winnsboro, South Carolina. She quite simply does everything for the firm from managing its finances, serving as the HR director as well as being involved in marketing, and maintaining my personal finances.

Amanda has endless talents which are indispensable to the Mike Kelly Law Group however she REALLY excels at being a mother. She cares for her two children, Kristi and Hayden with unconditional love and support. It is truly an amazing thing! I remember when her son Hayden was born, and I was at the hospital within hours to visit! Funny enough, not long after I arrived, I looked over and saw Amanda was on the phone working on a few tasks for the firm! She is such a great example of a woman who can excel at being a mother and embrace a thriving career.

Thank you, Amanda, for all you do for us at the Mike Kelly Law Group. I remain indebted to you for your service to MKLG and the Kelly family!

 

Thank you to all the long-suffering readers of the KellyGram for the last 6 years! The list of readers has thankfully grown over the years, and I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for those that read my thoughts each Friday!

Selecting the topics is definitely not a science, but intuitive and sometimes random. I do not try to make it overly legal, political or tell my readers how great the Mike Kelly Law Group is because I am sure no one wants to read that any more than they want to see the constant pounding of law firm commercials on your TV sets!

I try to weave in a little information about the legal process in our areas of practice and give you legal updates when there are new developments, but otherwise try to keep it light and uplifting.

I always put my biggest cheerleader hat on when I talk about how great it is to live in the state of South Carolina, especially in the communities in which we practice. I also try to brag about my employees, my children, and my grandchild. But since you all know that I am not clairvoyant or brilliant, please send me your topics you would like covered when one comes to mind. In the meantime, I will continue to speak on things I feel are remotely interesting each and every Friday!

 

Today I want to tell my readers what a joy it is to have a grandchild. I am biased, but my bundle of love is the cutest, sweetest, and most intelligent 5-year-old red-headed girl running around the City of Columbia. I had the pleasure of taking her out to dinner on Monday night, March 13th (her actual Birthdate) and we had a great time with gifts, a good meal and lots of love and laughter. I can honestly say she likely has more Buc-ee’s paraphernalia than any 5-year-old in this town! She also received a wolf sleeping bag that she was crazy about and will be taking with her on her next sleepover. Seriously, before I had a grandchild, I had heard but never knew what an absolute pleasure and blessing they are and all the people that told me this were right! I hope each and every one of you will be able to experience having a grandchild at some point in your life. I know mine has a major part of my heart!

 

On the subject of all things I love about Myrtle Beach, I really enjoy going to the Comedy Cabana off North Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. It is family-owned business with a wonderful and intimate venue, and fantastic talent! I went to a show last week, and the performers were so funny and entertaining. They made me laugh hysterically for a solid two hours. LOL!!! As they say, laughter is the best medicine and that is very true. Jobs (like mine) and life in general can be quite stressful at times, and laughter is one of the best ways to uplift your spirits. If you are ever at the beach, book reservations for Comedy Cabana. You will not be disappointed!

 

The eyes of the running world will be centered on my second home of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this Saturday! This weekend will be full of events and festivities surrounding the Family Fun Run and two other Marathons in Myrtle Beach. On Saturday thousands of racers will be on display and the weather will be beautiful for running. There will be a Family Fun Run at the Hangout at Broadway at the Beach, then the Full and Half marathons, as well as a 5k race that will take place on Robert Grissom Parkway. This town will be packed to the gills with racers and their families and friends cheering them on. Expect a good time to be had by all and once the race is done there will be a huge post-race party at the Pelican’s Ballpark. If you happen to be in Myrtle this weekend, come out and enjoy all the excitement!

 

February is a very special time of year because we are able to recognize and celebrate Black History Month. Black History Month is a time to honor the achievements of African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.

I grew up in a segregated small town in Virginia that was 50/50 in terms of white and African American racial composition. I attended a segregated school and then during my senior year, Judge Robert H. Merhige, Jr. issued a Federal Court Order for complete desegregation. I witnessed the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s and 1970s and I have nothing but respect for the African American community. The leaders of the community have a special place in my heart, and I respect their persistence in their pursuit for justice and equality.

The Mike Kelly Law Group honors Black History Month and may we continue the progress of paving a way for a more just future.

 

We are delighted to welcome Deanne Peele to our MKLG family! She will be joining our growing personal injury division as a paralegal, primarily working for our new Attorney Ryan Martin and for Partner Janet Rhodes on Employment Law matters.

She was born in North, South Carolina, where she attended North High School. She still attends church in North at the historic Salem Baptist Church, which was founded by her great great grandfather, 200 plus years ago. Deanne has 14 years of experience as a paralegal and her world revolves around her 14-year-old son who attends Pelion High School and is an avid football and basketball player. She is neutral when asked if she is a Gamecock and/or Clemson fan even though Partner Brad Hewett was hoping for a little support on his side from our work family for his Clemson Tigers! LOL!

Welcome aboard, Deanne! We are expecting good things as we grow, learn, and serve our clients together!

 

Around this time sixteen years ago, our then young law firm was looking for a law clerk and we were fortunate enough to select Brad Hewett. Brad clerked for us for two years while he was in law school and then came on board as a lawyer after passing the bar and I am thankful to say he has been with us ever since. Brad is a wonderful human being, and as my mother used to say, “he was raised right!” He has gained valuable experience over the years and has been a tremendous asset to me, the firm, his clients, and the legal community. He is one of the emerging young lawyers in Personal Injury Civil Litigation in this state! He continues to amaze me with his preparation, his analysis of legal issues, his relationships with his clients and being a tireless worker!

In addition to his day job, which is quite intense, he is equally exceptional in being the best all-around parent. I am proud of him for the leadership he shows his family, his wife and three children. He and his wife Markie are very active in ensuring that their three lovely children will get the preparation they need to be outstanding students, citizens, and down-the-road parents themselves.

Thank you, Brad, for all you do for me personally, the law firm and numerous others. You are quite simply a blessing to the Mike Kelly Law Group!

 

For the last several years Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States! Being a part-time resident myself, it is truly incredible to see the number of new homes, apartment complexes, businesses, and professional offices that have sprung up all along the Grand Strand. With South Carolina being the third fastest growing state, it is no secret that people want to live at the beach. When I drive to our law office from my home at the beach, I am shocked to see all the new residential areas that are being built along Robert Grissom Parkway and other areas in the Myrtle Beach. It is amazing.

Most of my clients now are transplants and when I ask them if they are going back to their original home state of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, etc., they emphatically say “NO”!

The Mike Kelly Law Group is pleased and proud to be part of the Grand Strand community and it is a bonus that our work neighborhood is both exciting and up-and-coming. The City of Myrtle Beach has embarked on a grand plan (and not a minute too soon) to make the area around our Myrtle Beach office a true Downtown. For example, we are in what is known as the Arts and Innovation District, which will be the epicenter of an eclectic mix of restaurants, retail stores, and professional businesses. The Mike Kelly Law Group fits right in.

Come visit us at 816 Broadway Street in Downtown, Myrtle Beach!

 

Today I am proud to give a shout out to our Mike Kelly Law Group Social Security Disability team for being recognized as one of the Top 10 teams in the State of South Carolina! Social Security Disability Leadership is a National program that recognizes the top SSD firms in the field, and I am very honored that our team has been included as one of them. In addition to myself and my fellow law Partner Janet Rhodes, we have Paralegals Kim Sanders, Greta Edwards, Linda Willis, and Administrative Assistant Katina Tyler, who work diligently on our disability team.

While the Social Security Disability practice may not be the most lucrative of our tiers of expertise, it is certainly one of the most important, rewarding and personally satisfying areas of practice. We spend day after day fielding calls and doing interviews with people who are no longer able to work. Their heartfelt stories are sad but when we can rightfully get them the disability they deserve, we feel professionally and personally fulfilled.

If you or someone you know needs a disability consultation, please do not hesitate to contact one of our offices.