James Smith is a partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP. He attended the University of South Carolina and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1990, and then went on to obtain his Juris Doctor from USC School of Law in 1995. Smith is admitted to the Bars of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and New York.

Smith began his legal career as an Associate at the firm of Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough LLP in September 1995. In November of 1996, Smith started his own law firm of Smith E. Smith, Jr., P.A. In 1997, he was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the University of South Carolina. Shortly thereafter in 1999, he was named the South Carolina Bar’s Young Lawyer of the Year. In 2008 his home Richland County Bar awarded Smith with their Richland County Bar Civic Star Award. In 2010 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences. In 2016, Smith received the Compleat Lawyer Award Gold Medallion. In his fifth year of practice, Smith was rated by his peers through Martindale-Hubble as “AV,” the highest awarded.

Smith was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in November 1996 at age 28. In his first year of service, he was elected to the position of Assistant Minority House Leader. Smith served in the position for three years before becoming the Chief Minority Whip. Smith was then elected House Minority Leader and served from 2002 until 2005. In 2012, he received The Riley Institute’s Wilkins Award for Legislative Leadership. He served 22 years in the SC House, leaving that office in 2018.

In 2019, Smith was recruited to his two-time alma mater, the University of South Carolina to lead their military programs. After a short term as Executive Director of Military Affairs at UofSC, Smith was elevated to the position of Special Assistant to the President. A member of the president’s cabinet, Smith served as the senior advisor to the president on all matters pertaining to external relations, advancement, engagement, and outreach. He was directly responsible for the university’s governmental and community affairs, military programs, and executive communications. In addition, he was responsible for coordinating and synchronizing the university communications and public affairs, the university development office, alumni affairs, foundations, and special events.

Recently, Smith led the Veterans Legal Clinic at the University of South Carolina School of Law where he directed and supervised law students as student practitioners representing Veterans facing a variety of legal issues.

Smith also serves in our Armed Forces. After 911 and serving for eight years as a JAG officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard, Smith resigned and then re-enlisted to pursue a commission as an Infantry Officer. Smith served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan with the 218th Infantry Brigade as Team Chief for PMT Viper where he was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, The Bronze Star, and The Purple Heart. In 2008, Smith received the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Sergeant William Jasper Freedom Award. In 2016, he was the first to be recognized by the University of South Carolina Veterans Alumni Council with the Veterans Alumni Council’s Distinguished Service Award. Smith is currently a Major and serves with the Joint Operations Center, Joint Forces Command.

Smith has served on various non-profit boards, fellowships and appointed positions including service as a Fellow – Liberty Fellowship, member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, Fellow – Diversity Leadership Initiative, The Riley Institute, Patriots Point Development Authority, National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership and Education, South Carolina Humanities Council, Advisory Board US Global Leadership Coalition, The Congaree Riverkeeper, Friends of The Edisto (FRED), The River Alliance and The Big Red Barn Retreat.

Smith and his family attend the Downtown Church in Columbia, SC. Smith is a Columbia, S.C. native, married to Kirkland T. Smith of Mt. Pleasant, SC. They have four children.