Columbia, SC Lawyers

Real Estate Law

2712 Middleburg Dr, Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29204

Angelia J. Grant is an attorney in Columbia, South Carolina, with McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, where her title is Associate Attorney, Judicial Foreclosure - South. Her earlier title at Scott & Corley was Senior Operations and Compliance Attorney. The two firm names appear in a September 3, 2026, summons and complaint notice published by the Spartan Weekly News. Beneath the McCalla name, the notice bears Grant’s signature for the plaintiff; a footnote states that Scott & Corley became known as McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce effective July 1, 2026. The complaint had been filed in Spartanburg County on July 29. Grant is identified by South Carolina bar number 78334, and the attorneys’ address is 1800 St. Julian Place, Suite 407, in Columbia. Her education includes a B.S., an M.Acct. and a J.D., all from the University of South Carolina. McCalla lists her memberships in three bar organizations: the South Carolina Bar, Richland County Bar and Lexington County Bar. Within the state bar, her listed committee affiliations are the Ethics Advisory Committee and, as a past member, the Practice and Procedure Committee. Her professional affiliations also include the ALFN Inclusion, Diversity Equity & Awareness Committee. Both firms’ biographies list these same bar and committee connections.

Workers Compensation Law

2801 Devine Street, 300, Columbia, SC 29205

C. Daniel Vega is a workers’ compensation attorney and founding partner of Smith Born Leventis Taylor & Vega, LLC in Columbia, South Carolina. Known as Danny, he represents injured workers, and his work has included clients throughout South Carolina. His firm also practices personal injury law; Vega’s own listed practice area is workers’ compensation. His firm biography describes nearly 20 years of work representing injured employees. Vega graduated from The Citadel in 1992 and earned his law degree from Regent University School of Law in 2003. His employment history extends beyond the legal profession. He has worked as a landscaper, cook, carnival worker, custodian, librarian and mental health technician. During the 1990s, he worked as a medical technician performing nerve conduction studies. His firm lists an Enjuris Million Dollar Advocate recognition for 2022–2023 among his professional accomplishments. Born in Columbia to missionary parents, Vega spent his childhood moving among several communities. By age ten, he had lived in Columbia, Atlanta, Jacksonville and San Juan. His later places of residence included Charleston, Miami, Orlando and Virginia Beach before he returned to Columbia. His upbringing included time in the mission field with his parents. Away from his legal work, Vega is married and has seven children. He identifies sitting down to dinner with his family as his favorite activity.

Criminal Defense Law

1720 Main St, Suite 301, Columbia, SC 29201

Jack B. Swerling is an active Columbia criminal attorney, litigator, writer, and lecturer. He focuses his legal practice on criminal cases in state and federal courts and a select group of civil cases. Mr. Swerling has been a member of the South Carolina Bar and licensed to practice by the Supreme Court of South Carolina since 1973. In recognition of his work, he has been honored by election to several prestigious organizations that only invite attorneys into their ranks who have been subjected to a rigorous investigation of the lawyer?s experience, demonstrated skill, and character.

Personal Injury Law

2801 Devine St suite 300, Columbia, SC 29205, USA

Jacob Born is a partner who focuses his practice in the areas of catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. He represents clients and their families in nursing home, trucking, industrial worksite, and complex injury litigation cases. Jacob has devoted much of his professional career to finding answers to complex legal issues. The most rewarding part of Jacob’s practice is securing meaningful results for his clients when he is up against large corporations, nationwide trucking companies, and multi-national businesses. Jacob grew up in northeast Columbia. He is a 2001 graduate of Ridge View High School. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology. Jacob continued his professional career by attending the Charleston School of Law. He graduated in 2011. Jacob is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of South Carolina and Georgia. He is a contributing member of the American Association of Justice, South Carolina Association for Justice, and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Jacob is an active member of the American Association of Justice’s nursing home, trucking, and motor-liability litigation groups. Jacob has also been nominated as a Rising Star with Super Lawyers, which awarded to the top 5% of lawyers in their practice area. Outside the practice of law, Jacob enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, working on DIY projects at his house, snow skiing, and being involved in his local community. Please give Jacob a call if he can help you or your family.

Family and Divorce Law

1508 Laurel St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA

James T. McLaren has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for nearly two decades. He is listed in the S.C. Super Lawyers publication under the Family Law designation. He and his firm have received the highest rating ("AV"), afforded lawyers for legal ability and ethics, in the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory. His statewide practice primarily involves complex matrimonial litigation and trial work in addition to dispute resolution including mediation and arbitration as an American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - Certified Mediator and Arbitrator. He has held numerous positions affiliated with Family Law including admission as a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where he is currently serving as National President and on various committees. He is a Fellow in the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He has served as President of the South Carolina Chapter of the International Network of Boutique Law Firms since 2007. He has served as President of the South Carolina Chapter and National Delegate. He is a Diplomate in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. He has served as chair of the Family Law Sections of the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Trial Lawyer’s Association (now the American Association for Justice), and the Richland County Bar Association. He is a longstanding member of the Family Law Sections of the American Bar Association, the American Association For Justice, the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Association For Justice, and the Richland County Bar Association. Mr. McLaren has authored numerous articles and has been a speaker in over 95 Family Law Continuing Legal Education Seminars, including state and national Judicial Conferences and New Family Court Judges Schools. He also co-authored important Legislation that impacts Family Law in South Carolina.

Bankruptcy Law

816 Elmwood Ave, Columbia, SC 29201, USA

Jason T. Moss, Esquire is the president at the law firm Moss & Associates, Attorneys P.A., where he focuses exclusively in the areas of litigation and bankruptcy. His firm received the 2003 South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year. Mr. Moss earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude, and his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. He was also elected into the prestigious national honor society Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Moss is Federally Licensed, a member of the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. He has spoken at the South Carolina Bankruptcy Lawyer Association Annual Seminar, The South Carolina Bar and NBI.

Family and Divorce Law

6130 Moss Springs Rd, Columbia, SC 29209

As a founding partner of our law firm, John O. McDougall hosts over 40 years of experience practicing law in South Carolina. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1971, and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in the same year. In addition to his work with McDougall, Self, Currence & McLeod, LLP, he is also a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, and the South Carolina Association for Justice. John O. McDougall is the second lawyer to be president of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association and the South Carolina Bar Association within the history of the two organizations. He is also the only lawyer limiting his practice to matrimonial law to be president of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association and the South Carolina Bar Association. John O. McDougall has been nominated as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Woodward/White, Inc. since 1991.

Medical Malpractice Law

1711 Pickens St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA

Mr. Simmons' practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, products and pharmaceutical liability, premises liability, medical malpractice and white collar criminal defense. In 1992, Mr. Simmons served as the youngest Presidentially-appointed United States Attorney in the country, having been named to the post by President George Bush. As United States Attorney, Mr. Simmons directed the federal office for the District of South Carolina, which includes the entire state. After serving as United States Attorney, Mr. Simmons was the Chief of the State Grand Jury in the South Carolina Attorney General's Office. Prior to becoming United States Attorney, Mr. Simmons was an assistant United States Attorney in charge of prosecutions involving environmental and white collar crimes. Mr. Simmons was appointed by the Governor of South Carolina to serve on the South Carolina Commission on Ethics Reform, and has served on the South Carolina Ethics Commission. On a number of occasions, he has been selected by federal district court judges here in South Carolina to serve on the magistrate judge selection committee. Mr. Simmons has also written and lectured frequently in numerous areas of law, including serving as co-author of Environmental Crimes and Corporate Liability, published by the South Carolina Bar. In the process of achieving a distinguished academic record at the University Of South Carolina School Of Law, Mr. Simmons was a member of the Law Review, the Order of the Coif and Order of Wig and Robe. Following law school, he served as law clerk for the Honorable William W. Wilkins, Jr., formerly Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Criminal Defense Law

1701 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201

Civil Litigation

2801 Devine St suite 30, Columbia, SC 29205, USA

Virginia Kendall practices personal injury litigation at Smith, Born, Leventis, Taylor & Vega, LLC. Her admission to the South Carolina Bar and graduation from law school both came in 2023; that December, the firm introduced her as a new member of its litigation team. Before law school, Kendall lived and studied in Virginia and South Carolina. She grew up in Prince George, Virginia, and left for the University of South Carolina, where she studied criminal justice. She completed her B.A. magna cum laude in 2019. A job at the university followed college, before a move to Arkansas to pursue her legal education. At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law, Kendall belonged to law review and contributed an article published in Volume 45 of the UALR Law Review. Her activities also included serving as vice president of Delta Theta Phi Fraternity. She earned her J.D. in 2023, graduating with honors. Georgia admission followed in 2024, as did admission to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Her professional affiliations include the American Association for Justice and South Carolina Association for Justice, along with the South Carolina and Georgia bar associations. Away from work, Kendall’s interests include travel and outings with her dogs, Georgia and Cola. She also enjoys time with family and friends.