Our firm’s founder and principal, Jody McKnight is a Personal Injury Attorney and a native of Charleston, S.C. He attended the University of South Carolina, and earned his B.A. in Political Science in 1987; as well as his law degree, Juris Doctorate in 1993. Jody McKnight as well as his entire team at McKnight Law Firm works hard for the people of the State of South Carolina every day to above all, “balance the scales of justice.”

Joseph Weston has been in practice for 40 years. He is a certified mediator and arbitrator in South Carolina, and utilizes his many years of litigation experience to help parties successfully resolve their cases through mediation. He has handled thousands of contested cases in a wide variety of practice areas, and has tried over 250 jury trials to verdict in the State and Federal Courts of South Carolina. Mr. Weston has been peer-rated AV Preeminent (highest possible rating) through Martindale Hubbell ®, and he has been listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers ® since 2020. Mr. Weston received his B.A. degree cum laude from Temple University in 1983, and graduated from Rutgers University School of Law in 1986. He has been a frequent lecturer on personal injury and insurance topics, and co-authored An Analysis of Current Theories of Liability, published by the South Carolina Law Review (1994). He also teaches undergraduate business law and graduate level corporate governance classes as an Adjunct Instructor at the College of Charleston.

Julie Craig is a Member of Weston Craig Anthony. Prior to joining the firm, Julie served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable R. Markley Dennis, Jr. Julie received her law degree from the Charleston School of Law in 2011, and her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina in 2008. While in law school, Julie served on the Editorial Board for the Charleston Law Review.

Patrick Aulton Chisum is a partner at Gruenloh Law Firm where he handles many different kinds of cases including: Personal injury Criminal defense Magistrate & probate court matters He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2007 and the Charleston School of Law in 2012. During law school, Patrick worked for the Georgetown County Public Defenders office, SCDHEC Ocean Coastal Resource Management and was a volunteer Guardian ad Litem. Prior to law school, he worked as an Estate Clerk for the Honorable Judge Amy McCulloch in the Richland County Probate Court. Patrick has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He was also named as a 2014 South Carolina’s Outstanding Young Lawyers and Top 10 Under 40 by the Nationa Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys.

Ultimately, I decided to open my own practice to appeal to clients who desire a more personal and one-on-one experience from a lawyer. I pride myself on being unique to the practice of law and try to break the stereotype that most people have of lawyers, especially those in the personal injury field. By limiting the number of cases I take on, I am able to handle all aspects of the client’s case and devote more time, attention and finances to each client. I devote a substantial amount of resources to each client’s case, including hiring the appropriate engineers, medical experts, accident reconstructionists or health care planners that may be needed to properly litigate each claim to its fullest potential. My approach to the practice of law allows me to get to know each client on a personal level so that I am best able to present their story to a jury in hopes of getting the best result possible for each client. Many of my past clients have become life-long friends that I remain in touch with even after my representation. I consider a referral from a former client as the ultimate complement and testament to client satisfaction. All in all, we are a results-focused law firm that is passionate about helping people who are truly in need of quality representation throughout the legal process. I was originally born and raised in Lexington, South Carolina. I graduated from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, receiving the highest distinction in my major. I graduated cum laude and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Alpha Theta honor society as a result of my academic achievements. I continue to remain dedicated to my alma mater by serving as a member of the College of Charleston Alumni Association. Following graduation, I earned my Juris Doctor from Charleston School of Law in Charleston, South Carolina. I was elected as an Articles Editor of the Charleston Law Review and Vice President of the Trial Advocacy Board. Throughout law school, I worked full time for a prominent personal injury firm, gaining invaluable litigation experience early on. I graduated from law school cum laude and earned CALI Awards for receiving the highest grade in Property I, Property II, Constitutional Law II and Business Associations. I began my legal career as a trial attorney at a small plaintiff’s firm in Charleston, South Carolina, and have been advocating for the rights of injured victims ever since. I have been able to gain considerable experience in the courtroom, litigating cases in both state and federal courts. Outside of work, I enjoy staying active and fit and have a genuine love for the outdoors. I begin each day waking up before sunrise to get a workout in. I also enjoy sports and traveling but, most than anything, I just enjoy the little bit of down time I get to spend with family and friends.

Gene M. Connell, Jr. has been a member of the law firm since 1983. With his vast experience in many legal areas, he has received an “AV” rating with Martindale Hubbell, the most prestigious lawyer rating service in the country. He has been involved in some of the largest class-action suits ever brought in South Carolina, one of which (Bass v. State of South Carolina) went all the way to the United States Supreme Court before it was successfully settled. He has also argued numerous appeals before the South Carolina Supreme Court, the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission Appellate Division, the United States District Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Additionally, he has served as an expert witness in class actions on the issue of attorneys’ fees in both state and federal courts. Mr. Connell’s trial practice has included being a Mediator for other lawyers and being appointed by the Circuit Court as a Special Referee (Special Judge) to hear cases. He was also selected as the “National Trial Lawyers Top 100” in 2014 and chosen ” Best of The Beach” Lawyer.