A native of Columbia, Charnell has spent his life around the Pontiac area of South Carolina. He earned both his Bachelor’s degree and his Juris Doctor law degree from the University of South Carolina. For over 30 years, Charnell has been representing personal injury victims in Columbia and surrounding communities. Charnell is admitted to practice in all South Carolina state courts as well as the United States District Court for South Carolina and the United States Supreme Court. His personal injury practice includes representation of others in car and truck accidents, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, train accidents, and more. Born in Columbia in 1955, Charnell is the son of Octavia Jacobs Peake and the late Collie Peake, Jr. He has been married to Cindy Davis Peake since 1979, and they have two children, Josh and Amanda. Josh Peake is married to Jennifer Bessinger Peake, and they have two children, Cameran Nicole and Caley Anne. Amanda Peake Glover is married to Benji Walker Glover, and they have three children, Hope Micah, Reagan Faith, and Caroline Brooke. Charnell attended Richland School District 2 schools, as did his wife and children, all of whom are graduates of Spring Valley High School. Charnell and Cindy continue to be active in the community while also staying involved in various mission projects with local to global outreach. He enjoys playing golf in his spare time and is an avid Gamecock football fan.

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is a nationally recognized federal criminal defense and appellate attorney with over 23 years of experience in high-stakes post-conviction advocacy. She holds a J.D. and M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Wyoming and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and all U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals. Elizabeth exclusively represents clients in federal courts and agencies, focusing on appeals and post-conviction relief, sentence mitigation, federal supervised release matters, and pre-trial and trial representation. Her practice encompasses § 3582(c)(2) motions, § 2255 motions, § 2241 petitions, compassionate release, early termination of supervised release, and presidential pardon petitions. Author of Reversing Your Criminal Conviction: Develop Your Winning Strategy (2023), she was named 2010 “Public Defender of the Year” by the South Carolina Public Defender Association. Elizabeth provides individualized, compassionate representation, ensuring no stone is left unturned in pursuing justice for each client.