Derek is a native of Lancaster, South Carolina and a graduate of Lancaster High School. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2007 from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. While at Presbyterian, Derek was named to the Dean’s List, worked in the student center, and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. Immediately following undergraduate school, Derek sought his Juris Doctor degree from Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte, North Carolina. While attending law school, Derek studied abroad at the St. Mary’s University Institute on World Legal Problems, where he studied under an international faculty, including United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. After completing his education, Derek decided that the best use of his legal education would be to serve his hometown area. He began his legal career at a small firm in Lancaster, where he represented clients on a broad range of matters, including domestic, civil, criminal, and probate issues. Derek joins the Schiller & Hamilton team to head the firm’s newly reopened Lancaster Office to continue serving his hometown. He will focus his practice on family law and probate matters, as well as personal injury and accidents. Derek is an avid outdoorsman when not practicing law, and enjoys hunting and fishing throughout the year. He was awarded the Eagle Scout rank in 2001 while a member of Troop 72 of the Boy Scouts of America in Lancaster. Derek currently serves as an Area Chairman of Ducks Unlimited, leading the Lancaster County Chapter’s committee of volunteers to raise money and awareness to preserve and protect wetland habitat. In 2013, Derek completed the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Lancaster” program, a course designed to educate potential community leaders about the history, needs, and goals of Lancaster County. Derek and his wife, Natalie, are active in their church and community and enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Wes represents individuals and companies in matters in state and federal court and also regularly advise clients in transactions, corporate, employment, and compliance matters. For corporate clients that can benefit from consistent, readily available legal advice, Wes acts as an outside general counsel. He also handles individual and corporate defamation cases, breach of contract matters, corporate/shareholder disputes, personal injury cases and wrongful termination cases for both defendants and plaintiffs. We has represented plaintiffs and defendants on federal and state whistleblower cases involving healthcare and banking fraud . Wes regularly represent individuals and entities, particularly health care professionals, on the full range of state licensing and regulatory matters, including Certificate of Need applications and disputes. Wes regularly advises health care clients in corporate matters and regulatory and compliance advice including the development of compliance programs and advising on Stark, Antikickback and other federal and state law compliance. He regularly represent health care providers including Nursing Homes, Hospices, Physicians, Hospitals, Dentists and others with ZPIC, RAC and other federal and state audits to include initial response and appeal of audit findings.

Tommy Pope is a managing partner of Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys in Rock Hill, South Carolina bringing an extensive background of over 30 years of litigation experience. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of South Carolina in 1984 and a Juris Doctorate from the School of Law in 1987. He also attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy where he graduated with honors. From 1993-2006, Tommy served as the elected Solicitor for the 16th Circuit (Union & York Counties, SC). In 1999, he received the Silver Compleat Lawyer Award from the University of South Carolina Law School Alumni Association, recognizing competence, integrity, ethics, and superior performance in his profession. In 2008, he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, our state’s highest civilian honor for his dedication and service to the people of South Carolina. That same year, Tommy joined Luke Elrod and the Elrod Law Firm to form the Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys where he has since focused primarily on helping people who were injured or killed by the negligence of others. Since 2010, Tommy has also served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives for District 47. In December of 2014, he was selected by his peers as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House and continues in that capacity today. As an attorney, Tommy has been selected yearly since 2013 as a South Carolina Super Lawyer. This prestigious honor is awarded to less than five percent of South Carolina lawyers. Selection is based on outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. He was also an honoree for the South Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s Leadership in Law Award in March of 2014. He is currently rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating standard. This is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers. Throughout his career, Tommy is most often recognized for his 1995 prosecution of Susan Smith in Union County, South Carolina, who made national headlines for the drowning deaths of her two children. Today, he is frequently called upon by various national and international media outlets to provide legal commentary on cases involving parents who kill their children. Tommy and his wife Kim have 4 children and 3 grandchildren and reside in York. They are active at Elevation Church Riverwalk in Rock Hill. When not working at Elrod Pope or in the Legislature in Columbia, Tommy enjoys his time with Kim taking care of the farm in York and fishing in Holden Beach, North Carolina.

Kelly Burnside is the founding owner of Burnside Law Firm, LLC. Kelly focuses on personal injury, workers compensation and social security disablity. She was a founding partner at Oswald & Burnside, LLC in West Columbia and also a partner at the Law Offices of Robert Dodson, PA. before opening her own firm, Burnside Law Firm, LLC in West Columbia, South Carolina. Ms. Burnside received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance and Real Estate from the University of South Carolina in 2006 and her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2013. Prior to opening Burnside Law Firm, Ms. Burnside was a partner at two local law firms in the Columbia area. An active member in her West Columbia community circle, Ms. Burnside is also a member of the South Carolina Injured Workers’ Advocates, South Carolina Association for Justice, South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, and the Lexington County Bar Association. Ms. Burnside was elected by her peer recognition and professional achievement in 2021 as Top Attorneys in South Carolina Rising Stars, Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2021, Lawyers of Distinction for Recognizing Excellence in Personal Injury Law in 2021 and Elite Lawyer in 2022. She is a participate in the Alzheimer’s Association, where she participates in the Blondes vs. Brunettes Flag Football game. She also volunteers at Lighthouse for Life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her 1 year old, 4-year-old, 15-year-old, and husband. She enjoys gardening, yoga, working out and skiing.