Thomas Nelson

Charleston Attorney with Local Roots

Thomas Nelson is a native of the Lowcountry. He grew up in West Ashley. Thomas is passionate about music and he is an avid guitarist, enjoying playing with friends, at weddings, at social events, and at local watering holes. He also enjoys playing basketball in a league of attorneys in the Spring, recreational boating in the Summer, and following college and professional football during the Fall. He is also an accomplished Charleston attorney who practices in the areas of family law, DUI defense, criminal defense, and personal injury.

With my help, people have to make the decisions that are best for them, their family, and their future. If a lawyer keeps their client in the dark, then they’ve made their client helpless. So, a big part of my job is educating the persons I represent about the law and the procedures in court. It’s vital that my clients understand exactly what we are facing, good or bad, what the possible outcomes are, and their options.

Thomas Nelson graduated from Bishop England High School in 1995 and he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the College of Charleston in 2000. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2003. During law school, he worked in the Office of the Attorney General assisting in public and press relations. He later worked in the Attorney General’s Elder Care Division where he organized a seminar educating over 200 attorneys, social workers, and law enforcement officials on elder abuse law in South Carolina. In his second year of law school, he co-founded an independent law clerk service that performed legal work for various lawyers and firms. He has practiced in federal courts, circuit courts, family courts, probate courts, bond courts, municipal courts, and magistrate’s courts. He has spent countless hours in the courtroom, trying cases and arguing motions at multiple levels. His cases have caused him to travel everywhere from the South Carolina Supreme Court to the Charleston County Detention Center. Thomas has represented people from all walks of life including businessmen, college students, families, single parents, minors, the elderly, lawyers, doctors, ministers, real estate agents, bartenders, hair stylists, teachers, and the list goes on. He has helped to form businesses, drafted contracts, filed liens, created wills, cleaned up criminal records, searched real estate titles, and more. For his clients, he appears in court on at least a weekly basis.

Top-Rated Charleston Attorney

Martindale-Hubbell recognizes Thomas Nelson as an AV rated attorney, the highest rating available to any individual lawyer. Also, Thomas was named to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars. No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers are named to the Rising Stars list.

Thomas was granted membership to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyers. This is an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state in the nation who meet stringent qualifications as criminal defense trial lawyers. Also, he is a member of the National College of DUI Defense.

AVVO recognizes Thomas as “Superb” (10 out of 10) in the legal fields of family law, litigation, DUI defense and criminal defense. Lastly, his clients have endorsed Thomas with 5 stars ★★★★★ on Google Reviews.

Published Author on Deposition Procedures in South Carolina

Thomas is the author of the “South Carolina Deposition Procedure Handbook” published by the South Carolina Bar Association. This book is used by attorneys throughout South Carolina to help them understand the process for properly conducting the depositions of witnesses in civil, probate, administrative, family court, and other types of cases. Thomas has also written books for the public on DUI defense and gun laws in South Carolina.

Professional Accomplishments