About
The Living Above the Bar website is an initiative of the Wellness Committee, which is comprised of a variety of Bar members dedicated to promoting the overall health and well-being of their colleagues and the profession. Membership is open to any Bar member.
Contact staff liaison Kim Loostrom to learn more and find out how to get involved.
Committee Contact
Susan Palmer
Law School Wellness Programs Subcommittee Chair
USC School of Law
spalmer@law.sc.edu
Jasmine Smith
Resource Assembly and Website Development Subcommittee Chair
Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC
jasminedenisesmith@outlook.com
Past Chairs
2014-2016 R. Michael Ethridge
Ethridge Law Group
methridge@ethridgelawgroup.com
Click Here to Check Out Mike Ethridge's Wellness Blog
2016-2017 Miles Coleman, Co-Chair
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, miles.coleman@nelsonmullins.com
2016-2021 Lindsay A. Joyner
Gallivan White Boyd
ljoyner@gwblawfirm.com
Wellness Committee History
In May 2014, in an effort to address serious issues confronting members of the legal profession, then South Carolina Bar President Cal Watson announced the formation of the Task Force on Attorney Wellness. This initiative sought to promote all aspects of lawyer wellness by attempting to identify factors that impact both the emotional and physical well-being of attorneys and educate members of the Bench and Bar about wellness issues and resources.
The Attorney Wellness Task Force aimed to help lawyers achieve total wellness: mentally, physically, and socially. The group launched its “Living Above the Bar” campaign at the 2015 SC Bar Convention in Columbia with seven events offering guidance and support on nutrition, fitness and other issues. The Wellness Task Force worked to develop a statewide speakers’ bureau for presentations on wellness topics and worked within communities to identify fitness partners for SC Bar members. In February 2015, the Wellness Task Force transitioned into a SC Bar Committee.
Speakers Bureau
Mary Anne Caywood attorneyannecaywood@gmail.com:
General Wellness, Yoga Practices, and Work-Life Balance
Miles Coleman miles.coleman@nelsonmullins.com:
Sudden or Unexpected Trauma
Michael Ethridge methridge@ethridgelawgroup.com:
Mindfulness/Meditation/General Wellness
Meliah Bowers Jefferson mjefferson@wyche.com:
Chronic Health Conditions
Lindsay Joyner ljoyner@gwblawfirm.com:
Resilience
Jasmine Smith jsmith@robinsongray.com:
Compassion Fatigue/Secondary Trauma/Burnout
Staff Contact
Kim Loostrom
South Carolina Bar
(803) 576-3782
kloostrom@scbar.org