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Two South Carolina lawyers are facing allegations of legal malpractice based on claims made against them in a lawsuit filed in Berkeley County this week.
The complaint (.pdf) – filed by attorneys Dorie Sapp and Joseph Clay Hopkins on behalf of plaintiff Sam Lawrence – alleged that attorneys Percy Beauford and Jeffrey Scott Weathers “breached their duties” as Lawrence’s counsel in a 2016 wrongful death lawsuit (.pdf) in which they represented him.
The lawsuit filed against Weathers and Beauford comes on the heels of a legal malpractice lawsuit containing allegations of fraud, forgery and attempted bribery filed in Charleston County against attorney and former S.C. state representative Marvin Pendarvis. Shortly after the filing of that lawsuit, the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was asked to investigate the case by the office of S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe.

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The wrongful death lawsuit filed this week stemmed from a fatal shooting that occurred on August 26, 2013 at a nonprofit social club located on a property owned by Lawrence. The family of the shooting victim – Herman ‘Trey’ Manigault III – sued Lawrence, claiming he was responsible for serving alcohol to underaged individuals at the club. This, according to the lawsuit, led to the confrontation which resulted in 17-year old Sha’Quille Washington shooting Manigault.
Washington was convicted of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to serve thirty years in the S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC). Attorney Jack Swerling appealed Washington’s conviction on various grounds, however, and Washington’s conviction was overturned by the S.C. Supreme Court in 2023.
He is currently awaiting a new trial.
According to the complaint filed this week, Lawrence was served with the wrongful death complaint on December 16, 2016 and an order of default judgement was filed against him on July 26, 2017 after he failed to respond to the lawsuit. In September of 2017, Beauford filed papers in Berkeley County indicating he would be representing Lawrence. The complaint alleged that in October and November of 2017, Beauford advised Lawrence to transfer six property deeds to his daughters and other family members – creating a life estate – in order to “to avoid a personal judgment in the wrongful death action.”
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RELATED | SLED LAUNCHES CRIMINAL PROBE OF STATE LAWMAKER
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Weathers was added to Lawrence’s legal team on October 20, 2017 despite having a conflict of interest relating to a title action he had filed against his new client relating to the property on which Manigault was killed.
After signing on to represent Lawrence, the complaint claimed both Weathers and Beauford continued to breach their duties by failing to provide competent representation and acting “in a negligent, grossly negligent, willful, wanton and reckless manner in a number of particulars.”
In addition to allegedly advising Lawrence to issue deeds to defraud the Manigault estate, attorney Thomas Pendarvis noted in an affidavit (.pdf) submitted with the complaint that the lawyers:
- Failed to seek relief from the order of default on Lawrence’s behalf.
- Failed to seek relief from the judgement “with evidence satisfying the ‘excusable neglect’ standard.”
- Failed to show evidence as to why Lawrence did not respond to the initial complaint.
- Failed to show any “meritorious defenses” to the claims made in the wrongful death lawsuit.
- Failed to keep their client apprised of any updates in his case.
According to Pendarvis, had the lawyers met the proper standard of care, “more likely than not, Mr. Lawrence should have been able to successfully defend the claims asserted on behalf of the Manigault Estate.”
Upon reviewing the lawsuit and attached affidavit, attorney Victoria Smith noted Pendarvis’ statement that the lawyers “failed to obtain relief from the order of default” should be scrutinized as it “indicates that this is an avoidable error.”
Smith continued, “Lawyers cannot guarantee results and can never guarantee that a default will be lifted, despite putting forth their best efforts. A lawyer cannot be accused of malpractice simply because a judge rules against their client on this issue. It is possible that malpractice may have been committed in other ways but this on its face is not a colorable claim.”
Count on FITSNews to keep our audience apprised of any pertinent developments related to this case…
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COMPLAINT/AFFIDAVIT…
(S.C. Ninth Judicial Circuit)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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