Speaker Biographies

Our Distinguished Speakers for Super CLE 2025

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The CLEs will be held at the Hilton Head Country Club, Hilton Head Plantation, 70 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC. Please allow a few extra minutes for the security gate pass. Please tell security you are going to the country club for the Hilton Head Bar meeting.

Michael Cerrati, Esquire

Mr. Cerrati practices in Belzer PC’s Hilton Head, South Carolina office, regularly advising domestic and international trademark and copyright owners on the proper selection, clearance, use, licensing and protection of their intellectual property both in the U.S. and abroad. He frequently prosecutes federal and state trademark applications and coordinates foreign trademark filings worldwide. He manages intellectual property portfolios for established corporations and assists startups and entrepreneurs in developing strategies for branding their new businesses. He also serves as U.S. counsel for a number of leading intellectual property firms in Europe, Asia, South America and Central America assisting with the prosecution and protection of their clients’ trademarks in the U.S.
In addition, Mr. Cerrati litigates intellectual property disputes in state and federal courts, represents trademark clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and handles domain name disputes.

Stephen Meyer, Esquire

Stephen Meyer is a graduate of American University in Washington, DC, and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He is partner at the firm of Vaux Marscher Berglind, PA in Bluffton, South Carolina where he concentrates his practice almost exclusively on family law. He is proud to be a fifth-generation lawyer.

Steve has represented scores of litigants in the Family Court and is routinely called upon to serve as a Family Court mediator. In addition, Steve has spent more than a decade serving the Family Court and the children of South Carolina as a Guardian ad Litem. Steve lectures regularly through the OLLI Program at the University of South Carolina – Beaufort on the intersection of US Supreme Court decisions and the lives of everyday Americans.

Steve is a proud husband to his wife, Hillary Meyer, and an even prouder father to their two daughters. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family, fitness, cooking, international travel, trying new restaurants, and cheering on his beloved South Carolina Gamecocks.

Hillary Meyer, Esquire

Hillary has spent her legal career litigating civil lawsuits in the courtrooms of South Carolina, particularly in the lowcountry. She began her career in insurance defense, where she learned invaluable skills in and out of the courtroom. Today, at the Jolley Law Group, her practice focuses on general civil litigation and primarily trust and probate disputes. Hillary’s background allows her to navigate contested matters from initial pleadings through trial. She also often serves in an advisory role, handling pre-litigation disputes and counseling clients on the benefits and drawbacks of pursuing litigation.
When she’s not in the courtroom, Hillary enjoys spending time with her husband (Steve Meyer) and their two young daughters. When there’s time left for anything else, Hillary enjoys traveling and exploring new places with her family.

Stephanie Brinkley, Esquire

Founder and Owner of Brinkley Law Firm, LLC, in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina, Stephanie Brinkley focuses her practice on the complex area of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and related legal issues impacting future families. She is the current Chair of the Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) Committee for the American Bar Association and manages its successful mentorship program. Her professional memberships also include the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Resolve, and the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS). As a guest speaker, Stephanie has presented before members of the South Carolina Bar and the American Bar Association, as well as abroad through the Paris Bar Association and International Surrogacy Forum. She is also the co-author of Developing a Successful Assisted Reproduction Technology Law Practice, written with colleague Richard B. Vaughn, published by the American Bar Association.
As part of her practice, Stephanie represents clients throughout South Carolina seeking to build their families through surrogacy and/or gamete donation. She is also called upon to represent gestational carriers who have offered their services. With greater frequency, Stephanie is consulted to advise families transitioning divorce after creating children through third-party reproduction. Parental disputes arising from genetic relationships (or lack thereof), same-sex legal parentage issues, misapplication of medical consent forms, and ownership rights of unused embryos are rising among divorce litigants.
Memberships Include:

American Bar Association, Chair, ART Committee – Section of Family Law
Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), Fellow
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
South Carolina State Bar
South Carolina Family Law American Inn of Court
Charleston County Bar Association
Greenville County Bar Association
International Fertility Law Group, Inc., Of Counsel for South Carolina
Resolve: The National Infertility Association, Professional Member
Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS), Professional Member

Anne Caywood, Esquire

Anne is a graduate of the Wake Forest School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she received her undergraduate degree from Western Carolina University. Prior to joining Lowcountry Legal Volunteers, she practiced law as a litigator and certified mediator in Raleigh, North Carolina and worked in private practice after moving to the Lowcountry with her family. Her passion for helping others who may not otherwise have access to the critical services Lowcountry Legal Volunteers provides comes from growing up in an economically challenged mountain region of Western North Carolina. A region where being able to afford quality legal representation as well as many other services is often considered a luxury for a vast majority of the population.She was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 2001 and the South Carolina Bar in 2013 and joined Lowcountry Legal Volunteers as the organization’s Executive Attorney in 2015 and became the Executive Director in 2021. Anne’s active role in our community also includes her prior service at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Bluffton as a board member and is a current member of the Women in Philanthropy. Anne currently serves on the South Carolina Access to Justice Commission.
Anne lives in Hilton Head with her husband Scott and Lila, the family dog.

Hannah Kidd, Esquire

Hannah is a lifelong resident of South Carolina. She received her undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College and graduated from University of South Carolina School of Law in 2017. Prior to joining Lowcounty Legal Volunteers, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Doyet A. Early, III in the Second Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. She then went on to serve as a special victims prosecutor in both Beaufort and Charleston counties. In that capacity, she prosecuted criminal defendants accused of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. Hannah is passionate about helping members of the community navigate stressful and challenging times in their lives. Her goal is to empower people by providing access to legal services.
Hannah lives in Beaufort with her husband, Dylan, their son Grayson and their two cats. She enjoys exploring the lowcountry, running, and spending time with family and friends.

Kaitlin Burke, Esquire

Kaitlin “Kate” Burke is a dedicated family law attorney practicing as an associate at Brinkley Law Firm, LLC, in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina, where she is committed to providing passionate and effective legal representation to clients navigating family court litigation, and legal issues attendant to family creation and continuation.
After her admission to the South Carolina Bar in 2021, Kate worked at a high-demand Lowcountry family law practice where she quickly discovered a passion for family law, particularly helping clients navigate the intricacies of contested divorce, child custody, post decree modification, and marital settlement agreements. Since 2023, as an associate at Brinkley Law Firm, Kate has been committed to providing clients with comprehensive legal support tailored to their unique circumstances. She has successfully assisted individuals and couples in drafting agreements that not only protect their interests but also foster an open dialogue and mutual understanding, especially when creating new families.
An active member of American Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Association, and the Charleston County Bar Association, Kate believes strong legal representation should empower clients to make informed decisions about their futures. Outside of work, she enjoys doing puzzles, which helps her stay grounded and inspired.

Gregg Alford, Esquire

Gregg focuses his practice on construction defect litigation, condemnation/eminent domain, and complex real estate disputes. He represents public utilities and select property owners to ensure just compensation in eminent domain matters. His practice also includes handling a wide range of real property litigation, such as easement disputes, property line disputes, quiet title actions, and title clearance cases. Gregg has extensive appellate experience, having handled cases in the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

John Linton, Jr.

John is a trial lawyer who has tried cases to verdict in both state and federal court. He has also handled numerous appeals. His practice encompasses a broad range of areas including representing plaintiffs in personal injury, construction, and other cases; representing plaintiffs and defendants in business, commercial, and property litigation; and representing landowners in eminent domain/condemnation cases. John is regularly included in the lawyer ranking publications, such as Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers®. He is also AV-rated, the highest rating offered by Martindale-Hubbell®.
John was born in Charleston and lives in the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant with his wife Julia, their sons Jack and Fritz, and their dog Buddy.

Education

Wofford College, cum laude‍
B.A. Government (Concentration: Political Thought and Minor: Religion)
University of South Carolina School of Law, cum laude
Juris Doctorate

Clerkship

The Honorable P. Michael Duffy, Senior United States District Court Judge, District of South Carolina

Bar Admissions

South Carolina Bar
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Honors

AV rating, Martindale-Hubbell®
South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division Star of the Quarter
Order of the Wig and Robe
D. Reece Williams, III Award for Trial Advocacy
ABA Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal
Recognized by Best Lawyers since 2021
- Commercial Litigation
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Selected to Super Lawyers since 2023
- Civil Litigation - Plaintiff
- Rising Star: 2021 - 2022
Litigation Counsel of America

Olivia Stafford Jones, Esquire

Olivia Stafford Jones is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. She graduated from the South Carolina Honors College in 2001 with a B.A. in Spanish. After graduation, Olivia lived in Chile for a year on a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, where she obtained an Associate’s Degree in Public Administration and became fluent in Spanish. Olivia graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2007, having served as president of the Pro Bono Program.
Olivia has previously worked as a staff attorney at the S.C. Administrative Law Court, a staff attorney at S.C. Legal Services (where she was named a Nelson Mullins Fellow), and an associate at a non-profit immigration law firm. From 2015-2023, Olivia ran a solo practice, where she handled family law, family-based immigration, and probate work. In September 2023, Olivia began serving as the Executive Director of the SC Bar Foundation.
Olivia is a member of the Richland County Bar Association, the Greenville County Bar Association, the Charleston County Bar Association, and the S.C. Women Lawyer’s Association. Olivia is a current member and past chair of the Richland County Bar’s Public Service Committee (and has served on that committee since 2008), a member of the S.C. Access to Justice Commission, a member of the USC School of Law Pro Bono Program Advisory Council, a board member for the Palmetto Center for Children’s Legal Access, and the 2022-2023 president of the Rotary Club of Five Points (having been a member since 2009). Olivia volunteers at the Homeless Legal Clinic (H.E.L.P.) and the Divorce Help Desk in Richland County. In 2020, Olivia was honored to be named the S.C. Bar’s Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.

Samuel Bauer, Esquire

Sam is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a former President of the Beaufort County Bar Association and Former President of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a regular speaker at the South Carolina Summary Court Judges School on topics including Evidential Alcohol Analysis and Search Warrants. He has served as a Public Defender, a Municipal Prosecutor, and on one unfortunate occasion as a Municipal Court Judge. Sam has been an Island Resident since his grade school years at Sea Pines Academy, and is the Father of Izzy Bauer (15), who already says she wants to be lawyer, but not one like her dad and Sylvie (1), who has yet decided on her career path.

Emma T. Dean, Esquire

Emma graduated from Washington and Lee in 2003 with a double major in Economics and Politics. During law school at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Emma clerked at Baker, Ravenel, and Bender and upon graduating in 2006, she began working at the South Carolina Court of Appeals as a Staff Attorney. Later, Emma clerked for Justice Kittredge at the Court of Appeals and then at the Supreme Court of South Carolina.
Emma went into private practice at Nelson Mullins, specializing in Appellate Advocacy. In 2011, Emma became Assistant Chief Counsel in the House Judiciary Committee at the South Carolina House of Representatives. Subsequently in 2015, Emma became Chief Counsel where she remained until 2023 when she was named Executive Director of the South Carolina Bar.
Emma is a recipient of the Silver Compleat Lawyer Award from the University of South Carolina School of Law, has served on the Chief Justice's Commission on the Profession since 2010, is a member of the SC Supreme Court Historical Society Board, and serves on Trinity Cathedral's Vestry.

Thank you to all of our distinguished faculty for their time and efforts to educate our members.

CLEs are free to all members of the Hilton Head Bar Association. To join the Hilton Head Bar, please mail your dues check to the attention of treasurer Tyler Melnick at Finger, Melnick & Brooks, 35 Hospital Center Commons, Suite 200, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.

To reserve your spot in our CLES, or if you are interested in speaking to our membership, please contact Margaret S. Day, Vice President, at Law Office of Margaret S. Day, LLC, P.O. Box 763, Bluffton, SC 29910 or (843) 836-3714.