Newberry and Hilton Head Divorce Attorney

William R. Phipps

Overview: William R. Phipps has been practicing law for over 37 years and his statewide practice is limited exclusively to family law and divorce cases. He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Phipps served on the Family Law Section Counsel of the South Carolina Bar from 1995 through 2008 and was its President in 2000-2001. He has additionally been a speaker on various family law issues at 25 Continuing Legal Education seminars over the last 22 years and was a member of the Board of Editors for 3 different South Carolina family law publications.

Education: Mr. Phipps attended the University of South Carolina beginning the fall of 1974 through the spring of 1978. During those four years, he was the recipient of a full swimming scholarship and in his senior year set a school record and made all-conference. He graduated in May 1978, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, cum laude. He attended the University of South Carolina School of Law from the fall of 1979 through the spring of 1982, when he received his Juris Doctor. Mr. Phipps was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in November 1982.

Military Service: In the spring of 1981, Mr. Phipps was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navel Reserve, Judge Advocate General Corps. And attended Officer Indoctrination School in Newport Rhode Island in the summer of 1981. During his senior year of law school, he participated in monthly naval reserve drills. After graduation from law school, Mr. Phipps began active duty in the United States Navy as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps and served on active duty until 1989. During his period of active duty, he was stationed at the Naval Stations in San Diego, California and Charleston, South Carolina. While in San Diego, Mr. Phipps also served on board the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and made two deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. After getting off active duty in 1989, Mr. Phipps continued to drill in the United States Naval Reserve until his retirement in 2006 as a Commander. Mr. Phipps earned the following awards during his naval service: Navy Commendation Medal (2), Navy Achievement Medal (2), Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2) and Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2).
Family Law Services in Hilton Head and Newberry SC

Employment History: From March 1989 through January 1995, Mr. Phipps was employed as an associate litigation attorney with Bethea, Jordan and Griffin, P.A. on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. His practice was focused on general civil litigation and during his last year at the firm, his practice began to focus primarily on family law. January 1995 through 2000. Mr. Phipps opened his own practice which was focused primarily on family law. In 2000, Mr. Phipps founded the first family law practice on Hilton Head Island, Phipps & Geis, P.A., which was dedicated exclusively to the practice of family law. Mr. Phipps and Mr. Geis practiced together through 2010. In 2011, Mr. Phipps and Susan L. Brach formed Phipps & Brach, P.A., which firm was also dedicated exclusively to the practice of family law. On February 25, 2016, Ms. Brach retired and Mr. Phipps opened his current firm, Phipps Family Law, P.A., which as the name suggests, is a practice dedicated solely to representing clients in divorce and family law matters.

Mr. Phipps has been a member of the following bar associations and professional organizations.

• South Carolina Bar Association. 1982 through present.
• Family Law Section Committee of the South Carolina Bar Association. 1995 through 2008. Served as its Chair Elect (1999/2000) Chairman (2000/2001) and Past Chair (2001/2002).
• Beaufort County Bar Association. 1989 through present. Served as its Vice President (1998/1999) and President (1999/2000).
• Newberry County Bar Association 2003 through present.
• Hilton Head Island Bar Association. 1989 through the present.

Leadership:

• President, Family Law Section Counsel of the SC Bar 2000-2001
• President, Beaufort County Bar 1999-2000

Ratings:

• AV, Martindale-Hubbell
• Superb, AVVO