Out of the ashes of the ongoing Alex Murdaugh legal saga, a new law firm has been born in Hampton County.
On Jan. 4, partners with Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth and Detrick, PA (PMPED) announced that the Hampton, S.C.-based law firm is transitioning to Parker Law Group.
The new firm bears the name of partner John E. Parker, in honor of his 50 years of outstanding service to PMPED, stated the firm in a release to The Hampton County Guardian.
“We’re grateful to Johnny Parker for his dedication and leadership of our firm,” said Ronnie Crosby, partner. “It’s an honor to name our firm after one of South Carolina’s most accomplished and respected attorneys.”
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“Our firm is a collection of talented and dedicated attorneys,” said Parker. “While this firm may bear my name, it’s made up of a team of attorneys and employees who put their energy into achieving the best results for our clients.”
On Dec. 29, PMPED partner Daniel E. Henderson filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State’s office to create this new Limited Liability Partnership at the existing location of PMPED, 101 Mulberry St. East, Hampton, according to the Secretary of State website.
For logistical reasons, as well as legal and tax reasons, the transition to Parker Law Group, which is now underway, will take some time to complete, said a spokesperson for the firm.
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Contrary to media reports over the holidays stating that PMPED was “splitting up,” with Randolph “Randy” Murdaugh IV branching out to form his own solo practice, Crosby confirmed to The Guardian on Tuesday that Murdaugh would remain a partner and practice law in the Parker Law Group.
Randolph IV will be one of eight partners in the Parker Law Group. Only one PMPED partner is leaving the firm, William Barnes. Barnes told The Guardian on Monday that he would be transitioning to the Barnes Law Firm to practice law with his wife, a change he had been planning for some time that was unrelated to the overall transition.
PMPED was established in Hampton by Randolph Murdaugh Sr. as a one-man law firm in 1910. According to today’s release from the Parker Law Group, it grew to be a leading regional firm, and over the years has changed its name several times as attorneys joined and left the firm. Many attorneys, like Parker, practiced law for their entire career with the firm.
“Our firm has attracted outstanding lawyers through the years,” said Parker. “Some have gone on to be government leaders, judges and many have and continue to serve legal and charitable organizations.” He commented that today’s firm has some of the most gifted attorneys he’s ever worked with.
Parker joined the firm immediately after graduating from the University of South Carolina Law School. He’s served as the firm’s president from 1994 to 2016, and he’s tried more than 150 civil cases and handled 50 appeals which resulted in published opinions. Parker has served on the Board of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers, USC Law School Alumni Board, Hampton County School Board and the Hampton County Economic Development Commission. In 2004 he was awarded the Founder’s Award by the South Carolina’s Trial Lawyers Association.
Of the originally named partners of PMPED, Parker is the only living and remaining partner. Partner Randolph Murdaugh III passed away in June of 2021, just days after his son, Richard Alexander (Alex) Murdaugh, also a former partner, called 911 to report that his wife and youngest son had been shot and killed at their Colleton County, S.C. home.
As state police still investigate this high-profile double homicide, Alex Murdaugh remains in the Richland County detention center facing more than 50 charges involving financial crimes and faces multiple civil suits mostly relating to those allegations.
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