Meet Your Paralegal Instructors
All of our Paralegal instructors are licensed, practicing attorneys selected for their
legal expertise and teaching ability.
My instructor was great! He was always open to making time for all questions and his
wit and teaching manner kept the class interesting.
Anthony Charles - Family Law
Anthony was born in Durham, NC and raised in Spartanburg, SC. He was admitted to the
South Carolina Bar in 2009.
Anthony received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina in 2004.
He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2008. Also in
2008, he completed his master's from Vermont Law School in the study of environmental
law and policy. In 2010, Anthony completed the Family Law Trial Institute at the South
Texas College of Law in Houston, TX, which is a nine day, intensive trial advocacy
course designed to improve the courtroom skills of family court attorneys.
Always drawn to mediation as an effective tool in helping families save money and
alleviate stress, Anthony completed the family court mediation training program required
by the ADR rules in July of 2014. Effective July 21, 2014, the South Carolina Board
of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification has certified that he is approved to serve
as family court mediator.
Anthony has always been a firm and passionate believer in the mediation process and
in April of 2020, Anthony made the decision to dedicate his practice and career solely
to family court mediation. His premier goal and guiding principle is helping South
Carolina families put litigation in the rear view mirror.
Anthony has presented on Mediation topics at the South Carolina Bar Family Court Hot
Tips Seminar as well as the South Carolina Association for Justice annual conference.
Kate Crater - Legal Research and Writing
Kate Herbein Crater is the Deputy Chief Staff Attorney with the South Carolina Court
of Appeals. Along with the Chief Staff Attorney, Kate manages a central staff of fifteen
attorneys, researches and analyzes legal issues before the court, presents motions
and other legal issues to the judges, drafts opinions and orders, and handles emergency
motions and petitions. Kate completed her undergraduate degree at the University of
North Carolina, where she graduated with distinction. She went on to graduate cum
laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law. In law school, Kate worked
as the Research Editor for the South Carolina Law Review, was a member of the pro
bono board, and was selected to join both the Order of the Coif and the Order of the
Wig and Robe. Kate received CALI awards in Bankruptcy and Legal & Equitable Remedies.
Brook Dangerfield - Contract Law
Brook Dangerfield was born and raised in Aiken, SC. He graduated from USC Aiken in
2005 and Barry School of Law in Orlando, FL, in 2008. After passing the SC bar exam,
he began practicing law as a real estate closing attorney and did so for the next
three years. In late 2011, he joined the creditor’s rights/debt collection law firm
of Brock & Scott, PLLC, where he is still employed. Although he has handled all aspects
of foreclosure cases, his focus is on uncontested foreclosure hearings. He lives in
the city of Columbia with his wife, three children and two cats.
Patrick A. McCabe - Introduction to Law
Patrick A. McCabe, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio worked as a firefighter/ paramedic
before receiving his Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati in 2005.
Patrick received his Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2009 where
he was a member of Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity and served as President of the
Student Bar Association. Admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2011, Patrick’s main
areas of practice are collections and foreclosure law. He currently resides in Irmo
with his wife and four children.
Robert "Sam" Phillips - Tort Law and Personal Injury
Robert B. “Sam” Phillips has taught various course for the university’s Continuing
Education Programs since 2010. Since 2015, Sam has operated his own litigation firm
- The Phillips Firm LLC, Attorney & Counselor at Law – specializing in all types of
personal and business torts. He previously served at as the director of the Certificate
of Need (CON) Program with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
Control (DHEC) and as the Staff Judge Advocate for the South Carolina State Guard.
Prior to joining DHEC, Mr. Phillips was a trial and appellate lawyer with the Finkel
Law Firm, LLC where he maintained a state-wide practice focusing on business disputes,
construction defects, contract law, personal injury, probate, product liability and
real property matters. He also served as lead or co-lead counsel in several tort class
actions. Mr. Phillips began his legal career clerking for the Honorable Jasper M.
Cureton with the South Carolina Court of Appeals.
Before attending law school, Mr. Phillips served as an Armor and Cavalry Officer with
the United States Army in Europe and the Middle East. He also worked for Marathon
Oil Company as a district manager where he represented the company in environmental,
unemployment and workers compensation matters.
Derek A. Shoemake - Civil Litigation
Derek A. Shoemake has taught in the University of South Carolina's paralegal certification
program since 2010. He currently teaches Civil Litigation, and has taught both Introduction
to Law and Legal Writing.
Derek, an experienced litigator, works as an attorney at Simmons Law Firm and has
represented clients – both corporate and individual – before state and federal courts.
In addition to his litigation experience, Derek has authored several legal articles
in a variety of publications and clerked for two federal judges in the District of
South Carolina: the Honorable G. Ross Anderson, Jr. and the Honorable R. Bryan Harwell.
Derek further distinguished himself in law school, where he served on the South Carolina
Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif.
Before law school, Derek worked as an editor for The Item, a newspaper in Sumter,
S.C., worked as a defense contractor for the General Dynamics Corporation, and served
in the United States Marine Corps until his honorable discharge as a Sergeant. During
his time in service, Derek received several decorations, including five Navy and Marine
Corps Achievement Medals.
When not practicing law, Derek serves as a Commissioner on the South Carolina Athletic
Commission and serves on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Services Carolinas, a
non-profit organization whose mission includes providing refugee resettlement services,
housing for homeless veterans, retirement communities, and foster care and adoption
services. Derek also enjoys spending time with his wife and their two children.
Edgar Smith, Jr. - Career Preparation
Ed currently serves as Civil Frauds Investigator, Department of Justice, United States
Attorney’s Office, District of South Carolina.
Ed is presently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Law Firm Management at the George
Washington University, College of Professional Studies. His anticipated graduation
date is December 2015.
Ed graduated Magna Cum Laude from South University, Columbia, SC 2004 with a Bachelor
of Science in Legal Studies.
Ed retired from the United States Navy with 20 years of service in 2004. His military
career culminated with him serving as the Personnel Officer for the Naval Reserve
Center, Columbia where he supervised training and administration in the support of
over 300 naval reservists.
Ed began his current career in the Civil Division of the US Attorney’s Office as a
Paralegal Specialist where he primarily worked on Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE)
and Health Care Fraud cases. In 2008 he became the Legal Support Manager for the Criminal
Division where he supervised thirteen Legal Assistants and Paralegals in support of
the government’s prosecution of federal crimes in the state of South Carolina.
In 2010, Ed became the District of South Carolina’s District Office Security Manager
with the responsibility of personal and physical safety and security for employees
of the US Attorney’s Office. In 2011, Ed received his warrant and appointment as a
United States Contracting Officer where he administers the contracts of expert witnesses
for the government.
Ed also serves on the Paralegal Advisory Board at South University, as Treasurer of
Second Calvary Baptist Church and as a high school football official and member of
the South Carolina Football Official’s Association.
I thoroughly enjoyed this program. The instructors were very professional and well-prepared.
The presentation of the material was very informative. Excellent!