Stuart M Andrews

Both through clients he’s fought for and the policies he’s helped create, Stuart Andrews has devoted decades to generating systemic reform and giving lower-income South Carolinians greater access to the courts. He began his career as Legal Aid attorney, eventually rising to lead the state legal services policy program. During that time, he helped author major with lasting impact: the South Carolina Residential Landlord Tenant Act and the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act. The first helped establish protections from which renters today continue to benefit. The second recognized domestic violence as a separate crime.After his time with Legal Aid, Stuart joined a large regional law firm and established its first structured pro bono program. Within three years, his efforts resulted in honors from the American Bar Association as the National Pro Bono Firm of the Year.The program's major reform work included a case in which Stuart was a lead partner against the South Carolina Department of Corrections. The class-action lawsuit led to a six-week trial that resulted in a ruling in favor of incarcerated men and women with serious mental illness.