SUMTER, SC, March 13, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Wade S. Kolb Jr. has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
In 1998, upon retiring from a 27 year career in public service, Mr. Kolb founded the law practice now known as Kolb & Givens, Attorneys at Law, LLC. As senior partner of the firm, he capably deploys 49 years of legal experience, in delivering superior service to a clientele seeking guidance on criminal defense in state and federal courts, personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and probate cases. Mr. Kolb has been licensed to practice law since 1974 by the Supreme Court of South Carolina and the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at the University of South Carolina in 1971, Mr. Kolb joined the State Attorney General's Office, initially to assist in compiling annual reports of statewide criminal statistics. His exposure to the legal world in that context during his three years of law school – and his interaction with competent and inspiring mentors, including working closely with Attorney General Daniel R. McLeod – prompted him to pursue a career in public service.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1974, he served as an Assistant State Attorney General from 1974 to 1977. He then accepted a position as Assistant Solicitor for the Third Judicial Circuit from 1977 to 1982. In 1982, he was elected as Solicitor (chief prosecuting attorney) for the Third Judicial Circuit (Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, and Williamsburg Counties). He was re-elected in 1986, 1990, and 1994.
Mr. Kolb personally prosecuted thousands of cases. He recruited and trained a staff which performed outstanding work for the citizens of the Circuit. His productive four-term tenure as Solicitor was notable for several reasons. First, his office was strongly pro-victim and pro-law enforcement, and was consistently recognized for outstanding services to victims of crime. He was presented the 1990 Silver Scales of Justice Award by the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network. Second, the office had an outstanding record for moving cases expeditiously, with uniformly high conviction rates throughout his tenure, including the State's highest conviction rate in each of his last two years. He received the Law Enforcement Commendation Medal from the Sons of the American Revolution in 1988.
Third, he was recognized for an outstanding record in the employment of minorities and women. When he started his campaign for Solicitor in 1982, the office had never had an African-American employee, nor a female Assistant Solicitor, in its history. When he retired 16 years later, 17 of 30 employees were African-American and 24 of 30 were women, including the Assistant Solicitor in charge for Williamsburg County (BM), the Assistant Solicitor in charge for Lee County (WF), the Assistant Solicitor in charge for Family Court prosecutions for the four county Judicial Circuit (BF), the Chief Victim Advocate (BF), and the Director of the Pre-Trial Intervention Program (BF). In recognition of these results, Mr. Kolb was presented the James T. McCain Public Service Award by the Sumter County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee in 1999.
Fourth, his tenure was notable for the exceptional number of persons who trained under him, rendered outstanding services within the Solicitor's Office, and then went on to distinguish themselves in further service to the State, including a Judge on the S.C. Court of Appeals, two Circuit Court Judges, two Family Court Judges, a U.S. Magistrate Judge, a Probate Court Judge, a State Senator, two Assistant U.S. Attorneys, a Prosecutor for the S.C. Commission on Prosecution, the Area Director for S.C. DSS, Legal Counsel for the S.C. Public Service Commission, Legal Counsel for the S.C. Department of Corrections, Legal Counsel for Clemson University, Legal Counsel for the Sumter Police Department, Victim Advocate and Court Liaison Officer for the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, Victim Advocate for the Sumter/Lee Regional Detention Center, at least two who are still serving as Assistant Solicitors, and many others in important areas of service.
Mr. Kolb has been duly recognized for his professional contributions. For example, The National Trial Lawyers appointed him to their list of Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He has been ranked among the top 10 criminal defense attorneys and top 10 personal injury attorneys in South Carolina by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys and the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, respectively. In 2022, he won the Leadership in Law Award from South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.
Mr. Kolb has been active in Bar activities as a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Federal Bar Association, the South Carolina Association for Justice, the South Carolina Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Sumter County Bar. He served as President of his local Bar Association from 2011 to 2013, and has remained involved in its leadership as Secretary-Treasurer from 2014 to date.
He was also a two-time member of the YWCA TWIN Honorary Board, serving from 2001 to 2005 and from 1994 to 1998, and as Chairman of the Board in 2003 and 2004. The Sumter Chamber of Commerce also benefitted from Mr. Kolb's dedicated contributions, in particular from 2001 to 2010 when he held a seat on the Board of Directors, and in 2008 and 2009 when he served as the Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Kolb served as a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Sumter, Clarendon and Lee Counties from 1978 to 1982 and was Campaign Chairman in 1980 and President of the Board in 1982. Furthermore, he served as the President of the Educational Foundation Board of Directors at the University of South Carolina-Sumter from 2001 until 2004, and as President of the Board from 2003 to 2004. He has been a member of the Sumter Rotary Club since 1983. Mr. Kolb's vision for the future includes maintaining a consistent presence in the firm while realizing a healthy balance among those responsibilities, civic involvement and family life.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #