Ben A. Hagood, Jr. bhagood@hagoodkerr.com Download v-card Practice Areas Environmental Business Litigation Business Transactions Educational Background University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. 1983     South Carolina Law Review University of Virginia, B.A. in English, with Distinction, 1979 The Hill School, 1975 Cum Laude Society Bar Admissions and Certifications South Carolina, 1983 United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1992 United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, 1988 Distinctions Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating Listed in "The Best Lawyers of America" Ben Hagood is a founding member of Hagood & Kerr, PA. Mr. Hagood focuses his practice in the areas of Environmental and Business Law. View Full Bio Visit Legistative web site Mr. Hagood’s Environmental Law practice includes assisting clients in the purchase or sale of contaminated properties, the defense of civil and criminal enforcement actions, and the resolution or avoidance of environmental compliance issues. He is currently working with clients engaged in large scale Brownfields redevelopment projects in the Charleston area, as well as international clients involved in compliance investigations and clean up activities. He has served as outside counsel to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control since 1997 for various federal court cases involving Superfund and RCRA issues. Mr. Hagood previously served as the Chief of the Environmental Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. He investigated and prosecuted numerous criminal and civil enforcement actions, including one of the first hazardous waste export cases in the country, and was a member of the Department of Justice's national Environmental Crimes Policy Committee. Mr. Hagood’s Business Law practice includes litigation, alternative dispute resolution, entity formation, contract negotiation and drafting, and counseling on business law issues. He serves as outside general counsel to Southern Diversified Distributors, Inc. and its subsidiaries TranSouth Logistics, LLC and William M. Bird and Company, Inc. which is the largest floor covering distributor in the southeast. Mr. Hagood has served on the board of directors of this fourth generation family business for a number of years, providing him with a variety of practical business experiences. Mr. Hagood received his Juris Doctor in 1983 from the University of South Carolina School of Law. After law school, Mr. Hagood clerked for the Honorable Randall T. Bell of the South Carolina Court of Appeals and then served as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. From 1987 to 1990, Mr. Hagood worked for a Charleston Law firm. In 1990, Mr. Hagood began his six years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina. He returned to private practice in 1997. In 2002, Mr. Hagood was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, District 112, representing Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the Constitutional Laws Subcommittee. Publications, Papers, Programs and Seminars “The New Prospective Purchaser Exception to Environmental Liability,” South Carolina Lawyer May/June 2002 “Congress Clarifies Lender Liability for Polluted Property,” South Carolina Lawyer May/June 1997 “Focus on Environmental Crimes,” South Carolina Environmental Compliance Update, January 1997 In State Consultant and author for South Carolina Chapter, Brownfields Law and Practice, Matthew Bender and Co., Inc.1998. Instructor for various continuing legal education and training programs conducted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, the South Carolina Bar, private companies and private industry groups. Professional Organizations American Bar Association     Environment, Energy and Resources Section     Law Practice Management Section South Carolina Bar Association     Natural Resources Section (former Chairman and Council Member) Charleston County Bar Association Community Organizations & Boards Agape Ministries of Charleston, 1999-2002 South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, 1990-1993 Charleston Habitat for Humanity, Inc., 1989-1990 Trident Literacy Association, 1987-1998 Innovative Alternatives for Education, Inc., 1997-2002 William M. Bird and Co., Inc., Board Member, 1995-present Attends Holy Cross Episcopal Church and member of Sunday morning Praise Team. Formerly Active in St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Home Missions Committee, choir member, senior warden, junior warden, vestry).

Christopher T. Colwell

Ben A. Hagood, Jr.

Helen Ann Harper

Thomas L. Harper, Jr.

Robert A. Kerr, Jr.

Forrest H. Norvell IV

Elizabeth W. Settle

Wendy L. Wilkie