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Cullum Named State Chair of the American of College of Trust and Estates Counsel for South Carolina

Submitted by: Melanie Lux on Apr 11, 2011 at 6:58 pm Tagged with: estate planning, Trusts Source: Ellis Lawhorne

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 11, 2011 – Ellis Lawhorne is pleased to announce that Rita Bragg Cullum, a shareholder in the Firm, has been named State Chair of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) for South Carolina. Cullum is also a Fellow in the organization

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel is a national organization of approximately 2,600 lawyers who have been elected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence, and experience as trust and estate counselors. One of the central purposes of the College is to study and improve trust, estate and tax laws; develop procedures and advance professional responsibility. Congress and the Internal Revenue Service rely on the College and its Fellows to provide analysis and/or testify on complex tax issues. They also develop best legal practices that are then followed by other trust and estate attorneys.

Cullum is well prepared for her role as chair of the South Carolina Chapter of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. A member of Ellis Lawhorne’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group and a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law, she is among the top trusts and estates attorneys in South Carolina. Her practice is focused on helping individuals develop estate plans that preserve family harmony and wealth. She also assists clients with tax planning, and works extensively in the complex area of planned giving.

Cullum has long been committed to advancing the legal profession. She is a member of the Supreme Court of South Carolina’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization; Past Chair and Council Member of the South Carolina Bar’s Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Section; and Past Chair and Member of the Estate Planning and Probate Specialization Advisory Board for the Supreme Court of South Carolina’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. South Carolina Lawyers Weekly recently recognized Cullum with its annual “Leaders in Law” Award. She is listed among the Best Lawyers® in America (2008-2011) and as a South Carolina Super Lawyer (2011).

Cullum holds two degrees from the University of South Carolina (USC). She graduated magna cum laude and number one in the School of Business and earned her Juris Doctor from the USC School of Law. She is a member of the Columbia Tax Study Group and Columbia Estate Planning Council.

About Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims, P.A.
Established in 1980, Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims, P.A., is among South Carolina’s top law firms, with more than 35 attorneys. The Firm serves regional and national corporate and individual clients in four main practice groups: Business, Real Estate and Finance; Litigation and Dispute Resolution; Trusts and Estates; and Workers’ Compensation. For additional information about the Firm, visit www.ellislawhorne.com.