Ellen Hines Smith Access to Justice Award
The South Carolina Access to Justice Commission seeks nominations for the inaugural Ellen Hines Smith Access to Justice Award. The award will be presented annually to a licensed attorney currently practicing in South Carolina who has demonstrated significant or meaningful contributions to improving access to our court system for litigants who face barriers due to socioeconomic status, disability, geography, or who are otherwise vulnerable.
About Ellen Hines Smith.
Ellen Hines Smith (1940–1998) was a pioneering South Carolina attorney, judge, and public-service leader whose legacy continues to shape access to justice across the state. The only woman in her law school class and later the first woman appointed as a judge in Spartanburg County, she broke barriers with purpose: to expand justice for people who had long been excluded from it.
In 1977 she founded Piedmont Legal Services and served as its first executive director, building one of South Carolina’s earliest regional legal-aid programs. Under her leadership, the organization delivered civil legal help to thousands of low-income residents, strengthened housing and family stability, and created durable service models that continue in successor organizations today. She was known for her collaborative approach—working closely with courts, local governments, churches, and nonprofits—and for mentoring generations of young attorneys who went on to serve communities statewide.
Ellen’s work was marked by innovation and persistence. She developed new outreach methods for rural and underserved areas, launched projects that improved access for vulnerable families, and secured partnerships and funding during a time when civil legal aid had few resources. Her career reflected unwavering ethics and deep community trust: clients, colleagues, and civic leaders relied on her integrity, fairness, and client-centered advocacy.
Beyond the legal system, she championed children’s welfare, affordable housing, and public service, serving as the first woman elected to Spartanburg City Council and later as its mayor pro-tem. Her life’s work embodied the belief that justice, service, and compassion must be available to all. This award honors that legacy.
Instructions for nominators.
Please complete all required form fields, and provide a nomination letter and three letters in support of the nomination. The nomination letter should provide clear, concrete examples that address the five evaluation criteria below. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Evaluation criteria.
Impact of advocacy on underserved populations
Describe how the nominee’s work has measurably improved outcomes for underserved South Carolinians—through individual representation, community impact, or systemic change—and the durability and reach of that impact. (Examples: benefits secured, cases resolved, policies/programs implemented or improved, expanded service coverage.)
Leadership in promoting access to justice
Explain how the nominee has led initiatives that expand or improve access to civil legal help—setting vision, building programs, influencing policy or practice, and mobilizing resources and people. (Examples: launching clinics or projects, leading task forces, training attorneys, securing partnerships or funding.)
History of collaboration and mentorship
Show how the nominee cultivates partnerships across the legal ecosystem and invests in others’ growth, strengthening the statewide capacity to serve low-income communities. (Examples: cross-organization collaborations, court/community partnerships, mentoring attorneys/students/staff.)
Innovation and persistence in addressing legal inequities
Highlight creative, practical solutions the nominee has developed and their sustained effort to overcome barriers—especially in resource-constrained areas or rural legal deserts. (Examples: new service models or tools, process improvements, iterative pilots scaled over time.)
Strong ethics, professionalism, and community trust
Demonstrate the nominee’s integrity, reliability, and respectful client-centered practice, reflected in the trust of clients, partners, and courts. (Examples: endorsements from community partners, recognition for professionalism, evidence of trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice.)