Jimmy Chandler

James S. (Jimmy) Chandler, Jr., president and general counsel, founded SCELP in 1987. For over 15 years, he was SCELP's sole staff attorney. Jimmy has represented national, state, and local organizations in environmental cases before state and federal courts and agencies. His cases have involved a variety of issues, including wetlands, coastal management, water quality, air quality, solid and hazardous waste landfills and incinerators, and mining. Prior to forming SCELP, Jimmy practiced law in Columbia for 10 years. His environmental work has been recognized by several state and national awards, including the Sierra Club's William O. Douglas Award, the South Carolina General Assembly's Environmental Awareness Award, and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation's Conservationist of the Year Award.

Jimmy grew up in Georgetown and now lives at Pawleys Island. He received a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College in 1972, a Masters in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1973, and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1977.

Jimmy is married to Rebecca McCarthy Chandler and has one daughter, Leigh, who was born in 1994. His hobbies include music (guitar and piano), fishing, tennis and reading.

Amy Armstrong

Amy Armstrong started working for SCELP in September, 2002, after receiving a competitive two year fellowship from Equal Justice Works, formerly the National Association of Public Interest Law. Now that her fellowship has ended, she has become a staff attorney at SCELP. She graduated from University of South Carolina in May, 2002, with a Juris Doctor and Master´s in Earth and Environmental Resource Management. She currently serves on the Sierra Club Winyah Group´s executive committee, the League of Women Voters of Georgetown County board, the Tidelands Hospice board, and the Keep Georgetown Beautiful board.

Amy received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Michigan in 1992. Before attending law school, she worked with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, managing a population of federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. She grew up in Columbia and now lives in Pawleys Island with her dog, Gus, and cat, Mack. She enjoys painting, birding, playing the piano, cooking, and reading on the beach.

Jordan McDonald

Jordan McDonald began helping SCELP as a volunteer in August of 2007. Jordan has lived in the area for her entire life and enjoys the opportunities of helping with environmental causes that working at SCELP has afforded her. She graduated with honors from Coastal Carolina University in 2005 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Political Science. She also plans on attending law school in the next couple of years, specializing in Environmental Law.

Jordan likes to stay busy and is competitive in surfing, Jujitsu and Thai boxing. She grew up in Murrells Inlet and currently lives in Surfside Beach with her two Jack Russells, Jax and Wiley. She enjoys spending her free time outdoors (in the water if possible) and with friends and family.

Board Members

Frances Close, Chair of the SCELP Board, lives in Columbia. Francie was the Board Chair of Energy Research Foundation, the major player in the effort to force the U.S. Department of Energy to clean up environmental problems at the Savannah River Nuclear Weapons facility, and the organization which helped create SCELP.

Jimmy Chandler, is SCELP's President/General Counsel.

Daryl Hawkins, SCELP's Vice-President, is an attorney in private practice living in Columbia and has performed numerous pro bono services in environmental cases.

Bill Marscher is a retired rocket scientist who lives in Bluffton. Bill has been a leader of the Beaufort County Clean Water Task Force and an outspoken advocate of environmental protection, particularly in the Beaufort County area.

Wendy Zara lives in Sheldon and works in Beaufort for A. G. Edwards & Sons. Wendy is active in local environmental and land use planning issues and a leader of the Northern Beaufort County Committee, the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, and other community committees and task forces.

Kim Diana Connolly is an attorney and mother of two who lives in Columbia. Kim works as a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she specializes in environmental law, focusing on wetlands law and policy.

David J. Harmon lives in Charleston and is an attorney with Carlock, Copeland, Semlar & Stair. David has long been interested in environmental issues.

Margaret Fabri is an attorney in private practice in Charleston. She has been a long time advocate for environmental protection and served on the Coastal Council (now the Appellate Panel of the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management) from 1993 to 1997.

Gary W. Poliakoff is an attorney in Spartanburg, S.C., who, in environmental cases, represents only victims of toxic exposure and property contamination. He has also represented a number of citizens groups and environmental groups, and has handled many cases Pro Bono for such groups. He has served on the Boards of numerous environmental groups.