About Mr. Timothy Clay
Mr. Timothy Clay Kulp earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of South Carolina - Columbia, receiving a B.A. in 1975. He stayed at the same university for law school and received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1978. Those academic years set the stage for a career that crosses public service, prosecution and the defense bar.
After law school, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a special agent in 1978. That early period in federal law enforcement shaped his understanding of investigations and courtroom evidence. He later moved into local roles, serving as municipal judge for the City of Isle of Palms beginning in 1987. The bench experience gave him a different view of courtroom procedure and case management.
Kulp returned to prosecutorial work in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He served as an assistant solicitor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office in 2000. A few years later he took on municipal responsibilities in Charleston, acting as city prosecutor and police legal counsel in 2003. Those posts placed him at the intersection of municipal law, policing policy and courtroom practice.
He holds specialty certifications in criminal trial advocacy from the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification and in criminal law from the American College of Board Certified Lawyers. Those credentials reflect an emphasis on courtroom work and criminal matters. He was a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense and has long been active in criminal defense circles. His professional memberships include the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (since 1988), the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (since 1992), and the Charleston County Bar. He also belongs to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and maintains board certification through the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification.
Kulp has combined public roles and private practice throughout his career. He is admitted to practice in South Carolina and to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is currently affiliated with Kulp and Elliott Lawyers at Law. His practice draws on decades of courtroom experience in both prosecutorial and defense roles. He currently focuses his practice on criminal defense and related litigation matters.
