About Stephen
Stephen Grooms built a legal career that moves between the courtroom and the office. He is the kind of lawyer who has seen both sides of state practice: early private work, years as a prosecutor, and later a return to private practice as a partner.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in English and Criminology from the University of South Carolina, listed as a 2005 degree. He went on to the Charleston School of Law and completed his Juris Doctor in 2010. Those academic years laid a foundation in writing, investigation and courtroom procedure that show up in his subsequent work.
Grooms began his post-law school career in private practice in 2010, joining Justin O'Toole Lucey PA. Within a year he moved to the Dixon Law Office. In 2011 he took a position in public service as a senior solicitor in general sessions at the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office. That role placed him in the middle of state criminal proceedings and day-to-day courtroom responsibilities. After several years in public service he returned to private practice and in 2016 became a partner at Grooms & Thomas, LLC.
The arc of his career gives him experience on multiple sides of South Carolina courtrooms. Time at the solicitor's office exposed him to the dynamics of general sessions court. Private-practice stints exposed him to client counseling, case preparation and filings in state jurisdictions. He has worked in Horry County and elsewhere in the state, and maintains ties to the local bar. He has been a member of the Horry County Bar Association since 2012.
Colleagues describe him as methodical in preparation and straightforward in court. He keeps to practical goals: resolve cases efficiently when possible and be prepared to litigate when necessary. He practices under the laws and rules of South Carolina and years of local work have given him familiarity with the procedures and expectations of state courts.
Today he is a partner at Grooms and Thomas, LLC. He handles matters arising in South Carolina state courts and represents clients in a mix of criminal and civil matters in his current practice.
