S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Partner Ed Mullins will serve terms on the Board of Trustees of The American Inns of Court Foundation, America's oldest, largest, and fastest growing mentoring organization.

Chief Justice Toal serves on the board in her capacity as immediate past chair of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and as immediate past president of the Conference of Chief Justices.

Mullins, who also serves on the NCSC board alongside Chief Justice Toal, was elected to represent the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

Firmly rooted in the noble 800- year- old tradition of the Inns of Court in England, the American Inns exist to supplement the academic and technical training of American lawyers through the time- honored English tradition and practice of "pupillage"— the sharing of wisdom, insight, and experience of seasoned judges and lawyers with newer practitioners. Using this approach, the American Inns of Court seeks to foster excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility and legal skills.

The American Inns of Court includes more than 25,000 federal, state and local judges, lawyers, law professors and law students in some 350 chapters across the United States. Additionally, there are more than 80,000 alumni members.

Chief Justice Toal began her service as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of S.C. in March 1988. She was reelected in February 1996 and was installed as Chief Justice in March 2000 for the balance of the term of her predecessor. She was again re- elected in February 2004 and was installed as Chief Justice in June 2004 for a 10- year term. Chief Justice Toal received the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Outstanding Contribution to Justice Award in 1995 and the prestigious Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award from the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession in 2004.

Mullins' history of service on the state and national level includes his prior service as president of the S.C. Defense Trial Attorneys' Association and DRI, the Defense Research Institute and Trial Lawyers Association, and the Lawyers for Civil Justice. He has served on the board of directors of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and the Product Liability Advisory Council as well as the Board of Regents of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

An active trial lawyer for 50 years, Mullins is chair emeritus of the firm and its litigation department and was instrumental in the growth of the law firm from five attorneys to more than 400 attorneys with 10 offices in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, DC, and Boston.