February 2025 Letter

Dear Sisters in the Law,

You can’t pour from an empty cup! February is widely known as the “Love Month” due to Valentine’s Day. I want to encourage you this month to remember to love you too! One of my colleagues was in my office today wearing a beautiful, brightly colored skirt that bore the words “Do it for you!” I laughed and said, “Ha! One day I’ll have time to do things for myself.” So I am encouraging myself as I encourage you today- do something for you! Through all the hustle and bustle of drop offs and pickups, doctors appointments, household duties, and never ending professional and personal demands- STOP and force yourself to do something for you. One of my mentors often reminded me not to let perfect be the enemy of good. I think sometimes we let the fact that we can’t take 3 consecutive weeks of court protection to travel Europe stop us from taking just a moment today. You may not have the time or resources for a full spa day, but take an extended bath with your favorite candle lit. Grab lunch with a friend. Sit on your porch for just 5 more minutes with your tea or coffee. Everyone and everything in your life benefits from you being your best self. You deserve it. Let’s report back next month on how you made time for YOU!

Your Sister in the Law,
- Allyce

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What a Lawyer Looks Like

We will spend each month of this year highlighting all the different images of what SC women lawyers look like. Young lawyers, seasoned citizens, moms, dog moms, differently abled, you name it, we are going to highlight it. Because after all, it is each of our unique differences that make us amazing!

This month, I’d like to shed light on some women lawyers that have taken a non-traditional career path from the general practice of law using their legal acumen in arenas that go beyond the courtroom.

Mary Lucas

Mary is an international digital rights attorney working for the Open Technology Fund in Washington, D.C. Specifically, Mary serves as in-house counsel supporting projects focused on counteracting international repressive digital censorship and authoritarian government surveillance, enabling citizens worldwide to exercise their fundamental human rights online. Mary graduated from the College of Charleston cum laude as a triple major, and then worked for the software company, Blackbaud, for several years before leaving to enroll in law school. She graduated from the Charleston School of Law in 2013. Immediately following law school, Mary served as both a staff attorney and law clerk to now retired Chief Justice Costa M. Pleicones at the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Mary went on to serve as the technology attorney for the Office of Court Administration; Assistant General Counsel and Chief Information Security Officer at SCDNR; and Chief Privacy Officer at the State Treasurer’s Office prior to accepting her current role with the Open Technology Fund. Mary holds several information security and privacy certifications, including certifications related to U.S. and European data protection regulations. She has also received several professional recognitions during her legal career, including the Columbia Regional Business Report’s Women of Influence 2024, the SCDNR Executive Office Employee of the Year, the Leadership in Law award from SC Lawyers Weekly, and the Star of the Quarter Award from the Young Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar. She is a graduate of the Conservation Leaders of Tomorrow program, the South Carolina Bar’s Leadership Academy, as well as Leadership South Carolina;Mary is also a Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative fellow. Mary serves on numerous Bar committees related to law and/or technology and is chairwoman of the Board of Trustees for the Montessori School of Columbia. She was a commissioned deputy law enforcement officer during her tenure as a lawyer at SCDNR, deploying for active service in 2019 during Hurricane Dorian. Mary was appointed by the Chief Justice to the South Carolina Access to Justice Commission in 2016—a commission of judges, lawyers, legislators, court employees, and community leaders tasked with identifying barriers to civil justice in South Carolina while exploring possible solutions—where she continues to serve as a special advisor.

Mary serves on the SCWLA Military Law Committee and has for several years, helping plan and facilitate the annual CLE that committee hosts around Veteran's Day each year. Mary is also one of SCWLA’s Emerging Leader Award Recipients, and you can see why!

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Tonnya Kennedy Kohn

Tonnya Kennedy Kohn is the Senior Associate in the Justice Solutions and Innovation Division at The National Judicial College (NJC). She works primarily with the Reno, Nevada-based organization’s court administration programs, and Justice Coaching Center. Ms. Kohn’s upbringing in a U.S. Air Force family included living in Arkansas, California, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Ankara, Turkey. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science in Mass Communication from Murray State University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Before joining The National Judicial College in January 2025, Ms. Kohn served as the State Court Administrator for the South Carolina Judicial Branch (SCJB) during Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty’s term from 2017 to 2024. Her career with SCJB Court Administration began in January 2014 as a staff attorney. She has also clerked for Johnson, Toal & Battiste P.A., for the Honorable Clifton Newman of the South Carolina Circuit Court, and practiced law in a general practice firm. Prior to her legal career, Ms. Kohn was a journalist, serving as the Managing Editor of The State newspaper in Columbia, SC. Other senior editorial roles included the Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.), the Lexington (Ky.) Herald Leader, and the Nashville (Tenn.) Banner, where she began her journalism journey as a business reporter. Additionally, Ms. Kohn completed Northwestern University’s Advanced Media Management Executive Program and has twice served as a judge for the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.