South Carolina Bar President Babs Warner has announced that David M. Ross has accepted the position of executive director. Ross replaces executive director Bob Wells upon his retirement after 33 years of service.

Ross is a native South Carolinian and a longtime member of the Bar. His legal and administrative experience began as a law clerk for the now retired Circuit Court Judge H. Dean Hall, and continued with a career as a solicitor, working in Oconee, Anderson, Greenville, Kershaw, and Richland counties. He served as an assistant solicitor, 1st assistant solicitor, and then deputy solicitor in Richland County, where he led a team of 35 prosecutors and 60 support staff.

Most recently Ross has served as executive director of the SC Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the state agency that coordinates administrative activities that involve the prosecution of South Carolina criminal cases. In this role, Ross worked with all 16 solicitors, members of the Court, and the Legislature, addressing issues concerning the effectiveness of prosecution and law enforcement. He joined the Commission in January 2011 after a 17-year career as a solicitor.

Ross received his B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina in 1988 and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1991. He has been an active member of the Bar since that time, having served in the House of Delegates, on the Judicial Qualifications and Unauthorized Practice of Law committees, and currently on the Vulnerable Adult Task Force. 

“The Bar’s Board of Governors is very excited to have David join us as we work together to provide value to our members and meet the challenges of the future,” said Warner.

Ross will join the Bar staff on May 15.

The South Carolina Bar, which has a membership of more than 16,000 lawyers, is dedicated to advancing justice, professionalism, and understanding of the law.