Your Business Resource for Columbia and The Midlands

DeAndrea Gist Benjamin
Attorney; Circuit Court Judge; First Lady of Columbia

Family: Husband Steve; daughters Bethany and Jordan Grace

Education: B.A., Winthrop University; J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law

Favorite Thing to See, Do or Eat in Columbia: “I enjoy spending time with my girls at Edenture Children’s Museum and Riverbanks Zoo, and at all of the beautiful parks across the city."

Words of Wisdom: “Don’t sweat the small stuff — take one day at a time.”

The daughter of distinguished attorney Donald Gist — until last month, she was a practicing attorney in his firm — DeAndrea Gist Benjamin has long since dreamed of becoming a judge. That dream comes to fruition this month when Benjamin assumes her new role as a circuit judge for Richland and Kershaw counties.

“I’ve always had an interest in law and the judicial system,” says Benjamin. “While in college during summer break, I had an opportunity to sit in a court proceeding where Federal District Judge Matthew J. Perry presided. It was then that I first dreamed of becoming a judge.”

Benjamin’s judgeship is the latest in a list of career achievements that includes serving as prosecutor for the S.C. Attorney General’s office, municipal judge for the City of Columbia and assistant solicitor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s office. Her other prominent role, of course, is as First Lady of the City of Columbia. Having grown up here, Benjamin says it’s easy to forget how special Columbia really is.

“Most cities don’t have three beautiful rivers running through them. They don’t have a major college or university, let alone six. Most cities don’t have our theaters, museums, art galleries or dance studios, a Fort Jackson or a Riverbanks Zoo. I want Columbians to realize the potential that’s already here and start thinking big about the possibilities.”

One of her passions is the fight against childhood obesity, and she’s excited to be spearheading a project called "Let’s Move Columbia."

“Based on First Lady Michelle Obama’s national model, 'Let’s Move Columbia' takes a sustainable, holistic approach to fighting the childhood obesity epidemic,” says Benjamin. “[We want to] help parents make healthy family choices, improve health in our schools, increase physical activity and make healthy food affordable and accessible. This is a fight for our children’s lives, and I’m proud that the City is leading the charge.”