Will Parker Law

Will Parker Law, LLC and Sonshine Recovery Ministries by Melissa LaScaleia Will Parker worked as a lawyer under several prominent attorneys in South Carolina before establishing his own law firm, Will Parker, LLC in December 2017. The firm primarily serves clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Will’s life experiences inspired him to pursue these branches of law, as he has been the victim of an accident where the driver didn’t have adequate insurance, and has also felt the pain of losing a loved one to a reckless accident.  “I’m coming from a different and broader perspective which gives me a deeper level of empathy and understanding of how to handle the variety of cases I see,” Will says. “Moreover, personal injury claims often seem like they don’t receive the respect that they deserve. In the way I treat my clients, I aim to change that.”  Many years ago, Will struggled with opiate addiction, and today hopes to use whatever platform he has to help others in similar situations.  “The way you practice law is going to be an extension of who you are and the experiences you’ve had in your life,” Will says. “I can relate to and understand what those clients are going through, and I can get them in touch with people who can help them make better decisions. I try to step in when I think I can help redirect someone’s path and help them receive a second chance to get their life back on track. The way I speak to a judge and jury is coming from that place of authenticity, of having been at one time in my life, on the other side.”  When Will began his practice, he had one part-time person assisting him with his practice; today, he has six full-time staff members, including new attorney, Greg Sloan. Greg has been practicing law for the past 25 years, and has brought over 60 trials to verdict. His practice is located in a new 1,500 square foot space in Murrells Inlet, which his wife, Erin, designed. The firm has a heavy case load and recovers millions of dollars for clients each year.  “Through growing and getting bigger as a firm, we’ve been able to help more people,” Will says. “And that’s the best part of what I do and why I do what I do. I’m always looking for opportunities to serve the community based on my experiences.”  Will recently began serving on the board of Sonshine Recovery Ministries, a local area non-profit 501(c)(3). It was founded by husband and wife team Tim Carter and Lissa Davis in 2019.  Tim built himself a multi-million dollar heating and air conditioning business in North Carolina. At the same time, he was struggling with a cocaine addiction. One night, an overdose left him on the brink of death, and he prayed that if his life was spared, he’d devote the rest of it to serving God. He lived; and quite literally walked away from his former life.  “I came to Myrtle Beach and checked into recovery with two shirts, two pairs of pants, and the shoes on my feet, and that was it,” he says. Four months into the recovery program, the owner and director unceremoniously left, and Tim had to quickly step up to the helm to salvage the program and everyone’s home.   “I had to find a 501(c)(3) in Myrtle Beach to take over the program and legitimize it so we didn’t get shut down,” he says. “I raised money to pay off the property so people didn’t get evicted because we were severely overdue on rent. And I took over as house manager. I was able to accomplish all of this successfully because of my business background.”  At the same time that he was sorting out the business and legality aspects of the recovery program, Tim sought to revamp the structure and operations as well.  “I noticed that the parameters around the recovery house weren’t realistic, viable, or sustainable and there was no accountability,” he says. “Basically it was a place to stay; and the house manager would send you to one meeting a day if he thought you were doing drugs. That’s not recovery.”  Tim and Lissa met while Tim was working on his plan for revitalizing the recovery program. The two shared a common vision, and decided to branch out on their own and start their own non-profit in keeping with their values. Along the way, Tim became a pastor, and Sonshine Recovery Ministries, a faith-based non-profit recovery program, was born. They have a recovery home that houses ten men in Myrtle Beach, and provides them with housing, food, and educational classes to help them start a new life.  “I’ve been there and I understand the struggle,” Tim says. “And I know too, that addiction doesn’t discriminate. I just want to use my experience to help others.”  “Our motto is: ‘No addict left behind,’” he adds. “And it’s our mission too. We will help anyone who is willing to help themselves. We are here to give them a hand up not a hand out.”  Tim and Lissa opened an accompanying thrift store so program participants could get clothing and supplies at no cost. They also outfitted the entire recovery house with furniture and items from the store. “The thrift store exists to serve the needs of the community,” Tim says. “If someone has a home fire and all their belongings were destroyed, or survived a hurricane or other natural disaster— whatever it is, we’re here to help.”  In the past 18 months since they’ve been open, the group has celebrated some success stories.  “One of the guys who was living on the street went through the home for a year and got his credentialing, and is now a pastor,” Tim says. “He will now be overseeing the home. Work ethic is a big part of what we teach and promote.”  “Will has been a big asset to us,” Tim … Read more

The team at Will Parker Law, LLC is empathetic & understanding in all of their cases. Will Parker Law, LLC has grown in many ways and will continue to grow in the future, serving their community.

Practicing Law in a Personal Way by Melissa LaScaleia Will Parker attended the University of South Carolina Law School and passed the Bar Exam in 2006. Since that time, he’s worked under several prominent attorneys.  He established his own law firm, Will Parker, LLC in December 2017 to serve the needs of accident victims and those facing criminal charges on the Grand Strand. “I knew God was calling me to branch out on my own,” he says. “And the more obedient I am to that call, the more clearly my path unfolds before me. In the past year, my firm has experienced exponential growth.”  To begin, he’s expanded into a new 1500 square foot office space, which his wife, Erin, designed. From one part-time person, he’s grown to three full-time staff members. And his firm also had its first 7-figure settlement. Will was recently interviewed for an article by the Post and Courier featuring one of his clients. It received so much attention, he believes it may help to instigate reforms. “The article highlighted a situation with one of my clients that was unfair; and a lot of weight was given to it,” Will says. “I believe that in putting a spotlight on it, we were able to inspire some helpful changes to the social security system which are currently being reviewed. “Through growing and getting bigger, we’ve been able to help more people. And that’s the best part of what I do and why I do what I do.” Today, Will primarily practices in the arenas of criminal law and personal injury. With the former, he mainly focusses on smaller-level drug charges. The team of Will Parker Law from left to right: Ruth Millar, Will Parker, Janeen Salone, and Alexis Gunnell. — Photo Meganpixels Parker/Rachel Ogg “The way you practice law is going to be an extension of who you are and the experiences you’ve had in your life,” he says. “I’m in recovery myself. I can relate to and understand what those clients are going through, and I can get them in touch with people who can help them make better decisions. I try to step in when I think I can help redirect someone’s path and help them receive a second chance to get their life back on track. The way I speak to a judge and jury is coming from that place of authenticity, of having been at one time in my life, on the other side.” Similarly, Will has been the victim of an accident where the driver didn’t have adequate insurance, and he had to shoulder a heavy financial burden. And he’s felt the pain of losing a loved one as an accident victim as well. “I’ve been on all sides of the situation, and that broader perspective gives me a deeper level of empathy and understanding of how to handle the variety of cases I see,” he says. “If you’re in an accident, an attorney can help in several ways. Firstly, the business model of insurance companies is to pay as little as possible. They know many tactics to minimize or avoid paying the full value of a settlement. Once you have an attorney, the company can’t speak to you, which protects you from potentially agreeing to accept little to nothing. The sooner you get an attorney the better. We get a lot better results when we take the client by the lead from the beginning. And, as Horry County is one of the most conservative counties in the state, this isn’t the place to get in a wreck and try to represent yourself.” An attorney is able to send a letter to physicians who will treat accident victims and agree to be paid at the time of settlement. This allows you to obtain the treatment needed when you need it. Attorneys are better able to find, discover and obtain all available insurance policies that a lay person would not likely be able to discover on their own.  An attorney absolutely needs to be involved when any kind of release is signed, as an accident victim may sign away rights to collect under certain policies. “Moreover, personal injury claims often seem like they don’t receive the respect that they deserve,” Will says. “In the way I treat my clients, I aim to change that.” Will values his ability to spend time with his clients one-on-one no matter the case.  Will values his ability to spend time with his clients and prides himself on his accessibility no matter the case. —Photo Meganpixels Parker “I know the bigger I get, the harder it is to do that,” he says. “So I hired appropriate staffing and put systems in place so I’m still a major part of the client relationship.” All of Will’s clients have access to his personal cell phone number, so he can better maintain a relationship with each client personally. When you call his firm, you’ll be put in contact with him immediately if he’s available— there’s no screening process. “I try to be as real and as down to earth with my clients as I can so they understand who I am, and if they want me to represent them,” he says. “I’m branding something different from other firms. The priorities in my life are serving God, family, and community. Those values drive me, and from honoring them, I’ve seen incredible results, and believe I’ve been blessed.” In keeping with that philosophy of service, Will’s firm recently partnered with a local radio station and helped sponsor a food drive for the Lowcountry Food Bank. “We took the fundraiser to the next level,” he says. “We printed out t-shirts, passed out candy, and my staff and family and friends came and participated. We really pushed the donations, and they received triple the amount they usually do. It’s the values that are important to me. So any way I can reflect that in my law firm, I do.” Over the course of the … Read more

Practicing Law in a Personal Way by Melissa LaScaleia Will Parker established Will Parker Law, LLC in December 2017 to serve the needs of accident victims and those facing criminal charges on the Grand Strand.  He worked under several prominent attorneys since graduating the University of South Carolina and passing the Bar Exam in 2006.     “But in my heart, I just felt God calling me to something bigger,” he says. “I felt like there was something else out there and that I had to take a chance in order to take ahold of it. I knew if I had the faith, then it would work. I had a one-year old daughter at the time, and I desired the freedom to spend more time with my family.”  Will helped with the marketing and other business aspects of the prior law firms he worked for and enjoyed both the law and the business side.  “I have always had a business sense in my blood,” he says in speaking about how he took steps to branch out on his own. “My uncle, Jim Parker, has acted as a mentor over the course of my life. I really took note how he ran his business ethically, was always fair in his business dealings, and how he treated people, particularly employees, the right way. I was also blessed to work under attorneys with sound business judgment who acted as mentors. I felt very supported when making the change. Most importantly, my wife Erin supported me 100%, and was willing to make sacrifices in the beginning.”  In his private practice, Will places emphasis on two areas of law: Personal Injury and Criminal Law.  “I have a slightly different perspective on personal injury cases than perhaps others,” Will says, “because I’ve been in five automobile accidents that involved totaled vehicles, injuries and even death.  “When I was thirteen years old, I was traveling in a car with my family and we were hit head-on by a drunk driver. I sustained a seatbelt crush injury with a low chance of survival. It was a miracle, really, that I did.  My father and step-mother were seriously injured, and my father passed away months later from complications relating to those injuries.”  When he was thirty years old, Will was hit by a physician who ran a stop sign and t-boned his car at 45 mph. “I’ve been the victim of an accident and felt the financial brunt of it,” he says. “I’ve been involved in an accident where the driver didn’t have adequate insurance. It was scary because most of the medical providers wanted their money upfront. And I’ve felt the pain of losing a loved one, as well. I’ve been on all sides of the situation, and that broader perspective gives me a deeper level of empathy and understanding of how to handle these cases.”    Will knows first-hand that situations involving personal bodily injury can have a more devastating impact on your life in the long term than many people realize.  “If you’re young, a moderate speed impact collision can affect your body for your entire life,” he says. “If someone has been in any type of accident with bodily injuries, it’s wise for that person to call an attorney as soon as possible.  “An attorney can help in several ways. First, insurance companies are notoriously difficult to deal with. They often resist giving payouts or paying full value. They know many tactics to minimize a settlement.”  An attorney is able to advocate on the behalf of accident victims so they can receive the physical treatment that they need when they need it, and physicians agree to be paid at the time of settlement. Attorneys are better able to find, discover and obtain all available insurance policies that a lay person would not likely be able to discover on their own. An attorney absolutely needs to be involved when any kind of release is signed as an accident victim may sign away rights to collect under certain policies.  “As Horry County is one of the most conservative counties in the state, this isn’t the place to get in a wreck and try to represent yourself,” he says.  Since the start of his career, Will has recovered millions of dollars for accident victims and handled thousands of accident cases. He has practiced law exclusively along the Grand Strand, where he resides in Market Common District with Erin and daughter, Annabelle.    Will (left) with Annabelle and Erin. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Many law firms have satellite offices here, and retain a primary office someplace else,” he says. “I make it a point to make myself accessible to my clients and I am happy to do at-home visits and hospital visits too, if needed.  “I am blessed to have hired a rock star paralegal, Janeen Salone, who also has experience in auto insurance and banking, which allows me to be able to practice law in those areas as well.”  “The number one yearly reported complaint about attorneys is they don’t return phone calls,” Will adds. “That’s just not how I handle my business. My clients receive my personal cell phone number and have direct access to me all the time. At a lot of law firms, the client never has the chance to speak to the lawyer. I want my clients to feel at ease. I hear stories all the time where clients tell me, ‘I called my attorney and left messages and I never heard back.’” In the realm of criminal law, Will focuses on DUI, minor drug and alcohol related charges, and other misdemeanor and felony offenses.  “I had a second chance in life and I believe everybody is entitled to that,” he says. “I think everybody deserves an attorney who is facing something that serious. I stay on top of cases. I fight hard for my clients and prepare diligently. That’s what wins cases, being prepared. I was in the restaurant business for fifteen years, waiting tables and working as a bartender. I took some of that customer service and applied it to my law practice.”  Will … Read more