Laura Callaway Hart, B.A. with distinction, Piano Performance, Converse College (1975); J.D. cum laude, University of South Carolina (1983). While in law school, Ms. Hart was a member of the Editorial Board of the South Carolina Law Review, the Order of Wig and Robe, and the Order of the Coif, and was named the winner of the J. Woodrow Lewis Moot Court Competition. She is the author of "From Offense to Defense: Defending Legal Malpractice Claims," 45 S.C. L. REV. 771, 1994. Ms. Hart has extensive experience in complex litigation, including products liability, toxic torts, and professional malpractice litigation. At her prior law firm, Ms. Hart served as one of three primary attorneys for the plaintiff school districts in the landmark school funding lawsuit, Abbeville County School District, et al. v. State of South Carolina, et al., for which she received her firm's Claude M. Scarborough, Jr., Pro Bono Award. She is also a recipient of the Tribute to Women and Industry Award from the YWCA. She practices in all areas of education law, with an emphasis on litigation and school finance.