William G. Newsome III
J.D. | LL.M. in Taxation
Education
University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1991
University of Florida School of Law, LL.M.(Taxation), 1992
Francis Marion College, B.S. in Economics, 1988
Bar Admissions
South Carolina
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
About
Billy Newsome practices in the areas of trust and estate administration, wealth transfer planning, taxation and exempt organizations. He is a Certified Specialist in the Areas of Estate Planning and Probate Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court.
He represents individual and corporate fiduciaries in complex estate and trust administration. Fiduciaries and beneficiaries also call on Billy to assist them with estate and trust litigation matters. He also assists high net worth individuals and business owners with structuring their estate plans and business succession plans.
Billy also represents tax exempt organizations and assists them with complying with the myriad rules applicable to 501(c)(3) organizations. Additionally, he provides general tax and business advice to individuals and businesses.
A native of Hartsville, South Carolina, Billy received a B.S. degree in Economics from Francis Marion College, attending as a Francis Marion Scholar. He received his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was a Roy Webster Scholar and a member of the Order of the Wig and Robe. He also received a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida School of Law.
Billy and his wife, Kim, and their daughters, Ann and Emily, are active members of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia.
Recognitions
Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" for Trusts and Estates (Columbia) 2015
Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates (2008-present)
Certified Specialist in the areas of Estate Planning and Probate Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court
South Carolina Estate Planning and Probate Law Specialization Advisory Board Member (2008-2013, Chair 2011-2013)
Council Member for the Probate Estate Planning and Trust Section of the South Carolina Bar (2017-2020)
Member of the Columbia Estate Planning Council
Providence Hospitals Foundation Board Member (2014-present)
Oliver Gospel Mission Board of Directors (Past Chair/Former Board Member)
Family Connection of South Carolina (former Board Member)
Eastminster Presbyterian Church Elder
In 2005, The State Newspaper named Billy as one of the 20 under 40 Business Leaders in the Midlands
Leadership Columbia- Class of 1999
South Carolina Education Lottery Commissioner (2020 to present)
Adjunct Professor - University of South Carolina School of Law (2020 to present)
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Fellow (2021)
Speaking and Writing
“Charitable Planning Using Trusts,” presentation to Columbia Estate Planning Council, August 2019
"Planning for a Fight: What Every Estate Planner Needs to Know about Trust & Estate Litigation," presentation to the South Carolina Bar Al Todd Estate Planning Workshop, July 2017
"Appeals from Probate Court" presentation to the South Carolina Association of Probate Judges 2017 Legislative Conference, March 2017
Newsome, William G. & Mellen, Briani “Volume IV, Chapter 1, Estate Planning in South Carolina.” Estate Litigation in South Carolina, South Carolina Bar, 2016.
"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Elective Share," presentation to the South Carolina Bar, 2001
Newsome, William G., MacBean, Meagan L. & Spitz, Jonathan E. “Volume 32, Issue 4, SC Lawyer Magazine.” “Who’s in Charge Here? The Who, What, When and Why of Selecting a Fiduciary”