Defending criminal charges including drug crimes, DUI, CDV, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, computer crimes, money laundering, and juvenile crimes, Pete also handles Federal and State investigations.
Representing individuals in Civil Matters including Class Actions, Personal Injury, Qui Tam Actions, Defective Products, Nursing Home Neglect, and Professional Licensing Defense cases.
Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr., the managing partner at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., has been fighting for justice since 1984.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1959, Pete attended the University of South Carolina and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts. While attending the University of South Carolina, Pete served as President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Pete attended the University of South Carolina School of Law where he graduated with a J.D. in 1984.
After graduating from law school, Pete served as law clerk to the Honorable Frank Eppes, a South Carolina State Trial Court Judge.
In 1985, Pete joined the Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office as an Assistant Solicitor. While serving as Assistant Solicitor, Pete handled over 200 drug cases, prosecuting the largest heroin trafficking case in South Carolina at that time, a case involving over 100 grams of heroin.
After a stint in private practice, practicing as a partner in three law firms, Pete was named United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina in 1993. At the time he was appointed by Attorney General Janet Reno, Pete was the youngest U.S. Attorney in the country.
As the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Pete created the Violent Crimes Task Force in South Carolina, which Attorney General Reno referred to as “a national model for the country through a provocative violent crime initiative”. During his service as U.S. Attorney, Pete served on Justice Department committees relating to organized crime, white collar crime, sentencing guidelines, and juvenile justice. Pete also attended the Harvard University Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.
Pete returned to private practice in 1996, founding the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C.. For over 15 years, Pete has dedicated his life to protecting the rights of individuals and small businesses.
Pete is recognized as an AV peer review rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for very high to preeminent legal ability and ethical standards. He was named by the NACDA one of the Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in the state of South Carolina and he was also named as one the Top 100 Trial Lawyers for Criminal Defense by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Pete routinely participates in roundtable ethical discussions for the South Carolina Bar Association. Pete is also routinely contacted by the Associated Press for guidance on legal topics in the media.
In addition to his trial practice, Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr. is actively involved in many community endeavors. Pete is a past president of the South Carolina Association for Justice and currently serves as a Member of the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice, a Board Member for the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, a Board Member for the USC/Technology Incubator and a Member of the South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission.
Honors and Awards:
- AV Peer Review Rated from Martindale-Hubbell
- Past President, South Carolina Association for Justice
- Member, Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice
- Board Member, USC/Columbia Technology Incubator
- Board Member, South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center
- Member, South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission
- NTLA Top 100 Trial Lawyers for Criminal Defense
- NACDA Top 10 Attorney Award for the State of South Carolina
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
Bar Admissions:
- South Carolina, 1984
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1986
- U.S. District Court District of South Carolina, 1986
Pete has also been admitted pro hac vice in numerous federal courts, including:
- The Northern District of Florida
- The Southern District of Florida
- The Middle District of North Carolina
- The District of Connecticut
- The District of New Jersey
- The Southern District of Iowa
- The Southern District of California
- The Central District of California, and
- The Northern District of California.
Pete has also practiced in a number of other Federal Courts in Multi-district litigation.
Education:
- University of South Carolina JD. 1984
- University of South Carolina B.A. 1981
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- South Carolina Bar Association
- Richland County Bar Association
- South Carolina Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
- National Association of Former United States Attorneys
- National Crime Victim Bar Association
- Southern Trial Lawyers Association
- South Carolina Association for Justice
- American Association for Justice
