DRAFT PREPARED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

For: Sen. Scott

Attorney: McIntosh

Drafting Assistant: Thurmond

Date: May 09, 2023

DOC. ID.: /LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL/CM/DRAFTS/LC-0324CM-GM23/LC-0324CM-GM23.DOCX

A senate RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND commend the Honorable Alison Renee Lee of Richland County, a judge for the South Carolina Circuit Court, UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT AFTER twenty-four YEARS OF distinguished SERVICE, AND TO WISH HER CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, it is altogether fitting and proper that the members of the Senate of the State of South Carolina should pause in their deliberations to express their gratitude to Alison Renee Lee for her significant contributions to the legal profession as she begins her retirement on May 16, 2023; and

Whereas, born in Washington, D.C., she is the daughter of the late Juanita Bacote Lee.  She earned a bachelor's degree from Vassar College and a juris doctorate from Tulane University Law School; and

Whereas, from 1982 to 1983, Judge Lee served as a law clerk to the Honorable Israel M. Augustine of the Louisiana 4^th Circuit Court of Appeals, and from 1983 to 1984, she was a law clerk to the Honorable C. Tolbert Goolsby of the South Carolina Court of Appeals.  Licensed to practice law in Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina, she served as an attorney in the McNair Law Firm from 1984 to 1989 and in the South Carolina Legislative Council from 1989 to 1994; and

Whereas, in 1994, Judge Lee was elected as one of the first three on a panel to the new Administrative Law Court, where she served until 1999 when she was elected by the General Assembly to serve as the first black female on the South Carolina Circuit Court; and

Whereas, devoted to her community, she served on the Historic Columbia Foundation Board of Trustees, is a member of the Columbia Chapter of The Links, Inc., and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  She also has served on the Richland County Board of Directors, and boards for the Department of Social Services and United Way of the Midlands; and

Whereas, Judge Lee's outstanding judicial work has been honored by the South Carolina Black Lawyers Association with the Judge Matthew Perry, Jr., Award for Outstanding Legal Service in 2014 and the Richland County Bar Association with the Matthew J. Perry Civility Award in 2017; and

Whereas, together with her beloved husband, Kenzil F. Summey, she has reared two fine children, Julian Christopher Summey and Amanda Leigh Summey. The family also now includes son-in-law John "Jack" Chen.  Judge Lee and her husband attend the Basilica of St. Peter Catholic Church; and

Whereas, she plans to spend many happy hours of retirement enjoying her hobbies of traveling and conducting family genealogical research; and

Whereas, grateful for her many years of distinguished service to the legal profession, the South Carolina Senate takes great pleasure in extending best wishes to Judge Alison Lee as she transitions to a richly deserved retirement and the unhurried pace of the days ahead, and the members wish her many years of enjoyment in her well-earned retirement.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and commend the Honorable Alison Renee Lee of Richland County, a judge for the South Carolina Circuit Court, upon the occasion of her retirement after twenty-four years of distinguished service, and wish her continued success and happiness in all her future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Judge Alison Renee Lee.

----XX----