Carolyn M. Bone
Managing Attorney/Mediator

About Us

Attorney/Mediator  Carolyn Bone, Esq.

A Summerville, South Carolina native, family law attorney Carolyn Bone has long been an advocate for children and families and has pursued a career path that includes compassionate service. She received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2008. Prior to law school, Ms. Bone graduated summa cum laude from Converse College with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a dual major in English and Psychology.  

While in law school, Ms. Bone was the President of Women in Law and the Business Editor of the nationally-distributed Journal of Law and Education. She was also awarded a Barton Clinic Child Law grant by Emory University, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (South Carolina chapter) Harvey L. Golden Award for Special Interest in Family Law, and the University of South Carolina School of Law's Susan McCrary scholarship award.

Before opening The Law Office of Carolyn M. Bone, LLC in 2014, Ms. Bone was an associate with the Columbia, South Carolina-based Parise Law Firm, P.A., where her practice focused entirely on family law issues. She also served as a volunteer and trainer of new Guardians ad Litem with Richland County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which represents the interests of abused and neglected children in South Carolina Department of Social Services proceedings. From 2012-2015, Ms. Bone  held the position of adjunct professor of Business Law I & II, Employment Law, and Healthcare Law and served as the Coordinator of Legal Courses at Charleston Southern University in the College of Adult and Professional Studies.   

A former Dorchester School District II English teacher, Ms. Bone continues to represent the interests of South Carolina's children through service to the legal community. Ms. Bone served as the President of the Dorchester County Bar Association (2018), Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee (2015), and Secretary of the association (2016 and 2017). She is an active member of the Charleston County Bar Association, as well as the Family Court Section of the South Carolina Bar. She is a former appointed member of the Dorchester County Family Court Liaison Committee (2018-2021), serving as a bridge between local Family Court judges and family law practitioners to improve the practice of family law in our area. In 2018, she was elected as a General Council Member of the South Carolina Bar Family Law Section, which monitors and drafts Family Court legislation, conducts continuing legal education seminars, and publishes materials for Family Court attorneys in South Carolina.

In 2015, Ms. Bone successfully completed the American Bar Association/National Institute for Trial Advocacy Family Law Program, an intensive trial skills program. This program features nationally-recognized faculty and refines the skills and techniques used in contested divorce proceedings, including examination of child custody and financial experts.

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Ms. Bone became a certified Family Court Mediator in 2017. She is a former board member (2019) of the Mediation and Meeting Center of Charleston and provides Family Court mediation services statewide. Ms. Bone is also trained in Cooperative Family Law and is a member of the Charleston Cooperative Family Law Association. 

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Carolyn Bone was voted Best Family Law Attorney- Runner Up in the Charleston City Paper's 2020 "Best of Charleston" feature. In 2021, Ms. Bone was voted a "Rising Star" by superlawyers.com, based upon an evaluation of 12 indicators including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice. She serves as a mentor for law students at Charleston School of Law and to new attorneys through the South Carolina Bar. 

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Associate Attorney Emily Neal

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Emily Neal attended the College of Charleston where she graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a European concentration. Ms. Neal received her J.D. from the Charleston School of Law in 2021. While in law school, Emily was a member of the Student Division of the Charleston County Bar Association, Children’s Advocacy and Family Law Society, Women in Law and the Law Links mentorship program. She participated in the Judicial Observation Program as well as the Externship program allowing her to spend valuable time within the courtrooms of various Family Court Judges throughout the Charleston area. 

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Senior Paralegal Haley Wadford

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Senior Paralegal Haley Wadford graduated from Trident Technical College with a degree in Paralegal Studies in May 2015. She joined the firm in January 2015 after first serving as an intern, and is an invaluable and experienced member of our Summerville divorce team. 

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Paralegal Rustalyn D. Rose

Paralegal Rustalyn D. Rose grew up in Summerville and has worked as a family law paralegal for almost 20 years throughout the Lowcountry.  She has been a visitation supervisor since 2016 and a lay Guardian ad Litem since 2018.  Ms. Rose joined the team in 2021.

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Receptionist Dana Betzold

Dana Betzold joined the firm in October 2019. Dana is a mother of three, grew up in South Jersey and moved to South Carolina in 2012. Prior to joining The Law Office of Carolyn M. Bone, Ms. Betzold worked as a private investigator. 

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