After graduating from Beaufort High in 1960, Mr. Mikell enrolled in The Citadel and was assigned to Fox Company. While enrolled at The Citadel, Mr. Mikell attained the rank of Cadet First Lieutenant and maintained a constant presence on the Dean’s List, (3.0 GPA), for several years and the Gold Stars list, (3.6 GPA) for two years. Mr. Mikell graduated from The Citadel in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and immediately went to work for First National Bank of South Carolina as a Management Trainee. Mr. Mikell left the employ of First National Bank of South Carolina in September of 1969 to attend the University of South Carolina School of Law. Prior to leaving Mr. Mikell was promoted in June of 1966 to the position of Branch Manager in Charleston, South Carolina. After graduating from law school and receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1972, Mr. Mikell “moved” home to Beaufort and became a shareholder in the Law Firm of Harvey, Battey & Mikell, P.A. In 1982, Mr. Mikell left Harvey, Battey & Mikell, P.A. and opened his own practice, J. Thomas Mikell, Attorney at Law. In 2009 Mr. Mikell merged his practice with the Law Offices of Frampton L. Harper, II and the Law Office of Weidner & Wegmann, LLC to form Mikell, Weidner, Wegmann & Harper, LLC.
Since 1972, Mr. Mikell has concentrated his practice in the areas of Real Estate Development, Banking, Uniform Commercial Code, General Corporate, and Community Association Law. Mr. Mikell is the current President of the South Carolina Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, (CAI). CAI is a national organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, competent, harmonious community associations. For more than 30 years, CAI has been the leader in providing education and resources to the volunteer homeowners who govern community associations and the professionals who support them. Our members include community association volunteer leaders, professional managers, community management firms and other professionals and companies that provide products and services to associations.
In addition to his involvement with Community Associations, Mr. Mikell has extensive experience handling all aspects of quiet title and heirs property litigation. Since 1975, Mr. Mikell has prepared and prosecuted an average of twenty quiet title actions per year. Additionally, Mr. Mikell has conducted seminars on heirs property and quiet title actions for the Palmetto Land Title Association, South Carolina Bar Association, and Investors Title Insurance Company. Mr. Mikell has also represented numerous clients in the collection of mechanic’s liens and in construction defect and design litigation.
As part of his transactional practice, Mr. Mikell conducts on average three hundred and fifty residential and seventy-five commercial real property closings per year. This involves all matters from the initial drafting of the contracts, issuing title opinions and binders, conduct of the closing and writing the final title policies. Mr. Mikell provides general legal advice and incorporates an average of twelve new small business per year. Mr. Mikell has worked with business in to include: home health agencies; apartment owners; banks; general contractors; sub-contractors; convenience stores; mortgage brokers; and other various small businesses.
On a larger transactional scale, Mr. Mikell has represented numerous real property developers in all phases of development to include: residential subdivisions; patio lots; residential and commercial condominiums; boat condominiums; office buildings; mobile home rentals; apartments; golf courses; tennis courts; and shopping centers. Mr. Mikell has provided such services as: incorporation; preparation of limited and general partnership agreements; preparation of Declarations of Covenants and Master Deeds for condominiums; closing of construction loans and acquisition and development loans; negotiations with lenders, sellers, buyers, general contractors, subcontractors, golf course designers, beach revetment and sea wall contractors, bridge engineers and contractors, road paving contractors; restaurant managers; insurance agents; title insurance companies; architects and real estate brokers; surveyors; and all other persons involved in the real estate development and construction business.
For nearly 40 years, Mr. Mikell has been providing the lowcountry with exception legal services and has been an integral part of the community serving in various capacities with the following organizations:
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Downtown Merchants Associations
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Main Street USA
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President – Beaufort Chapter American Cancer Society
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Board of Directors – Palmetto State Bank
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Executive Committee and Chair – Lowcountry Council of Governments
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Sea Island Rotary Club
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Beaufort/Jasper Homebuilders Associations
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Lady’s Island Business & Professional Association
In addition to his civic memberships, Mr. Mikell has been an active alumnus of The Citadel serving in the following capacities:
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General E. A. Pollock Memorial Committee
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Life Member – Association of Citadel Men
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Treasurer – Beaufort Citadel Club
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President – Beaufort Citadel Club
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Reporter – Citadel American Inn of Court
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South Carolina Chairman – Citadel Volunteers
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Vice President – Association of Citadel Men
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President Elect – Association of Citadel Men
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President – Association of Citadel Men
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National Chairman Citadel Volunteers
Mr. Mikell can be reached at:
14 Professional Village Circle
Beaufort, South Carolina 29907
(843) 524-2110 [phone]
(843) 524-4995 [fax]