Scruggs Named President of National Organization

Shannon Willis Scruggs, executive director of the South Carolina Bar Foundation, has been elected President of the National Association of IOLTA Programs (NAIP). Established in 1986, NAIP works to enhance legal services for the poor and the administration of justice through the growth and development of Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) programs.  

"IOLTA programs have faced great challenges. Revenues have decreased significantly while the legal needs of the low income community surge. It is with great honor that I serve in this capacity – working with sister IOLTA programs, the ABA Commission on IOLTA and many other partners – to find ways we can continue to provide assistance for those who need it the most," commented Scruggs. 

Scruggs earned her undergraduate degree from Wofford College and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. She has been with the SC Bar Foundation for more than 12 years. At the Foundation, she manages all aspects of the IOLTA program and leads the Foundation in its role as the only statewide entity that funds legal aid and educates the public about the civil justice system. In addition to serving as President of the NAIP Board, she is an active member of the National Conference of Bar Foundations. Scruggs is a frequent director, actor and singer at Columbia’s historic Town Theatre and is active at Spring Valley Baptist Church. She was honored as a member of the 20 Under 40 Class of 2008 by The State newspaper and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership South Carolina.

The South Carolina Bar Foundation, the heart of the South Carolina Bar, funds the advancement of justice by improving access, education and accountability.  Since 1987, the Foundation has allocated approximately $43.8 million to various legal related organizations that work on behalf of the justice community. Last year alone, Foundation grantees assisted more than 10,200 low income South Carolinians in need of legal services, 450 homeless men and women and 390 victims of domestic abuse. For more information, visit scbarfoundation.org.

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