Robertson H. Wendt, Jr., principal disability attorney

Attorney Rob Wendt, of the law firm of Robertson H. Wendt, P.A., based in Charleston, SC, is one of only two board certified Social Security disability specialists in the state of South Carolina, and one of just 59 in the country certified by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (NBLSC). Throughout his nearly 30 years of practicing law, he has successfully handled thousands of Social Security disability claims.

Wendt, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University, went on to earn his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Shortly thereafter, he served as clerk for the Honorable Klyde Robinson and the Honorable Lawrence E. Richter, Jr., both South Carolina Circuit Court judges for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. He then entered into private practice and developed a strong background in trial and appellate litigation in state and federal courts, and before administrative agencies.

While his practice now focuses on Social Security and other disability benefit claims, Wendt devoted considerable time in his early career to public interest law involving mental health and the environment. In the 1980s, he was lead counsel in Fair Housing Act litigation for Palmetto Pathway Homes, Inc., which provided residential housing for the mentally ill, resulting in a landmark state Supreme Court decision. During this time, he successfully handled several high profile Clean Water Act citizen suits on behalf of landowners on Wadmalaw Island and Johns Island, S.C. In 1990 he was appointed by Ninth Circuit Solicitor Charles M. Condon to serve as South Carolina’s first state court environmental crimes prosecutor focusing on complex corporate pollution crimes. Wendt prosecuted several highly publicized pollution cases and was appointed to serve as a special assistant United States attorney in a case that resulted in convictions for illegal international shipment of hazardous waste.

Notably, his colleagues have elected him numerous times as chair of the Social Security Section of the South Carolina Association for Justice (formerly the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association). Wendt served in this position from 1997 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2007. In 1999, he was elected to serve a three-year term on the Association’s Board of Governors as a representative of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Social Security Disability Law Section for the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) where he acted as section chair from 2000 to 2001. Wendt conceived and promoted the idea of board certification for Social Security disability specialists and served on the five-member committee appointed by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (NBLSC), which developed the first accredited national certification program for this area of law. Further, he served as a board member for the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association from 2003 to 2005. More recently, Wendt was honored with a South Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s 2011 Leadership in Law award. He was one of only 15 in the state, and one of only three in the South Carolina Lowcountry area, to receive this honor. He was also recently featured in the Post and Courier’s High Profile section for his extensive service both to the legal profession and the community at large.

Wendt is currently a member in good standing of the South Carolina Bar, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Charleston County Bar Association. He is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, the American Association for Justice, and the South Carolina Association for Justice. Wendt is admitted to practice in South Carolina, the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Wendt has served as a speaker, trainer, and panelist for numerous local, state, and national programs and organizations concerning Social Security disability law and practice. Wendt lives in downtown Charleston, S.C. with his wife and daughter.

Geoffrey L. Wendt is an associate attorney at The Law Offices of Robertson Wendt.  He is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Federal Bar Association, and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.  Before joining The Law Offices of Robertson Wendt, Geoff worked as a summer associate at Nalley & Dew, APLC, in Metairie, Louisiana.  There he gained experience working on maritime personal injury cases.

Geoff holds an LL.M. (Master of Laws) in Admiralty from Tulane University Law School and worked as a research assistant for Professor Robert Force, director emeritus of the Tulane Maritime Law Center.  He earned his Juris Doctor from the Charleston School of Law.  While there, he received the CALI Award for Excellence in Admiralty and served as copy editor for the school's Maritime Law Bulletin.  During this time, Geoff worked as a law clerk at The Law Offices of Robertson Wendt and as a judicial intern for the Honorable Robert S. Carr, U.S. Magistrate Judge.  He also served as a legal extern at the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review and as a volunteer with the Homeless Justice Project, which is coordinated by Crisis Ministries.

Geoff holds a bachelor's degree in history from Clemson University.  He has authored an article titled "The Fog of Uncertainty Enshrouding Employer Punitive-Damage Liability Under General Maritime Law," which was published in the summer 2010 issue of the Charleston School of Law's Maritime Law Bulletin.  A native of Seneca, South Carolina, Geoff now resides in Charleston with his wife, Elizabeth.

As Social Security assistant, Jackie Broughton helps clients complete disability forms that relate to Social Security and supplemental security income benefits. She has over 30 years of experience with the Social Security Administration (SSA), having worked as a claims representative at the Social Security offices in Orangeburg, Walterboro and Charleston, S.C. Broughton holds a degree in business education from Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., and is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the NAACP. She is also a member of the Women’s Missionary Society and the St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ravenel, S.C., where she serves as both teacher and superintendent of the church’s school. She and her husband live in the West Ashley area of Charleston.

Carol Herndon is the firm’s senior paralegal and is responsible for handling the development of files from intake through final decision. Herndon holds two associate degrees from Trident Technical College in Charleston, S.C. After first graduating in 1973 with a focus on data processing, she went on to hold secretarial and data management positions before leaving work for a period of time to raise two daughters, both of whom are now medical professionals. She then returned to Trident Technical College in 1995 and graduated magna cum laude with an associate’s degree in public service (legal assistant). She joined the firm as a paralegal shortly before her graduation. She resides near Summerville, S.C.

Social Security assistant Annette Masche completes intake forms, fields questions regarding Social Security and supplemental security benefits, computes benefit amounts, and maintains contact with the payment center. Masche, who holds nearly 30 years of experience with the Social Security Administration, graduated from Trident Technical College with an associate degree in secretarial science. She currently serves as secretary of the Wando Woods Civic Club and is a member of the Wando Woods Garden Club. She and her husband live in North Charleston, S.C.

Bookkeeper Sharon Rowland manages accounts payable, prepares financial reports, maintains tax and financial records, assists with the preparation of the annual financial plan, and maintains human resources and payroll records. Prior to joining The Law Offices of Robertson Wendt, Rowland served as a financial administrator for Atlantic Island Properties, Inc., on Johns Island, S.C.. She previously served as the financial administrator for the TLC Laser Eye Center in North Charleston, S.C. and before that as office manager and bookkeeper for Moore Drums, Inc., also located in North Charleston. She and her husband live in Ravenel, S.C.