About us

About Westbrook & Hayes Law

Civil litigation. Business contracts. Estate planning.

Our story

How Westbrook & Hayes Law got here

Westbrook Law opened on Broad Street in 2001 with one lawyer, one assistant, and a belief that a small firm could give Charleston families better counsel than they would get lost inside a large one. Twenty-five years later, that belief still runs the practice.

We stay deliberately small so that a partner can know your matter personally, return your call the same day, and explain your options in language you can act on. We measure the firm not by its size but by the families and businesses who come back to us, and who send their neighbors.

Our mission

To give the people of the Lowcountry counsel they can understand and a lawyer they can reach — and to treat every matter as if it were our own family's.

What we stand for

Our values

Tell clients the truth

We give you our honest read, even when it is not what you hoped to hear. Good decisions start with straight answers.

Stay reachable

A client should never wonder where their matter stands. We return every call the same day and keep you informed at each step.

Credentials

Licensed, insured & accredited

Backed by 25+ years of commercial work and the credentials to match.

Licenses & registrations

Licensed to practice in all South Carolina state courts
Admitted to the U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina

Memberships

South Carolina Bar Association
Charleston County Bar Association
Better Business Bureau — A+ Accredited

Awards & recognition

Charleston's Top Estate Planning Attorneys, finalist (2024)

Meet the team

The people behind the work

The same names on day one are the ones who see your project through to handover.

Eleanor Westbrook

Founding Partner

Eleanor founded the firm in 2001 after a decade in a large Charleston practice, with a simple conviction: that clients deserve a lawyer who returns their calls and tells them the truth. She leads the firm's estate planning practice and has guided more than a thousand Lowcountry families through their plans.

J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law
Admitted to the SC Bar, 1996
25+ years in practice

Specialties: Estate planning · Trusts & estates · Probate

James Holloway

Partner, Real Estate

James handles the firm's residential and commercial closings and has sat at more closing tables in Charleston County than he can count. Clients value how calmly he keeps a deal on track and how clearly he explains every line of the settlement statement.

J.D., Charleston School of Law
Admitted to the SC Bar, 2008
Licensed SC title insurance agent

Specialties: Residential closings · Commercial real estate · Title work

Sofia Nguyen

Associate Attorney

Sofia advises the firm's small-business clients on formation, contracts, and the day-to-day questions that come with running a company. A former paralegal, she knows how a matter looks from the client's side of the desk and writes contracts people can actually read.

J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law
Admitted to the SC Bar, 2017
B.A. in Economics

Specialties: Business formation · Contract drafting · Commercial leasing

Ready to start your project?

Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll put together a clear, no-obligation estimate for Charleston, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston.

Request a free estimate (843) 555-0162