Ms. Tara Dawn Shurling received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina in 1976. Subsequently, she received her J.D. Degree from the University of South Carolina in 1978. After graduating from law school, she joined the staff of the then newly created South Carolina Office of Appellate Defense in March, 1979. While with that state agency, she represented indigents and handled approximately 2,000 criminal appeals including direct appeals and appeals from the denial of Post-Conviction Relief Applications. Attorneys with that agency function as appellate public defenders for those who cannot afford to hire legal counsel on appeal.

In June of 1994, Ms. Shurling left Appellate Defense and went into private practice. Her practice has three primary focal areas. Firstly, the practice focuses on general criminal defense in both state and federal court. Secondly, the practice focuses on direct criminal appeals to both the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Thirdly, the practice focuses on

Post-Conviction Relief cases, both in the circuit court and on appeal to the Supreme Court of South Carolina. In addition, her practice handles personal injury cases.

Ms. Shurling is a frequent speaker at various continuing legal education seminars. She is a past chairman of the criminal law section of the South Carolina Bar and has been actively involved on many other bar committees. She is a past President of the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. She also serves on the Board for the South Carolina Women Lawyer's Association. Ms. Shurling is a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. She joins only four other South Carolina lawyers to be admitted to the Academy and was the first female lawyer in South Carolina to be admitted.

She resides in Columbia, South Carolina. Her office is located in Forest Acres near the intersection of Beltline Blvd. and Forest Drive. She practices law all over the State of South Carolina.

Copyright ©2007 by Tara Dawn Shurling, P.A. All rights reserved.