COLUMBIA, S.C. – Attorney Anna Vilatte has joined Baker, Ravenel & Bender as an associate.
Her practice areas include appellate advocacy, automobile liability, bad-faith litigation and insurance coverage.
She received her Juris Doctor in 2023 from the University of South Carolina School of Law. In law school, she was a member of the Order of the Barristers and was involved with moot court. She had earlier earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois.
She is associated with the Young Lawyers Division of the South Carolina Bar, and the Richland County Bar Association.
Anna is from Peoria, Illinois, where she helped domestic violence and sexual assault victims as a court advocate before entering law school. Since moving to South Carolina for law school, she met her fiancé, who serves in the U.S. Air Force. They enjoy spending time together with their labradoodle, Winnie.
“We believe Anna will be a great addition to the firm, and are confident she will provide capable representation to our clients,” said Chip Collins, Jr., the firm’s managing partner.
Baker, Ravenel & Bender, L.L.P., is one of South Carolina’s oldest law firms, established around 1900 as Melton & Belser. The name evolved to its current form in 1999. The firm today consists of eight attorneys who focus on litigation, covering myriad practice areas in state and federal courts. The firm is known for its work in the insurance defense field and media law, and also handles construction litigation, products liability, real estate litigation, restaurant and hospitality law, education law, and mediation.
Kalwajtys practices in the areas of Personal Injury Defense, Construction Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Product Liability, and Appellate Advocacy. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as state courts.