2019 AWARDS
Scott Holcomb
Partner, Holcomb + Ward, LLP, and Representative,
State of Georgia
My greatest strength is my integrity.
That’s not something I’ll ever compromise.”
Photo by Georgia House of Representatives.
BY KATLIN SWISHER. From the military
to the statehouse, Scott Holcomb’s legal
career has been defined by public service.
After graduating from West Virginia
University (WVU) College of Law in
1997, Holcomb began his career as a
lawyer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate
General’s (JAG) Corps. He served on
active duty for six years and was deployed
overseas three times.
In this role, he advised generals during
conflict on international law and prose-
cuted courts-martial. He also reviewed
target sets during war for compliance with
the laws of war, working diligently to
avoid civilian casualties. During this time,
Holcomb wrote a number of articles on
his experiences, including one published
by the Chicago Journal of International
Law. Later, after leaving active duty, he
taught a course on the laws of war at the
Georgia Institute of Technology.
“The most important things I learned
in the military were to work hard and
do the job correctly,” says Holcomb.
“I also learned—and this is just as im-
portant—that if you make a mistake,
you take ownership and fix it. You don’t
make excuses. You don’t lie. You stand
up, accept responsibility, fix it and make
sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Captain Scott Holcomb in
Srebenica, Bosnia, in 2000.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
Holcomb’s military service did not
begin in the U.S. Army, though. He served
six years with the Air National Guard
during both his undergraduate work at the
University of Connecticut and through-
out law school at WVU.
Before owning and managing his own
law firm, Holcomb worked as a securities
litigator for Sutherland Asbill & Bren-
nan, LLP, known today as Eversheds
Sutherland LLP, a large law firm in At-
lanta, GA, and as general counsel for an
Atlanta-based brokerage firm that was
acquired by a public company.
After more than 10 years in private
practice, Holcomb toyed with the idea
of opening his own firm. He earned his
MBA so he could learn about running
a business, and then in 2015 he took a
leap of faith and opened The Holcomb
Law Firm, LLC.
“Admittedly, I was nervous at first
because you never know if the phone will
ring, but I’ve been really fortunate,” he
says. “We built our firm the right way
and have grown each year.”
In 2016, the firm evolved into Holcomb
+ Ward, LLP when Holcomb partnered
with Bryan Ward, an attorney with whom
he had worked at Sutherland.
“I trust Bryan completely, and we’ve
built a practice based on outstanding client
service and top-notch legal work,” says
Holcomb. “To date, we’ve won every case
we’ve taken to hearing, and many of them
had very challenging facts. I enjoy building
client relationships and the work that goes
into solving challenging legal puzzles.”
Holcomb’s commitment to public ser-
vice started early in his career—before he
graduated from WVU. As a first-year law
student, he completed training to become
a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or
CASA, rep. One of the most impactful
cases he had in this role involved two sis-
ters with fetal alcohol syndrome whose
mother was incapable of caring for them
and whose father was in prison.
“I worked with another WVU student,
and we went through boxes and boxes of
files and did our due diligence by speak-
ing with case workers and family mem-
bers,” he recalls. “Ultimately, we believed
the parental rights should be terminated.
I testified in court before Judge Larry
Starcher, explaining why I believed this
to be the case. He listened carefully and
asked several questions. Ultimately, he
agreed. The silver lining to the story is
that one of my classmate’s parents adopted
both of the girls before we graduated.”
Since leaving active duty military service
in 2004, Holcomb has represented veter-
ans and their family members on a pro
bono basis. These cases can be incredibly
challenging and take years to complete.
“I’ve helped veterans who suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorder and physical
injuries related to their service, and I’ve
helped family members with claims for
survivors’ benefits,” he says. “Recently,
I’ve been helping a disabled veteran resolve
issues with his homeowners’ association
because he had trouble maintaining his
yard. As a veteran, I have a connection
with other vets, and I want to help them.”
This dedication to service is also evi-
dent in Holcomb’s commitment to men-
toring other lawyers. He is particularly
passionate about mentoring women.