Will Dawson and Jim Myrick of Womble Bond Dickinson Take Part in Charleston Metro Chamber Economic Outlook Conference

CHARLESTON, SC—Without a doubt, 2020 was the most difficult year in recent memory. But optimism abounds that 2021 will be a bounce-back year for businesses in Charleston and around the country.

Womble Bond Dickinson Charleston Office Managing Partner Jim Myrick introduced Will Dawson in the area of lender/borrower finance at the VIP reception for the Charleston Metro Chamber’s 30th Annual Economic Outlook Conference and offered other remarks. Womble Bond Dickinson was a sponsor for the socially distanced VIP reception that was part of the March 10 event.

The 30^th Economic Outlook Conference featured presentations on the Impact of a Biden-Harris Administration on the Economy and an economic forecast for the nation and the Charleston region.  Myrick presented a panel on the Health of the American Consumer which included the President of the American Retail Association.  

The Chamber’s Regional Forecast projects a significant increase in retail sales for 2021, although retail levels still aren’t expected to reach 2019 levels. Likewise, Charleston-area employment is expected to grow modestly this year. The Regional Forecast also examined sector-specific trends in such areas as shipping, construction, travel and real estate, predicting, in the words of one speaker, a “spectacular” end to 2021 depending on the public’s reaction to a roll-out of the vaccines.