
Investigate South Carolina’s largest economic development deals of the past 20 years, and chances are Stephanie Few played a role in making them happen. One of the biggest assets she brings to clients is her familiarity with local and state decision-makers throughout the Southeast, and particularly in South Carolina, where Stephanie had previously served as the City of Charleston’s Director of Economic Development. In fact, when the New York Times profiled Charleston’s economic development boom in 2017, Stephanie was one of the local leaders the Times turned to for insight.
Stephanie works closely with domestic and international companies seeking to expand or relocate operations to the Carolinas and the Southeastern United States. Her philosophy is to invest in her clients from the outset in order to build long-term partnerships for the future. She has extensive experience advising companies across a wide range of industries, including life sciences, retail & consumer, manufacturing and software/technology.
Her efforts on behalf of clients have led to the creation of thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in new investments. During the recent COVID-19 economic downturn, she worked to help clients stabilize their businesses, including guiding them through the federal PPP loan process.
She works with new and expanding businesses in identifying and negotiating all aspects of a complete incentive package, advocating before the proper entities during all phases of the incentive approval process and drafting all related documentation for Fee-in-Lieu of Tax Agreements, state grants, job tax credits, job development credits, utility grants and many other economic development incentives and grants. She advises clients in general tax and corporate matters.
Additionally, Stephanie works side by side with leading consulting firms and large law firms as local counsel on economic development deals where her local knowledge and tenacity can be critical to getting deals done.
As a recognized thought leader in the economic development space, she is frequently sought after to speak at local and national industry conferences and regularly publishes articles and insights for her clients and the community.
Publications and Presentations
Presentations
- SelectUSA Virtual Tour of South Carolina’s I-77 Corridor: Advanced Manufacturing and Materials for a Global Market, SelectUSA, Webinar, February 23, 2021
- 2020 Economic Development Trends in SC and Looking Ahead, Chapin Sunrise Rotary, Virtual Meeting, December 10, 2020
- How to Navigate the FDA Approval Process and Other Regulatory Issues, SCBIO, Webinar, December 1, 2020
- Bringing Life Sciences to Life: The Renewed Focus on Economic Development and Life Sciences Projects, Area Development, Webinar, November 13, 2020
- Navigating the FDA Process and Legal Considerations Affecting Life Science Companies, South Carolina Life Sciences Industry Event Presented by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Webinar, November 10, 2020
- Industrial/Warehousing/R&D Issues, Trends in Real Estate, Urban Land Institute (ULI) Carolinas, Webinar, October 29, 2020
- The Outlook for Incentives, 2020 SCBIO Life Sciences Boot Camp, Webinar, September 23, 2020
- SC Economic Development in COVID-19 Era, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, Webinar, August 18, 2020
- South Carolina COVID-19 Forum, Womble Bond Dickinson, Webinar, April 28, 2020
- 2019 South Carolina Opportunity Zone Summit with Senator Tim Scott, Video, October 25, 2019
Publications
- “PPP Extension & Increased Flexibility: Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 & Other Updates”, National Law Review, June 2020
- “South Carolina Department of Revenue Offers Clarification Regarding COVID-Related Employment Withholding Requirements”, National Law Review, May 2020
- “Frequently Asked Questions: Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness”, National Law Review, May 2020
- “SBA Releases Updated Necessity Certification Guidance - Threshold for Reviewing PPP Loans Set at $2 Million”, National Law Review, May 2020
- “Department of Commerce Announces State Allocations of CARES Act Assistance for Coastal and Marine Fishery Participants”, National Law Review, May 2020
- Author, "Doing the 'Next Right Things'”, South Carolina Women’s Leadership Network, May 7, 2020
- “PPP Safe Harbor Extended to May 14”, National Law Review, May 2020
- “The Price of PPP – Guidance for Management & Boards on Mitigating PPP Risk”, National Law Review, May 2020
- “$600 Billion Main Street Loan Program - Additional Support to Private Businesses”, National Law Review, April 2020
- “April 7, 2020 – Further Update on Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) under the CARES Act”, National Law Review, April 2020
- “The CARES Act: How <500 Employee Small Businesses Can Stay Afloat Via The Paycheck Protection Loan Program”, National Law Review, April 2020
- “Congress Strikes Deal on $2 Trillion COVID-19 Aid & Stimulus Package”, National Law Review, March 2020
- “Senator Tim Scott Considers Bill to Modify Opportunity Zones”, National Law Review, January 2020
- Author, "Opportunity Zones Can Uplift Communities and Investors Alike", Area Development, 2019
- “South Carolina Department of Revenue Announces Changes to County Tiers for 2020”, National Law Review, December 2019
- “Opportunity Zones: Local Decision-Makers Must Balance Community Interests with Economic Growth Opportunities”, National Law Review, November 2019
- “US Sen. Tim Scott, Womble Bond Dickinson Attorney Stephanie Few Discuss Opportunity Zones”, National Law Review, October 2019
- “Hot Off the Press: New Opportunity Zone Regulations”, National Law Review, July 2019
- “South Carolina Legislative Update: Job Tax Credit Increase”, National Law Review, June 2019
- “South Carolina Legislative Update: Port Cargo Volume Increase Tax Credit”, National Law Review, May 2019
- “South Carolina Legislative Updates: SCEDA Bill and Tax Conformity Bill”, National Law Review, October 2019
- Author, "SCEDA Bill is a Boon for South Carolina Job Development", Law360, November 13, 2018
- Author, "The Team…and the Timing When Making a U.S. Location Decision", Area Development, 2018
- Author, "Why South Carolina Should Eliminate the Personal Income Tax", South Carolina Law Review, 2015
Civic and Professional Activities
- Board of Directors, Upstate Alliance
- Capital Markets Conference Committee, Urban Land Institute - South Carolina
- Board of Directors, South Carolina Economic Developer’s Association
- Chair, SCEDA Legislative Committee
- Member, SCEDA Annual Conference Committee
- Board of Directors, South Carolina Aquarium
- Board of Directors, Charleston Regional Development Alliance
- Former Board of Directors Member, South Carolina Biotechnology Innovation Organization
- Board Vice-Chair
- Executive Committee
- Annual Conference Chair
- Former Board of Directors Member, South Carolina Venture Capital Authority
- Former Board of Directors Member, College of Charleston Alumnae Association
- Former Board of Directors Member, MUSC Children’s Hospital
- Former Board of Directors Member, Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center
- Graduate, Riley Diversity Leadership Institute of Furman University
- North Carolina Bar Association
- South Carolina Bar Association
- Strategic Plan Alumni Focus Group Member, College of Charleston
Honors and Awards
- Recognized in Charleston Business Magazine’s Legal Elite, Government Law, 2018 – Present
- Named to South Carolina Legal Elite, 2020
- Women in the Law, 2020
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings), Economic Development Law, 2012 – Present
- “40 Under 40” selected by the Charleston Regional Business Journal
- Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion, 2019 – 2020
Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
Sampling of recent transactions:
- Represented manufacturer and corporate headquarters project in largest life sciences announcement in the Lowcountry of South Carolina’s history;
- Represented a manufacturer in establishing a 1.5 million square foot manufacturing facility, creating more than 200 new jobs;
- Represented an Italian manufacturer in expanding its original investment and doubling size of its operations in South Carolina; and
- Represented a company locating a large manufacturing facility in South Carolina, creating several thousand new jobs and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment.