
Investigate the Southeastern United States’ largest economic development deals of the past 20 years, and chances are Stephanie Yarbrough played a role in making them happen. One of the biggest assets she brings to clients is her ability to navigate relationships with local and state governmental leadership and decision makers, throughout the United States. In fact, when the New York Times wrote an article about economic development, Stephanie was one of the leaders the Times turned to for insight.
Stephanie works closely with domestic and international companies seeking to expand or relocate in the 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 corporate headquarters, manufacturing, datacenters, distribution and large office deals. She has extensive experience in the automotive sector, the life sciences sector and aviation.
She works with new and expanding businesses in identifying and negotiating all aspects of a discretionary incentive package, advocating before the proper governmental entities during all phases of the incentive approval process. She negotiates and structures large incentive packages on behalf of global companies on a daily basis.
Stephanie’s team prepares all contracts related to property tax abatement agreements, state grants, job tax credits, job development credits, utility grants and many other economic development incentives including port related incentives, road and related infrastructure incentives and rail incentives. Stephanie and her team advise clients in general tax and corporate matters. Her efforts on behalf of clients have led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in capital investment.
Additionally, Stephanie is brought in regularly by leading site selection consulting firms and other global law firms as local counsel on economic development deals where her knowledge and tenacity can be critical to getting deals done. Her team regularly counsels companies on all aspects of the deal – incentives, tax, real estate, corporate, construction, IP/patent, litigation, employment, immigration, environmental, land use/planning/zoning. Her team-based approach is key to an efficient, well managed and well-run deal process. Her legal work often involves foreign based companies and is evenly split between landlord/developer representation and tenant/end user representation. Her background and deep experience in public company mergers and acquisitions makes her well suited to run some of the largest deals in our country.
As a recognized thought leader in the economic development space, she is frequently sought after to speak at local, national and global industry conferences and regularly publishes articles and insights.
Representative 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.
Counsel of Largest Life Sciences Projects in South Carolina
- Represented manufacturer and corporate headquarters project in largest life sciences announcement in the Lowcountry of South Carolina’s history.
Counsel on Large Battery/Electric Car Manufacturing Plant Project
- Represent automobile manufacturer in a very large battery/electric car manufacturing plant project. Managed legal counsel on every aspect of this deal including incentives, real estate, land-use/zoning/planning and construction work resulting in billions in capital investment.
Counsel for Establishment of Large Manufacturing Facility and Job Creator
- Represented a manufacturer in establishing a 1.5 million square foot manufacturing facility.
Counsel for Growth on Existing Investment
- Represented an Italian manufacturer in expanding its original investment and doubling the size of its operations.
Counsel for Establishing a Large Manufacturing Facility
- Represented a company locating a large manufacturing facility, creating several thousand new jobs and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment.
Professional & Civic Engagement
- Board of Directors, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
- Board of Directors, SCBIO
- Board of Directors, MUSC Children's Hospital
- Board of Directors, Upstate Alliance
- Capital Markets Conference Committee, Urban Land Institute
- Board of Directors, South Carolina Economic Developer’s Association
- Chair, SCEDA Legislative Committee
- Member, SCEDA Annual Conference Committee
- Board of Directors, South Carolina Aquarium
- Former Board of Directors Member, South Carolina Biotechnology Innovation Organization
- Board Vice-Chair
- Executive Committee
- Legislative Chair
- Annual Conference Chair
- Board of Directors, Charleston Regional Development Alliance
- Member, Southern Economic Development Council
- 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
- Spoleto Festival USA Auction Committee
- Strategic Plan Alumni Focus Group Member, College of Charleston
Thought Leadership
Presentations
- Bringing the World to South Carolina: Insights from an Economic Development Attorney, South Carolina Bar Association’s Al Todd Estate Planning Workshop and Tax Law Workshop, June 19, 2022
- Economic Development Practice in South Carolina – A Case Study, Corporate Banking & Securities Law Section CLE Seminar, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 20-23, 2022
- Keynote Presentation: A Conversation with Jim Newsome of SC Ports Authority, ULI Capital Markets Conference, Kiawah Island, SC, December 7, 2021
- Intermodal & Logistics Private Market Symposium, American Council of Engineering Companies, December 2-3, 2021
- Consultants Forum, Area Development, Richmond, VA, June 23, 2021
- 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
- "Economic Impact and Importance of Social and Policy Issues," Area Development, October 2022
- "Story behind the story: Thoughts on economic development, “lifting up” others and SC," South Carolina Bar, March 2022
- “How an International Business Can Enter the U.S. Market Via M&A,” Area Development, September 2021
- “Legal Guide to Starting a Business in the United States,” Womble Bond Dickinson, May 2021
- "Immigration Tips for International Business Travelers During the Pandemic," Area Development, May 2021
- “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
Honors & Awards
- Chambers USA Ranked Lawyer, Corporate/M&A, South Carolina, 2023-Present
- Recognized in Charleston Business Magazine's 50 Most Influential People, (2023)
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings)
- Economic Development Law, 2012 – Present
- Named to Charleston Business Magazine’s Legal Elite in Government Law (2018-2023), Corporate Law: Mergers & Acquisitions (2022), and Economic Development (2022-2023)
- Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion, 2019 – Present
- Named to South Carolina Legal Elite, 2020 – Present. Awarded the top practitioner in South Carolina in the areas of: economic development, corporate, mergers & acquisitions (2022). Awarded the top practitioner in South Carolina in the areas of: government/finance and economic development (2023).
- Women in the Law, 50 Best Women Lawyers in America, 2021 - Present
- H. Grady Barnhill, Jr. Award for Service to Clients, Womble Bond Dickinson (2022)
- John Rivers’ List of Charleston’s Notable Women, Post and Courier, 2020
- “40 Under 40” Award, Charleston Regional Business Journal, 2011