1980 Hague Convention | Alimony | Child Custody | Child Support | Divorce | Family Law | International Child Abduction | International Family Issues | UCCJEA | UIFSA
Jonathan W. Lounsberry joined KD Trial Lawyers in 2021 and is a member of the firm’s family law team. As a Fellow in the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Lounsberry’s professional experience includes extensive work in complex family court litigation and international family law issues, with a particular focus on international child abduction and cross-border custody issues pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention.
Jonathan has robust trial experience in international child abduction cases, having litigated child abduction cases in the Federal Courts in South Carolina, as well as being a consultant on trials in other states. Lounsberry recently assisted in drafting an amicus brief on behalf of the Child Abduction Lawyers Association (UK) for the US Supreme Court in Golan v. Saada, which is a case concerning the use of protective measures in connection with Article 13(b) defense.
“The practice of family law is difficult on everyone, especially children, and involves a lot of moving pieces,” says Lounsberry. “I am thankful to be in a position to protect the interests of my clients and their children. It is important for them to understand that, while this is a difficult process, there will be life after divorce.”
Prior to joining the KD Trial Lawyers team, Jonathan W. Lounsberry worked in boutique law firms focusing on family law and complex family litigation throughout South Carolina, including Spartanburg, S.C., Charleston, S.C., and Columbia, S.C.
“Spartanburg is home for my family, and I enjoy working with both the community and my church,” adds Lounsberry. “I was attracted to this firm both because of their long-time success in the legal arena, as well as their commitment to serving their hometown.”
Jonathan is native of Columbia, S.C. and a 2009 graduate of the Charleston School of Law. He and his wife have two small children just 20 months apart; so, between work, volunteer service and his most important job as a husband and father, Lounsberry is pretty busy. “I’m fortunate that I love what I do, and I’m pleased to be a member of the team at KD Trial Lawyers.”
- Email Jonathan at jlounsberry@spartanlaw.com
Bar Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2018
District of South Carolina, 2013
South Carolina, 2009
Education
J.D., Charleston School of Law, 2009
B.A., University of South Carolina, 2006
Professional Organizations
Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers, 2020-Present
Member, Relocation of Children Committee
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2021-Present
Member, AAML/AFCC Joint Committee; Member, International Issues Committee; Member, Practice and Technology Committee
American Bar Association, 2009–Present
Section of Litigation (Newsletter Editor/Subcommittee Chair, Family Law Committee and Member of Editorial Board for Litigation News); Section of International Law (Vice-Chair – Membership, Family Law Committee); and Section of Family Law
South Carolina Bar, 2009–Present
Seventh Judicial Circuit Delegate, House of Delegates; Chair, Practice and Procedure Committee (2016-2020); Co- Chair, Technology Committee, Young Lawyer’s Division (2017-2018); Member, International Law Committee; Member, Seventh Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee (2017-2019); Member, South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy Committee (2016-2019); Member, Judicial Qualifications Committee (2015-2017); and Member, Family Law Section
Spartanburg County Bar Association, 2015–Present
Greenville County Bar Association, 2017–Present
South Carolina Association for Justice, 2015–2016
Leadership Experiences
Vestry Member, The Episcopal Church of the Advent, 2020-Present
Spartanburg Little Theater Board Member, 2021
Board of Regents, Leadership Spartanburg, 2017-2019
American Bar Association Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy, 2018
Leadership Spartanburg, 2016-2017
South Carolina Bar Lawyer Mentoring Program, 2016–2017
South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy, 2015
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Advanced Institute for Family Law Associates, 2014
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Institute for Family Law Associates, 2013
Honors and Recognitions
Upstate Legal Elite (International Law), Greenville Business Monthly, 2021
Rising Star, Family Law, South Carolina Super Lawyers, 2019, 2020
AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale Hubbell®, 2015–Present
Merit Award, Charleston School of Law Student Affairs Department, 2008
Past Employment Positions
The Stevens Firm, P. A., Senior Associate Attorney, 2015-2021
Melissa F. Brown, LLC, Associate Attorney, 2014-2015
McLaren & Lee, Contract Attorney/Associate Attorney, 2011–2013
Carolina Legal Associates, Document Review Contract Attorney, January 2011 (Motley Rice)
Hire Counsel, Document Review Contract Attorney, July 2010 –December 2010 (Nelson Mullins)
Curphey & Badger, P. A., Contract Attorney/Associate, December 2009 –July 2010
Area of Practice
Alimony
Child Custody
Child Support
Divorce
Family Law
International Family Issues
International Child Abduction
1980 Hague Convention
UCCJEA
UIFSA
Publications
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Drug Manufacturer Is Immunized from Liability, Litigation News, ABA Litigation Section (September 2021)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Twitter Not Liable for Defamatory Posts, Litigation News ABA Litigation Section (July 2021)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Court Recognizes Tortious Interference with Inheritance, Litigation News, ABA Litigation Section (January 2021)
Benjamin Stevens and Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Family Law Essentials: A Primer for Private Practice Before the FamilyCourt in South Carolina, South Carolina Bar CLE Division (2018)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, The Family Court’s New Uniforms: Amendments to South Carolina’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act and Adoption of the Uniform Deployed Parent Custody and Visitation Act, South Carolina Lawyer Magazine (January 2017)
James T. McLaren and Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Division of Assets Held by Third Party Legal Entities, InternationalAcademy of Family Lawyers Online News (June 2016)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Tips for Using Technology Inside and Outside the Courtroom, Family Law Litigation Newsletter,ABA Section of Litigation (March 30, 2016)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Using Technology Inside & Outside the Courtroom: Streamlining the litigation process and enhancing the impact of evidence, Family Law Advocate, ABA Section of Family Law, Spring 2015, Vol. 37, No. 4
Kathryn Barton et al., South Carolina Children’s Law Manual, South Carolina Bar – CLE Publications Division (Jonathan W. Lounsberry ed., 2014)
Jonathan W. Lounsberry, Marital Agreements: Can You Really Contract Out of Family Court Jurisdiction? South CarolinaLawyer Magazine (July 2013)
Presentations
Moderator/Course Planner, All About Alimony: An Intensive Workshop, South Carolina Bar, 2022
Presenter, Evidence, Academy’s Academy, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2022
Moderator/Course Planner, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2021
Panelist, International Child Recovery–The Exception of 13B Hague Convention, International Academy of Family Lawyers & Asociación Internacional de Juristas de Derecho de Familia, 2021
Co-Presenter, How to Litigate a 1980 Hague Convention Case from Start to Finish, South Carolina Bar, 2021
Co-Presenter, Dissecting Monasky v. Taglieri: The U.S. Supreme Court’s New Standard for Habitual Residence Under the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, The Washington Foreign Law Society, 2020
Co-Presenter, How to Try a Hague Case from Start to Finish, IAFL USA Chapter, 2020 Co-Presenter, Dividing High ValueItems in Divorce, Strafford Webinars, 2020
Panelist, Trial Technology: Tricks of the Trade, Fall CLE Conference, Section of Family Law, American Bar Association, 2019
Presenter, Rules: What’s Going On? Hot Tips from the Coolest Domestic Law Practitioners, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2019
Moderator/Course Planner, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2019
Panelist, Judge, What Do You Want to Hear? Presenting a Bench Trial, Section Annual Conference, Section of Litigation &Section of Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice, American Bar Association, 2019
Moderator/Course Planner, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2018
Presenter, Family Law, Construction Law, and Personal Injury Law: A Multi-Area Update, Charleston School of LawAlumni Association, 2017
Moderator/Course Planner, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2017
Co-Presenter, Legal Eagle Squares, Horry County Bar Family Court CLE Seminar, 2017
Presenter, Tools for GAL Investigations & How to Use Them, In the Best Interests of the Child: Guardian ad Litem AnnualTraining and Update, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2017
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2016
Co-Presenter, Hollywood Squares (The Family Court Edition), South Carolina Bar Annual Conference, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2016
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2016
Panelist, Tech Tips for Trial Lawyers, South Carolina Association for Justice Annual Convention, 2015
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2015
Presenter, Proper Filing and Service, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2015
Presenter, Contempt Actions, CLE Essentials: Family Law, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2015
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2015
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2015
Co-Presenter, Courtroom Etiquette, Professionalism Series, Charleston School of Law, 2014
Presenter, A Review of the Supreme Court of United States’ Recent Rulings Affecting Family Law, Hot Tips from the Coolest Domestic Law Practitioners, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2014
Panelist, Practice Before the South Carolina Family Court, Bridge the Gap, South Carolina Bar CLE Division, 2014
Program Co-Chair, The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and Its Implementation in Asia, International Families: Money, Children, and Long- Term Planning, ABA Section of International Law & ABA Section of Family Law, 2014
Presenter, Marital Agreements & Can You Really Contract Out of Family Court Jurisdiction? South Carolina Bar CLE Division Distance Learning, 2013
Presenter, You’ve Been Appointed a Juvenile Delinquent Matter … Now What? South Carolina Bar CLE Division Distance Learning, 2013
The law provides us with the ability to resolve any number of situations, including complex ones, with a tailored solution for that specific situation or family. No two families are alike, so every case should be resolved on an individual basis.
My favorite thing about my job is helping families overcome adversity, often involving complex legal issues. To know that I have been able to help a family bring resolution to their lives is a great joy. We are all each other’s neighbors, and we should do everything in our power to assist our neighbors in their time of need.
KD Trial Lawyers embodies all the aspects that drew me to the profession of law: an understanding of the power of the law to bring resolution to people’s lives and an understanding that community matters.
