Francis M. Ervin II
Charleston • Member
Francis Ervin is a creative, results-oriented, defense trial attorney whose practice primarily focuses on complex litigation. He specializes in the areas of Construction, Professional Negligence, DRAM shop, and Premise liability. He is also well-versed in Product liability, Transportation, Medical Malpractice, Landlord/Tenant, Arts & Entertainment, Contracts, Trademarks, and Copyrights.
Francis is steadfast in his devotion to seeking fairness and justice for his clients and is a lead member of Rogers Townsend’s Charleston office. His ability to balance legal precision with genuine empathy makes him an advocate that clients trust.
A recognized leader in his field, Francis has earned an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale Hubbard.
Now with 22 years of diverse legal experience, Francis is currently expanding his practice to include Mediation. With a deep passion for the resolution of disputes nuanced in uncertainty, he seeks to further demonstrate his adaptability, integrity and intuitive thinking by intentionally aiming to serve the interests of all parties with neutrality, fresh perspectives, clarity and equanimity.
Francis’s impact reaches beyond his legal work as an advocate, mentor, and volunteer. He is a native South Carolinian and comes from a succession of strong community leaders––professionals in the areas of law, politics, medicine and the fine arts––all devoted to non-profit work related to their fields. His great-grandfather and grandfather co-founded what is known today as the Mcleod Regional Medical Center. Francis continues his family’s legacy with long-standing positions of board leadership with two esteemed organizations, The Sustainability Institute (18+ yrs) and The Redux Contemporary Art Center (15+ yrs). With The Sustainability Institute, Francis has served to empower vulnerable families and communities and encourage stewardship & restoration of coastal ecosystems. With The Redux Contemporary Art Center, he has helped cultivate diversity and inclusion within its mission to foster contemporary art amongst the Charleston community and secure affordable studio space for local visual artists, as well as provide meaningful education, exhibitions, outreach programs and internships.
Francis holds a BA in History from University of SC and an MA in American History from University of Northern Colorado. He earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School, Boston.
- Massachusetts, 2002
- South Carolina, 2002
- United States District Court, Massachusetts, 2002
- United States District Court, South Carolina, 2003
- United States Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 2002
- United States Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, 2003
- South Carolina Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Charleston County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- S.C. Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association
- DRI: Association for Lawyers Defending Business
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
- Longest Serving Board Chair – Redux Contemporary Art Center, Charleston, SC 2011-2025
- McLeod Fellow, McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence, SC, 2015
- Ambassador
- Eagle Scout, 1987
A description of the selection process methodologies on which these accolades are based can be found here.
- Sustainability Institute of South Carolina – Board of Directors, 2008 – Present
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- Board President (2015-2016)
- Board Vice President (2014)
- Board Secretary (2013, 2017-2024)
- Executive Committee (2024 – Present)
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- Redux Contemporary Art Center – Board of Directors, 2011- Present
- Board Chair – Longest Serving Member (2011 – 2025)
- Executive Committee (2025 – Present)
- Scouts of America
- Committee Member, Troop 519, Daniel Island, SC (2018 – 2022)
- Coastal Carolina Council, Board of Directors (2018-2022)
- Daniel Island School Strings and Band Booster Club
- Board Chair (2016-2018)
- SC Bar Association Highschool Mock Trial Competition, Volunteer Judge, Sumter, SC (2016)
- SC Bar Association Mentorship Program (2012-2019)
- SC Bar Association CLE – Current State of Dramshop Law in SC, 2022
- Speaker/Host – SCDNR Dedication of Woodbury Wildlife Management Area, Brittons Neck, SC (2009)
- Speaker/Host – Pee Dee Land Trust Annual Fundraiser (2010)
Outside of office, Francis enjoys spending time with his wife of 29 years, Jen Ervin (photographer, painter) and their three daughters at their historic family cabin set along the Little Pee Dee River. He also plays mandolin in the band, The Roseneath Ramblers, with his siblings and close friends for local fundraisers/charities that vary with support for historical land preservation to cancer patients/research.