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.”
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 in International Law, Greenville Business Monthly, 2022-2024
- Rising Star, Family Law, South Carolina Super Lawyers, 2019, 2020
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale Hubbell®, 2015–2024
- Merit Award, Charleston School of Law Student Affairs Department, 2008
- Super Lawyers 2023-2024
- South Carolina Legal Elite 2023-2024
- AV Preeminent by Martindale Avvo 2015-2024
- South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Powerlist – Family Law 2023-2024
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
