Tommy is the former Solicitor for the 16th Judicial Circuit consisting of York and Union counties in South Carolina.

Tommy received a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of South Carolina School of Business in 1984 and a Juris Doctorate from the U.S.C. School of Law in 1987. He also attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy where he graduated with honors.

As an attorney, he is a member in good standing of the South Carolina Bar and the York County Bar and is admitted to practice in Federal District Court and the United States Supreme Court. He is active in the South Carolina Bar, serving both in the House of Delegates and as Chairman of the Judicial Qualifications Committee as well as a Mock Trial Coach. He has been called upon by Chief Justice Jean Toal to serve on numerous committees regarding the administration of justice in our State. He is also a current member of the South Carolina Association for Justice.

Tommy is currently a managing partner at the Elrod Pope Law Firm in Rock Hill.

Tommy Pope has an extensive litigation background and brings over 25 years of law enforcement and prosecution experience to the practice. Tommy was sworn in as 16th Circuit Solicitor in January of 1993. Under his guidance the 16th Circuit consistently led the State in caseload management, providing effective and timely prosecution of criminal cases.

He is a former President of the South Carolina Solicitors’ Association and former Chairman of the South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination.

He served as an instructor for the National College of District Attorneys and at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. He often lectured to State Prosecutors’ Associations across the country. He has also frequently been called upon to provide legal commentary by the various national media outlets.

In 1999, Tommy Pope received the Silver Compleat Lawyer Award from the USC Law School Alumni Association, recognizing competence, integrity, ethics and superior performance in his profession.

In 2008, Tommy was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor for his dedication and service to the citizens of our State.

Tommy currently serves on the York Technical College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. He is also a former member of the South Carolina Board of Education Volunteer Awards Program Selection Committee.

Tommy is heavily involved in our local community, particularly in the regard to the well-being of our youth. He was 2009 Boy Scouts Pacesetter Chairman for York County. He previously served as Chief Volunteer Officer for the Boys & Girls Club of York County. He currently serves as Ambassador of the #1 Question, Is it Good for the Children? Community initiative and as a participating member of the York County At Risk Youth Task Force.

Tommy resides in York, South Carolina with his wife Kimberly and three of his children, Jacob, Preston and Kaylen. His oldest son, Logan currently resides in Georgia.

He and his family are active members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC where Tommy and Kim teach Sunday school and Tommy coaches in the ROAR sports outreach.

Tommy is most often recognized for his prosecution of Susan Smith in Union County, South Carolina in 1995 for the drowning death of her two children.