Mr. Nihar Patel graduated from the College of Charleston in 2002, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. Nihar earned a Juris Doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, in 2005. While in law school, Nihar participated in a study abroad in which he attended Monash University Law Chambers in Melbourne, Australia and the University Of Canterbury School Of Law in Christchurch, New Zealand. Nihar first met Monty Desai when the two were enrolled at Thomas M. Cooley, and the two realized they each shared a client-centered philosophy of practicing law.
Nihar went to work for the Greenville County Public Defender’s Office following law school, gaining invaluable experience handling cases ranging from low-level misdemeanors to high-profile murders.
He is a member of the Greenville and South Carolina Bars; is past president of the Greenville Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (GACDL); a member of the South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ); was named among Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2013; the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 in South Carolina; and is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Nihar and his wife Olivia have a young son named Jag and an Alaskan malamute named Juneau. In his spare time, he loves watching Gamecock sports, listening to live music, and spending time outdoors.
