Charles Buist is an attorney licensed in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Charles and his law partner, Nicholas Spetsas, started their law firm in Orlando, Florida in 2021. They started from scratch and built a thriving law firm in one of the most competitive areas in the country.
Early on in Charles’ life, he experienced the trauma associated with a horrific auto accident. When he was a child, his family was in a terrible accident that involved a vehicle defect. As a result, his parents suffered serious injuries, and Charles’ childhood would never be the same. The inability to help his family in the aftermath of this accident left a mark. That feeling of helplessness he felt is what drives him every day to fight for other people who deserve a voice.
Charles’ father, Dr. Buist, is a dentist, and he raised Charles alone. Hence, Charles spent a lot of time in a dentist office while he was growing up, and he started working as a dental assistant at an early age. Charles saw many horrific cases where patients would come to Dr. Buist after being injured. He witnessed many patients who were harmed by careless or reckless behavior. He watched them deal with those disfiguring injuries over the subsequent years, and he witnessed how their injuries impacted their lives.
Over time, Charles’ childhood experiences and his experiences at his father’s dental practice turned into a resolve to help injured people. Charles wanted to help give people a voice and guide them to justice when they had been wrongfully injured. Thus, he decided to become a trial lawyer.
Academic Achievements
Charles' father, Dr. Buist, brought him up to value education and hard work. Dedication to constant learning and continuous personal development were an expectation in the Buist household.
Charles went to law school in 2013 after working several years out of college. Charles earned a total of four CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, meaning he achieved the highest grade in the class for that particular subject.
One class Charles earned the CALI Award in was Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing. As a result, Charles had the opportunity to serve as a tutor for legal research and writing for first-year law students during his second and third years of law school. Charles went on to earn the CALI Award for Advanced Legal Writing in his second year of law school.
Charles earned the prestigious position of Research Editor for the South Carolina Law Review. Charles also made the Dean's List every semester.
In addition to the academic side of law school, Charles was also elected to the Student Bar Association his first semester and every semester thereafter. His position at the SBA allowed him to foster relationships with other students and organize social events and gatherings.
Competitive Achievements
Charles has been a competitor his entire life, and he brings that competitive spirit to his profession. Trial law and litigation are inherently adversarial, and Charles thrives in this environment.
Charles was a competitive shooter and a world champion. In 2001, Charles began his career as a shooter and quickly began winning tournaments and picking up sponsorships. In 2003, Charles won the Junior World Championships in skeet shooting.
During his college years, Charles competed in amateur boxing. In 2007, he competed in the Georgia Games boxing tournament in Atlanta, GA and placed second in his weight class, getting one of the few knock outs on the first day of the tournament.
After the journey to compete in boxing, Charles took up extreme obstacle course racing, competing in a variety of events. His favorite were Spartan Race events. These events gave him an opportunity to test himself physically and mentally while pursuing his career in law.
Charles' Family
Charles is married to Alexa Buist, and they currently have three children, Charlie, William, and Madeline. Charles met Alexa at the University of South Carolina in August 2017, and they were married in March 2020. They were blessed with little Charlie in 2021, William in 2023, and Madeline in 2025.
Charles and Alexa met in the gym at the University of South Carolina. Charles has always spent time in the gym, and Alexa was a D1 collegiate volleyball player. They both love fitness and adventure, and when they aren’t spending time with their children, they enjoy cooking, traveling, hiking, fitness, and anything outdoors. They really love the beaches in Florida and South Carolina. Charles is currently working on his gardening skills and trying to grow peppers and keep his lemon trees alive.
