About the Law Office of Gem McDowell
Gem McDowell and his associates serve individuals and business in Mt. Pleasant and the greater Charleston area. With an emphasis on corporate law, practice areas include:- Business Creation
- Business Planning
- Business Acquisition
- Commercial Real Estate
- Taxation Law
- Estate Planning
The Law Office of Gem McDowell
Gem McDowell launched his own firm on January 1, 2010 to put all of his effort and resources into working on behalf of his own selected clients. After working as a solo practitioner for two years, he began to take on additional attorneys and grow the practice. His associates have received extensive training to provide clients with the same high level of service they’ve come to expect from Gem.Leading a smaller firm allows Gem to substantially reduce hourly rates due to lower overhead while still providing excellent service and individualized attention to his clients.
To thank them for their service, Gem offers current and former military and first-responders a 10% discount on all legal services.
Meet Our Team
Attorney Gem McDowell
Gem is a South Carolina native born and raised in the upstate. He attended Wofford College, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1988, before turning to the study of law, and earned his Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of South Carolina at Columbia in 1991 followed by a Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation from Emory University.
In 1992, Gem went to work for Thompson Law Firm out of Conway and Myrtle Beach, where he focused on business and development in the upstate. He had made partner by the time he left in 1998 to work as the in-house lawyer for a development company. During his time there, he facilitated over $400 million in business transactions across 26 states, applying his knowledge in real estate law and business development.
From 1999 to 2007, Gem worked at McNair Law Firm in Myrtle Beach, becoming a partner in 2000. At McNair, Gem closed a $270 million loan, facilitated a $205 million stock purchase, represented the seller in a $33 million asset sale, and in total closed close to $1 billion in his eight years there.
Gem and his family moved to Charleston in 2007 and Gem took a position with Moore & Van Allen from 2007-2009. On January 1, 2010, he went out on his own and carried on a solo practice for two years before expanding. Lauren Turowetz joined in 2014 and today, Gem and Lauren help businesses, families, and individuals in the greater Charleston area with business formation and planning, commercial real estate, and estate planning.
By opening his own practice, Gem was able to lower his hourly rates and bring his knowledge and experience to the everyday families and small businesses who otherwise would not have been able to work with him. Gem is equally comfortable drawing up a simple will for a family’s estate plan or facilitating a multi-million deal for a large company. Gem knows what to ask, what to look for, and how to solve problems.
Gem was the President of the Humane Society in Myrtle Beach for seven years, President of the Horry County Bar Association in the 1990s, and is a frequent speaker on the topics of business law, tax law, and estate planning. When he isn’t working, Gem enjoys spending time with his wife, Tiffaney, his daughter, Jessica, his son, Gem, and his three dogs.
Attorney Lauren Turowetz
Lauren Turowetz is from Cape Cod, MA and came to South Carolina to attend Clemson University, where she received her B.S. in Marketing and Advertising and graduated summa cum laude in 2010. She received her J.D. from the Charleston School of Law in 2013. Before working for Gem, she clerked for an Atlanta law firm where she practiced in the areas of real estate, foreclosure, and bankruptcy litigation. She has been published in Legal League Quarterly. Lauren is a member of the American Bar Association, the South Carolina Bar Association, the Georgia Bar Association, the Charleston County Bar Association, and Charleston Young Professionals. She is admitted to practice in South Carolina and Georgia. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys going to the beach, yoga, and trying new restaurants.