JP Rankin

JP Rankin is a partner in Smith Debnam’s Charleston office who focuses on estate planning and trust administration. He helps individuals and families prepare revocable trusts, wills, financial and healthcare powers of attorney, advance directives, and beneficiary designations. His work includes helping clients update plans created outside South Carolina and advising rental property owners and business owners on structuring assets for future transfers.

Rankin earned a J.D. from California Western School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Before becoming a lawyer, he built a career in business management and hospitality. That earlier experience strengthened his approach to listening, communication, and follow-through. His legal education and business background now support practical estate planning conversations centered on family goals, asset organization, and clear decision-making.

Rankin works with clients who want estate plans that reflect their personal, financial, and business circumstances. He emphasizes plain-language explanations and coordinated planning with financial advisors and other trusted professionals. He is licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina, and California. His practice includes wills, trusts, estate planning, and trust administration, along with planning for business ownership and rental property interests that need orderly transfer arrangements.

JP Rankin brings a practical and conversational approach to estate planning at Smith Debnam. His professional affiliations include the South Carolina Bar, the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, and the Charleston Preservation Society. He has volunteered through a South Carolina Bar pro bono wills clinic. By helping clients understand their planning choices and organize important documents, he supports families and business owners preparing for future transitions with greater clarity.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP
• Member, joined, South Carolina Bar (2023)
• Member, joined, The North Carolina State Bar (2022)
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Volunteer, South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Wills Clinic
• Member, Charleston Preservation Society (2025-Present)
• Member, Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce

Licensed State

• South Carolina
• North Carolina
• California

Education

• California Western School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of California, Santa Barbara
  Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science

Awards & Badges