South Carolina firm Turner Padget Graham & Laney has established a Georgia beachhead on the other side of the Savannah River, absorbing all five lawyers from Augusta firm Warlick, Stebbins, Murray & Chew.

The lawyers joining Turner Padget are: William Warlick, Charles Stebbins III, James “Jeb” Murray, William Chew and Jennifer Kerr. All joined as of counsel.

The move is client-driven, according to the firm. The Warlick Stebbins quintet “further supports our ability to respond promptly and strategically to our clients' legal needs in Georgia, said R. Wayne Byrd, Turner Padget's chief executive officer, in a statement.

The Warlick Stebbins lawyers add to a two-lawyer office in Augusta that Turner Padget opened in May. The firm has 66 lawyers in six offices, according to its website. Its five South Carolina offices are in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Myrtle Beach.

Warlick has practiced in Georgia for more than 50 years and is a past president of the Augusta Bar Association. His practice encompasses corporate, real estate and litigation matters, including commercial zoning and bond financing issues. Warlick has also served as general counsel to banks and bank holding companies.

Stebbins is a commercial litigator, who also handles tort and probate disputes and creditors' rights matters in bankruptcy disputes. He is a past member of the Richmond County Board of Elections.

Murray, who is also licensed in South Carolina, handles civil litigation, as well as banking probate, real estate and environmental law. He is a two-term board chairman for the Savannah River Land Trust.

Chew is a real estate lawyer, handling both residential and commercial matters. He also advises on probate matters, wills and general business matters.

Kerr handles residential real estate, family law and probate matters. She serves as a guardian ad litem in the juvenile and probate courts for Richmond County and Columbia County.