What Buist Byars & Taylor does

Buist Byars & Taylor LLC is a boutique real estate law firm headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, tracing its roots to 1958. The firm operates from three offices across the Charleston metropolitan area (Johns Island/Freshfields Village, Mount Pleasant, and Downtown Charleston) and is staffed by approximately 14 attorneys and 18 paralegals, legal assistants, and administrative personnel. Custis M. Byars serves as Managing Partner following the 2019 passing of Gray B. Taylor, who led the firm from 2000 and built its commercial real estate department.

The firm delivers legal services across ten practice areas, with a primary focus on commercial and residential real estate transactions, property litigation, tax and estate planning, and business law. Notable transaction representations include a $24.5M+ multi-property King Street commercial deal, the $20M+ Market at Mill Creek retail center development, the $6.75M 529 King Street hotel/retail acquisition, and a 10-year retail lease for YETI Coolers at 360 King Street. The firm claims a significant majority of real estate closings on Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, evidencing incumbency in the resort island market.

The firm's revenue model is professional services fee-based, combining hourly fees, flat fees for closings, and contingency or fixed-fee arrangements depending on matter type. The firm conducts sales-led client acquisition through professional referrals, real estate agent relationships, lender networks, and community involvement (including CREW Charleston, East Cooper Land Trust, and Roper St. Francis Foundation). Customer concentration is diversified across residential and commercial segments, with recurring institutional clients including New Leaf Builders, Adams Property Group, Armada Hoffler Properties, FrontDoor Communities, and Southeastern Construction, alongside pro bono engagements with Kiawah Conservancy and Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy.

Name

Buist Byars & Taylor

Legal name

Buist Byars & Taylor LLC

Website

https://buistbyars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Buist Byars & Taylor LLC is a Charleston, SC-based boutique real estate law firm founded in 1958, serving residential and commercial real estate clients across the Lowcountry with closings, property litigation, estate planning, and business law services through three offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Law

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Title Abstract and Settlement Offices (541191)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Closing & Settlement Services (Settlement Agents) (BPAJAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Abstracting Services (Title Abstracts) (BPAJAOAC), Document Preparation & Recording Services (Deeds, Liens) (BPAJAOAG), HOA/Condo Document & Estoppel Services (BPAJAOAK), New Development / Declarant Transition Management (BPAJAHAK)

Keywords

• Real estate law
• Commercial real estate
• Property litigation
• Estate planning
• Business law

Headquarters

HQ city

Mt Pleasant

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Professional legal services billed primarily through hourly fees, flat fees for specific services such as closings, and contingency or fixed-fee arrangements depending on matter type. Revenue from real estate transactions, litigation, estate planning, business formation, and tax advisory services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Buist Byars & Taylor LLC is a boutique real estate law firm providing legal services across commercial and residential real estate transactions, property litigation, tax and estate planning, probate, and business law. The firm handles closings, contract negotiations, title work, financing, development agreements, leasing, and entity formation for clients throughout the Charleston Lowcountry and beyond. It serves real estate developers, investors, businesses, property owners, and individuals needing estate planning and litigation representation.

Product overview

Buist Byars & Taylor is a boutique real estate law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services through distinct practice areas rather than a unified software product. The firm provides Commercial Real Estate Law, Residential Real Estate Law, Property Litigation, Tax/Estate Planning/Probate, Business Law, and Construction Law services. The practice areas operate as interconnected service lines, with attorneys frequently working across multiple departments to serve clients in residential and commercial transactions, property disputes, estate planning, and business formation matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Real Estate Law Comprehensive legal services for commercial real estate transactions including negotiating and structuring contracts, entity formation, title review, financing, equity placement, traditional neighborhood designs, planned development agreements, urban renewal projects, and waterfront development. For developers, builders, property owners, and investors in commercial real estate projects.
• Residential Real Estate Law Client-focused legal services for residential real estate including closings, contract negotiations, title services, coordination of surveys, tax-free exchanges, flood and zoning certifications. For homeowners, second-home buyers, and property investors in the Charleston Lowcountry.
• Property Litigation Property litigation services covering contract disputes, land use and condemnation, quiet title actions, construction litigation, business litigation, foreclosures, and HOA representation for commercial and residential property owners, developers, HOAs, and lenders.
• Tax, Estate Planning & Probate Legal services for estate planning, asset protection, wealth transfer, trust and estate administration, tax planning, alcohol beverage licensing, and representation before taxing authorities. For individuals, families, and businesses.
• Business Law Legal counsel for business matters including new business formation, mergers, acquisitions, review of leases and commercial contracts, corporate governance, and structuring equity and vesting. For small to mid-sized businesses.
• Construction Law Legal representation for owners, developers, design professionals, contractors, and sureties in public and private construction projects, including contract review, bid protests, defect claims, delay claims, mechanics liens, and construction litigation.
• Community Association Legal Services Legal services for homeowner associations including board resolutions drafting, covenant amendments and enforcement, debt collection, foreclosures, and general counsel services. For HOAs and community associations.
• Title Insurance Defense Title insurance defense services including real property ownership disputes, mortgage priority disputes, quiet title and partition actions, easement disputes, and defense of bad faith claims. For title insurers, lenders, and property owners.
• Default/Distressed Property Services Legal services for distressed properties including acquisition, disposition, restructuring, development, and representation of lenders, owners, investors, and buyers through workouts and bankruptcies.
• Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Estate planning services including simple wills, simple trusts, probate and estate administration, durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, living wills, and medical powers of attorney. For individuals and families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful $24.5+ million multi-property commercial transaction
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Adams Property GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2018Co-developer of Market at Mill Creek retail center in Mt. Pleasant. Buist Byars & Taylor represented Adams Property Group and Armada Hoffler Properties as buyers in the 16-acre property acquisition for this $20M+ development.
• Armada Hoffler PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2018Virginia-based real estate company co-developing Market at Mill Creek with Adams Property Group. Buist Byars & Taylor represented the buyer entity in the property acquisition.
• New Leaf BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for whom the firm provides ongoing legal representation for residential development projects including Sea Island Hamlet townhome community in Mt. Pleasant.
• FlywayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharleston-based real estate and construction firm for which the firm represented in a Nashville property acquisition for adaptive reuse development.
• 529 King Investors LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate investment entity for which the firm represented the buyer in the $6.75M acquisition of 529 King Street for hotel/retail development.
• YETI CoolersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRepresented the landlord in YETI's 10-year retail lease at 360 King Street in Charleston - representing property owner interests.
• FrontDoor CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented FrontDoor Communities in acquisition of land and assets of Mixson development in North Charleston, including residential lots, club, market, and restaurant.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Moore & Van Allen: Charlotte-headquartered regional law firm with a strong commercial real estate practice. Competes for institutional CRE, finance, and development work across the Carolinas.
• Nexsen Pruet: South Carolina-based full-service law firm with strong real estate and corporate practices. Competes for larger CRE, development, and corporate matters across the Carolinas.
• Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd: South Carolina-based regional law firm with a substantial real estate practice serving the Lowcountry and broader SC. Larger and broader in scope than Buist Byars & Taylor but directly competes for CRE and RE transactional mandates.
• Parker Poe: Carolinas-based regional law firm with a significant real estate and development practice. Overlaps with Buist Byars & Taylor on commercial real estate, hospitality, and mixed-use development mandates.
• Rosen Law Firm: Carolina-headquartered law firm with a real estate practice covering residential and commercial transactions. Competes for regional RE transactional mandates.
• Lewis Babcock: South Carolina-based law firm with real estate, business, and litigation practices. Comparable boutique-to-mid-market positioning serving SC clients on CRE and property matters.

Direct peers

• Krawcheck & Davidson: Charleston-based boutique law firm focused on real estate and business matters. Similar size and Charleston Lowcountry focus, making it a direct boutique competitor.
• Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms: Charleston-based boutique law firm offering real estate, business, and litigation services. Comparable in size, geography, and CRE transactional practice.
• Clawson & Staubes: Charleston-based boutique law firm with a real estate practice serving the Lowcountry market. Closest direct comparable in scale, geography, and CRE/RE transactional focus.

Broad incumbents

• Troutman Pepper (formerly Womble Carlyle): Large national/regional law firm with a major commercial real estate practice and a Charleston office. Competes for larger, multi-jurisdictional RE, finance, and development mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BuistByarsandTaylor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buist Byars & Taylor