Anthony Lee “Tony” Harbin ’88

Elite lawyer. Passionate advocate.

Anthony Lee “Tony” Harbin is a passionate advocate for his clients and for Clemson.

The 1988 Clemson honors graduate is a Greenville native. He has lived and practiced law in Anderson since 1996. Before attending Clemson, he served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a member of the American Legion and of Disabled American Veterans.

After earning his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1991, he worked at various law firms in the state before forming Harbin & Burnett in 2014.

Tony has held leadership roles in numerous statewide organizations, including multiple offices in the South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ), which promotes fairness under the law for all South Carolinians. He has served on the SCAJ board of governors since 2005 and was the association’s 2014-2015 president.

He regularly volunteers in legal clinics and engages in pro-bono work for individuals, small businesses and churches who cannot afford legal representation. In 2016, he received SCAJ’s Matthew J. Perry Public Service Award, which recognizes those whose monumental sacrifice in the name of public service has, over the course of a career, made a significant difference to the community. In 2023, he received the association’s Founder’s Award, which is presented to a lawyer who has demonstrated great skill and confidence as a trial advocate for at least 30 years and is recognized as a leader with the highest ethical reputation.

He is a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, an invitation-only professional organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region. For more than 10 years, he has been designated as a Super Lawyer, a rating of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and listed in the Best Lawyers in America directory, which showcases lawyers who meet the highest standards of professional excellence.

While serving on Clemson’s Board of Visitors from 2012 to 2015, Tony volunteered at Tigertown Bound receptions for prospective students and their families. He also participated in Clemson Day at the State House events, and he continues to promote strong relationships between Clemson and state leaders. In support of students in both academics and athletics, he has spoken to legal studies classes, has welcomed Clemson interns into his law offices, and is a major donor to IPTAY to further the success of student-athletes.

Tony and his wife, Diana Hembree Harbin, have two daughters, Kathleen Harbin Black; Mary Catherine Harbin, who graduated from Clemson in 2016; a son, Charles Anthony Harbin; and one granddaughter, Parker Black.