An Attorney Who Cares

Betsy Tanner Law is a client-focused, boutique law firm built around giving families in Upstate South Carolina direct access to a professional and compassionate legal advocate.

Who Is Betsy?

I was adopted as an infant. I spent more than ten years as a licensed foster parent. And I'm an adoptive mother. That's not a marketing angle, it's the reason I practice adoption law. When you sit across from me, I already understand what this process asks of a family because I've been on your side of it.


I'm a Greenville native and a graduate of Furman University, where I earned a B.S. in Communication Studies. I went on to the University of Georgia School of Law and clerked for Superior Court judges in Augusta, Georgia before returning to Upstate South Carolina to build my practice. I've been practicing in the Upstate for more than a decade.


Since 2018, I've helped finalize adoptions for over 350 children placed in forever families. Adoption isn't a service I added to round out a general practice. It's the work I built everything around.


I'm also a fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys — a distinction requiring 50 or more adoption proceedings as lead counsel and at least 10 ICPC placements. My bar admissions, committee memberships, and professional recognition reflect a practice that goes deep in this area of law, not wide across it.


Beyond adoption, I serve families navigating estate planning and probate, two areas that matter just as much once a family is formed. My roots are in Fountain Inn, where our office is located on the Greenville–Laurens county line, and where my family has been part of the community for years.

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What Working With Me Actually Looks Like

When you hire me, you work with me and my amazing team. I'm counsel on every matter and my team is our support.


When you call during business hours, a person answers. We're available Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you reach voicemail, your call is returned. That's a promise we take seriously because I know how much it matters when you're in the middle of something that feels urgent.

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A modern, family-focused estate planning practice

At the Law Office of Johann Chau, we help families plan for the future with care and clarity. Since 2011, we’ve guided clients across Chicago and the suburbs through wills, trusts, probate, and more. Johann leads every case with experience and compassion as your attorney, while Mina, our paralegal, provides hands-on support to make every step simple and stress-free. Together, we’ve built a warm, approachable law practice designed to help you protect what matters most.

About the Law Office of Johann Chau

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Meet the Team

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Betsy Tanner

Attorney at Law

Betsy is a Greenville native, Furman University and University of Georgia School of Law graduate, and a fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. She has practiced adoption, estate planning, and probate law in Upstate South Carolina for more than a decade. She is an adoptee, a former licensed foster parent, and an adoptive mother. Every client matter in the office remains under her direct counsel.

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Julia Bryant

Adoption Paralegal

Julia serves as the firm’s Adoption Paralegal and brings both professional dedication and personal passion to her role. A proud wife and mother of three, she earned her associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies from Greenville Technical College and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Political Science with a Pre-Law and child advocacy concentration at USC Upstate.


With a long-term goal of attending law school, Julia is deeply committed to growing within the legal field. She has worked alongside Betsy for the past three years and takes great pride in supporting families through what can often be challenging and emotional times.


Julia is passionate about making the adoption process as smooth and stress-free as possible, always striving to provide compassionate, knowledgeable assistance to every family she serves.

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Rachelle Mungai

Probate Legal Assistant

Rachelle supports families navigating estate planning and probate. Her role ensures that estate planning and probate clients receive focused, organized assistance during what is often one of the more demanding administrative seasons a family goes through after a loss. Outside of work, she’s an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys live music, flower gardening, and spending quality time with her husband, three teens, and their dog.

Credentials and Community

  • Fellow, Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (highly vetted group of attorneys dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption law ; 50+ adoption proceedings as lead counsel, 10+ ICPC placements) https://adoptionart.org/


  • B.S. in Communication Studies, Furman University


  • J.D., University of Georgia School of Law


  • Judicial clerkship, Superior Court, Augusta, Georgia


  • Licensed to practice in South Carolina; more than a decade of Upstate practice



  • Fountain Inn community roots; office located on the Greenville–Laurens county line




Frequently Asked Questions

Betsy Tanner Law

  • Is Betsy Tanner an adoptive parent herself?

    Yes. Betsy was adopted as an infant and is an adoptive mother. She also served as a licensed foster parent for more than ten years. Her experience on both sides of adoption is central to how she approaches this work.

  • Where did Betsy Tanner go to law school?

    Betsy earned her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. Before returning to South Carolina, she clerked for Superior Court judges in Augusta, Georgia.

  • How long has Betsy Tanner practiced law in South Carolina?

    Betsy has practiced in Upstate South Carolina for more than a decade, with a focus on adoption, estate planning, and probate.


  • Who works at Betsy Tanner Law?

    Betsy is supported by Julia Bryant, a dedicated adoption paralegal, and Rachelle Mungai, a probate and estate planning legal assistant. Betsy remains counsel on every client matter. Cases are not delegated to associates.

  • Does Betsy Tanner handle cases outside of adoption?

    Yes. In addition to adoption, Betsy handles estate planning — including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney — and probate administration for families in Upstate South Carolina.