Craig Conover's Career History: From Law School to Sewing Down South
The Southern Charm cast member is a lawyer and has an impressive pillow-making empire.
As fans of Southern Charm know, Craig Conover was never particularly hurried about launching his career in law. Thus, it wasn't surprising when he did a career 180 and created a pillow line.
"I feel like it has a healthy message: Don’t let anyone ever tell you what your passion is and don’t be scared to chase it just because it’s not a societal norm,” the businessman told BravoTV.com in June 2020 after launching his company, Sewing Down South. "It took me until I was 30 years old to start this. It’s never too late to go out and do what you want."
These days, Sewing Down South has a popular flagship store in Charleston and has even collaborated on a line with the Home Shopping Network. Keep reading to discover Craig's career journey, from the bar exam to his pillow empire and a couple of gigs in between.
Where did Craig Conover go to college?
After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in 2010 from the College of Charleston, Craig attended the Charleston School of Law, walking at graduation in 2014. However, he eventually revealed that he hadn't received his diploma at the time because he hadn't turned in his thesis before the ceremony.
While in law school, Craig worked as a paralegal. He was fired during Season 2 Episode 7.
Did Craig Conover pass the bar exam?
For years, Craig's failure to take the bar exam was a hot topic on Southern Charm.
“I think deep down you must not want to be a lawyer, Craig's former boss, Akim Anastopoulo, said during Season 3 Episode 10. “How can I give you advice if you still haven’t done anything to further your career?” During the Season 3 reunion — which aired in June 2016 — Craig finally revealed he hadn't taken the bar because he wasn't eligible, having never submitted his final law school paper and received his diploma.
RELATED: We Have a Major Update on Craig Conover's Legal Career
Nevertheless, he finally made it happen after the Season 3 reunion, ultimately completing his 50-page thesis on parental rights and unmarried fathers and receiving his degree from his alma mater, he told the Daily Dish in April 2017.
The Southern gentleman was officially sworn in to the South Carolina Bar in February 2018 after taking the exam in April 2017 and passing.
"I'm just, I'm so happy for it to be finally be over," Craig told The Daily Dish after receiving the exam results. "It's a huge, huge, huge relief. Obviously I'm excited for my future, but also just for everyone to shut up and leave me alone and let me live my life."
Is Craig Conover a lawyer?
In March 2021, Craig opened his own law firm: the Craig Conover Law Firm.
“Don’t get run over, call Conover! You may have seen me on TV, but my clients know me as their personal injury lawyer. Conover Law Firm can help YOU with your personal injury or workers’ compensation case ," he wrote in an Instagram post advertising the new endeavor.
However, the firm's Instagram page hasn't been updated since December 2021. In April 2022, Craig told The Daily Dish he was ready to make some changes in his law career.
"I think I'm going to bring on two different partners that I went to law school with and that I actually was in the same fraternity with in college, and become more of a boutique law firm," he shared. "At first we were kind of going for volume and trying to help everyone. Now I think we're gonna be a little more selective with being able to put more time and resources into our more specific cases. So we're in kind of a time of transition right now. But I'm excited to see where it goes."
Craig Conover's Construction Management Career
During Season 3 of Southern Charm, Craig surprised the cast and fans with a new career move: Managing the construction of a hotel.
“Craig, you went to law school for three years. And now you want to be a hotel manager?” his former boss, Akim, said after Craig invited him to catch up. Craig shot back that he didn't find his current job mentally stimulating, noting that, while he was doing something else currently, he didn’t want to give up on law.
Craig Conover's Bourbon-Related Job
For a while, Craig also dabbled in the world of spirits, working with JD Madison on his Gentry Bourbon Business. The company's public launch was featured on Southern Charm during Season 3 in 2016.
How did Craig Conover get into pillows?
After years of feeling unfulfilled professionally, Craig realized he could turn his passion for sewing into a real business. His company, Sewing Down South, was originally born after his breakup with Naomie Olindo, when he needed a bit of creative inspiration and turned to his sewing machine. While his fellow cast members weren't always thrilled with the idea, the business has thrived since its launch.
"I was stuck in a room in my house, a sewing room, with my assistant not really sure how to fill any orders," Craig told BravoTV.com exclusively in the June 2020 interview mentioned above. "I knew we had something, but I wasn't sure what direction to go in and I had really no guidance."
In June 2021, Craig partnered with HSN for an exclusive collection. Over the years, he's also expanded his offerings, getting into candles, blankets, apparel, and even dog accessories.
According to the lawyer, the company not only survived, but thrived during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We were able to survive, I know a lot of people weren't," Craig said on Part 1 of the Southern Charm Season 7 reunion. "We did a quarter million in November in sales. We just had our first order placed for 30,000 pillows, we don't even know we can fill it. They're our first million dollar order."
Craig Conover's Sewing Down South Store
In May 2021, Craig made a big business move, opening a flagship store on Charleston's historic King Street. The brick and mortar business allows customers to browse Craig's wares, as well as a curated selection of local products.
Craig Conover, Published Author
In March 2022, Craig added another line to his resume: Author.
His book, Pillow Talk: What's Wrong with My Sewing? looks behind the scenes of Southern Charm and reveals how Craig turned his passion for pillows into profit.
"As a young boy sitting at a sewing machine in home economics class, Craig Conover had no idea that this hobby would one day change his life for the better. Growing up in Delaware, Conover experienced cruel bullying and suffered from severe anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder that robbed him of his childhood confidence and made him crave success. But while law school in Charleston seemed to provide him the direction he needed, Conover spent years searching for meaning and passion in life. The chance to become a cast member on Bravo’s Southern Charm promised to provide that," reads the book's description.
