Spinning circle Big letter B

D. Michael Henthorne focuses his practice on representing clients in employment litigation. He has significant trial experience and has successfully appeared before both the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court. He also appears regularly in federal and state courts in South Carolina and before various regulatory and administrative tribunals, such as:

  • The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • The Department of Labor
  • The South Carolina Human Affairs Commission
  • The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
  • The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

A specialist in employment and labor law as certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Michael has litigated matters involving:

  • Title VII
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act
  • The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
  • Wage and hour disputes
  • Employment contracts
  • Employment torts
  • Covenants not to compete, trade secrets and unfair competition matters

Notably, he served as lead trial counsel in an intellectual property dispute involving a Fortune 50 retailer; in the defense of a $500,000 predatory lending claim that resulted in a jury verdict for a national mortgage lender; and in the settlement of a seven-figure negligence claim for a South Carolina healthcare provider prior to trial. He routinely works with in-house corporate counsel and insurers to resolve employment litigation and appellate matters.

Additionally, Michael was previously admitted pro hac vice in Clark County Nevada where he settled an employment dispute on behalf of a national sporting goods distributor, and in the Western District of Tennessee where he resolved a whistleblower action for a leading aluminum rolled products company.

Certified as both a civil mediator and an arbitrator by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Michael also has previously held the Professional in Human Resources designation from the Human Resources Certification Institute in conjunction with the Society for Human Resources Management. He has been a featured speaker at seminars and corporate training events and makes presentations for numerous professional organizations. He also has taught employment and labor law as an adjunct faculty member at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina.

Locations
  • First Base Building, Suite 401
    2142 Boyce Street
    Columbia, SC 29201
  • 41 South High Street
    Suite 3250
    Columbus, OH 43215
Education
  • Furman University, BS
Bar Admissions
  • South Carolina, South Carolina Bar
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Committee of 100, Central SC Alliance - Member
  • Defense Research Institute - Member
  • Society for Human Resource Management - Member
  • South Carolina Bar Association - Member

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Employment Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Employment Law - Management, Columbia, SC (2024)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
  • Employment
  • Management
Awards:
  • Named, America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Chambers USA, 2013
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Labor Law - Management

Spinning circle Big letter B

Publications

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B