Find Lawyers in South Carolina, United States for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Practice Area Overview
Often, these employment disputes culminate in a lawsuit, which can be costly, time-consuming, and damaging to employee relations. The number of employment-related litigation filings has been steadily increasing over the last decade, ranging from large-scale class actions to individual complaints. Employers are facing greater challenges and financial exposure from both current and former employees than ever before.
Employment litigation covers many types of claims, including discrimination; harassment; wage-hour pay, classification, and overtime violations; wrongful discharge; entitlement to employee benefits; misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information; unfair competition; enforcement or avoidance of restrictive covenants; labor union disputes; workplace safety violations; defamation and other employment-related torts. These claims often involve the many laws governing employee relations, which are often referred to as “employment law alphabet soup.” These include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), whistleblower claims under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) or Dodd-Frank Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Resolving employment litigation requires knowledge of these laws and regulations, the applicable case law, and a careful case analysis and strategy. More so than in other less personal litigation, a perceptive understanding of the people involved is essential for success. Often, suits will be settled among parties or ended before trial through summary judgment based on the facts of the case. When early resolution is not achieved, however, the case will go to trial in court or before an agency tribunal. Verdicts in employment-related cases can be enormous, especially in wage-hour and other class actions, creating a high-stakes situation for employers.
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Wade Ballard counsels businesses on the entire range of workplace issues and provides advice and representation to employers on employment law, including wage and hour disputes, wrongful termination, retaliation discrimination, harassment, and other issues of concern to employers. He represents management in labor and employment matters in the courts, in arbitration, and before government agencies, including the EEOC, the U.S. Department of Labor, the North and South Carolina Departments of L...
Thomas (“Tom”) Bright has spent his entire legal career practicing labor and employment law representing management. As a litigator, Tom has handled cases ranging from sexual harassment matters, to wage payment matters, to all nature of employment discrimination matters. He has handled cases for clients in his home state of South Carolina, throughout the southeast, and in states like New York, Minnesota, California, Utah, Missouri and Texas. Tom has also advised clients through ad...
A certified specialist in employment and labor law since 1993, M. Malissa Burnette has an extensive history of working toward workplace and social justice. She also has a wealth of experience in family law, personal injury, sexual harassment and discrimination law as well. She practices in state and federal courts, primarily representing individuals in complex employment cases involving discrimination, civil and constitutional rights, breach of contract, covenants to not compete, employment-r...
A certified employment law specialist, skilled litigator, and an experienced business counselor, Bev Carroll represents business of all sizes. Her clients cross many business sectors, including, manufacturers, service providers, and medical practices. She has assisted with licensing, contracting, negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. She also can advise companies on employment law issues, from claims of wrongful termination and violations of noncompete agreements t...
Mike Carrouth is a partner in the Columbia office. He is certified as a Specialist in Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Mike has represented clients in successfully responding to union organizing efforts in 30 states. This work includes successfully defending against multi-site and multi-state national organizing blitzes and card-check/neutrality campaigns. Mike also has represented clients in numerous litigation matters, including jury trials, involving Family and Medical Leave ...
A partner at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, Jack focuses on employment law, civil rights, appeals, and administrative law. A highly experienced litigator, he's successfully challenged agencies and policies, winning in trial and appellate courts as well as before state and federal government agencies. Jack battles tirelessly to remove barriers for clients. This includes seeking criminal record expungement and pardons, working to correct errors in criminal records, reinstating driver’s li...
Cara Crotty is a partner who has defended employers in cases involving every aspect of the employment relationship, including claims such as sexual, racial, age, and disability harassment; discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, and national origin; retaliation; and various other federal and state law claims. Cara Crotty also represents federal contractors covered by Executive Order 11246 in their affirmative action compliance obligations by assisting with Plan preparation ...
William (Bill) Duda is certified as a specialist in Employment and Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court and was included on the 2013 Best Lawyer list in both Employment Management and Litigation categories. Since 2000, Bill has been helping employers understand and comply with a broad range of employment laws, including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, the FLSA, trade secret law, restrictive covenants and workers’ compensation. He regularly represents management in emplo...
Chris Gantt-Sorenson is a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Greenville office and serves as the employment law practice team leader, working exclusively with all types of employers, providing advice and counsel and representation when an employee or employees file a claim or a lawsuit. Chris advises employers and human resource professionals on issues that arise in the workplace daily. She defends clients in employment-related claims and litigation before administrative agencies, such ...
Gray Geddie is one of the founding shareholders of the firm. He served as the firm’s Managing Shareholder from January 2001 through January 2010. Under his leadership, the firm experienced unprecedented growth in terms of geography, professionalism, and client service. Ogletree Deakins is now the third largest labor and employment law firm in the United States. Following his term as Managing Shareholder, Gray returned to his practice in the Greenville office. He is a Fellow in the Colle...
Wm. Robert Gignilliat, IV, is a principal in the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He enjoys helping companies by counseling them on employment law issues and successfully guiding them through employment litigation in courts throughout the country. Wage-and-hour litigation is the largest component of Rob’s practice. He regularly defends employers against class and collective actions alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and state laws on wages. Often...
An experienced litigator who represents management in labor and employment matters, Kristin Gray partners with employers in a variety of industries, including healthcare, retail, restaurant, hospitality, banking, and manufacturing. Kristin helps employers facing issues related to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, employment policies, handbooks, leaves of absence, accommodation issues, employment contracts, separation agreements, wage and hour issues, and other workplace matt...
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 ...
Tom Keim has practiced exclusively in the areas of management labor and employment law since 1987. He represents clients in federal and state courts in many jurisdictions throughout the United States. His experience ranges from the representation of clients in employment litigation to advising clients on the legal issues related to union campaigns, strikes, and other employment-related matters. He also advises clients on the full spectrum of workplace issues. Tom is a South Carolina Supreme C...
Chris Lauderdale is a principal in the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has represented employers in labor and employment matters for 30 years. Chris regularly defends employers in multi-plaintiff and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Rule 23 class actions alleging violations of state wage payment, minimum wage, and overtime laws. He has defended more than 80 such asserted class and collective actions. This experience includes defending food ...
Jeffrey Lehrer is a partner in the law firm of Ford & Harrison LLP, which is one of the largest labor and employment law firms in the United States. He has been practicing labor and employment law exclusively since 1999 and has represented a diverse group of employers throughout the southeast. He works closely with clients to comply with constantly changing laws and shield their businesses from frivolous employment claims. The most common employment issues Jeffrey defends are discriminati...
Reyburn Lominack is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. He is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law. Only 63 of the approximately 10,000 practicing attorneys in South Carolina carry this distinction. A significant percentage of Reyburn’s practice is devoted to representing employers in traditional labor matters, including union avoidance campaigns, grievance arbitrations, strikes/lockouts, successorship issues, collective bargaini...
Sam Mabry is an experienced litigator and shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Greenville office. Sam defends clients in class actions, business, commercial and financial services litigation and products liability actions involving drugs and medical devices. Sam has also handled employment contract disputes and patent and trade secret litigation.
Fred Manning is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. He has extensive experience litigating employment law matters involving civil rights, contracts, and wrongful termination claims. He regularly provides advice and assistance to employers regarding the drafting and enforcement of restrictive covenants, employment contracts and corrective action. Fred has assisted employers throughout the United States in union related matters. He also has extensive experience in representing private coll...
Camden Navarro Massingill is an associate at Wyche, P.A. Her practice includes counseling and assisting clients on day-to-day labor and employment-related matters, conducting internal investigations, and all facets of workplace-related litigation defense in federal and state courts, including cases involving wage and hour laws, Title VII, ADA, FMLA, and other anti-discrimination laws and employment-related torts. In addition to workplace-related litigation, Camden’s broader practice reg...
Ellison F. McCoy is the office managing principal of the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He is engaged exclusively in the practice of employment law on behalf of management. Ellison has represented employers in litigation matters before state and federal administrative agencies and various state and federal trial and appellate courts. During his legal career, Ellison has handled a wide-variety of employment matters involving claims such as discrimination based on race...
Stephen Mitchell is managing partner of the firm's Columbia office. His practice emphasizes traditional labor law and employment litigation. Steve started his career as a prosecutor, gaining valuable trial experience. He has handled administrative charges and lawsuits in state and federal courts involving wrongful discharge, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Family and Medical Leave A...
John represents both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court and has frequently argued before the South Carolina Supreme Court. He has a diverse litigation and appellate practice, handling matters related to the False Claims Act, health care, personal injury, and business litigation. He also represents governmental clients, such as county and state governments, and private clients before governmental bodies. John has been certified as a mediator since 2005 and serves by appointme...
Leigh Nason is a shareholder in the Columbia, South Carolina office of Ogletree Deakins and chairs the firm’s Affirmative Action/OFCCP Compliance Practice Group. She devotes the majority of her practice to representing federal contractors and subcontractors in compliance evaluations and administrative enforcement actions triggered by the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Ms. Nason counsels employers on the preparation, mana...
Chris Ogiba is a versatile litigator who focuses on high stakes matters for a variety of institutional, corporate, and individual clients. He is a go-to trial attorney for several Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, retail entities, construction firms, industrial concerns, and real estate developers. Chris is an experienced civil litigator and trial attorney who has successfully represented a wide variety of clients in state and federal court and in arbitrations. As the chair of th...
Jon Pearson is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. His practice emphasizes employment litigation of all types before state and federal courts, as well as traditional labor law. He has handled lawsuits and administrative charges involving wrongful discharge, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as well as many other types of employment-based claims. Jon has al...
A skilled attorney with more than a decade's experience, Janet represents clients in employment law cases in South Carolina and federal courts. She has litigated issues involving the the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. She’s represented clients facing age discrimination, equal pay issues, wrongful termination, wage disputes and contract disputes, and . She has extensive experience drafting employment agreements, severance ...
Andy Satterfield is a Shareholder in the Greenville office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He practices in the areas of management labor and employment law and has substantial experience representing employers in the manufacturing, professional services, restaurant, health care, retail, and banking industries. Mr. Satterfield has handled cases involving employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, and disability; sexual harassment; wrongful discharg...
Stephanie E. Lewis is the Managing Shareholder of the Greenville, South Carolina office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Ms. Lewis frequently represents employers in employment litigation and matters pending before and against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has handled all aspects of employment law but has particularly focused on sexual harassment, pay discrimination, and disability discrimination issues. She regularly presents on employment-related topics to Bar and industry groups an...
Mr. Shetterly is the managing shareholder in the Greenville, South Carolina office. He has a blended practice, focusing on litigation and proactive advice to clients. In litigation, he focuses on the ultimate objective of the client and tries to streamline the approach to litigation to hone in on the core objectives and outcome determinative issues.Mr. Shetterly routinely provides training and real world advice to human resources teams, general counsels, and supervisors on best practices, par...
A certified specialist in labor and employment law, Nekki Shutt has been involved in the employment / human resources field for more than 20 years, beginning with her work in the personnel department of a publicly-traded property and casualty insurance company. While working for the company before and during her undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina, Nekki eventually became the company's corporate recruiter, responsible for hiring approximately 225 employees on an annual b...
Charles T. ("Ted") Speth II is the Managing Shareholder of the firm's Columbia, South Carolina, office. He has concentrated his practice in employment-related litigation matters during his entire legal career. Ted has successfully defended employers in state and federal litigation throughout the United States. He has devoted a significant amount of time over the last decade to the representation of clients in class action litigation. Ted also provides training and preventive advice to employe...
Fred Suggs is a certified specialist in labor and employment law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. He is a founding lawyer of Ogletree Deakins, having been with the firm since its inception. Mr. Suggs helps companies avoid work-related legal exposure by giving preventive advice and providing training for managers at client locations. Mr. Suggs speaks regularly at employment law conferences, Bar Programs for other lawyers, Association of Corporate Council Meetings, SHRM Conferences for Huma...
Hagood Tighe is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. He practices exclusively in the area of labor and employment law, representing management in traditional labor matters and employment litigation. Hagood is a member of the firm's class and collective action group. In recent years, Hagood has handled approximately 25-30 class and collective actions throughout the country. The vast majority of his class and collective experience is in the wage and hour area.While he maintains an active li...
Stephen Woods represents companies in all aspects of labor and employment law. He assists national, regional, and local clients on counseling/preventive, EEOC and employment litigation, and traditional labor (union) issues and questions. He is the chair of the firm's Background Check Advice Group and the shareholder-author of the firm's O-D Comply: Background Check subscription materials.Stephen lives by a client-centric mantra which combines prevention and practicality to create innovative, ...
Laura Ahrens is an associate in the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Laura represents employers in workplace law matters, and enjoys collaborating with her clients to find practical solutions to the variety of issues that arise in the workplace. Laura is a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group. She represents employers in various employment and labor matters, including claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation brought under Title VII and the ...
Roger Edward Henderson, Jr. was born and raised in Chesterfield, South Carolina. After graduating from Wofford College and the University of South Carolina School of Law, Edward worked at a Bennettsville, South Carolina law firm specializing in personal injury cases, criminal defense, and eminent domain litigation. He then served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Paul M. Burch, Resident Circuit Court Judge in South Carolina’s Fourth Judicial Circuit. After completing his clerksh...
Licensed in both Georgia and South Carolina, Michelle is a labor and employment attorney at the international law firm of Ogletree Deakins. Working in Ogletree Deakins's Charleston, South Carolina office, Michelle defends national and local employers, both big and small, on various employment issues, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour law, and immigration. Michelle also conducts training for various clients with respect to employment topics,...
Brianna Schill's legal practice is focused on providing tailored solutions to management clients facing employment law disputes. Prior to joining FordHarrison, Brianna served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina. In this role, she gained valuable trial and appellate experience by conducting case investigations, representing the State in evidentiary and motion hearings, drafting appellate petitions, returns, and briefs, and arguing before the South Carolina Court of...
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