Find Lawyers in South Carolina, United States for Commercial Litigation
Practice Area Overview
Litigation increasingly occurs in various venues, from state and federal courts to private arbitrations and administrative hearings. Proceedings can involve business-to-business disputes or any number of government agencies. Understanding the motivations and outlook of each of the litigation participants is important for determining weak points to exploit and strong points that will persuade the audience in question. During the past decade, commercial litigators have seen a dramatic uptick in multidistrict and inter-disciplinary litigation, making the stakes higher, the cases more complex, the parties more numerous and the discovery more complicated and unwieldy. Firms that are able to develop and implement a creative legal approach to each individual problem, efficiently focus on the key legal and factual issues, and master and manage the various aspects of these complex matters will be the busiest in the years to come.
In the current challenging economic climate, commercial litigators are under increasing client pressure to keep costs in check, which has both sides testing the efficacy of alternative fee arrangements and the scope of reasonable discovery. Whether the “death of the billable hour” is ultimately realized, the keys to a commercial litigator’s success will continue to be strong client relationships, thought leadership, practical management skills, deep experience, and personal commitment.
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Cities
A skilled litigator with experience at all levels of federal and state courts in South Carolina, Dan represents clients in court hearings and trials as well as before local councils, agencies and commissions. He also helps companies interested in building or expanding in the Central Upstate South Carolina, including Rock Hill, Fort Mill and York, Chester and Lancaster Counties. He works with clients on land use and zoning matters, and he also assists businesses seeking economic development in...
Rita Bolt Barker is a veteran litigator and counselor with experience in environmental, commercial litigation, and insurance coverage matters. Environmental Rita has broad experience helping clients navigate the wide range of laws that protect our natural resources. She is a trusted, reliable partner for business and individuals who need a steady guide through the ins and outs of environmental compliance and litigation. Rita delivers results for clients who need assistance in investigating an...
Parker Barnes is an experienced litigator and shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office, where he focuses his practice on real property and business litigation, primarily on matters involving tax sales, real estate-related disputes, consumer financial services and commercial lending disputes.
Kevin's litigation practice involves class action defense and insurance disputes and his general litigation practice has included a wide variety of trial and appellate matters for the firm's clients from collapsed structures to medical malpractice and unfair trade practices. His insurance practice centers on life insurance and commercial liability/property insurance and has involved virtually every aspect of the business, with insurance products ranging from home service policies to complex a...
Elizabeth Black, an experienced litigator and shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office, focuses her practice on commercial litigation matters. She represents plaintiffs and defendants involved in breach of contract disputes, corporate governance actions, antitrust and competition-based issues, government licensing and public procurement disputes, and business tort matters.
Long motivated by a desire to see justice served through proper application of the law, Daniel F. “Frank” Blanchard, III is actively involved in civil trial work with emphasis in employment, civil rights, personal injury, consumer law, business litigation, and probate, estate, and trust cases. Frank attended Greenville’s Furman University, where he was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and received the Furman Scholar and Kennedy Foundation Scholarships. During hi...
C. Mitchell Brown is a partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP practicing in Columbia, principally in the areas of appellate law, business litigation, bad faith insurance defense, regulatory practice, and premises liability. He has also represented attorneys in disciplinary proceedings. He is the leader of the Firm's Appellate Practice Group.
Robert serves clients in a national trial practice. Throughout more than thirty years with the firm, Robert has represented corporate, institutional, and individual clients in a wide range of litigation matters, including the defense of colleges and universities in tuition refund class actions, high wealth family trust and estate disputes, environmental and consumer class actions, and supply chain and consumer litigation over alleged product defects.
Beth is tenacious and a rigorous thinker. Her practice focuses on business disputes of all kinds, in courtroom and arbitration settings, including FINRA. Beth’s clients include publicly traded and private companies and their officers and employees operating in a wide array of industries such as real estate development, insurance, energy and utility, restaurant and retail, financial investing, and health care. Beth’s litigation experience also includes trust and estate work, and ap...
Gray T. Culbreath Gray Culbreath represents corporations, individuals and insurers in trials and appeals. For almost 30 years he has handled complex trials and appeals in federal and state courts across South Carolina. His career has taken Gray from Army courtrooms to every federal and state courthouse in South Carolina. His principal areas of practice include all types of complex commercial and class action litigation, including antitrust, product liability and mass tort as well as claims of...
Bart Daniel co-heads the White Collar Crime Defense and Government Investigations team. His practice focuses on both civil and criminal litigation. He has tried numerous white collar, healthcare, environmental, securities, and general litigation matters to verdict in South Carolina. Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, Mr. Daniel was confirmed and served as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina from 1989 to 1992. During his tenure, he served as lead prosecutor during Operation ...
Frank Davis is a shareholder and experienced economic development attorney in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Greenville office. Frank represents both publicly and privately held companies, including family businesses, in acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances, economic development transactions and general contract negotiations.
Rick has more than 30 years' experience as a trial lawyer in a diverse practice that includes workers' compensation, personal injury, medical malpractice, securities fraud, probate disputes and more. He represents clients in commercial disputes, including judicial dissolution of businesses, minority shareholder oppression and accounting actions involving corporations, partnerships and family businesses. Additionally, he is a South Carolina Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator. Born ...
Ian T. Duggan is a determined trial attorney and problem solver who works to help both plaintiffs and defendants resolve challenging legal matters. Whether a client faces general commercial litigation issues, a personal injury case, or criminal charges, Ian’s goal with every case is to maximize positive results.
David Dukes is a partner in Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough's Columbia office, where he practices in the areas of business litigation, technology litigation, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, patent litigation, securities litigation, and coordination of national litigation. He has served as President of two national lawyer organizations. David also served as Managing Partner of the Firm for over ten years and currently serves on the Executive Committee.
Bess DuRant is a litigator engaged in complex business disputes on both the trial and appellate level. Her practice includes corporate governance issues, bet-the-company litigation, shareholder disputes, derivative actions, along with other business torts and contractual disputes. Bess' practice also includes trust and estate litigation. Additionally, Bess focuses on Constitutional issues, Freedom of Information Act matters, and election disputes. Bess’ practice includes appellate work ...
Greg works primarily in the area of commercial litigation, including corporate, environmental, real estate and other commercial cases. His varied litigation experience includes over 50 jury and bench trials, plus numerous hearings on preliminary motions and injunctions, dispositive motions, and appeals in both state and federal courts. Greg also assists clients in investigating and responding to matters before administrative agencies and has taught Administrative Law for Clemson University&rs...
Mr. Finkel was the founding member and the Managing Member of Finkel Law Firm L.L.C. until January, 2007, at which time he went of counsel to the firm. From 2007 until May 2015, he was a full time faculty member at the Charleston School of Law as a Professor of Law where he taught Torts, Insurance Law, Evidence and Trial Advocacy. From 1981 until 2006, he taught Trial Advocacy and Insurance Law at the University of South Carolina School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. He is a past President o...
Lesley Firestone’s environmental law practice includes assisting clients in the purchase or sale of contaminated properties, permitting, compliance counseling, and the resolution or avoidance of environmental enforcement issues. Lesley’s litigation practice includes bringing and defending challenges to permitting decisions in front of government agencies and the S.C. Administrative Law Court. She has also handled appeals before the S.C. Court of Appeals. Lesley has represented cli...
A native of Turbeville, South Carolina, Joey attended The Citadel, where he received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering in 1997. After graduation, Joey moved to Augusta, Georgia, to work as a Consulting Engineer with the engineering firm of Cranston Robertson & Whitehurst. In this position, Joey had the opportunity to observe and participate in designing various public and private construction projects while also earning his Engineer in Training Certification. After gaining invaluable exp...
Brandon Gaskins maintains a broad practice that draws upon wide-ranging experience in litigation, land use, governmental, and employment matters. Realizing that no case or legal issue is exactly the same, Brandon applies his skills flexibly to offer clients strategic and innovative solutions. Brandon is an accomplished litigator with experience in complex business and contract disputes, land use and zoning disputes, and cases involving violations of non-competition, confidentiality, and other...
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...
Ted Gentry focuses his practice on counseling colleges and universities and on appellate litigation. Ted’s career handling complex litigation gives him valuable insights into the ways that today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s disputes. Ted has served education clients for over two decades, and has extensive appellate experience, including cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and t...
Both a trial lawyer and business lawyer for over forty years, Mason A. Goldsmith brings a depth of experience to serve the unique needs of clients. Andy has spent his career practicing in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. He was formerly with Love, Thornton, Arnold & Thomason, P.A. and served as managing partner. He has built a practice serving clients in the areas of complex litigation, commercial real estate, and banking transactions. In addition to being a well-respected liti...
Andrew D. Gowdown focuses on helping his clients with their complex personal injury cases. From traumatic brain injuries and wrongful death to products liability and trucking accidents, Andrew’s clients benefit from his experience and drive to see these cases through to a successful resolution. In addition to handling various types of personal injury cases, Andrew also represents clients in business and securities litigation matters. Knowing that he wanted to make a difference, Andrew a...
Betsy is an accomplished litigator, concentrating her practice on commercial litigation, probate and estate litigation, professional liability and ethics, and securities and FINRA. The second woman president of the South Carolina Bar, Betsy was awarded the 2016 Fellows Award presented by the National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP), an award recognizing the accomplishments of a past president of a bar association who has demonstrated a continuing commitment to leadership, service, the wor...
Tom is an experienced litigator who has handled complex cases in federal and state courts around the country. He represents parties in all types of litigation ranging from business tort cases to contractual disputes to personal injury, including any necessary appeals. Tom also knows the ins-and-outs of several unique types of cases; specifically, Tom handles utility ratemaking cases, administrative law cases, and qui tam cases. He also represents plaintiffs in pharmaceutical and medical devic...
H. Brewton “Brew” Hagood has been with the firm since his admission to practice law in 1978. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of construction litigation, mediation and arbitration, commercial litigation, insurance litigation and probate and estate litigation. In his construction practice, Brew has substantial experience representing private and public owners, condominium associations, architects, construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and ...
A highly skilled litigator with more than two decades of practice, Amy L.B. Hill assists South Carolina businesses and individuals involved in a variety of issues. She routinely represents clients in state and federal courts as well as before arbitration panels. With a bachelor's degree from Clemson University in accounting and extensive litigation experience, Amy approaches all cases with a keen understanding of the financial impact. She is prepared to represent clients in a wide variety of ...
Meliah works primarily in the area of trial and appellate litigation, with an emphasis on complex civil litigation and intellectual property law. Her varied experience includes representing plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving corporate governance, commercial law, election law, governmental authority, and disputes over intellectual property — such as trademark, copyright, patents, and trade secrets. She also assists clients in general corporate matters and advises clients on ass...
Phillip Kilgore has been in the practice of litigation and labor and employment law in the Greenville office of Ogletree Deakins since 1986. Phillip has extensive litigation experience, representing clients in state and federal courts and administrative tribunals. He has handled a wide range of cases from traditional employment discrimination claims to tort claims and from environmental claims to shareholder derivative actions and minority shareholder disputes. Phillip also is an expert in ad...
Bob Knowlton leads Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Corporate Litigation practice group and is a certified mediator. Bob has successfully represented businesses and individuals in a wide variety of complex, high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts and arbitrations. His experience includes litigation and representation involving claims under securities laws, shareholder disputes, corporate governance matters, claims against officers and directors, business torts, intellectual property, inve...
D. Larry Kristinik is a partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP who practices in the Columbia office in the areas of business litigation, class action defense, insurance coverage and bad faith claims, defense of investor securities claims, and FINRA broker-dealer arbitrations. Mr. Kristinik is the Chair of the firm's Insurance Industry Practice Group and also serves as the assistant group leader of the firm's Litigation Group. Mr. Kristinik has been admitted pro hac vice in stat...
John Kuppens is a partner in Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP’s Columbia office. He is a member of the firm's Consumer Product Safety, Risk Prevention and Regulatory Practice Group, and its Consumer & Mechanical Products Litigation Group. He has experience in consumer product risk prevention and regulatory counseling, product liability litigation, commercial litigation, and state procurement matters.
Jim Lehman is the Managing Partner of the Firm. In addition to his management responsibilities, he practices in the areas of business and securities litigation, white collar investigations, and professional liability. Mr. Lehman has also served in senior executive management positions. In 2001, he joined Safety-Kleen as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, which at the time was one of the largest bankruptcies in US history. In addition to his Firm responsibilities, ...
Wallace is an experienced trial and appellate attorney, with over 60 jury trials in state and federal courts throughout the Southeast, and approximately 100 bench trials, jury trials, and arbitration trials, as well as numerous appeals in the South Carolina appellate courts and the United States Courts of Appeals for the First, Fourth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuits. His practice involves complex securities, corporate, and intellectual property cases, as well as news media and First Amendment d...
Johnny Linton represents Plaintiffs and Defendants and practices full-time as Special Counsel at Duffy & Young, LLC. He has concluded jury and non-jury trials in five Divisions of the United States District Court; has prevailed for clients in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the South Carolina Supreme Court, and the South Carolina Court of Appeals; and was lead counsel on brief and oral argument against the Solicitor General of the United States, Charles Fried, i...
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