Labor & Employment: South Carolina

THE FIRM This leading national labor and employment firm has established an outstanding reputation in South Carolina for top-quality advice and first-class service. In addition to handling a whole range of work surrounding wage and hour collective actions, anti-unionizing campaigns and collective bargaining, the group has been busy defending a class action threatened by the EEOC, and building its practice before the OFCCP.

Sources say: "They are excellent – they do a great job and offer tremendous value for the service and expertise that they provide."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Market veteran Daniel Ellzey is well recognized for his longstanding experience in the labor and employment field, advising clients on union avoidance and preventive employee relations plans.

Managing partner Jonathan Pearson is best known for his strong litigation and traditional labor law practice, and regularly assists employers in union contract negotiations.

Hagood Tighe earns plaudits from clients for his ability to "grasp the dynamics of the issue immediately and provide expert advice that is very practical." He specializes in representing clients in union matters as well as employment litigation.

Michael Carrouth has significant experience in union-related matters such as campaigns and elections and union avoidance, and often appears before the NLRB and administrative agencies.

Stephen Mitchell is praised by clients for his "very good knowledge and expertise in traditional labor issues," and also maintains an active employment litigation practice.

THE FIRM This impressive boutique has a deep bench of labor and employment specialists spread across offices in Greenville, Columbia and Charleston. Its 45-strong South Carolina team is respected for its large client base and diverse practice, which covers traditional labor, employment litigation, immigration and employee benefits. Notable clients include Michelin North America, Palmetto Health, D.R. Horton and SCANA.

Sources say: "Very good depth of experience and knowledge within the firm."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Of counsel Hamilton Stewart is one of the founding members of the firm and continues to play a key role in the industry, remaining a valued member of the team. He is experienced across the full range of labor and employment matters.

Lewis Smoak is an extremely influential figure at the firm and has longstanding experience in union organization and decertification campaigns, as well as advising clients on preventive labor relations programs. 

"Fantastic trial lawyer" Gray Geddie recently returned to the Greenville office, having served a ten-year stint as the firm's managing shareholder and having been instrumental in the firm's huge growth in that period. He has more than 30 years' experience in handling employment and other disputes.

Charles Speth manages the Columbia office and is well respected for his employment litigation work, including class actions. He has considerable experience before state and federal courts.

Fred Suggs is experienced in traditional labor matters and is sought out for his advice on union campaigns and collective bargaining agreements. He also handles individual and class discrimination suits.

Leigh Nason leads the firm's affirmative action and OFCCP practice, and is especially dedicated to advising federal contractors and subcontractors on compliance issues and administrative enforcement actions. "She is very responsive and knowledgeable, and does a good job of working with HR professionals within our company," said one client.

Katherine Dudley Helms has a very broad practice that includes employment law, wage and hour matters and related litigation. She is particularly well recognized in the healthcare sector, where she advises clients such as Palmetto Health.

Mike Shetterly manages the Greenville office and works closely with clients on providing proactive advice and training to HR teams and managers on best practice in the workplace. He also maintains a strong litigation practice.

Bernhard Mueller is a go-to attorney for immigration compliance matters. 

THE FIRM This highly respected firm is best known for its strong trade secret and competition expertise, and is also praised for the breadth of its labor and employment practice. The 11-lawyer group handles a wide variety of cases, and recently successfully obtained a summary judgment for Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated in a race discrimination and retaliation claim. Other notable clients include Day & Zimmermann International, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and White Oak Management.

Sources say: "Ford & Harrison is outstanding �� you can't beat them for getting the right answer, on time."

KEY INDIVIDUALS "Outstanding lawyer" Wade Ballard is the managing partner of the Spartanburg office. He has significant experience in complex labor and employment litigation, and also handles arbitration and mediation work.

New entrant Clay Keim is recognized for his expertise in trade secret and noncompete law. Clients also praise his "excellent restrictive covenant litigation" work.

Thomas Keim is well positioned to deal with any traditional labor and employment disputes, particularly within the healthcare industry. He also played a key role in defending Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated.

THE FIRM This boutique is recognized for its defense of public sector employers and managers in employment-related litigation, including an increasing number of EEOC, discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful discharge claims. It also advises on employee handbooks and personnel policies.

Sources say: "They represent state and local governments and are probably the best in this very complicated area."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Vance Bettis is a seasoned employment litigator who is very well known in the public sector, having represented every South Carolina Governor since the 1980s. "He is tremendous – I can't speak highly enough of him," said one interviewee.

Stephen Savitz is sought after by clients and peers for arbitration and mediation relating to labor and employment disputes. In addition to specializing in wage and hour, affirmative action and collective bargaining matters, he frequently counsels employers on employment practices and employee handbooks.

Linda Pearce Edwards specializes in wage and hour law and assists clients, including counties and healthcare institutions, on matters such as wrongful discharge and reviews of employee handbooks and employment policies.

THE FIRM Clients of this labor and employment boutique benefit from its extensive national network and wealth of resources. The team represents employers in matters ranging from individual and class discrimination and ERISA litigation to wage and hour collective actions and traditional labor disputes. It has a broad base of clients, including BMW Manufacturing, Nestlé Prepared Foods Company, Liberty Mutual Group and Pfizer.

Sources say: "A prominent fixture in South Carolina."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Commentators say that Andreas Satterfield "is a wonderful communicator and has the ability to take different legal concepts and make them easy to understand." He heads the South Carolina labor and employment practice and has experience in a range of discrimination, harassment and wrongful discharge disputes.

"Phenomenal lawyer" Stephanie Lewis joins the rankings this year having been recognized for her active employment litigation practice and visible presence at the local Bar. Praised as "a really brilliant young lawyer," she is experienced in Title VII discrimination, fair pay and sexual harassment claims.

Ashley Abel is singled out for his expertise in employee benefits litigation, handling single and multiplaintiff actions in and out of state. He leads the firm's benefits litigation group.

THE FIRM This full-service firm holds a respected position in the market thanks to its wealth of experience in labor and employment law and a strong litigation arm. Trade secret litigation is a particular area of expertise, and the team has helped several clients obtain favorable outcomes in the last year. It has worked with some of the state's largest employers, including Boeing, Honda and Verizon Wireless.

Sources say: "We've been very pleased as they did a good job and were very economical with costs."

KEY INDIVIDUALS David Dubberly is a very well-respected attorney specializing in trade secret and OSHA cases. Clients appreciate his "impeccable quality of work and his ability to strike a great balance between different propositions and the levels of risk." He chairs the firm's labor and employment practice from Columbia.

Susan McWilliams is renowned for her strong litigation practice and has more than 25 years' experience in handling major labor and employment cases.

Greenville-based Thomas Stephenson is singled out as one of the strongest employment mediators in South Carolina.

THE FIRM This labor and employment boutique represents employers in a wide range of matters, including labor relations, wage and hour, immigration, employee benefits and affirmative action. It has also handled an increasing number of OFCCP compliance reviews. The group is particularly familiar with the automotive industry, advising key players such as BMW Manufacturing. Other notable clients include La-Z-Boy, US Airways and PepsiCo.

Sources say: "They are excellent – very professional, proficient, knowledgeable and excellent at keeping clients up to date and informed."

KEY INDIVIDUALS The vastly experienced Steve Warren manages the firm's Greenville office and leads the labor and employment team. He frequently advises union-free employers and employers with unionized workforces on preventive employment plans and practices. Clients have the utmost regard for him and appreciate his "wealth of experience in labor and employment law."

Brian Magargle continues to impress clients by being "very thorough, tenacious and very well prepared." He assists clients with a wide variety of employment issues, particularly relating to employee benefits and ERISA.

THE FIRM Wyche operates with a small but effective team of attorneys, who earn praise for their excellent attention to client service. The team advises educational institutions, such as Presbyterian College, and large manufacturing companies, such as SynTerra, on a variety of employer-employee and employer-union disputes. Notably, the team recently defended SynTerra in a multiparty litigation brought by URS involving breach of duty of loyalty, trade secret and unfair trade practice claims.

Sources say: "It has a reputation for having the brightest people in town from the best law schools – we just like them a lot."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of the employee benefits litigation practice, Mark Bakker is a very well-respected employment litigator who, according to a source, "consistently provided thoughtful and very helpful advice as we worked through very challenging labor-related situations." He also has a strong mediation practice. 

Theodore Gentry heads the firm's labor and employment practice and specializes in complex employment and class action litigation. Commentators say: "He's excellent in all aspects and very helpful. A great guy who exceeds our expectations."