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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Robinson Gray has achieved a new firm record as The Best Lawyers in America® recognizes 32 of its attorneys.

Twenty-seven in the firm made the main Best Lawyers list in the Columbia area, while five younger attorneys were listed as Ones to Watch going forward.

Meanwhile, two of the 27 – Becky Laffitte and Bill Metzger – received an even higher honor, being named as Lawyers of the Year, Becky in Insurance Law and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Bill in Banking and Finance Law.

“As our firm grows, so does our reputation for excellent representation,” said Cal Watson, the law firm’s managing member. “From our most experienced attorneys to the youngest, our hard work is being noticed by our peers, and most importantly, by our clients.”

Here are the main 27, with the practice areas in which they are recognized:

• Grady Beard, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Kevin Bell, in Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law.
• Chris Boguski, in Litigation – Construction.
• Frank Ellerbe, in seven practice areas: Administrative/Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), and Utilities Law.
• Kevin Garrison, in Litigation – Real Estate and Real Estate Law.
• Benjamin Gooding, in Commercial Litigation and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants.
• Betsy Gray, in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation.
• Nick Haigler, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Matt Hill, in Banking and Finance Law and Corporate Law.
• Paul Hoefer, in five areas: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law.
• Rachel Hutchens, in Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants.
• Becky Laffitte, in five areas: Insurance Law, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Transportation Law.
• Gibbs Leaphart, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Amanda Mellard, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Bill Metzger, in Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships).
• Michael Montgomery, in Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants.
• Kelly Morrow, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Shannon Till Poteat, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Beth Richardson, in Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Securities.
• Jasmine Smith, in Appellate Practice.
• Kerk Spong, in Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Real Estate Law.
• Bobby Stepp, in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation.
• Tim Thompson, in Tax Law.
• Monty Todd, in Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants.
• Rob Tyson, in Administrative/Regulatory Law, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Trusts and Estates.
• Court Walsh, in Commercial Litigation.
• Cal Watson, in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants.

The “Ones to Watch” category exists to recognize lawyers who have shown outstanding excellence in private practice in the first decades of their careers. The five at Robinson Gray thus named for 2025 are:

• Molly Campolong, in Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), and Real Estate Law.
• Ashley Dixon, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Meredith Ann Krzyston, in Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• La’Jessica Stringfellow, in Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants.
• Lisle Traywick, in Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

The Best Lawyers in America is used by thousands of lawyers and corporations and is presented as a definitive guide to the legal profession in the United States.

Recognition is based on peer review. The process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. For more information, go to https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.

About Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC

Located in the BullStreet district, Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, is a South Carolina law firm that offers a tailored, hands-on approach. It provides business transactional and litigation representation in all state and federal trial and appellate courts in South Carolina. The firm’s 40 attorneys serve clients ranging from multi-national corporations to small businesses and individuals. For more, visit https://robinsongray.com/.