Advocate's Journal
Fourth Circuit expands the scope of Rule 60(a), FRCP
By Bobby Stepp Rule 60(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that “[t]he court may correct a clerical mistake or a mistake arising from oversight whenever one is found in a judgment, order, or other part of the record.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(a). In Sartin v. McNair Law Firm, P.A., 756 F.3d […]
Advocate's Journal
A look inside the John Belton O’Neall Inn of Court
By Alexis Lindsay, Inn Secretary The first meeting of the year for the John Belton O’Neall Inn of Court took place on Wednesday, September 17th at the Bar Conference Center. Our local Inn is modeled off of London’s Inns of Court, and its purpose is to foster excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills. […]
Advocate's Journal
Recent Supreme Court FOIA Rulings
By Rob Tyson This summer, the South Carolina Supreme Court has issued three rulings concerning the application of the Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code Ann. §§ 30-4-10 et seq. (1991 & Supp. 2013) (“FOIA”). See Lambries v. Saluda County Council, Op. No. 27400 (S.C. Sup. Ct. filed June 18, 2014) (Shearouse Adv. Sh. No. […]
Advocate's Journal
Workers’ Compensation: Kickball injury arose out of and in the course of employment
In a 3-2 decision, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed a decision of the Workers’ Compensation Commission today and held that the claimant was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for injuries he sustained during a kickball game. The court found that because claimant organized the game as a company “team building event” that claimant was […]
Advocate's Journal
Legal Malpractice: Withdrawal from the attorney-client relationship
The South Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed a $270,000 jury verdict today against an attorney for legal malpractice. In its opinion, the Court of Appeals reminds the bar that “[a]n attorney may not end an attorney-client relationship, and thus relieve himself of the duties arising under it, by unilaterally deciding to allow another attorney to […]
Firm News
Sowell Gray accepts ALS ice bucket challenge
As a firm, we accepted The ALS Association ice bucket challenge to raise money for ALS research. We do so in honor of family members, friends and colleagues suffering from ALS. We would like to challenge four law firms in Columbia, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, Turner Padget Graham and Laney, Adams and Reese […]
Accolades • Firm News
Eight Robinson McFadden lawyers were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. Over 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are […]
Firm News
Beth Richardson joins Sowell Gray as Of Counsel
Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC is pleased to announce that attorney Beth Richardson has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Beth graduated from Duke University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in 2001. In law […]
Firm News
Ben Gooding joins Sowell Gray as an associate
Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC is pleased to announce that attorney Ben Gooding has become the firm’s newest associate. A native of Evans, Georgia, Ben graduated with honors from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in finance. While there, he was selected to participate in […]
Firm News • Accolades
Watson “Lawyer of the Year,” 6 others also included in The Best Lawyers in America
COLUMBIA, SC – Cal Watson, managing member of Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, has been honored as the “Bet the Company” Litigation Lawyer of the Year, while six of his colleagues at the firm have also been recognized in the same national publication. The 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America places the […]