Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021 
James M. Griffin is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers since 2021 in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Health Care Law and Litigation - Health Care. James M. practices law in Columbia, South Carolina.
Jim Griffin is an accomplished trial lawyer and healthcare lawyer. Jim has more than 35 years of experience representing clients in civil and criminal courts at the federal and state level and representing healthcare providers in some of the most challenging of legal matters. In his criminal practice, Jim has been the lead trial counsel in many high-profile cases which have received extensive media coverage.
Jim was a lead trial attorney representing Alex Murdaugh, who was charged with murdering his wife and son on their family hunting preserve. The Murdaugh trial received unprecedented national and international coverage and captivated millions of viewers for over six (6) weeks. Jim has been featured in two docu-series about the Murdaugh case, Low Country-the Murdaugh Dynasty on HBO Max and The Fall of the House of Murdaugh, on Fox Nation and he was portrayed in at least two movies about the case.
He has extensive experience representing clients charged with federal crimes, such as mail and wire fraud, healthcare fraud, mortgage and securities fraud, public corruption, government contractor and procurement fraud, and criminal tax charges. He represents medical doctors, nurses, dentists, and other licensed professionals charged with administrative violations.
In his healthcare practice, Jim has been at the forefront of legal challenges facing healthcare providers. Most recently, Jim obtained an unprecedented ruling under the 340B drug discount program enjoining HRSA from enforcing its definition of the term “patient,” which contradicted the plain language of the statute, according to the federal district court’s decision. Genesis Health Care, Inc. v. Becerra, 2023 WL 7549156 (Nov. 3 2023). He was trial and appellate counsel for Tuomey Hospital in the landmark Stark/False Claims Act case, Drakeford v. Tuomey Hospital, 792 F.3d 364 (4th Cir. 2015). Jim also successfully challenged South Carolina’s Medicaid payment practices on behalf of a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center, Genesis Health Care, Inc. v. Soura, 2017 WL 698610 (US Dist. SC 2017).
Jim has extensive experience in False Claims Act litigation on behalf of both whistleblowers and defendants in cases alleging violations of Stark and the Anti-Kickback Act, as well as upcoding and other billing improprieties. He has also arbitrated disputes between physicians and hospitals before the American Healthcare Lawyers Association.
