William M. Umbach

William (Bill) Duda is certified as a specialist in Employment and Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court and was included on the 2013 Best Lawyer list in both Employment Management and Litigation categories. Since 2000, Bill has been helping employers understand and comply with a broad range of employment laws, including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, the FLSA, trade secret law, restrictive covenants and workers’ compensation. He regularly represents management in emplo...

Adam Hegler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Adam, who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Roopal Ruparelia, a shareholder and insurance defense attorney in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office, heads a robust general civil litigation practice, with greater emphasis on the defense of both personal injury and construction defect claims in a variety of contexts.

Stephen Mitchell is managing partner of the firm's Columbia office. His practice emphasizes traditional labor law and employment litigation. Steve started his career as a prosecutor, gaining valuable trial experience. He has handled administrative charges and lawsuits in state and federal courts involving wrongful discharge, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Family and Medical Leave A...

Andrea C. Roche is a founding partner of Williams & Roche. She is a former member of the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission, serving from 2006 until 2014. She was named Chairman of the Commission by Governor Sanford and served in that role from 2008-2010. Before serving on the Commission, Andrea was a partner at an insurance defense firm where her practice consisted primarily of defending employers and insurance companies in workers’ compensation claims. Andrea is...

Reyburn Lominack is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. He is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law. Only 63 of the approximately 10,000 practicing attorneys in South Carolina carry this distinction. A significant percentage of Reyburn’s practice is devoted to representing employers in traditional labor matters, including union avoidance campaigns, grievance arbitrations, strikes/lockouts, successorship issues, collective bargaini...

Benjamin Gooding is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Benjamin, who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benjamin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Steve Matthews is a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office. Steve is experienced in transactional negotiation and documentation, as well as trial and appellate advocacy, involving intellectual property, constitutional law, utilities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, privacy and data security, governmental structures and powers, administrative procedures, corporate governance, securities regulation, trade regulation and advertising, corporate and government finance, healt...

John Bruton is a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office. John is an experienced civil litigator with more than 40 years of experience and focuses his practice on insurance and construction cases, as well as commercial litigation and the defense of personal injury lawsuits.