Best Lawyers in South Carolina, United States for Labor and Employment Law - Management

Chris Lauderdale is a principal in the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has represented employers in labor and employment matters for 30 years. Chris regularly defends employers in multi-plaintiff and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Rule 23 class actions alleging violations of state wage payment, minimum wage, and overtime laws. He has defended more than 80 such asserted class and collective actions. This experience includes defending food ...

Fred Suggs is a certified specialist in labor and employment law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. He is a founding lawyer of Ogletree Deakins, having been with the firm since its inception. Mr. Suggs helps companies avoid work-related legal exposure by giving preventive advice and providing training for managers at client locations. Mr. Suggs speaks regularly at employment law conferences, Bar Programs for other lawyers, Association of Corporate Council Meetings, SHRM Conferences for Huma...

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

Deborah C. Brown Debbie Brown is a member of GWB’s Workplace Practices Group and focuses her practice on the defense of employment and workers’ compensation cases. As a certified employment specialist by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Debbie is able to assist employers, including employers in workers’ compensation cases, with a wide array of employment issues. Debbie also conducts seminars in both employment law and workers’ compensation for other Bar members and cl...

Ben Glass is the Managing Shareholder in the Charleston Office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Ben earned his B.A. from the College of Charleston, and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of South Carolina School of Law. After a judicial clerkship with United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., Ben joined Ogletree, Deakins in 1995. For the last 19 years, he has represented employers in all manner of labor and employment law issues, and spoken regularly on va...

Mr. McDonald is a shareholder in the Greenville office and practices primarily in the area of employment litigation. He was certified as a specialist in employment and labor law by the Supreme Court of South Carolina in 2006. Mr. McDonald represents a variety of employers in employment litigation matters ranging from breach of employment contracts to cases involving discrimination in areas of race, sex, age, and disability in both individual and class actions. He also counsels employers regar...

John T. Merrell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. John T., who practices law in Greenville, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Hagood Tighe is a partner in the firm's Columbia office. He practices exclusively in the area of labor and employment law, representing management in traditional labor matters and employment litigation. Hagood is a member of the firm's class and collective action group. In recent years, Hagood has handled approximately 25-30 class and collective actions throughout the country. The vast majority of his class and collective experience is in the wage and hour area.While he maintains an active li...

Charles T. ("Ted") Speth II is the Managing Shareholder of the firm's Columbia, South Carolina, office. He has concentrated his practice in employment-related litigation matters during his entire legal career. Ted has successfully defended employers in state and federal litigation throughout the United States. He has devoted a significant amount of time over the last decade to the representation of clients in class action litigation. Ted also provides training and preventive advice to employe...

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

Michael Oliver Eckard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Michael Oliver, who practices law in Charleston, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael Oliver is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Allan R. Holmes Sr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Allan R., who practices law in Charleston, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allan R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.