Best Lawyers in South Carolina, United States for Labor and Employment Law - Management
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Mike Carrouth is a partner in the Columbia office. He is certified as a Specialist in Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Mike has represented clients in successfully responding to union organizing efforts in 30 states. This work includes successfully defending against multi-site and multi-state national organizing blitzes and card-check/neutrality campaigns. Mike also has represented clients in numerous litigation matters, including jury trials, involving Family and Medical Leave ...
Mr. Shetterly is the managing shareholder in the Greenville, South Carolina office. He has a blended practice, focusing on litigation and proactive advice to clients. In litigation, he focuses on the ultimate objective of the client and tries to streamline the approach to litigation to hone in on the core objectives and outcome determinative issues.Mr. Shetterly routinely provides training and real world advice to human resources teams, general counsels, and supervisors on best practices, par...
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.
T. Chase Samples is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. T. Chase, who practices law in Greenville, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which T. Chase is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Wade Ballard counsels businesses on the entire range of workplace issues and provides advice and representation to employers on employment law, including wage and hour disputes, wrongful termination, retaliation discrimination, harassment, and other issues of concern to employers. He represents management in labor and employment matters in the courts, in arbitration, and before government agencies, including the EEOC, the U.S. Department of Labor, the North and South Carolina Departments of L...
Mr. Smoak is a founding partner of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart.During more than 44 years of representing companies in labor and employment matters, he has personally handled approximately 300 union organizing and decertification campaigns. He has extensive experience in the development and implementation of preventive labor relations programs for clients in all regions of the country. He is among the one percent of U.S. lawyers listed in The Best Lawyers in America, and has a...
A certified employment law specialist, skilled litigator, and an experienced business counselor, Bev Carroll represents business of all sizes. Her clients cross many business sectors, including, manufacturers, service providers, and medical practices. She has assisted with licensing, contracting, negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. She also can advise companies on employment law issues, from claims of wrongful termination and violations of noncompete agreements t...
Cara Crotty is a partner who has defended employers in cases involving every aspect of the employment relationship, including claims such as sexual, racial, age, and disability harassment; discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, and national origin; retaliation; and various other federal and state law claims. Cara Crotty also represents federal contractors covered by Executive Order 11246 in their affirmative action compliance obligations by assisting with Plan preparation ...
Ms. Cheryl Ledbetter is a seasoned attorney based in Charleston, South Carolina, with a focus on Employment Law - Management at Gibbs & Holmes PC. A native of Arkansas, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas in 1977, where she was an active member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Her leadership skills were recognized during her presidency of Mortar Board, and she was honored as the Outstanding Senior Woman. Furthering h...
Jeffrey Lehrer is a partner in the law firm of Ford & Harrison LLP, which is one of the largest labor and employment law firms in the United States. He has been practicing labor and employment law exclusively since 1999 and has represented a diverse group of employers throughout the southeast. He works closely with clients to comply with constantly changing laws and shield their businesses from frivolous employment claims. The most common employment issues Jeffrey defends are discriminati...
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.
Ted Gentry focuses his practice on counseling colleges and universities and on appellate litigation. Ted’s career handling complex litigation gives him valuable insights into the ways that today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s disputes. Ted has served education clients for over two decades, and has extensive appellate experience, including cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and t...
Melissa is a member of Butler Snow’s Labor and Employment group, with experience in a wide range of industries. Melissa regularly counsels clients on compliance issues and represents employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, and in both state and federal court against lawsuits arising under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and the FLSA.
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...
D. Michael Henthorne focuses his practice on representing clients in employment litigation. He has significant trial experience and has successfully appeared before both the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court. He also appears regularly in federal and state courts in South Carolina and before various regulatory and administrative tribunals, such as: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The Department of Labor The South Carolina Human Affairs Commission ...
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.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology 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.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.