Turner Padget Attorney Earns National Recognition for Excellence in Publishing

COLUMBIA, SC –  Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A. announce that David C. Marshall, a Columbia-based attorney, has been selected as the 2014 recipient of the G. Duffield Smith Outstanding Publication Award, presented by DRI, The Voice of the Defense Bar. Marshall’s recognition honors his contribution to the organization’s publication, For the Defense, in April 2013 with the article, “Legal Herpetology: Lizards and Snakes in the Courtroom,” which analyzes the “reptile strategy” that many defense lawyers have faced in recent years from plaintiffs’ attorneys in courtrooms across the country. The award annually recognizes an attorney-contributor whose piece provides insightful and practical advice to defense attorneys. Marshall will be honored at an awards ceremony at the DRI Annual Meeting on October 23 in San Francisco.

“The innovative and applicable approach that David used in his article is reflective of the type of counsel we seek to provide clients on a daily basis,” said Edward “Eddie” W. Laney, chief executive officer of Turner Padget. “David’s foresight to identify and bring to light the ‘reptile strategy’ as an emerging area of litigation – following his own experience in the courtroom – helped DRI stay ahead of the curve. This award is a direct result of reader feedback to the editorial staff at DRI, and we are proud that David’s practical advice has been applied in courtrooms across the nation as a result of his insights.”

The award-winning article can be accessed on Turner Padget’s website at http://www.turnerpadget.com/media/images/FTD-1304-Marshall.pdf.

“At the time this article was published, very little was discussed within the defense bar about the ‘reptile strategy,’ particularly that it was a formal, intentional strategy used by plaintiffs’ attorneys,” explained Marshall. “This article and the general conversation that followed has allowed us, as a defense bar, to generate resources and a substantive response to this developing area of litigation. This is one of the major benefits to being involved in an organization like DRI, which equips practitioners with comprehensive and cutting-edge information to be successful in our respective practices.”

Marshall serves clients involved in product liability and other complex litigation matters, primarily in the automotive, manufacturing, construction, and trucking/transportation industries. He also handles matters involving commercial insurance coverage for claims of personal injury, wrongful death and property damage, defending major cases across South Carolina.

Marshall earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. Despite the success of the article, he remains afraid of snakes and most other reptiles.

Turner Padget 

Turner Padget celebrates its 85th anniversary this year as one of South Carolina’s largest law firms, providing straightforward, practical advice to meet clients’ legal needs. With offices strategically located in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, our attorneys have a deep understanding of South Carolina’s laws and what it takes to do business in the Palmetto State. For more information, please visit us online at www.turnerpadget.com.