News Briefs about Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Attorneys

CHARLESTON, COLUMBIA, FLORENCE, AND GREENVILLE, SC, & WASHINGTON, DC. –  August 16, 2009 – Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd attorneys are actively involved in a diverse range of legal, educational, professional, civic, and nonprofit activities, both regionally and nationally.

Below is an update on the Firm’s attorneys in four South Carolina locations and the DC office:

CHARLESTON OFFICE – 134 Meeting Street, Third Floor, Charleston, SC 29402 (843.722.3366)

Jeremy L. Cook, shareholder, spoke on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and “What it Means for South Carolina Counties,” at the South Carolina County Attorneys Association CLE in Hilton Head, SC, on July 30, 2009. In addition, he has been elected to a three-year term on the SC Bar’s Government Law Section Council. Cook is also serving as the co-coordinator of the Government Law Update CLE that will be presented at the SC Bar’s annual conference at Kiawah in January 2010.  Active with the Rotary Club of Charleston, Cook is serving as chairman of the Rotary Service Above Self Scholars Committee, which recently awarded four scholarships to incoming freshmen at SC State, Wofford College and Clemson University. The Charleston bond lawyer is on the board of trustees of Leadership South Carolina and serves as chairman of its Selection and Recruitment Committee.

Todd W. Smyth, Shareholder, is active in national healthcare litigation organizations and has been selected to chair the 2009 The Defense Research Institute, Inc. (DRI) Long Term Care Seminar and was the co-chair of the 2008 seminar. He also chairs DRI’s Nursing Home/ALF Litigation Seminar in Scottsdale, AZ, to be held September 10-11, 2009.  He serves on the Steering Committees for both the Long Term Care Seminar and the Medical Liability Seminar and is the past membership chair and state liaison for the committees. Smyth is also a graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy and was subsequently invited to be a member of the IADC.  Smyth is active in IADC’s Drug & Medical Device and Medical Liability Committees.  In addition, he was a contributor to DRI’s HIPAA Best Practices for Defense Lawyers and is currently authoring a compendium chapter on informed consent for the DRI. 

James H. (Jeddie) Suddeth III, Shareholder, was recently named to the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” leadership for 2009.  In his real estate law practice, Suddeth guides developers and lenders in residential, commercial and mixed-use, condominiums and subdivisions, and shopping center projects.

COLUMBIA OFFICE – 1201 Main Street, 22nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201 (803.779.3080)

Shareholder A. Parker Barnes III is serving on the American Red Cross of Central South Carolina Creative Grants Think Tank Committee.  At Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, Barnes focuses on business litigation—primarily on matters involving consumer financial services, commercial lending and real estate related disputes.

William C. (Bill) Boyd, Shareholder, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., will be recognized by the South Carolina Chapter of the March of Dimes on December 15 in Columbia, at its annual Real Estate Award Breakfast.  This fundraiser is one of the organization’s most successful outreach events to benefit the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  Boyd will receive the prestigious award for his real estate development activities that have significantly enhanced the Columbia community. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for 2009, as the Columbia Real Estate Lawyer of the Year.  Boyd is also the current board chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Suzanne Hulst (Suzi) Clawson, Shareholder, is the co-chair of the Bishop Search Committee for the Eighth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina.  She also serves on the Commission on the Diocese, which has significant responsibility for administrative and financial matters relating to the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina.  Clawson leads the Firm’s corporate securities and financial institution regulatory practices.

In June 2009, Shareholder Clarke W. DuBose was named for the second time to the Medmarc Honor Roll, in which Medmarc recognizes its top attorneys from across the country for the past year’s work.  Medmarc is the leading source of products liability insurance in the United States for manufacturers and distributors of life sciences technologies. DuBose uses more than 25 years of litigation experience to defend clients in environmental-related actions and products liability matters.

Shareholder Edward G. Kluiters was elected in May 2009 to the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association board of directors and is co-chairing its Legislative Committee.

His practice focuses primarily on assisting foreign-owned and U.S. businesses with locating, expanding and operating in South Carolina. Kluiters also is a board member of the Netherlands American Chamber of Commerce – Southeastern United States. His practice focuses primarily on assisting foreign-owned and U.S. businesses with locating, expanding and operating in South Carolina.

Steve A. Matthews, Shareholder and former Managing Director of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., was recently elected to the board of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation.

Stephen F. (Steve) McKinney, Shareholder, has been invited to become a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America™ and will be inducted at LCA’s Fall Conference, October 28-29, 2009, in Charleston, SC.  According to the Society’s Web site, “Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only.  Fellows are selected based upon effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation.” Also, McKinney has been appointed to a second term as chair of the Drug, Device and Biotech Committee of the International Association of Defense Counsel for 2009-2010.  The Columbia litigator has been reappointed to the board of SC Families Helping Families, Inc.

Gary W. Morris, Shareholder and real estate lawyer, was named treasurer of the Committee of 100, at the organization’s 49th annual meeting on August 11, 2009, in Columbia. Affiliated with the Central SC Alliance, the Committee of 100 is a volunteer marketing group that promotes economic development in the City of Columbia and the ten-county region.  In 2010, Morris will chair the Committee of 100.

Dalhi N. Myers, Shareholder of  Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., and Neil Boyden Tanner, Associate General Counsel, International, of Aramark, are the Organizing Committee Co-Chairs for the 48th Annual Congress of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA), the only global association devoted to lawyers 45 years old and under.  The 2010 Annual Congress will convene in Charleston, SC, on August 24-28.  This is the first time in more than 15 years, and only the third time in the organization’s history, that its signature event, the Annual Congress, will be held in the United States.  Through a wide range of meetings, seminars, law courses and advocacy, AIJA seeks to promote professional cooperation and friendship among young career-building legal professionals on an international stage.  For more information about AIJA or the 2010 Congress, visit www.aija.org.        

B. Eric Shytle, Shareholder, spoke on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and “What it Means for So
uth Carolina Counties,” at the South Carolina County Attorneys Association CLE in Hilton Head, SC, on July 30, 2009. He also presented at the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s annual conference on August 7, on “E-mail Communications as Public Records.”  In addition to having over a decade of legal experience in the public finance practice area, Shytle served as chief of staff for the City of Sumter, South Carolina (2006-2008).

Shareholder and litigator Sarah P. Spruill spoke on August 6, 2009, at the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s annual conference, on “Civil Ordinance Enforcement Options for South Carolina Municipalities.” In addition, she was selected to participate in the Class of 2010 of Leadership Columbia.

John K. Van Duys, Shareholder and tax attorney, chaired the Private Activity Bond panel at the Annual Tax and Securities Law Institute held by the National Association of Bond Lawyers in Orlando, Florida, earlier this year.  A public finance lawyer, he focuses on funding transportation and other needed infrastructure in South Carolina. 

Benton D. Williamson, Shareholder and real estate lawyer, was recently elected to chair the board of trustees of Still Hopes Retirement Community in Columbia. Past board president of Congaree Land Trust, Williamson continues to serve on the board, as well as the board of Bishop Gravatt Camp and Conference Center. Williamson practices real estate law.

John P. Boyd, Associate Attorney, is serving on the Wind Energy Production Farms Feasibility Study Committee that was created by South Carolina Act 318 of 2008. This panel will review, study, and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of windmill farms in the state including, but not limited to, whether South Carolina is a suitable site for wind production on land or in offshore areas, the economic and environmental impact to the state, and the cost of wind farm installation and operation in the state.  The twelve-member committee includes six members of the SC General Assembly and will submit a report with recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor before January 1, 2010. 

Boyd also serves on the City of Columbia Climate Change Commission (CPAC).  He was recently elected to the executive committee of the South Carolina Biomass Council, a broad-based, diverse coalition of stakeholders ranging from government entities to private industry. The Council serves as a resource for the general public and decision-makers about the environmental and economic benefits of biomass energy.

Kathleen Goodpasture (Kathy) Smith, Of Counsel, served on a panel at the South Carolina Chapter of the 2009 Healthcare Financial Management Association Annual Institute in Myrtle Beach.  The panel focused on consumer law and collection practices. She also was a guest speaker at a Consumer Law class at the University of South Carolina School of Law on April 8 on debt collection for Professor Eboni Nelson. Smith is currently working on the 2009 Cumulative Supplement to the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code that will be published by the SC Bar.

Smith advises financial institutions on compliance, consumer credit and state and federal regulatory laws. And she helps businesses moving into the state understand and conform to state laws and regulations.

Mary M. Caskey, Associate Attorney, was elected to serve on the Columbia City Ballet Board of Directors.  She is also active with the International Women’s Insolvency and Reconstruction Confederation and HELP Homeless Legal Clinic. Caskey concentrates her practice on bankruptcy, collection, and foreclosure litigation, as well as commercial and consumer banking litigation.

Associate Attorney Tigerron A. (Tiger) Wells was elected to the Columbia Development Corporation board, where he is serving a three-year term.  He is also serving on the board of directors for the March of Dimes, Midlands Division, and its African-American Achievement Award Committee. Wells represents clients in business matters, including litigation, corporate advice and contract review.

FLORENCE OFFICE – 1831 W. Evans Street, Suite 315, Florence, SC 29501 (843.669.6002)

Benjamin T. (Ben) Zeigler, Shareholder of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, is chairing the Steering Committee of the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organization’s 2009 Executive Round Table, to be held in Greenville, October 14-15. Organized by SCANPO, this conference is by-invitation only for development officers with ten or more years of leadership experience.  Zeigler concentrates on tax-exempt bond financings and economic development.  He has wide experience in all areas of public finance, both tax-exempt and taxable bonds, and in economic development and incentive transactions.

Evander M. E. (Van) Whitehead, Associate Attorney, is serving a three year term on the SC Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resource Section Council, which is comprised of ten members. Having recently joined Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd in its Florence office, Whitehead was a former Staff Attorney for the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control in Charleston, SC, for more than four years.  His experience spans across environmental, regulatory and administrative law, as well as probate matters.

GREENVILLE OFFICE – 75 Beattie Place, 11th Floor, Greenville, SC 29602 (864.240.3200)

Thomas H. (Tom) Coker, Jr., and Boyd B. (Nick) Nicholson, Jr., both Shareholders, are the co-authors of South Carolina Chapter of the upcoming ABA 50 State-by-State Guide to Construction and Design Law (2d Ed.). Nicholson spoke on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and “What it Means for South Carolina Counties,” at the South Carolina County Attorneys Association CLE in Hilton Head, SC, on July 30, 2009. A frequent lecturer, Nicholson also presented on the topic of Local Government Procurement at the 2009 Lorman CLE “Public Contracts and Procurement Regulations in Greenville, South Carolina.

Anne S. Ellefson, Managing Director and Shareholder of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., has been named to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, which was recently formed by senior legal executives from The Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft, Wal-Mart and 11 more Fortune 500 companies, with the managing partners of O’Melveny & Myers, DLA Piper, Debevoise, and other leading law firms.   The new organization of chief legal officers and law firm managing partners is dedicated to improving diversity in the legal profession.

Ellefson was featured in Greenville (SC) Magazine’s cover article “Greenville’s Leading Lawyers” (August 2009), that showcased the Chambers and Partners’ rankings of South Carolina’s Leading Lawyers for Business, which recognized Ellefson for her real estate and transactional experience. She was also appointed by the Greenville City Council in April 2009, to the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC), formerly named Donaldson Development Commission.

Christine (Chris) Gantt-Sorenson, Shareholder, is the president-elect of the Greenville County Bar and will be sworn in as president in December 2010. A trial lawyer, she has tried more than 50 cases to verdict in state and federal courts throughout South Carolina.

H. Sam Mabry III, Shareholder, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., will moderate an upcoming program, the James Otis Lecture Series, for South Carolina high school students as part of the observance of National Constitution Day.  The South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Attorneys (ABOTA), of which Mabry is president, will sponsor the James Otis Lecture Series, starting at 2:00 pm, September 18, 2009, at the South Carolina House of Representat
ives. This program is designed for SC high schools to select one outstanding history or social studies student as their James Otis Scholar to participate in this informative session, free of charge. The program will be televised live by SC ETV. 

There is a federal statute that requires all schools receiving federal aid to present a class on the Constitution annually on or about September 17th, so ABOTA nationally developed the James Otis Lecture Series.  The September 18th program is the inaugural program for the James Otis Lecture Series in South Carolina, which is named for a prominent Boston lawyer in the Colonial era credited by John Adams as igniting the spark that led to the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. Speakers at the SC program will include noted South Carolina historian Walter Edgar, The Honorable Donald W. Beatty, a Justice on the SC Supreme Court; and Walter F. Pratt, Jr., Dean of the USC Law School.  Joel Collins o Collins and Lacy in Columbia, has been serving as the coordinator of this program for the SC Chapter of ABOTA . ABOTA is a national organization, comprised of some of the country’s pre-eminent trial attorneys, whose main goals are the preservation of the Seventh Amendment right to a trial by jury in civil cases and the promotion of professionalism and civility among trial attorneys.  In addition to Mabry, other Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd lawyers who are members of the SC Chapter of ABOTA are W. Francis (Frankie) Marion, Jr., Moffatt G. (Mott) McDonald, Dewey Oxner, Jr., and H. Donald (Don) Sellers, all shareholders based in the firm’s Greenville office.

Kathleen C. (Kathy) McKinney, Shareholder, was featured in Greenville Magazine’s cover article “Greenville’s Leading Lawyers,” and was named one of the “Top Three Attorneys in Greenville” in its August 2009 edition. The monthly publication concentrated on the legal community in Upstate South Carolina and highlighted the respected Chambers and Partners list of South Carolina’s Leading Lawyers for Business. McKinney, board chair at Furman University, was recognized for her Corporate M&A and banking/finance experience by Chambers. She is currently president-elect of the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) and will assume the presidency of the 3,000-member organization in late October 2009.

H. Donald (Don) Sellers, Shareholder, was recently elected to a three-year term on the board of ARTISPHERE, an annual signature event for Greenville, SC, that showcases the arts, reflects the area’s international flair, and maximizes existing arts programs by providing a diverse menu of experiences that center around the arts visual and performing.  Sellers, a trial attorney, focuses primarily on complex commercial cases.  He is also a certified civil court mediator. 

Matthew P. (Matt) Utecht, Shareholder, and Stephen P. (Steve) Williams, Special Counsel, have been named Greenville Hospital System Clinical Instructors for the Department of Internal Medicine, USC School of Medicine.  Utecht and Williams, both healthcare lawyers, are also co-chairing Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Second Annual South Carolina Human Research Conference that will be held on November 13, in Greenville, SC, in conjunction with the Health Sciences of South Carolina and the Greenville Hospital System. 

Rosalyn H. Mattingly, Special Counsel, has been invited to become a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America™ and will be inducted at LCA’s Fall Conference, October 28-29, 2009, in Charleston, SC.  According to the Society’s Web site, “Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only.  Fellows are selected based upon effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation.”

At the 84th Annual Convention of the National Bar Association, held August 1-8, 2009, in San Diego, CA, Mattingly was elected Regional Director for Region IV of the NBA. The region covers the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Mattingly was also elected vice-chair of the Health Law Section.  A native of Spartanburg, SC, and the daughter of former Mayor Pro Tem and Mrs. Roy C. Henderson, Mattingly works on personal-injury matters, insurance defense, construction law, tort litigation and media law.

Bonnie E. Allen, Associate Attorney and litigator, is a member of the United Way Loaned Executive Program and also has been admitted to practice in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Carter N. Deupree, Associate Attorney at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., has been selected to participate in Leadership Greenville, Class 36.  This 10-month program is designed to help develop informed, committed and qualified leaders for Greenville County. Participants are selected through an application process based upon their past involvement in the community and their ability to set and achieve high personal goals. Deupree, active in the Greenville Chautauqua Society, serves as board secretary. Concentrating on real estate and business transactions, he recently was a facilitator at the Urban Land Institute’s Upstate Reality Check on April 8, 2009.

Christopher B. (Chris) Major, Associate Attorney, is active in the South Carolina Bar and serves on its Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and the HELP Task Force, which  educates lawyers and judges about substance abuse and mental health issues in the legal profession.  He is also a past chair of the Bar’s Law Student Liaison Committee.  A litigator, Major is known for resolving a wide range of issues—from the most complex commercial litigation to the most common contract disputes with vendors and suppliers.

Stephen J. (Seph) Wunder, Jr., Associate Attorney, wrote the cover story, “Financing Renewable Energy Projects in South Carolina,” in South Carolina Business, a publication of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce (July/August 2009).  Wunder focuses on the structuring of bond issues, renewable energy project finance, and economic and financial incentive transactions.  He also works with the firm’s New Economy Start-ups and Technology Team.

 

WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE – 227 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite One, Washington 20002-4963 (202.544.1800)

Michael A. (Mike) Tongour, Special Counsel, leads Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s government relations practice in Washington.  Tongour announces that the Firm’s DC office will relocate to 801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in the historic Market Square area, on October 1, 2009. The new office location is at the mid-point between the U.S. Capitol and White House, and is within easy walking distance of many Federal agencies.

Tongour has nearly 25 years combined experience as a senior attorney in the United States Senate and as an advocate for FORTUNE 500 companies, leading American associations, municipalities, educational institutions, and non-profits in matters before the United States Congress and Federal agencies. Tongour is also the long time Managing Partner of the TCH Group, LLC, which recently was awarded the “2009 Best of Washington Award in the Federal Government Relations Consulting” category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA). This is a Washington-based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The Firm – Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd
Excerpt from Southern Business & Development  (Winter 2009) magazine. 

“Last year in this spot we highlighted 10 law firms in the South that understand the economic development process. Not every law firm understands economic development, but there is a healthy number in the South that do. Here are ten more law firms based in the South that specialize in helping companies find the best locations, identify the best tax structures and maximize incentives, among other activities.

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, another firm based in Columbia, S.C., earns a spot on our list for its depth of experience in multiple facets of the economic development process. The firm receives high marks for coordinated project development, incentive negotiation and implementation as well as its understanding and creativity in structuring financings and investments. Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd does work for all size companies — small, medium and large — with client satisfaction being reflected in the long term relationships the firm enjoys with its multi-national client base, many of which began in the context of a business location or expansion.”

Fifty lawyers at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., are included in The Best Lawyers in America® 2010 edition. On July 29, 2009, the oldest and most respected peer-review referral guide to legal excellence in the United States announced online that Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd has more listed lawyers than any other South Carolina firm in 15 practice areas. The list includes a gain of 13 new lawyers over the past year, with seven lawyers named to the “Bet-the-Company” category that included:  

HAYNSWORTH SINKLER BOYD/CHARLESTON
Marvin D. Infinger – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Maritime Law

HAYNSWORTH SINKLER BOYD/COLUMBIA
Robert Y. Knowlton – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation
Stephen F. McKinney – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation

HAYNSWORTH SINKLER BOYD/GREENVILLE
Ellis M. Johnston II – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation
H. Sam Mabry III – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation; Product Liability Litigation

W. Francis Marion, Jr. – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation; Product Liability Litigation

Moffatt G. McDonald – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law

About the Firm
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. provides business, litigation, financial legal services, and government relations to national and international clients.  With a history dating back more than 100 years, it is one of the largest law firms in the Carolinas with more than 135 attorneys.  The Firm has offices in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, and Greenville, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.  For more information, see www.hsblawfirm.com.