Six Fisher & Phillips Attorneys Selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2014; Ellzey and Manning named
August 15, 2013
COLUMBIA, SC – August 15, 2013 – Fisher & Phillips LLP announced today that six attorneys in the firm’s Columbia office, and a total of 81 attorneys nationwide, have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2014® (Copyright 2013 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.). All of the attorneys were honored for their labor and/or employment work unless otherwise noted.
Columbia partner G. Daniel Ellzey was named Lawyer of the Year for Labor Law – Management, and partner Fred Manning II was named Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act).
The other Columbia attorneys selected for Best Lawyers in America are partners Michael D. Carrouth, Stephen C. Mitchell, Jonathan P. Pearson and J. Hagood Tighe.
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 27 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 FMLA, Title VII, breach of employment contract, and non-compete enforcement. He practices before state and federal courts, the National Labor Relations Board, and state and federal administrative agencies in the areas of union related matters, employment litigation, discrimination cases, non-compete agreements, and wrongful discharge cases. Mike has been selected for inclusion in South Carolina Super Lawyers since 2008. He has been listed in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers since 2005 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2007. In 2011 he was selected by his peers to be one of Greater Columbia Business Monthly’s Legal Elite.
Dan Ellzey is a partner in the Columbia office. He practices both labor and employment law. In the employment area, Dan counsels clients on all state and federal employment laws (Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, etc.), major staff reductions and facility closures, labor law implications of mergers and acquisitions, OSHA compliance, and wage and hour matters. Dan has been involved in some of the highest profile union campaigns and elections in the United States. Dan is certified as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law by the Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized in South Carolina Super Lawyers since 2008. Dan has also been listed in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers since 2004 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2006. He was selected by his peers to be one of Greater Columbia Business Monthly’s 2010 Legal Elite.
Fred Manning is a partner in the Columbia office. He has extensive experience litigating employment law matters involving civil rights, contracts, and wrongful termination claims. He regularly provides advice and assistance to employers regarding the drafting and enforcement of restrictive covenants, employment contracts and corrective action. Fred has assisted employers throughout the United States in union related matters. He also has extensive experience in representing private colleges and universities in matters relating to employment and faculty and student issues. Fred is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law. While in law school, he served as the Associate Editor-in-Chief for the South Carolina Law Review. Fred is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2012.
Stephen Mitchell is a partner in the Columbia office. His practice emphasizes employment litigation as well as traditional labor law. He has handled administrative charges and lawsuits in state and federal courts involving wrongful discharge, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, ERISA, FMLA, FLSA, employment testing, as well as other types of employment based claims. Steve has also assisted employers in handling class action litigation. In the traditional labor law arena, Steve has represented employers throughout the United States in a broad variety of union related matters. Steve is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law. He is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized in South Carolina Super Lawyers since 2009. He has also been listed in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers since 2007 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2010.
Jon Pearson is managing partner of the Columbia office. His practice emphasizes employment litigation of all types before state and federal courts, as well as traditional labor law. Jon has represented numerous employers before the National Labor Relations Board in union representation elections and unfair labor practice charges. He has been particularly active in assisting employers in union contract negotiations and in dealing with strike-related issues, such as contingency planning and injunction proceedings. Jon is experienced in representing hospitality employers and is responsible for the South Carolina information at HospitalityLawyer.com. Jon is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law and as a Certified Mediator. He has also served as Chairman of the Employment and Labor Section of the South Carolina Bar. Jon is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been included in the South Carolina Super Lawyers list since 2008. He has been listed in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers since 2003 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2006.
J. Hagood Tighe is a partner in the Columbia office. He practices exclusively in the area of labor and employment law, representing management in union matters and employment litigation including class actions and collective actions. While he maintains an active litigation practice, he also focuses on providing practical and proactive advice designed to minimize the risk of litigation. He also provides training for supervisors and managers on harassment, EEO compliance, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and many other areas. Hagood was a 2004 recipient of the Silver Compleat Lawyer Award from the University of South Carolina School of Law Alumni Association. This award recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to the legal profession and who exemplify the highest standard of professional competence, ethics, and integrity. Hagood is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been listed in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers since 2007 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Hagood was selected by his peers to be one of Greater Columbia Business Monthly’s Legal Elite every year since 2010. The same publication named him one of the 50 Most Influential People for 2011. He is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law.
About Best Lawyers
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has
become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which almost 50,000 leading attorneys cast nearly five million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.
About Fisher & Phillips LLP (www.laborlawyers.com)
Fisher & Phillips LLP represents employers nationally in labor, employment, civil rights, employee benefits and immigration matters. The firm has 285 attorneys in 31 offices. Founded in 1943, it is one of the first U.S. law firms to concentrate its practice exclusively upon representation of employers in labor and employment matters. In addition to the Columbia office, the firm has offices in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Gulfport, Houston, Irvine, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, New England, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Washington D.C.
