J. Clayton Mitchell

Biography

J. Clayton Mitchell is a litigation attorney in the firm’s Columbia, South Carolina, office. His primary practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, securities litigation and FINRA arbitration, banking and financial services and appellate law. He represents both large and small businesses, financial institutions, and individuals in complex civil litigation, government investigations and arbitration. Clay handles a variety of legal matters including:

• Business and contractual disputes involving corporate and government interests.
• Banks in lender liability suits.
• Investigations conducted by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Department of Justice.
• Shareholder disputes.
• Probate litigation involving significant estates.

Before entering private practice, Clay served as an Assistant Attorney General at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. He was the lead securities fraud and white collar prosecutor. During his time at the Attorney General’s Office, Clay handled a wide range of investigations and prosecutions, involving complex financial fraud, public corruption, healthcare fraud and insurance fraud.

In addition Clay is an accomplished appellate advocate. He represented the State before the South Carolina appellate courts where he briefed and argued numerous cases before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

Clay received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business where he majored in finance and real estate. He was also a member of the baseball team. Clay received his juris doctor from the Charleston School of Law.

Education

Associations & Professional Memberships

• Judicial Qualifications Committee, Member
• South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division (YLD), Member
• Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Member
• University of South Carolina  School of Law, Center of Professionalism, 3L Mentor

Community Involvement

• Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Member
• South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division, iCivics Program