Biography
T. David Rheney is a partner located in the Greenville, South Carolina, office. He is one of the firm’s most influential trial lawyers, and he travels often, providing global legal counsel as the South Carolina representative and a past president of Insuralex – a worldwide network of lawyers specializing in insurance and reinsurance matters. He is also a past president of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association (2010).
David brings a wealth of trial experience in complex toxic tort, products liability, trucking and personal injury litigation. He has participated as lead counsel in over 150 jury trials in local, state and federal court, including three of the most significant trucking/transportation cases tried in South Carolina in 2018 and 2019, obtaining very favorable results for his clients in each. He also defended an international furniture manufacturer in nine firefighter death and ten firefighter injury lawsuits arising from the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire in June 2007, one of the most publicized cases in the history of South Carolina litigation. All nineteen cases were settled for less than $50,000.
David was selected for membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2008 and frequently teaches at trial schools, including the prestigious International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy held at Stanford Law School in 2010. He has also argued appeals before the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, David has a unique approach to building client relationships and achieving the best possible outcomes. His professionalism and superior legal services result in repeat client success. He is currently recognized in multiple national, elite publications. He is AV/Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell, an honor given by both peers and the Judiciary. David is currently listed in Best Lawyers in the practice areas of insurance law, personal injury litigation and product liability litigation and has been listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers since its inception.
Education
Clemson University
B.S. (1981)
University of South Carolina School of Law
J.D. (1989)
Associations & Professional Memberships
- American Board of Trial Advocates (2008 – Present)
- American College of Trial Lawyers (inducted 2023)
- Greenville County Bar Association
- Insuralex, President (2020 – 2021)
- International Association of Defense Counsel (2002 – Present)
- South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, President (2010)
Honors & Awards
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star (2025)
- Best Lawyers in America (2009 – 2025)
- Insurance Law
- Lawyer of the Year (2012) (2015) (2017)
- Litigation – Insurance
- Personal Injury Litigation: Defendants
- Lawyer of the Year (2014) (2021) (2023) (2025)
- Product Liability Litigation: Defendants
- Lawyer of the Year (2016)
- Insurance Law
- Greenville Business Magazine
- Lawyer of the Year: Insurance Law (2012, 2015, 2017)
- Lawyer of the Year: Products Liability (2016)
- Lawyer of the Year: Personal Injury Litigation (2014)
- Legal Elite: Business Litigation (2020)
- Legal Elite: Insurance (2014-2015) (2021-2023)
- Legal Elite: Personal Injury – Defendant (2015) (2020-2024)
- Legal Elite: Product Liability – Defendant (2023)
- Martindale Hubbell, AV Rated (2003 – Present)
This honor is endorsed by both peers and the Judiciary. - South Carolina Super Lawyers, Personal Injury General: Defense (2010 – 2024)
- TALK-Greenville
- Top Lawyer (2024)