NEWS & COMMENTARY

Greenville, S.C. – November 7, 2024 – Gallivan White Boyd has been listed in Best Lawyers® 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®. The firm was recognized regionally in twenty-one practice areas, including thirteen First-Tier Rankings. Firms included in the 2025 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence which are based on ratings from clients and peers. Launched in 2010, Best Law Firms applies a comprehensive, industry-focused peer evaluation process. Earning a tiered ranking in Best Law Firms highlights a firm’s exceptional quality in law practice and extensive legal acumen. Recognized firms are awarded one of three tiers, with rankings given at both national and metro levels. Gallivan...

Rodriguez v. Transportes De Carga FEMA, S.A. de C.V., No. 5:18-CV-114, 2020 WL 6938330, (S.D. Tex. 2020). In May of 2023 the American Trucking Association (“ATA”) noted that the trucking industry is currently facing a shortage of more than 78,000 truck drivers, coupled with a need to hire 1.2 million new drivers over the next decade to meet increasing freight demands.¹  The industry is becoming creative in responding to a multi-year driver shortage including turning to companies which import workers from foreign countries to bring qualified drivers to the United States through existing immigration programs.  Immigration and relocation agencies have recruitment offices worldwide looking for truck drivers due...

Greenville, S.C. - October 8, 2024. Gallivan White Boyd is proud to announce that five of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation. Benchmark Litigation is the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys. Rankings are based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients, as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments. The Litigation Stars designation for each state recognizes attorneys who are consistently recommended by clients and peers as reputable and effective litigators. Gallivan White Boyd is honored to announce its Litigation Stars:

• Gray T. Culbreath
  ...

Greenville, S.C. - September 24, 2024. Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that partner Amity Edmonds has been elected as the 2024-2025 inaugural President of the Stanford E. Lacy American Inn of Court. Edmonds, a partner in the firm’s Greenville, South Carolina, office, primarily practices workers’ compensation defense. She often represents employers, insurers, self-insured entities and third-party administrators before the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC).   The Stanford E. Lacy American Inn of Court is the only Workers’ Compensation Inn of Court in South Carolina and one of just nine nationwide. Amity played a crucial role in its establishment, including setting...

Twenty-seven GWB attorneys have been included in the 2025 edition of the Best Lawyers in America©. Best Lawyers® is a seasoned and well-respected lawyer ranking service for lawyers from around the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar practiced areas. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe. Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region. Awards and recognitions are based on the feedback we receive...

Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce attorneys Olesya Bracey, Christine Ormand, Paige Ornduff, Matthew B. Covington, Jordan Crapps, Jessica W. Laffitte, Ian Conits, Casey Gonyea and Thomas Twehues have been recognized as 2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. This recognition is given to attorneys who are early in their careers and provide outstanding professional excellence in private practice within the United States. Attorneys Bracey, Ormand, Covington, Crapps, and Laffitte have been named to this list since 2021.  Twehues is named to the list for the third year in a row.  This marks Ornduff, Conits and Gonyea’s first year named to the list.

• Olesya V. Bracey (Charleston) was named to...

Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce that partners John T. Lay, Jr., Phillip E. Reeves and T. David Rheney were each honored as a 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America®, 25th Edition. Each year, only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” These lawyers are selected based on voting averages received from peer-review assessments.

• John T. Lay, Jr. was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal    Injury Litigation - Defendants in the Columbia, SC area.
• Phillip E. Reeves was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation-Defendants in the Greenville, SC area.
• T. David Rheney was named “Lawyer of the Year” for...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that Paige Chamberlain Ornduff has been named a 2024 Excellence in Law Phenom honoree by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. The South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Excellence in Law Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across all areas of the local legal community. The Phenom Award specifically honors attorneys who have been practicing for 10 years or less. Paige is a litigation attorney practicing in the firm’s Charleston, South Carolina, office. Her practice primarily focuses on design and construction litigation, tort and personal injury defense and commercial transportation. Paige has experience representing general contractors, subcontractors and design...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that John E. Cuttino has been elected as the 2024-2025 President of the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence. www.nfje.net The National Foundation for Judicial Excellence (NFJE) was founded by the Defense Research Institute (DRI) 20 years ago for the purpose of providing elite education to the nation’s state court appellate judges. John was elected during the NFJE Annual Symposium held in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, attended by over 100 state court appellate judges from across the country. John is a partner in the firm’s Columbia, South Carolina office. He has more than 40 years of experience as a trial attorney in the state and federal courts of...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that John T. Lay, Jr.  has been selected for inclusion as a Global Leader in the 2024 edition of Who’s Who Legal Life Science: Thought Leaders USA.  Additionally, Lay is listed with a “Recommended” ranking with WWL Life Sciences and WWL Product Liability Defense. Since 1996, utilizing the recommendations of clients and private practitioners, Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law. John T. is a partner in the firm’s Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina offices.  With more than 30 years of experience managing complex, high-stakes litigation for clients, he has tried over 100 cases to verdict....

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that John “Jay” Jones has been selected as a “Power Player” Personal Injury attorney in the Carolinas by North Carolina & South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. To be considered a “Power Player,” an attorney is judged by a range of criteria, including leadership in his or her field; knowledge of relevant case law, statutes and regulations; experienced, with a record of success in cases and/or transactions; respected by other lawyers; and leadership in the community with a record of bar involvement and leadership.  Jay is a partner in the firm’s Charleston, South Carolina office.  He is an experienced civil litigator who defends individuals, businesses, and...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that Charles S. Verdin IV has joined the firm as a partner in its Greenville office. Charles S. Verdin, IV has been practicing for almost 30 years. His practice includes  estate planning and probate law, tax law, and corporate law. In addition to his law degree, Chuck is a certified public accountant.  He is also a certified specialist in taxation law and in estate planning and probate law by the South Carolina Supreme Court.  He has significant experience with estate planning and planned giving, complex trust and probate administration, corporate formation and structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and federal, state, and local tax planning and...

Gallivan White Boyd has been listed in Best Lawyers^® 2024 edition of Best Law Firms^®.  The firm was recognized regionally in 19 practice areas, including eleven First-Tier Rankings.  Firms included in the 2024 Best Law Firms^® list are recognized for professional excellence which are based on ratings from clients and peers. Debuted in 2010, Best Law Firms^® utilized a rigorous, peer-to-peer, industry-driven evaluation.  Achieving a tiered ranking in Best Law Firms^® signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.  Ranked firms, presented in three tiers, are recognized on a national and metro-based scale. Gallivan White Boyd received the following Tier-1 rankings in the...

On March 7, 1998, Christine McCune¹ joined her husband and several friends for a paintball game at Myrtle Beach Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. Prior to the match, she received a face mask provided by the range for protection. During the game, McCune’s loose, ill-fitting mask came off after being caught in the branch of a tree. After her mask was raised off her face by the tree branch, McCune was struck in the eye by a paintball pellet that rendered her legally blind. McCune brought several causes of action against the Range based on the failure of the mask to be properly fitted and to properly protect her during play. McCune lost her case at every level of litigation due to a single piece of paper she signed just prior...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that the firm and five of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2024 Edition of Benchmark Litigation^® – United States. Benchmark Litigation^® is the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys.  Rankings are based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients, as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments. Local Litigation Stars for each state reflect only those individuals who were recommended consistently as reputable and effective litigators by clients and peers. GWB is honored to announce its Litigation Stars:

• Gray T. Culbreath
  ...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is thrilled to announce that partner T. David Rheney was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers at its annual meeting held in San Diego, California, on September 23, 2023. A native of Orangeburg, Rheney is located in GWB’s Greenville, South Carolina, office and is one of the firm’s most experienced trial lawyers. During his more than thirty-year career, he has tried hundreds of trials to verdict, including three of the most significant trucking/transportation cases tried in South Carolina in 2018 and 2019, obtaining very favorable results for his clients. He is also called upon to provide global legal counsel as the South Carolina representative and past president of...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that partner Jennifer Johnsen was named a Leadership in Law honoree by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. Johnsen was one of 34 honorees at the SC Leadership Awards event held in Columbia, South Carolina.  Honorees are selected by a panel of judges.  Nominations, applications and letters of recommendation are evaluated based on professional accomplishments, bar leadership, community service, pro bono work and mentoring. Johnsen is not only a leader at GWB, but also in the legal profession and community at large. Within GWB, she leads the firm’s Insurance practice group. Within the broader legal community, she has held numerous leadership positions in the Federation...

More than three years after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has held that an employee suffering from what has been termed “long-COVID” is entitled to receive long-term disability (LTD)  under a group LTD policy. Abrams v. Unum Life Insurance Company of america, No. C21-0980 TSZ, 2022 WL 17960616 (W.D. Wash. Dec. 27, 2022). This appears to be one of the first reported decisions addressing disability based on this new condition – and, of import to this group – the case involves an LTD claim filed by a shareholder in a law firm. Background In April 2020, a trial and appellate partner at a law firm began to...

2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America^© Released Twenty-three attorneys have been included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^©. Best Lawyers^® is a seasoned and well-respected lawyer ranking service for lawyers from around the world.  For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar practiced areas.  Best Lawyers^® awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe. Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region....

2024 Best Lawyers in America^© – Ones to Watch Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce the selection of attorneys, Matthew Covington, Jordan Crapps, Jessica W. Laffitte, Christine Ormand and Thomas Twehues, as 2024 Ones to Watch by Best Lawyers in America^©. This recognition is given to attorneys who are early in their careers and provide outstanding professional excellence in private practice within the United States. Attorneys Covington, Crapps, Laffitte, and Ormand have been named to this list since 2021.  Twehues is named to the list for the second year in a row.

• Matthew Covington (Charlotte) was named Ones to Watch for Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers.
• Jordan Crapps (Columbia) was...

2024 Edition of Best Lawyers in America^©  Gallivan White Boyd partners A. Johnston Cox, Curtis L. Ott, Gray T. Culbreath, and John T. Lay, Jr. were named 2024 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers in America^© in Columbia, South Carolina. Each year, only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the Lawyer of the Year. These lawyers are selected based on voting averages received from peer-review assessments. A. Johnston Cox was named Lawyer of the Year for Insurance Law in the Columbia, SC area. He is listed in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^© in Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants. Gray T. Culbreath was named Lawyer of the Year...

GWB is pleased to share that the firm is celebrating 75 years of productive and progressive client service Today GWB announced the celebration of the law firm’s 75 years of service. With a heritage dating to 1948, attorneys and support staff at Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) have worked tirelessly to build a progressive and productive law firm focused on providing high quality client service and the preservation of justice. With over 65 attorneys representing clients across the nation, GWB strives to showcase our excellence in the legal community with the firm’s successes rooted in attorney experience and client dedication. “We are thrilled to share this landmark milestone with our community and look forward...

32 Gallivan White Boyd attorneys have been nominated and selected by their peers for inclusion in Columbia Business Monthly, Greenville Business Magazine and Charleston Business Magazine’s 2023 Legal Elite. Legal Elite winners are chosen by area attorneys that are members of the South Carolina Bar Legal Elite is the only regional awards program that gives every active attorney the opportunity to participate.  The magazine lists the top recipients in 50 categories. Five of Gallivan White Boyd’s attorneys are recognized as a Top Vote Winner in one or more of their recognized practice areas:

• Ian Conits – Estates & Trust – Litigation
• Johnston Cox – Personal Injury – Defendant
• Gray Culbreath...

Three attorneys also ranked in the 2023 Chambers USA edition Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce its inclusion as a ranked law firm in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA. The Chambers USA guide and legal rankings cover practice areas in all 50 states, Washington, DC and at nationwide level, with hundreds of practice area-based ranking tables identifying the best practice groups and lawyers working across the US legal market. To determine its rankings, Chambers and Partners analyzes information gained via submissions and interviews that center around technical ability, client service, team depth, commercial vision and business understanding, diligence, and value for money. GWB is ranked in South Carolina...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that John T. Lay, Jr.  has been selected for inclusion as a Global Leader in the 2023 edition of Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders – USA- Life Sciences- Product Liability, for the seventh consecutive year. Since 1996, utilizing the recommendations of clients and private practitioners, Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law. The Thought Leaders edition reflects interviews with the practitioners themselves, and its purpose is to showcase not only the practitioner’s vast experience but also their ability to innovate, inspire, and provide excellent service for their clients. John T. is one of three lawyers...

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that 14 attorneys from the firm’s Greenville, Charleston and Columbia offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 edition of South Carolina Super Lawyers®. Most notably, Super Lawyers recognized GWB Partner John T. Lay as one of the Top 25 Lawyers in South Carolina for the sixth consecutive year.  Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters, lists the top 5% of the attorneys in the state who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers utilizes a multiphase selection process that includes peer nominations, independent third-party research, and peer reviews by other attorneys in their primary practice...

Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce that Carter Massingill has been elected a partner in the firm.  Carter works in the firm’s Greenville, South Carolina office. Carter is a business and construction litigation attorney who has been with GWB since January 2017.  He regularly handles complex litigation involving construction, real estate, and development, including breach of contract and warranty claims, construction defect matters, product liability, payment issues and liens, restrictive covenants and catastrophic personal injury claims. Representative matters have involved:

• Multi-million-dollar class action construction defect cases.
• High-value delay and liquidated damages claims.
• Wrongful...

Gallivan White Boyd has been listed in 2023 Best Law Firms by U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers®. The Firm was recognized regionally in 20 practice areas, including twelve First-Tier Rankings. Firms included in the 2023 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence and based on impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal proficiency. The 2023 Edition of Best Law Firms ranks law firms in 75 national practice areas and 122 metropolitan-based practice areas. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same...

Gallivan White Boyd is excited to announce that partner Jordan Crapps has been selected as one of the 61 participants for the Leadership Columbia Class of 2023 (LC23). LC23 class will kick of the 50^th year of programming for Leadership Columbia. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce offers this ten-month educational program as a way to engage emerging and existing leaders in the Midlands area with an opportunity to embrace their civic knowledge and network. The program curriculum includes monthly class day sessions, a retreat, a class project, and a variety of enrichment activities around the area. Since its inception, Leadership Columbia has celebrated more than 2,000 graduates. To learn more about the program, see...

Twenty-six attorneys have been included in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^©. With an almost 40-year history of highlighting top legal talent in America, Best Lawyers^® has become an important resource for finding experienced lawyers nationwide. Peer-reviewed listings by Best Lawyers^® are now published in almost 75 countries around the world. Gallivan White Boyd congratulates the following attorneys included on the 2023 Best Lawyers^® list: CHARLESTON

•  A. Grayson Smith Personal Injury Litigation

•  James M. Dedman IV Litigation - Insurance
• Christopher M. Kelly Railroad Law

•  Johnston Cox Insurance Law Personal Injury Litigation
• Gray T....

Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that 15 attorneys from the firm’s Greenville and Columbia offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 edition of South Carolina Super Lawyers®. For the fifth time, Super Lawyers recognized GWB Partner John T. Lay as one of the Top 25 Lawyers in South Carolina. Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters, lists the top 5% of the attorneys in the state who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers utilizes a multiphase selection process that includes peer nominations, independent third-party research, and peer reviews by other attorneys in their primary practice area. The 12 GWB attorneys listed as...

Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce that Jordan Crapps has been elected a partner in the firm. Jordan works in the firm’s Columbia, South Carolina office. Jordan has been with GWB since August 2016, and prior to that time, he worked in the public sector investigating and prosecuting securities related matters. He focuses his practice on the representation of clients in the business and commercial litigation, corporate and commercial transactions, and appellate practice areas. Jordan has handled a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, including those related to shareholder disputes, business torts, professional negligence, contract disputes, and governmental investigations. Jordan is a team...

Gallivan White Boyd has been listed in 2022 Best Law Firms by U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers^®. The Firm was recognized regionally in 15 practice areas, including 11 Tier 1 Rankings in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina. Firms included in the 2022 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence with impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal proficiency. Gallivan White Boyd received the following Tier 1 rankings in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyers® - Best Law Firms:

Metropolitan Tier 1

Charleston

• Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

 Columbia

...

2022 Edition of Best Lawyers in America© Gallivan White Boyd partners Gray T. Culbreath, John T. Lay, Jr., Shelley S. Montague and Jennifer E. Johnsen were named 2022 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers in America©. Each year, only one lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the Lawyer of the Year. These lawyers are selected based on voting averages received from peer-review assessments. Gray T. Culbreath was named Lawyer of the Year for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants in the Columbia area. Culbreath was also listed in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in the following practice areas: Appellate, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial...

2022 Best Lawyers in America© – Ones to Watch Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce the selection of attorneys, Drew Bradshaw, Jordan Crapps, Jessica W. Laffitte and Thomas Twehues, as 2022 Ones to Watch by Best Lawyers in America©. This recognition is given to attorneys who are early in their careers and provide outstanding professional excellence in private practice within the United States. Drew Bradshaw (Greenville) was named Ones to Watch for Transportation Law. Jordan Crapps (Columbia) was named Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation and Litigation-Securities. Jessica W. Laffitte (Columbia) was named Ones to Watch for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Thomas Twehues (Greenville) was named...

Gallivan White Boyd is pleased to announce that twenty-eight attorneys have been included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. With an almost 40-year history of highlighting top legal talent in America, Best Lawyers® has become an important resource for finding experienced lawyers nationwide. Peer-reviewed listings by Best Lawyers® are now published in almost 75 countries around the world. Gallivan White Boyd congratulates the following attorneys included on the 2022 Best Lawyers® list:

CHARLESTON

• A. Grayson Smith Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

 CHARLOTTE

• James M. Dedman IV Litigation - Insurance
• Christopher M. Kelly Railroad Law

COLUMBIA

• A. Johnston...