Mediator Resume

Sowell & DuRant, LLC - Member

Attorney, Arbitrator

Attorney/Member, Sowell & DuRant, 2018-Present; Attorney/Partner, Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte LLC (formerly Sowell Gray Robinson Stepp & Laffitte, LLC), 1996-2018; Attorney/Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, 1976-1996.

Represented plaintiffs and defendants in virtually every field of litigation in the last 48 years. Focus since 1985 has been business litigation, insurance disputes, and consumer class actions, but have litigated a large number of other business cases, including employment and shareholder disputes. Experience also includes banking, consumer, construction, probate, contract, real estate, employment, intellectual property, health care, professional liability, business torts, trade practices, securities, partnerships, corporate, limited liability company, fiduciary, and class action litigation. Tried, as first chair, over 100 cases and argued over 40 appeals in state and federal courts.

Handled a wide array of civil disputes, including contract disputes, consumer claims, class actions, securities claims, shareholder disputes, business breakups, employment matters, real estate and construction, personal injury, wrongful death and products liability cases.

Make every party a winner.

University of South Carolina School of Law (JD-1976); Clemson University (BA-1973).

Admitted to the Bar: South Carolina (1976); US District Court: South Carolina (1980); US Court of Appeals: 4th Circuit (1999), Federal Circuit (1992); US Court of Federal Claims (1977); US Supreme Court.

American Bar Association; Fellow, American Bar Foundation; American Board Of Trial Advocates; Fellow, Litigation Counsel Of America (Member, Diversity Law Institute, Member, Trial Law Institute); Richland County Bar Association; South Carolina Bar (Former Chair, Dispute Resolution Section, Former Member, House Of Delegates); South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys.

Publications: “Oppression of Minority Shareholders and Court Ordered Fair Value,” South Carolina Lawyer Magazine, 2010. Speaking Engagements: Adjunct Professor of ADR at University of South Carolina Law School, Spring 2021; have taught numerous South Carolina Bar CLE courses over the last 48 years, including insurance, appellate advocacy, civil procedure and many others; taught ADR at both South Carolina Bar CLE and South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys CLE sessions; taught first arbitrator certification course for South Carolina Bar in 2018; taught Damages classes for Professor McCullough at USC Law and Family Partnership law classes for Professor Means at USC Law; taught on faculty at the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Trial Academy; taught and argued at ABOTA Masters in Trial, Columbia, South Carolina.

Hourly Rate: $475.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $475.00/hr Cancellation: $1,250.00/Day Cancellation Period: 2 Days Comment: Will charge for mileage, lodging and meals. Cancellation policy requires two (2) business days notice of cancellation to avoid fee of $1250 for each day cancelled.

English

United States of America

Columbia, South Carolina