Top Civil Lawyers Near Me in Columbia Area

“[L]iterally relied on [] as an expert on construction law and related matters,” clients describe Mike as an “excellent litigator and trusted counselor” and “someone who is looking out for your interests and not his own.”. Mike’s practice focuses on business disputes and commercial and civil litigation, with a substantial portion devoted to construction law. Mike also helps clients limit risk by reviewing and scrutinizing documents and contracts before issues arise.. Mike regularly represents clients throughout central Maryland in a broad range of business and construction matters, including contract claims, fraud, and business torts, creditor rights litigation, estate disputes, and construction claims. Clients often retain Mike before suit is filed to evaluate potential outcomes and mitigate any possible risk. He has represented majority and minority business owners in business breakups, employers and employees in non-compete, trade secret and fiduciary litigation, and contractors and subcontractors in mechanics liens, bond claims and bid protests.

Robert Goings has a reputation as a fearless courtroom trial attorney.  As a highly rated attorney, he practices workers compensation, personal injury and wrongful death, “bad faith” insurance claims, defective products, civil litigation in the areas of business torts, employment law, healthcare, defective products, professional malpractice, civil rights and constitutional law.  Robert is a natural leader and a strong courtroom advocate.. This attorney handles the following matters:. Disclaimer:   Any endorsement, testimonial, or review contained on this attorney's profile is not intended to create any expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client's case.  This attorney's profile is not intended to compare one lawyer’s services with other lawyers’ services.  Any result the endorsed lawyer or law firm may achieve on behalf of one client in one matter does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

Our firm handles many types of cases, but I like helping people to get their affairs in order (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills). I also like helping people to navigate the probate system (administration of estates, guardianships, and conservatorships.) If I can't help, I try to point people in the right direction.

My legal practice focuses primarily in the area of labor and employment matters. While most of my clients are based inteh greater Baltimore area, I have worked with labor clients that have a national presence.. Employment Claims Representation:  I represent individuals in employment law related matters such as unpaid wages, FMLA violations, unlawful discrimination and retaliation, wrongful discharge and unemployment.. Labor Union Representation:  I have worked with both private and public sector unions.  In particular I have assisted with unon negotiation, grievance handling and arbitration, and internal union governance.. Alternative Dispute Resolution:  I have an interest in alternative dispute resolution.  I have worked with Federal Mediators during labor negotiations as union-side counsel, attended mediation at the EEOC and MCHR to assist and counsel clients during the process, and I have served as a volunteer mediator for the Community Mediation program.  In addition, I am the chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Dispute Resolution Committee for the 2011-2012 bar year.

Mr. Milling handles civil litigation, corporate litigation, criminal defense, white collar criminal defense and appeals in all South Carolina state and federal courts. He is a former criminal prosecutor and is a CJA Panel attorney for the District of South Carolina and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Milling is a member of the South Carolina Bar and licensed to practice before the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, DC Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Matthew's practice focuses on civil litigation, and he has participated in cases involving shareholder and minority owner oppression, consumer protection, voting rights and election protests, commercial and real estate law, copyright infringement, insurance bad faith, employment law, medical malpractice, personal injury, and product's liability. His experience includes jury trials, bench trials, agency hearings and contested cases, preliminary motions and injunctions, dispositive motions, class action certification determinations, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals. Matthew is based in our Columbia, SC office.

Kelly is a trial lawyer with experience in corporate, health care, privacy, and information technology law. Kelly is known for providing strategic guidance through complex business and regulatory issues and offering practical insight on matters involving health information exchanges, electronic medical records, vendor agreements, and data privacy. Kelly's practice areas include health care law, commercial litigation, and medical related litigation. She regularly advises business owners, non-profit boards, and health care clients on employment issues, acquisitions, corporate transactions, vendor agreements, Stark and anti-kickback laws, HIPAA, HITECH, health information technology, and patient privacy issues.

I have been practicing law with the Finkel Law Firm for 20 years. Before that I practiced in Atlanta Georgia. In my practice I have handled a wide variety of matters. Currently I focus on business litigation and litigation involving construction defects and construction disputes. I represent homeowners, contractors, suppliers, homeowners’ associations and subcontractors. As I was previously a general contractor, I have an understanding of the construction industry from both a legal and hands on position. I strive to give each client quality representation and maintain good client communication.

I am an advocate, communicator, and wordsmith. I am also a certified Mediator and have served as a Special Referee. I serve my clients - individuals and small businesses - in situations that could end up in a trial, hearing or mediation, and/or advise them on how to stay away from problems with well worded agreements and well thought out plans. Lots of advice, fact finding, research and just plain working with people occurs before stating my client's case at a mediation, trial or hearing. The small business portion of my practice includes contract work, employment advisement, business formation, and lately helping businesses get it right from the beginning. As a continuing writer and broadcaster I understand creating valuable assets and works such as "reality shows" and music or movie creations needing trademark and copy right protection. As an advocate I work to protect my clients' rights by strongly addressing any wrongs committed against them. My practice balances favorably resolving disputes with helping clients develop their projects from concept to completion - and to protect them so they can grow and prosper.I use the law and common sense to help my clients succeed. My judicial clerkship during my first year out of law school taught me the system from the inside while watching a year's worth of all sorts of trials. I learned what judges and juries want. Trials are fun for litigators like me, but satisfaction from a well planned and protected project is just as good.As a South Carolina certified Circuit Court Mediator I can bring parties together, discuss strengths, weaknesses, shared problems and even common goals to work a solution that is better than proceeding with litigation.

He has represented clients in difficult, high profile cases that have been featured on CBS's 48 Hours and Court TV's Trial Story. He has served as a guest commentator on Court TV's Catherine Crier Live.. Mr. Slusher has received training in courtroom techniques at places such as the Wyoming Trial Advocacy Institute, the California Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy and Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College.. Mr. Slusher also has experience representing clients in appeals to the Missouri Appellate Courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.. Christopher A. Slusher received a degree in Business from Indiana University in 1988 and his law degree from the University of Missouri in 1991. His litigation practice concentrates on serious personal injury, wrongful death and criminal defense.

Ellen's 20-year career at Collins & Lacy has involved more than 1,000 cases.  She practices in workers' compensation, is a certified circuit court mediator and also has experience in general litigation and professional liability. She has argued cases to the Full Workers’ Compensation Commission, Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.  Ellen is a native of Cayce, S.C. and received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.  She has been repeatedly named one of the Best Lawyers in America©, and her reputation has earned her a BV Distinguished rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Christian E. Boesl was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, but after marrying a local Columbia girl, he quickly became a South Carolinian. Christian is a 1999 graduate of Brigham Young University and a 2003 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law where he was a Moot Court Champion, on the National Moot Court Team, and served as an Honor Council Justice.. Prior to joining the Goings Law Firm, LLC, Christian was a shareholder and member of the management committee at Collins & Lacy, P.C. where he concentrated his practice on employment law and workers’ compensation. He chaired both the employment law and workers’ compensation practice group. Realizing he had a greater desire to represent individuals and those who were injured on the job, Christian joined, Of Counsel, with the Goings Law Firm to manage the firm’s expanding workers compensation practice.. Practicing law for a large defense firm for 14 years gave him extensive experience in trying cases for insurance companies, corporations and small businesses. This proven record allows Christian to be an effective advocate for injured workers and his clients. He knows how these companies operate and what it takes to get the best result for his clients.. Christian’s passion for the law comes from regularly representing clients before the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission, in Federal Court, State Court, before the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In addition to advocating for individuals before the South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission, Christian is also a certified workers compensation and circuit court mediator.. Christian’s reputation has earned him an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, and he is honored by being included in the prestigious Best Lawyer’s list. Additionally, he is also a South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star. There are no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state named to the Rising Star list. He has regularly presented CLEs and spoken around the state on workers’ compensation and employment law topics.. Christian is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Richland County Bar Association, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He holds a Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification, approved Circuit Court Mediator. He is also a charter representative for the Boy Scouts of America and an active member and serves as the current bishop of the local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.. Christian’s greatest achievement and most important part of his life is his family. He is married to Emily Boesl, and they are the parents of four children, ages 5 to 16. In his time away from work, you will find him sideline coaching for his boys on the soccer field, watching his daughter’s vocal/theatre productions and cross country meets, and working around the house with his family.

Chris Adams is a shareholder practicing in general civil litigation with a concentration in construction law. After law school, Chris served as a law clerk for The Honorable James Johnson, Jr., Eighth Judicial Circuit and as an Assistant Solicitor for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office in Lexington, South Carolina.  Before joining Collins & Lacy in 2005, Chris was in private practice focusing on civil litigation.

After graduating USC Law School in 2005, Joel clerked for the Honorable J. Ernest Kinard, Jr. in the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. From 2006 on, Joel practiced at two small insurance defense firms, where he primarily represented governmental agencies in various state and federal claims. In September of 2020, Joel joined the Law Office of Kenneth Berger, LLC where he represents citizens who have been injured or harmed by corporations or government actors.. Joel enjoys the challenges that litigation presents but strives to maintain a level of professionalism and courtesy with his fellow lawyers, judges, clients and legal staff.. Joel is also a certified mediator in civil court in South Carolina. He would welcome the opportunity to assist parties in the resolution of their disputes.