Gray T. Culbreath

Gray Culbreath, managing partner of Collins & Lacy, possesses extensive federal and state trial experience successfully defending noted corporate clients in class action, products liability, toxic tort, and complex and catastrophic injury suits.  He also conducts an active appellate practice for his regional and national clients.  Gray’s reputation in the courtroom and professional standing among his peers have led him to be considered one of South Carolina’s preeminent attorneys, according to Martindale-Hubbell. 

Practice Focus/Trial Experience

• Products Liability, defense of designers, manufacturers, and sellers of consumer appliances, construction products, recreation equipment, firearms, heavy industrial equipment, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and fire claims arising from product defects as well as successor liability claims 
• Class Action Litigation, both statewide and nationwide, involving product defect and warranty, debt collection practices, consumer financing, toxic tort and environmental contamination, and retirement benefits  
• Transportation Litigation, involving tractor trailers, logging trucks, tanker trucks, buses, and railroads involving allegations of death, brain injury, and paraplegia 
• Business/Commercial Litigation, including fraud and misrepresentation, piercing the corporate veil, breach of contract, and interference with contract 
• Professional Negligence Claims involving legal, architectural, engineering, and accompanying malpractice and negligence claims

Professional, Civic, and Community Involvement

• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (2004-Present) 
  • Vice Chair - Products Liability Section (2005-Present) 
  • Vice Chair - Class Action & Multi-District Litigation Section (2005–Present); Chair - 2007
• International Association of Defense Counsel (2005-Present)
• Lawyers for Civil Justice
• South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association
  • Secretary (2008)
  • Editor, The Defense Line (2005-2007)
  • Executive Committee (2000-2007)
• Defense Research Institute
• American Board of Trial Advocates (2001-Present)
• South Carolina State Museum Commission (Chairman 2002 - Present)
• Wofford College National Alumni Association
• South Carolina Museum Foundation
• Eastminster Presbyterian Church – Elder
• International Society of Primerus Law Firms (Chair-Defense Litigation Group)
• South Carolina Bar

Papers, Presentations, and Publications 

• Joint Defense Agreements, South Carolina Lawyer, May 2008, at 36 
• Successor Liability, 2007 International Association of Defense Counsel Annual Meeting  
• Successor Liability:  What You Need to Know, 2007 Primerus Client Convocation
• South Carolina Tort Reform, 2006 Federal Judicial CLE, District of South Carolina
• Electronic Discovery Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 2006 South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association Annual Meeting
• Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, 2006 FDCC Mid-Year and Annual Meeting
• Medical Malpractice Tort Reform, 2005 South Carolina Tort Law Update, South Carolina Bar
• South Carolina Tort Reform, 2005 South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association Annual Meeting
• The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005:  Jurisdictional and Removal Provisions, Vol. 57, No. 2, Federal of Defense and Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Page 135
• Admissibility of Evidence and Expert Evidence in South Carolina, 2003 National Business Institute
• Ethical Issues Surrounding Current Employees, 2001 Wofford College Continuing Legal Education Program
• Deposing the Juvenile Plaintiff, 1997 DRI Products Liability Seminar
• What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, Product Liability Newsletter of the International Association of Defense Counsel

Speaking Engagements

• Gray T. Culbreath to Speak at 2008 Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, July 30, 2008, Banff, Canada
• Gray T. Culbreath to Speak at South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association & Claims Management Association of South Carolina Joint Meeting, July 25, 2008, Grove Park Inn - Asheville, North Carolina