Collins & Lacy, P.C. shareholder and management committee member, Brian Comer, has been certified as a Civil Court Mediator by the South Carolina Supreme Court’s Board of Arbitration and Mediator Certification. “Before transitioning to litigation, I started my legal career as a transactional lawyer where the focus was on ‘making a deal’,” said Comer. “I… Continue Reading
Getting to “Yes”!
In their book, “Getting to YES, Negotiating Agreement without Giving In,” Roger Fisher and William Ury discuss alternatives to positional negotiating. It is a must read for all mediators and a strongly suggested read for any attorney who participates in the negotiation process. Positional negotiating is what we see in most workers compensation mediations. Each… Continue Reading
Collins & Lacy Ranked Tier 1 in 2016 “Best Law Firms”
[COLUMBIA, S.C., November 4, 2015] – Collins & Lacy, P.C. is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized in the “Best Law Firms” 2016 list, just released by the U.S. News – Best Lawyers®. The business defense firm earned a “Tier 1” ranking in the area of workers’ compensation law and was also recognized… Continue Reading
Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones but Names Will Never. . .Settle Cases?
Since the mediation regulation passed, I have had the opportunity to act as mediator in many workers’ compensation cases. The skills of the attorneys on both sides in the S.C. Workers’ Compensation bar are truly humbling to encounter. I have heard countless openings by talented, zealous advocates on behalf of their clients. It occurred to me… Continue Reading
Tension Between Form 21 Hearings and the Mediation Statute
At the last business meeting, the Workers’ Compensation Commission grappled with tension between the requirement to hold a hearing within 60 days on an Employer’s Request for Hearing and the requirement that cases alleging permanent and total disability must be mediated prior to a hearing under the new mediation statute. Pursuant to S.C. Code Ann.… Continue Reading
Best Lawyers 2015 Honors Collins & Lacy Attorneys in Numerous Practice Areas
Collins & Lacy, P.C. is pleased to announce Best Lawyers in America © 2015 has honored several of the business defense firm’s attorneys in multiple practice areas. Seven Collins & Lacy attorneys have received the 2015 Best Lawyers in America designation. The annual list is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. Greenville Partner-in-Charge and 10-time… Continue Reading
Senate Judiciary Committee Attempts to Give Mediation Regulations Some Teeth
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee asked the Workers’ Compensation Commission to withdraw and resubmit Regulation 67-1801, et. seq., with a change to Section 67-1802A. This is the paragraph that requires mediation in admitted perm total cases, occupational disease cases, third party lien claims, contested death claims, mental/mental injury claims and concurrent jurisdiction cases involving… Continue Reading
Negotiate Before You Mediate
In the 35 years I’ve been practicing law, mediation has dramatically changed the number of critical cases tried to a jury conclusion. In South Carolina, mediation has become almost a center point of trial practice. In my home town of Greenville, in the 1990s we would try over 100 civil cases a year in GreenvilleCounty alone.… Continue Reading
SCWCC Updates: Oral Arguments, Mediation, and Employee of the Year
Post by Managing Partner Ellen Adams The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC) has been very busy lately. Here is a brief recap of the news you can use regarding the practice of workers’ comp in the Palmetto State. This morning, the SCWCC is holding a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed Mediation Regulation R 67-1801 to… Continue Reading
One Step Closer
Post by Ellen Adams The time period is now open for public comment on the proposed mediation regulations. At the business meeting of the Commissioners last week, the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC) favorably reported out the proposed mediation regulations for practice before the Commission. You can learn more about the proposed regulations by… Continue Reading