Laura Jordan

Of Counsel

Biography

Laura Jordan is an attorney in the firm’s Columbia, South Carolina, office. Her law practice includes matters related to employment and human resources, products liability, appeals, and business and commercial litigation.

Laura began her legal career in Alabama as federal law clerk for the Honorable James H. Hancock of the Northern District. She left private practice when she was called to serve as the permanent federal law clerk for R. David Proctor of the Northern District, and she was asked to continue her federal service as a staff attorney for Judges Hancock and Proctor upon her move to South Carolina. Laura joined Gallivan White Boyd shortly after its inception in 2011.

Having served on the docket of two federal court judges, in addition to practicing law in two states, Laura has a unique combination of experience in private practice litigation and government service.

Laura’s litigation practice focuses on products liability and business and commercial matters. She has defended a variety of manufacturers against products liability claims, with a concentration in recent years on tire and vehicle defect litigation. She also counsels and defends clients in high-profile business disputes between corporate interests. Laura’s experience includes the management of protective order and trade secret issues, expert witness challenges, complex discovery and evidentiary matters. On the appellate side, Laura has represented clients in the South Carolina Court of Appeals and Supreme Court as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In her employment practice, Laura has represented a wide variety of employers throughout the Southeast and has defended public and private employers in federal and state courts, and in administrative agencies, against numerous employment-related claims, including ADA, ADEA, EPA, FLSA, FMLA, South Carolina Payment of Wages Act, Title VII/PDA, wrongful discharge and USERRA. Laura has also advised clients concerning whistleblower claims and resulting litigation. In addition to handling her clients’ litigation needs, Laura represents employers on a variety of human resource matters, including drafting and implementing policies and procedures, managing disciplinary and other personnel decisions, drafting and enforcing non-compete and other restrictive covenants.

Laura possesses outstanding trial advocacy skills and focuses on complex, high-stakes legal matters that require unique or extensive risk management, research, analysis, and strategy. She has presented seminars on employment-related matters and authored litigation-related materials, including an article in a defense counsel training manual utilized by many of the top law firms in the country.

Education

Vanderbilt University

B.A., English (1997)

The University of Alabama School of Law

J.D., Order of the Coif (2000)

Bar Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar
  • South Carolina Bar

Associations & Professional Memberships

  • South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association (SCDTAA)

Honors & Awards

  • Alabama Law Review, Developmental Editor
  • Hugo Black Scholar
  • Columbia Business Monthly
    • Legal Elite: Appellate (2022, 2023)
    • Legal Elite: Labor & Employment (2020-2021)
      • Employment – Defendant (2023)
    • Legal Elite: Business Litigation (2016)
  • M. Leigh Harrison Award
  • Moot Court
    • Best Oral Advocate and Finalist
    • Board of Directors
    • National Moot Court Team, Swing Advocate
  • Order of the Barristers

Capabilities

Support Staff

Laurinda Barrentine

Legal Assistant

803.724.1773

lbarrentine@gwblawfirm.com

Jillian Hansen

Legal Assistant

803.724.1702

jhansen@gwblawfirm.com

Lori Seaborn

Paralegal

843.414.8112

lseaborn@gwblawfirm.com

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