Press Releases

[Greenville, S.C. – September, 2025] – Gallivan, White & Boyd proudly announces that H. Mills Gallivan has been honored as an Icon by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly in its 2025 Excellence in Law awards. The Icon designation recognizes distinguished attorneys with long-standing careers of exceptional leadership, service and impact on the legal profession and community. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Gallivan has built a reputation as one of South Carolina’s most accomplished attorneys in alternative dispute resolution, workers’ compensation and corporate litigation. He is consistently recognized by Best Lawyers in America and South Carolina Super Lawyers, and he has earned numerous honors,...

  Greenville, S.C. – August 1, 2025 – Twenty Gallivan White Boyd attorneys have been nominated and selected by their peers for inclusion in Columbia Business Monthly, Greenville Business Magazine and Charleston Business Magazine’s 2025 Legal Elite. Legal Elite honorees are selected by fellow members of the South Carolina Bar. As the only regional awards program open to all active attorneys, Legal Elite highlights the top-rated attorneys across 50 practice areas. Congratulations to the following attorneys who have been recognized: • Ian Conits - Civil Litigation, Estate and Trust Litigation • Gray Culbreath - Personal Injury - Defendant • Hood Dawson - Personal Injury – Defendant • Amity...

Greenville, S.C. – July 14, 2025 Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that partner Charles S. “Chuck” Verdin IV has been appointed Chairman of South Carolina’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. Chuck is a partner in the firm’s Greenville, South Carolina office. His practice focuses on estate planning and probate, tax, and corporate law. In addition to his law degree, he is a Certified Public Accountant and a South Carolina Supreme Court designated Certified Specialist in both Taxation Law and Estate Planning and Probate Law. He has significant experience in estate planning and planned-giving, complex trust and probate administration, corporate formation and...

Columbia, S.C. – July 11, 2025 Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that John T. Lay has been appointed to the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) for the upcoming judicial election cycle. This prestigious appointment recognizes John T.’s deep commitment to the legal profession and to public service in South Carolina. John T. is a partner in GWB’s Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, offices. With more than 30 years of experience handling complex, high-stakes litigation, he has tried over 100 cases to verdict and managed appeals in both state and federal courts. His practice includes product liability, business litigation, professional negligence, False Claims Act matters, and insurance...

Columbia, S.C. - July 8, 2025. Gallivan White Boyd is proud to announce that John T. Lay, has been named to the inaugural Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Lawyers for 2025. John T. is a partner in the firm’s Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina offices. With over 30 years of experience managing complex, high-stakes litigation, he has tried more than 100 cases to verdict. He also handles appeals at all levels of both South Carolina and federal courts. In addition to his work in product liability, his practice focuses on business litigation, professional malpractice, False Claims Act litigation, and insurance coverage and bad faith. He represents both governmental and private clients in these...

  Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that A. Johnston Cox, has been named President-Elect of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA). Practicing in GWB’s Columbia, South Carolina office, Johnston has spent more than 20 years focusing his practice on insurance litigation, business litigation, commercial condemnation, and personal injury matters. With more than 45 cases tried to verdict, he has represented clients across South Carolina in both state and federal courts. Apart from his daily practice, Johnston has been a leader within GWB, serving currently as the partner in charge of GWB’s Columbia office and formerly as a member of GWB’s Executive Committee, Johnston is not only a...

  Greenville, S.C. – April 30, 2025– Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that 19 attorneys from the firm’s Greenville, Charleston and Columbia offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 edition of South Carolina Super Lawyers®. GWB Partner John T. Lay, Jr. has been recognized once again by Super Lawyers as one of the Top 10 attorneys in South Carolina — his third time receiving this distinction. This honor adds to his ongoing recognition in the Top 25, which he has earned every year since 2018, reflecting his exceptional reputation and commitment to the profession. Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters, lists the top 5% of the attorneys in the state who have attained a...

Charleston - April 15, 2025.  Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is proud to announce that partner Paige C. Ornduff has been elected President of the James L. Petrigru Inn of Court in Charleston for 2025. Paige is a litigation attorney in the firm’s Charleston, South Carolina office, focusing on design and construction litigation, tort and personal injury defense, and commercial transportation. She represents general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in both commercial and residential construction disputes. In her personal injury defense practice, Paige works with insurers, self-insured corporations, and third-party risk managers on complex litigation involving tort liability, risk management, and...

Charlotte, N.C. – March 4, 2025 – Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that partner Christopher “Chris” M. Kelly has been selected for inclusion in the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC). Chris is the partner in charge of GWB’s Charlotte, North Carolina office and is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice focuses on complex litigation, including commercial transportation law, business and commercial litigation, personal injury, product liability, insurance law, professional negligence, construction defects, and appellate representation. Chris has defended large contract disputes, catastrophic injury and death cases, and significant transportation matters,...

Greenville, S.C. – March 18, 2025 – Gallivan White Boyd (GWB) is pleased to announce that partner Casey P. Gonyea has been named to South Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 “Influential Women of Law.” This recognition honors women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, business acumen, commitment to mentoring, community involvement, and a significant impact on the legal profession in the Carolinas. Casey is a workers’ compensation defense attorney in GWB’s Greenville office, representing employers, insurance carriers, self-insured corporations, third-party administrators, and claims servicing agencies. She handles all aspects of job-related injury claims, from investigations and compensability...