This Section serves as a forum for all segments of the employment bar to review and comment on regulatory policy and procedure as well as legislative initiatives. Committees include: Equal Employment Opportunity Committee; Education Committee; Labor Management and Relations Committee; Specialization Committee; Membership Committee; and Occupational Safety/Health Committee.
The SC Bar Employment and Labor Law Section will honor an individual nominated by their professional peers for meritorious service to employment and labor law practice in the State of South Carolina. The honoree will be selected by the Section Selection Committee, which consists of the current Section chair, up to five past Section chairs and one former award recipient. The recipient will be recognized in Fall 2025.
2025 Nomination Packet
MELISSA F. SPENCE
CHAIR
JACK E. CAHOON
CHAIR ELECT
CHANDRA A. STALLWORTH
VICE CHAIR
SAMANTHA E. ALBRECHT
SECRETARY
JANET E. RHODES
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
CHERIE W. BLACKBURN
SECTION DELEGATE
SHARON M. ABRON
COUNCIL MEMBER
JULIUS "JAY" W. BABB, IV
COUNCIL MEMBER
MICHAEL D. CARROUTH
COUNCIL MEMBER
D. MICHAEL HENTHORNE
COUNCIL MEMBER
GRANT B. LEFEVER
COUNCIL MEMBER
MARY KATHERINE LITTLEJOHN
COUNCIL MEMBER
BERNHARD W. MUELLER
COUNCIL MEMBER
J. PAUL PORTER
COUNCIL MEMBER
NEKKI SHUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER
J. HAGOOD TIGHE
COUNCIL MEMBER
The Distance Learning Education Committee will work with the Bar鈥檚 Continuing Legal Education Division (CLE) to establish high quality, intermediate to advanced level online distance learning programming. The Committee will research potential speakers to provide a wide variety of employment and labor law topics. The CLE Division will communicate directly with the speakers regarding topics, taping dates and locations. The Committee鈥檚 goal is to produce up to 10 distance learning programs that will be posted on the Bar website for purchase and viewing by Bar members; and to secure a diverse faculty in terms of practice, gender, experience, specialization, geographic location and so forth. The CLE Division will offer Section members a $20.00 discount on all these programs. For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Nekki Shutt at聽nshutt@burnetteshutt.law or by calling (803) 904-7912.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Committee concentrates on all aspects of equal employment opportunity under federal and state law in both private and public employment, including: employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age and disability; the interface of equal employment opportunity issues with collective bargaining situations under the National Labor Relations Act; use and validation of selection devices; affirmative action under Executive Orders 11246 and 11375; procedures and remedies in class action employment discrimination suits; and liaison with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Department of Justice. For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Mary Littlejohn at聽mary.littlejohn@eeoc.gov or by calling聽(864) 565-0353.
The purpose of the Immigration Law Committee is to keep readers up to date with the latest developments in immigration law and related issues such as I-9 employment verifications. There are numerous agencies involved in or impacted by various aspects of immigration law, including the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. State Department, the Social Security Administration, the U.S Department of Labor, and even the IRS.聽聽Together with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, immigration laws and regulations are perhaps the most complex, and certainly more in flux, than any other body of federal law and regulatory provisions.聽聽Certainly, few other issues arouse political passions more than immigration both at the federal, state, and local levels. Indeed, in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform encompassing illegal immigration, many states and local municipalities have waded into the immigration arena on issues as diverse as driver鈥檚 licenses, business licenses, and the award of government contracts. The Committee will strive to inform our readers of key issues relating to immigration as they affect businesses and employees on the international, national, and local levels. For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Bernhard W. Mueller at聽bernhard.mueller@ogletreedeakins.com or by calling (803) 252-1300.
The Labor Management Relations Committee informs its members of developing laws and policies under the National Labor Relations Act and deals with issues germane to union campaigns, elections, and union administration and procedure.聽聽For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Michael Carrouth at聽mcarrouth@fisherphillips.com or by calling (803) 255-0000.
The Membership Committee concentrates on membership development within the Section. The Committee鈥檚 goal is to increase membership, determine what benefits members most want, maintain a strong Section, and to provide quality support.聽聽For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Jay Babb at聽jay@cbphlaw.com or by calling (803) 799-9530.
The Occupational Safety & Health Committee follows developments under the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, as well as various state plans through which occupational safety and health laws and regulations are enforced. The Committee provides members with updates on developments and trends in the occupational, safety and health area. For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Michael Henthorne at聽michael.henthorne@ogletree.com or by calling (803) 252-6873.
The Specialization Committee addresses a variety of specialization issues from providing suggestions to the board regarding the written examination and other specialization requirements to notifying individuals of specialization deadlines and requirements. For additional information or to join this Committee, please contact Hagood Tighe at htighe@fisherphillips.com or by calling (803) 255-0000.
Employment & Labor Law Section Memorial Scholarship
The following is a guide for authors submitting arti91黑料爆料s for publication in the newsletter of the 91黑料爆料 Employment & Labor Law Section.
Arti91黑料爆料 Preparation: Arti91黑料爆料s should be emailed in Word format, and pictures as a jpeg file or a png file to the Section Newsletter Coordinator Sheila Abron at sabron@fisherphillips.com or Bar staff liaison Marla Wood at marla.wood@scbar.org Word count should be under 1,000 words for practice-area specific arti91黑料爆料s (case notes, law updates, etc.) and 500 words or less for opinion pieces, subcommittee updates, event recaps and additional content. Longer format, journal-style arti91黑料爆料s are typically reserved for the Bar鈥檚 鈥淪C Lawyer鈥 magazine. Submissions outside these parameters will be considered by the section newsletter coordinator with the guidance of the Bar鈥檚 communications staff.
Style: All content should be relevant and germane to the legal profession. Arti91黑料爆料s should be written for the average lawyer who is looking for usable information that is not difficult or time-consuming to read, presenting practical information in a 91黑料爆料ar and readable manner. Humor and anecdotes used to illustrate a topic are welcome additions when appropriate.
Except when referring to a specific individual, arti91黑料爆料s should be gender-neutral whenever possible. Arti91黑料爆料s should also be written in the third person, except when the author is relating a personal experience relevant to the subject of an arti91黑料爆料.
Author Credits: Authors will receive bylines at the beginning of arti91黑料爆料s and credit lines at the end. The credit line will include the author's name; title; firm, company or school; city; and state if outside South Carolina. No biographical sketches will be included.
Warranty and Representation: By submission of an arti91黑料爆料, the author warrants and represents that he or she has included no material in the arti91黑料爆料 in violation of any rights of any other person or entity and that he or she has disclosed all relationships with any person or entity producing any product or providing any service referred to in the arti91黑料爆料.
Editing of Title and Text: All arti91黑料爆料s are edited by the 91黑料爆料's Communications Division according to the AP Stylebook, as well as for clarity and readability.
Read the Fall 2025 Employment & Labor Law Section newsletter, with arti91黑料爆料s by Paul Porter and Sheila Abron; Ashley K. Kerr; and Matthew Korn. (You must be signed in to access)
Fall 2025 Newsletter