South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Power List Personal Injury 2023

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powerLIST PERSONAL INJURY To see the full Power List profiles, visit www.sclawyersweekly.com.

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powerLIST PERSONAL INJURY

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PERSONAL INJURY

NINA FIELDS BRITT

NICHOLAS G. CALLAS

MANAGING ATTORNEY, RPWB

ATTORNEY AND OWNER, LAW OFFICES OF NICHOLAS G. CALLAS | COLUMBIA

MOUNT PLEASANT For Nina Fields Britt, it goes without saying that a strong work ethic is the key to success as a personal injury lawyer. And she believes empathy is crucial.

“To provide the best representation to clients, you absolutely must be empathetic to their situation and the challenges in their lives as a result of their injuries or the death of a loved one,” she says.

Britt is managing attorney at RPWB. The firm is known nationally for mass tort and class action litigation and with a reputation for handling complex South Carolina personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice cases.

“At RPWB, our lawyers don’t take a case and assume it will settle,” she says. “We prepare every case assuming it will be tried, which I believe leads to much better outcomes for our clients.”

Britt graduated cum laude from the College of Charleston and graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law, finishing near the top of her class.

For Britt, the greatest reward from her practice is the opportunity to resolve issues for individuals who cannot solve legal problems by themselves.

Nick Callas has an extensive background in workers’ compensation, social security disability and personal injury litigation.

Callas earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College, graduating cum laude. He obtained his law degree from the University of South Carolina, and he has practiced law since 1990.

After serving as law clerk to the Honorable Luke N. Brown, 14th Judicial Circuit, Ridgeland, and as law clerk to the Honorable William H. Ballenger, 10th Judicial Circuit, Walhalla, Callas worked as an assistant state prosecuting attorney, Fifth Circuit Solicitor, Richland County. He went on to spend 26 years at Popowski Callas and Shirley, where he was a partner.

In 2019, he opened the Law Offices of Nicholas G. Callas in Columbia.

Callas is a member of the Richland County Bar Association, South Carolina Bar and South Carolina Association for Justice.

He is also an active member of the American Association for Justice, and the Injured Workers’ Advocates.

He is a frequent speaker at legal seminars. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

JOSH CHRISTIAN

MATTHEW CHRISTIAN

FOUNDER AND PARTNER, CHRISTIAN & CHRISTIAN ATTORNEYS AT LAW | GREENVILLE

FOUNDER AND PARTNER, CHRISTIAN & CHRISTIAN ATTORNEYS AT LAW | GREENVILLE

Josh Christian grew up watching his father and his law partners help individuals and families through difficult times, and that inspired him to follow that pathway and become a personal injury lawyer.

“I was able to see how a lawyer could impact someone’s life in a meaningful way and a way that would forever help the client or the client’s family,” he says. “I remember my father and his partners being passionate about helping others and making a difference in other people’s lives and it made me realize I wanted to be able to have the same impact on folks as well through my practice of law.”

Today, he is a founding partner of Christian & Christian Attorneys at Law in Greenville, where he practices with his father, Harold Christian and brother, Matt Christian.

A graduate of Carson Newman College, in Jefferson City, Tenn. where he lettered in varsity soccer, Christian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He went on to earn his law degree from Sanford University in Birmingham, Ala. And has practiced personal injury law for 15 years, helping his firm recover millions of dollars for their clients.

After graduating with honors from the University of South Carolina School of Law, Matthew Christian dedicated his career to making corporations see his clients as people, rather than claim numbers.

As a founder and partner in Christian & Christian of Greenville, he practices personal injury law with his father Harold Christian, and brother, Josh Christian. In his practice, he strives to help the injured, including making long-term care facilities safer for residents.

Before attending law school, Christian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., receiving a Political Science Award for Academic Achievement, and Julius David Hale Pre-Law Award.

He was Academic All-Conference in varsity soccer.

Christian believes passion and hard work are key to success.

“While there are many other important qualities like humility, courage, communication skills, and the ability to multitask, I feel hard work and passion are the first two building blocks that will eventually help develop other necessary tools,” he says.

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PERSONAL INJURY

MICHAEL DILL FOUNDING PARTNER, COBB, DILL & HAMMETT | CHARLESTON An unpleasant experience with an insurance company while in college set Michael Dill on his path to a career in the law, representing individuals in personal injury matters.

Dill earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, majoring in business administration, focusing risk management and insurance. He went on to obtain his law degree from the Charleston School of Law and fell in love with the low country. He decided to make Charleston his home.

He is a founding partner at Cobb, Dill & Hammett, where he focuses on personal injury cases arising out of motor vehicle accidents.

In 2015, the NAOPOA listed him among the top 10 South Carolina personal injury attorneys under the age of 40 and in 2016, the AIOPIA named him among the top 10 South Carolina personal injury attorneys.

Founded in 2013 by Hal Cobb, Michael Dill, and William Hammett, Cobb, Dill & Hammett, LLC has been advocating for South Carolina residents for a decade.

MEMBER, WYCHE LAW FIRM COLUMBIA For Lucy Dinkins, her greatest career rewards come when she helps a client receive compensation and move on from difficult situations, and this is why she pursued a legal career and practice personal injury law.

“I was inspired to practice personal injury because I wanted the opportunity to help people who have unfairly suffered and hold those responsible accountable,” she says. “I also enjoy the variety in the personal injury field and the challenge that comes with learning about the medical, scientific, or other unique issues involved in each case.”

Dinkins, a civil litigation attorney in the Wyche Law Firm’s Columbia office, is a South Carolina native and graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Carolina Honors College with a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance.

She earned her law degree from the University of Virginia.

“My greatest reward is helping a client get compensated, enabling them to move on from whatever difficult situation they have had to endure by achieving a favorable outcome in a lawsuit,” she says.

DON C. GIBSON

MAX T. HYDE JR.

ATTORNEY, GIBSON LAW FIRM

OWNER, HYDE LAW FIRM

NORTH CHARLESTON

SPARTANBURG

Don Gibson was inspired to practice law after an early career picking cotton for $2 a day and working in cotton mills, where he experienced firsthand the lack of recourse for an injury.

He has been practicing as an attorney in North Charleston for almost 50 years.

A native of South Carolina, Gibson grew up in a small town in Union County with a one-room schoolhouse. His father worked in the insurance industry, and his mother worked at a cotton mill. He recalls her coming home with cuts and injuries, while others tragically lost their legs, arms, or even died.

In addition to his personal injury practice, Gibson represents plaintiffs in workers compensation matters and helps individuals and families with estate-planning.

Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University, and a master’s from The George Washington University. He went on to receive his law degree from the University of South Carolina. In 2002, he received a Master of Laws in international taxation from Regent University School of Law.

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LUCY DINKINS

Spartanburg native Max Hyde has a track record of civic service on both the local and state level. He is founder of Hyde Law Firm and has served as a representative for South Carolina House District 32 since 2018. He was recently appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Hyde also served on Spartanburg City Council, where he focused on economic development and diversifying the city’s professional workforce.

Hyde’s public service record also includes a seat on the Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education.

He also has chaired the Spartanburg Community College Foundation Board of Directors and City of Spartanburg Board of Zoning Appeals. As president of the downtown Rotary Club of Spartanburg, he is one of the youngest leaders in the club’s 101-year history.

He also serves on the board of the Piedmont Interstate Fair Association.

Hyde received his law degree from the University of South Carolina.

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WES A. KISSINGER

BROOKLYN O’SHEA

MANAGING PARTNER, KD TRIAL LAWYERS

ATTORNEY, O’SHEA LAW FIRM

SPARTANBURG

CHARLESTON

Despite his success as a civil litigator, Wes Kissinger most enjoys helping his clients.

“I like helping people navigate a process they’re not familiar with and assisting them through a very difficult time in their lives,” he says in a statement on his firm’s website. “Until they’re in a situation when they need a lawyer, people oftentimes don’t really have a sense of how much their lives can be affected by an event they did nothing to cause. I want to ease that burden.”

Kissinger, who has practiced law for 20 years, is managing partner of KD Trial Lawyers in Spartanburg. He has achieved numerous multi-million-dollar settlements involving trucking accidents, and numerous jury trial verdicts, For Kissinger, law in itself is complicated, but the pursuit of justice applies to everyone, and he believes it is the attorney’s job to ensure it is applied equally.

“It is the lawyer that evens the playing field,” he states on the firm’s website. “A person of little or no financial means has access to the same judicial system that decides controversies involving multimillion-dollar corporations.”

Kissinger oearned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

JOSEPH F. RICE FOUNDER, MOTLEY RICE

When Brooklyn O’Shea started her legal career, she knew she wanted to be a trial lawyer, and she didn’t have a preference for the plaintiff or defense side.

However, she quickly found her path.

“It didn’t take long before I started feeling a strong connection to the individuals and families who suffered from personal injuries or deaths,” she says. “The empathy I have for plaintiffs has driven me to handle their personal injury litigation.”

She says while her role as a plaintiff’s attorney can be tough at times, the rewards are worth the hard work.

“Litigation is stressful, but when I see the results of hard work pay off for a grateful client, I find my job fulfilling, and I am inspired to do more,” she says.

O’Shea is an attorney at the O’Shea Law Firm in Charleston, where she practices with her husband, Ian O’Shea. She primarily handles catastrophic personal injury cases, including wrongful death and survival actions, motor vehicle collisions, and rideshare claims involving transportation network companies, such as Lyft and Uber. She also handles admiralty and dram shop cases.

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MOUNT PLEASANT Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice is known as a skillful and innovative negotiator of complex litigation settlements.

Rice was born in Columbia, and lived in both South and North Carolina while growing up and during his career. He is a founder with Motley Rice, and practices in the firm’s Mount Pleasant office.

Rice’s grandfather worked as a paymaster at a textile mill in Anderson, S.C., but studied law as a hobby, and he credits his upbringing and his family’s interest in law for his inspiration to explore a career in the law.

Calling himself a “true Carolina born-and-raised attorney,” Rice went on to receive both his bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of South Carolina and began focusing on civil litigation in law school.

“I follow the belief that I am never going to solve my problem successfully unless I help my adversary solve their problems,” he says. “Working together, working hard, and keeping your eye on what is best for your client are major qualities you must possess.”

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PERSONAL INJURY

MICHAEL C. SAHN

GEORGE SINK SR.

ATTORNEY AND OWNER, SAHN LAW FIRM, ATTORNEYS AT LAW | CHARLESTON

CEO, LAWYER, GEORGE SINK, P.A., INJURY LAWYERS | CHARLESTON

Michael C. Sahn is known as a conscientious attorney with a prolific record of success in the courtroom.

Prior to opening the Sahn Law Firm, Attorneys at Law in 2011, he was an assistant solicitor for South Carolina’s 9th Judicial Circuit, which includes Charleston and Berkeley Counties. As lead DUI prosecutor for Charleston County, he handled thousands of cases and gained extensive trial experience handling other criminal offenses, including murder, armed robbery, rape, drug offenses, domestic violence.

Today, as managing partner at Sahn Law Firm, he defends clients charged with crimes and DUI offenses and represents plaintiffs in workers compensation and personal injury cases.

He has over 15 years of experience as a litigator.

Raised in the Charleston area, Sahn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Virginia. He earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina, graduating cum laude.

He is an active member of the South Carolina Bar Association and the Charleston Bar Association.

George Sink credits his parents with instilling in him a strong work ethic. He describes his hardworking mother and father on his firm’s website.

“My parents were a factory worker and a schoolteacher,” he writes “They both worked hard, saved, and made the best of the opportunities America presented while raising me and my two younger sisters.”

Born and raised in Detroit, Sink taught school for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam. He is the CEO of George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, based in Charleston.

In addition to earning his law degree from Emory University School of Law, Sink has an MBA and a Master’s degree in history from Western Michigan University. He’s been practicing law for five decades, starting in Charleston in 1974.

He struck out on his own in 1977, serving the needs of middle-class people in a variety of areas of the law. He began narrowing his focus and as his practice grew, he decided to limit his scope to personal injury.

Today, his practice includes 39 attorneys.

ALLISON SULLIVAN

EMILY HANEWICZ TONG

PARTNER, BLUESTEIN ATTORNEYS

PARTNER, WIGGER LAW FIRM

COLUMBIA

CHARLESTON

The daughter of a pastor and a nurse, Allison Sullivan credits her parents with instilling in her a servant’s heart. Growing up she saw firsthand how compassion and committed leadership impacts lives.

“I view my role as a servant to my clients and it is a rewarding responsibility to help them navigate some of the most difficult times of their lives, while serving as their voice in pursuit of justice,” she says.

Sullivan, a partner with Bluestein Attorneys in Columbia, represents plaintiffs in workers compensation and personal injury matters. She also advocates for veterans and their families in her role leading the firm’s Camp Lejeune Litigation Group.

She received her her law degree from the University of South Carolina, where she graduated with honors.

Considered a thought leader in her areas of practice, Sullivan has been a featured speaker and author contributing to professional education events for professional groups including the South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Association of Justice, Injured Workers Advocates, and the National Business Institute.

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Emily Hanewicz Tong says her primary goal in life is to leave the world a little better than she found it, and she draws inspiration from personal injury attorneys who achieve that goal through their work.

“A personal injury law practice enables you to advocate for safer product design, better safety procedures in commercial establishments, and improved driving habits, all while advocating for just compensation for your client,” she says.

Born in Trenton, N.J. and raised in Brookfield, Conn., Tong received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from La Salle University and immediate began pursuing a career in law. She relocated to the Charleston area in 2010 and started working full time for a real estate law firm during the day while attending Charleston School of Law’s part-time degree program at night. That’s when she decided to focus on personal injury, and secured a second part time job as a paralegal with a law firm in Goose Creek.

After earning her law degree, she took a job as an associate with Wigger Law Firm and became a partner in 2019.

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