Employer-Employee Litigation
The firm represents employees in disputes arising from the employment relationship, including litigation over wage and hour issues, covenants not to compete, employment agreements, interference with contractual relations, discrimination/Title VII claims, ERISA litigation, and the South Carolina Wage Payment Act.
Representative Cases:
Bill Hopkins represented plaintiff Lisa Ocheltree of the case of Ocheltree v. Scollon Productions, Inc., a seminal case involving the law of sexual harassment. Mr. Hopkins obtained a verdict for Mrs. Ocheltree in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Columbia Division. The verdict was appealed and Mr. Hopkins argued the appeal twice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, once before the en banc panel. Both parties petitioned the United States Supreme Court for certiorari, which petitions were denied. This case has been the subject of many articles, including an article which appeared in the New York Times.
Gloria Kinneyman v. Speeday Super America, LLC, Civil Action No. 4:01-0393-25
Bill Hopkins was co-counsel for the plaintiff Gloria Kinneyman in the case of Gloria Kinneyman v. Speeday Super America, LLC, Civil Action No. 4:01-0393-25. Mrs. Kinneyman alleged gender and age discrimination against her former employer which had termindated her employment. This case was tried for one week to a jury verdict in the United States District Court of South Carolina, Florence Division, and the jury returned a verdit in favor of Mrs. Kinneyman for $200,000 actual damages and $500,000 punitive damages. The defendant appealed the verdict and the case was settled on appeal for a confidential amount.