Keith BabcockFounding Partner
(803) 771-8000 |
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About
Founding partner Keith M. Babcock grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and has practiced law in South Carolina for 40 years. His practice consists almost exclusively of litigation, with a concentration on business disputes, eminent domain, and professional negligence. He has an outstanding reputation for representing real property owners in eminent domain actions, as well as other disputes. He is the only South Carolina lawyer in Owners’ Counsel of America, a national eminent domain organization, and he previously served on its Board of Directors.
Mr. Babcock has been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® from 2007 through 2020, and South Carolina Super Lawyers® from 2008 through 2019. He is a member of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served as its President in 2016. He previously served as a bar examiner for the State of South Carolina from 2001 to 2006. He currently serves as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Commission on Standards of Judicial Conduct and previously served in 2013 and 2015 as its Acting Chair. He is also a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference.
In August 2018, the Columbia Business Monthly magazine announced the results of its Legal Elite survey of attorneys in various areas of law. Mr. Babcock was recognized as the leading vote-getter in the field of Business Litigation. In 2019, the magazine again recognized him as one of the legal elite in Business Litigation.
Keith Babcock is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review RatedSM by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest rating available for legal ability and adherence to ethical standards.
Mr. Babcock is active in various community organizations. He is a Past President of the Columbia Jewish Community Center (www.jcccolumbia.org), and served on its Board of Directors from 2006-2018. He also was a member of the Board of Directors for the Columbia Jewish Federation for a number of years. Mr. Babcock was the co-recipient of the 2013 Columbia Israel Bonds Star of David Award. From 2007 through 2012, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Columbia Educational Advancement Foundation, which sponsors the annual Chick-Fil-A Classic Holiday Basketball Tournament in Columbia. (www.chick-fil-aclassic.com) Mr. Babcock has also served on the Board of Directors for the Spring Valley Homeowners’ Association.
Mr. Babcock has been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® from 2007 through 2020, and South Carolina Super Lawyers® from 2008 through 2019. He is a member of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served as its President in 2016. He previously served as a bar examiner for the State of South Carolina from 2001 to 2006. He currently serves as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Commission on Standards of Judicial Conduct and previously served in 2013 and 2015 as its Acting Chair. He is also a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference.
In August 2018, the Columbia Business Monthly magazine announced the results of its Legal Elite survey of attorneys in various areas of law. Mr. Babcock was recognized as the leading vote-getter in the field of Business Litigation. In 2019, the magazine again recognized him as one of the legal elite in Business Litigation.
Keith Babcock is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review RatedSM by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest rating available for legal ability and adherence to ethical standards.
Mr. Babcock is active in various community organizations. He is a Past President of the Columbia Jewish Community Center (www.jcccolumbia.org), and served on its Board of Directors from 2006-2018. He also was a member of the Board of Directors for the Columbia Jewish Federation for a number of years. Mr. Babcock was the co-recipient of the 2013 Columbia Israel Bonds Star of David Award. From 2007 through 2012, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Columbia Educational Advancement Foundation, which sponsors the annual Chick-Fil-A Classic Holiday Basketball Tournament in Columbia. (www.chick-fil-aclassic.com) Mr. Babcock has also served on the Board of Directors for the Spring Valley Homeowners’ Association.
Education
- Princeton University, A.B., 1973
- George Washington University, J.D., with honors, 1976
BAR ADMISSIONS AND MEMBERSHIP
South Carolina, 1977
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1977
United States Court of Federal Claims, 1979
U.S. Supreme Court, 1980
U.S. Tax Court, 1981
Civil Justice Advisory Committee, District of South Carolina, 1991–1993
South Carolina Board of Law Examiners, 2001–2006
Richland County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association, South Carolina Chapter
South Carolina Bar Chairman
Professional Responsibility Committee, 1985–1986
Professional Liability Committee, 2013–2015
South Carolina Association for Justice
Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1977
United States Court of Federal Claims, 1979
U.S. Supreme Court, 1980
U.S. Tax Court, 1981
Civil Justice Advisory Committee, District of South Carolina, 1991–1993
South Carolina Board of Law Examiners, 2001–2006
Richland County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association, South Carolina Chapter
South Carolina Bar Chairman
Professional Responsibility Committee, 1985–1986
Professional Liability Committee, 2013–2015
South Carolina Association for Justice
Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
South Carolina Attorney General’s Office
- Staff Attorney, 1977–1978
- State Attorney, 1978–1979
- Assistant Attorney General, 1979–1981
Recent presentations
1/18 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: Wanna Win ? Effective Attorney-Appraiser Interaction (Panel) (Charleston, SC)
1/18 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – The Project Influence Rule and its Evidentiary Burdens (Panel) (Charleston, SC)
11/17, 11/18, 11/19, 3/13, 3/12, 3/11 — Guest Lecturer, University of South Carolina Law School, Commercial Real Estate Transactions – Eminent Domain Overview (Columbia, SC)
1/17 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: The Difference between Winning and Losing (Panel) (San Diego, CA)
1/15 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Valuation of Temporary Construction Easements (San Francisco, CA)
1/15 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: Name That Tune: Common Trial Themes used by Condemnors and Condemnees (Panel) (San Francisco, CA)
2/14 — Chaired the 2014 Masters in Trial Demonstration presented by the South Carolina chapter of ABOTA (Columbia, SC)
1/14 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: How to Prepare and Present an Eminent Domain Case – The Income Approach to Value: What Makes it Tick (New Orleans, LA)
2/13 — Co-chaired the 2013 Masters in Trial Demonstration presented by the South Carolina chapter of ABOTA (Columbia, SC)
1/12 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101:Winning the High Ground with Fundamentals of Eminent Domain Valuation and Trial Practice – What a Lawyer Should Look for When Reviewing an Appraisal in Eminent Domain (San Diego, CA)
2/11 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: Making the Complex Simple in Eminent Domain – Representing the Condemnee and Winning from the Start: Overview and Suggestions for a Case Plan (Coral Gables, FL)
9/09 — SC Bar / S.C. Association CPAs – Litigation Conference 2009 – Lost Profits and Economic Damages (Columbia, SC)
1/09 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Course of Study – Condemnation 101: How to Prepare and Present an Eminent Domain Case (Miami Beach, FL)
1/08 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Course of Study – Condemnation 101: Fundamentals of Condemnation Law and Land Valuation (San Francisco, CA)
12/07 — SC Bar (Real Estate Section) Eminent Domain CLE – Condemnation Practice (Columbia, SC)
9/06 — CLE International – SC Eminent Domain Conference – Environmental Issues in Condemnation Cases (North Charleston, SC)
2/05 — CLE International – SC Eminent Domain Conference – Public Taking for Private Gain (Charleston, SC)
1/05 — 22nd ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Seminar – Environmental Issues and Interaction with State Environmental Agencies (Miami, FL)
1/02 — 19th ALI-ABA Course of Study – Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation – Severance Damages (Scottsdale, AZ)
1/18 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – The Project Influence Rule and its Evidentiary Burdens (Panel) (Charleston, SC)
11/17, 11/18, 11/19, 3/13, 3/12, 3/11 — Guest Lecturer, University of South Carolina Law School, Commercial Real Estate Transactions – Eminent Domain Overview (Columbia, SC)
1/17 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: The Difference between Winning and Losing (Panel) (San Diego, CA)
1/15 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Valuation of Temporary Construction Easements (San Francisco, CA)
1/15 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: Name That Tune: Common Trial Themes used by Condemnors and Condemnees (Panel) (San Francisco, CA)
2/14 — Chaired the 2014 Masters in Trial Demonstration presented by the South Carolina chapter of ABOTA (Columbia, SC)
1/14 — ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: How to Prepare and Present an Eminent Domain Case – The Income Approach to Value: What Makes it Tick (New Orleans, LA)
2/13 — Co-chaired the 2013 Masters in Trial Demonstration presented by the South Carolina chapter of ABOTA (Columbia, SC)
1/12 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101:Winning the High Ground with Fundamentals of Eminent Domain Valuation and Trial Practice – What a Lawyer Should Look for When Reviewing an Appraisal in Eminent Domain (San Diego, CA)
2/11 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Seminar – Condemnation 101: Making the Complex Simple in Eminent Domain – Representing the Condemnee and Winning from the Start: Overview and Suggestions for a Case Plan (Coral Gables, FL)
9/09 — SC Bar / S.C. Association CPAs – Litigation Conference 2009 – Lost Profits and Economic Damages (Columbia, SC)
1/09 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Course of Study – Condemnation 101: How to Prepare and Present an Eminent Domain Case (Miami Beach, FL)
1/08 — ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Course of Study – Condemnation 101: Fundamentals of Condemnation Law and Land Valuation (San Francisco, CA)
12/07 — SC Bar (Real Estate Section) Eminent Domain CLE – Condemnation Practice (Columbia, SC)
9/06 — CLE International – SC Eminent Domain Conference – Environmental Issues in Condemnation Cases (North Charleston, SC)
2/05 — CLE International – SC Eminent Domain Conference – Public Taking for Private Gain (Charleston, SC)
1/05 — 22nd ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Seminar – Environmental Issues and Interaction with State Environmental Agencies (Miami, FL)
1/02 — 19th ALI-ABA Course of Study – Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation – Severance Damages (Scottsdale, AZ)
Select reported cases
Bennett v. Carter, 807 S.E.2d 197 (S.C. 2017)
Baugh v. Columbia Heart Clinic, P.A., 738 S.E.2d 480 (S.C. Ct. App. 2013)
In Re Mullinax, 722 S.E.2d 524 (S.C. 2012)
Dutch Fork Development Group, II, LLC v. SEL Properties, LLC, 753 S.E.2d 840 (S.C. 2012)
Vortex Sports & Entertainment, Inc. v. Ware, 662 S.E.2d 444 (S.C. Ct. App 2008)
South Carolina State Ports Authority v. Jasper County, 629 S.E.2d 624 (S.C. 2006)
Layman v. State, 630 S.E.2d 265 (S.C. 2006)
Manning v. City of Columbia, 377 S.E.2d 335 (S.C. 1989)
South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation v. Manning, 323 S.E.2d 775 (S.C. 1984)
Scott v. Greenville County, 716 F.2d 1409 (4th Cir. 1983)
Rice v. South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation, 289 S.E.2d 645 (S.C. 1982)
Baugh v. Columbia Heart Clinic, P.A., 738 S.E.2d 480 (S.C. Ct. App. 2013)
In Re Mullinax, 722 S.E.2d 524 (S.C. 2012)
Dutch Fork Development Group, II, LLC v. SEL Properties, LLC, 753 S.E.2d 840 (S.C. 2012)
Vortex Sports & Entertainment, Inc. v. Ware, 662 S.E.2d 444 (S.C. Ct. App 2008)
South Carolina State Ports Authority v. Jasper County, 629 S.E.2d 624 (S.C. 2006)
Layman v. State, 630 S.E.2d 265 (S.C. 2006)
Manning v. City of Columbia, 377 S.E.2d 335 (S.C. 1989)
South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation v. Manning, 323 S.E.2d 775 (S.C. 1984)
Scott v. Greenville County, 716 F.2d 1409 (4th Cir. 1983)
Rice v. South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation, 289 S.E.2d 645 (S.C. 1982)
