News & Insights

From talking about the law to discussing the reality of how the law works to pondering ideas for changes, attorneys Joe Berry and Daniel Coble will cover a variety of legal topics during their new podcast “The Litigation Strategies.” 

Both attorneys offer listeners a wealth of litigation experience. Daniel is a former associate chief judge for Richland County and former assistant solicitor for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. Joe also is a former prosecutor in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office with extensive courtroom experience in a variety of cases.

You can subscribe to the podcast through Spotify, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Breaker, or Copy RSS. You also can listen to individual episodes at these links:

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/Judge-Richard-Gergel-e18kt4m/a-a6mcqcg

Justice John Cannon Few: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/Justice-John-Cannon-Few-e184j20
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ADR & Mediation: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/ADR--Mediation-e16d193

Eminent Domain: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/Eminent-Domain-e15f6ms
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Homeless court: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/Homeless-Court--Diversionary-Programs-e15f5tk

Preliminary hearings: https://anchor.fm/litigationstrategies/episodes/Preliminary-Hearings-e15f5n9​

Lewis Babcock founding partner Keith Babcock is again listed in “Legal Elite of the Midlands,” marking the fourth year he’s been included in the annual guide to the area’s top attorneys.
 
Keith is being honored in the practice area of business litigation. A highly skilled attorney with more than 40 years’ experience, he focuses his practice almost solely on litigation. He concentrates on business disputes, professional negligence and eminent domain.
 
His reputation in the latter field in particular is outstanding. He has conducted Continuing Legal Education seminars on eminent domain across the state and the country. Keith is the only South Carolina attorney listed in “Owners’ Counsel of America,” a national eminent domain organization.
 
He has represented clients in some of the most significant property rights decisions in South Carolina. He has fought for clients in all levels of state and federal courts in South Carolina, working to try to win fair compensation when a government agency takes their land through condemnation.
 
About Legal Elite
 
A publication of Columbia Business Monthly, “Legal Elite of the Midlands” each year honors top lawyers in more than two dozen practice areas. The selection process starts with a nomination from a peer. A poll of the active lawyers in the Midlands decides the final lists.

​Joseph Berry, an attorney at Lewis Babcock in Columbia, SC, has completed the SC Bar Leadership Academy. He was among only 17 attorneys statewide admitted to the highly selective program.
 
The academy’s goal is to provide attorneys with the training and awareness necessary to give back to their profession and their community. The program focuses on relationship building, nurturing principled leadership and increasing awareness of professional, ethical and community service issues.
 
The Leadership Academy class meets monthly for five months, with each program focusing on a different topic. Originally the Class of 2019-20, the group completed the course this spring due to COVID.
 
“I am very grateful for this opportunity to make these deep connections within the legal profession and within our community. They’re connections that will last a lifetime,” Berry said. “I’m also extremely thankful that the Bar makes this commitment to its young lawyers.”
 
A Columbia native and graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, Berry’s practice at Lewis Babcock focuses on eminent domain. He also represents clients in business disputes and appellate matters. Before joining Lewis Babcock, he served for four years at the Solicitor’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
 
He’s deeply involved in the community as well, serving on the Pawmetto Lifeline Board of Trustees and the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center Board of Directors.

Non-profit organizations in the Midlands have been greatly impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. While many have continued to provide services, the pandemic has negatively affected the ability to fundraise during this challenging time. 

Central SC Habitat for Humanity has felt the impact after having to cancel their 2020 “More than a Home” Gala.  
Even during a pandemic, Central SC Habitat has been able to:

• Complete four (4) new home builds in Richland and Lexington Counties with three (3) more in progress for Fall 2020.
• Complete six (6) Neighborhood Revitalization projects with five (5) more in the pipeline;
• Distribute 92,655 pieces of personal protection equipment (PPE) to non-profit and governmental agencies to prevent the spread of COVID-19;
• Be nominated as Best Non-Profit by readers of The State Newspaper;
• Receive a 100% rating by Charity Navigator (the highest score possible); and
• Be selected by Secretary of State Mark Hammond in 2019 as one of South Carolina’s “Angel” Award winners for its fiscal responsibility and transparency.

In an effort to raise much needed funds, Central SC Habitat for Humanity has launched a “Home for the Holiday” Go Fund campaign with a goal of raising $102,000.

Lewis Babcock is supporting the fundraiser with a matching donation up to $2,000.  Friends of the firm are encouraged to consider making a donation and to include the firm name “Lewis Babcock” in the comment section so it will be marked for a matching contribution.

To contribute to the fundraiser, go to their GoFundMe page.

Lewis Babcock L.L.P. is pleased to announce their support of Pawmetto Lifeline’s 14th Annual Fur Ball. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 17th at the Columbia Convention Center.

Pawmetto Lifeline, formerly Project Pet, was founded in 1999 with the mission of creating a No-Kill community in the Midlands of South Carolina.

“I’m very proud of the work being done by Pawmetto LifeLine,” said attorney Joseph Berry who serves as a board member for the organization.

The Fur Ball, now in its 14th year is a black-tie gala and one of the largest in the Midlands of its kind. The event features live music, silent & live auction, food & drinks, and much more!

Funds raised from the event are used to further Pawmetto’s goal of solving companion pet homelessness and making the Midlands a No-Kill community through adoption, pet retention, rescue partnerships, and medical services.

If you are interested in being a sponsor? Contact Jack Sloan at [email protected] or (803) 465-9191.

Columbia’s Malfunction Junction is getting a much-needed face lift. The Carolina Crossroads project is one of the most significant road improvement projects ever undertaken in South Carolina.  Anyone who has driven through the I-20/26/126 corridor in Columbia, otherwise known as “malfunction junction,” during peak morning or evening commute times, or increasingly at any time, can attest to the urgent need for greater capacity and easier transitions between interstates.

The project will add lanes and rework the interchanges on I-126 between Colonial Life Boulevard and I-26 at Broad River Road.  The project will also specifically address the I-20/26 connection. In the long run, such improvements will be welcomed by commuters and travelers alike, but in the near term, hundreds of businesses and property owners will be required to shoulder the burden of public progress by having their land taken by the government to make these improvements a reality.

How does this project impact businesses? If your business or property is situated along the frontage roads of the I-26/126 corridor between Colonial Life Boulevard and Harbison Boulevard you should expect a major impact.  The Carolina Crossroads project is adding lanes in each direction to this stretch of I-26/I-126.  Interstate lane expansion will push the frontage roads out wider than their current location and will require the South Carolina Department of Transportation to take frontage property from landowners.

Sign up now for this live FREE webinar that will cover the Carolina Crossroads (Malfunction Junction) project currently underway, as well as the eminent domain process, and the impact that eminent domain can have for you and/or your business.

The webinar will be held on September 9th at 3:30. To sign up go to www.lewisbabcock.com/register

Lewis Babcock, L.L.P. is pleased to announce that founding partner, Keith Babcock, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021.

Babcock was recognized in two areas:

• Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
  
• Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Babcock has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® publication for 15 years. Best Lawyers is one of the oldest peer-review publications in the legal profession and is regarded by many as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Rankings are based on an exhaustive peer-review process in which attorneys from across the country provide feedback on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their respective practice areas.

Lewis Babcock, a litigation law firm located in Columbia, South Carolina has hired Sylvia Douglas to serve as the firm’s office manager. Douglas will oversee the day-to-day operations of the firm including human resources, facilities management, vendor relations, and finances.

“We are so pleased to have Sylvia as part of our team,” said founding partner Keith Babcock.
“She brings years of experience in various leadership roles and we are confident that she will be a great asset to the firm.”

​Douglas has extensive experience working in executive management positions in the corporate, medical and legal areas. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Political Science from Presbyterian College and a paralegal studies certificate from Professional Center for Paralegal Studies (Columbia Junior College).

Lewis Babcock L.L.P. is pleased to announce that Keith Babcock, co-founder of the firm, has been selected to the 2020 South Carolina Super Lawyers List as a top attorney. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

Babcock's practice area of recognition in South Carolina Super Lawyers in 2020 is:
Keith Babcock – Business Litigation (2008-2020)

Babcock has been listed in Super Lawyers since its inception in 2008 making this his 13th consecutive year being listed in the publication.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.

Lewis Babcock, L.L.P., a Columbia-based law firm, is thrilled to announce the launch of its completely redesigned law firm website, www.lewisbabcock.com. The fresh and innovative design includes easy navigation for a user-friendly experience.

The new website features extensive bios of the attorneys and information regarding the firm’s core areas of practice which include business disputes, eminent domain, professional negligence and appellate practice.

“Our firm has statewide practice and a national reputation for the work we do,” said founding partner Keith Babcock. “The website reflects who we are and how we help our clients.”

Because of the firm’s extensive work in the area of eminent domain, the website also features a section devoted to the Carolina Crossroads project. The reworking of the I-20/26/126 corridor is said to be the number one interstate priority according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Construction for Carolina Crossroads is expected to take place over five phases between 2021 and 2029. More information about this project and the potential impacts to business owners and landowner can be found here.

Columbia’s Malfunction Junction is getting a much-needed face lift. The Carolina Crossroads project is one of the most significant road improvement projects ever undertaken in South Carolina.  Anyone who has driven through the I-20/26/126 corridor in Columbia, otherwise known as “malfunction junction,” during peak morning or evening commute times, or increasingly at anytime, can attest to the urgent need for greater capacity and easier transitions between interstates.

The project will add lanes and rework the interchanges on I-126 between Colonial Life Boulevard and I-26 at Broad River Road.  The project will also specifically address the I-20/26 connection. In the long run, such improvements will be welcomed by commuters and travelers alike, but in the near term, hundreds of businesses and property owners will be required to shoulder the burden of public progress by having their land taken by the government to make these improvements a reality.

How does this project impact businesses? If your business or property is situated along the frontage roads of the I-26/126 corridor between Colonial Life Boulevard and Harbison Boulevard you should expect a major impact.  The Carolina Crossroads project is adding lanes in each direction to this stretch of I-26/I-126.  Interstate lane expansion will push the frontage roads out wider than their current location and will require the South Carolina Department of Transportation to take frontage property from landowners.

Some of the most significant impacts will be felt by businesses and property owners bordering the existing I-26/126 corridor between Colonial Life Boulevard and Harbison Boulevard, with particularly significant impact to the properties between St. Andrews Road and Harbison Boulevard that front on Fernandina Road and Jamil Road.  Your existing road frontage may be used for signage, parking, inventory, advertising, or storage.  Losing this space will affect your business and the value of your property.  In certain circumstances, buildings will be impacted by this project, either directly hit by the realigned frontage road or by having the frontage road move much closer to the existing building.  This acquisition may also change how you currently use your property or your planned future use.

Your property is in the impact zone so what recourse do you have? You are constitutionally entitled to receive just compensation for your property.  It is not unusual for a landowner to value its property differently than the government, in part because a landowner is more familiar with the property’s use and potential.  When negotiating fair compensation for your property, it is important to work with experienced professionals that understand the condemnation process and how to evaluate the impact of the taking on your property.    

Is your building or business going to impacted by the Carolina Crossroads project? Will the use of your property be negatively impacted?   The Carolina Crossroads project impact map is publicly available and we can help you review how your property is being impacted and talk through next steps.

Find out how Lewis Babcock L.L.P. can help.  For frequently asked questions related to condemnation see https://www.lewisbabcock.com/frequently-asked-questions.html.

In this difficult time, it is important that legal services remain available to everyone. Like
many firms, we are open with some lawyers and legal assistants working in the office (which has been professionally disinfected) and others from their homes. We are practicing social
distancing, and our office remains open as permitted under the City of Columbia Ordinance
passed on March 26, 2020. While we are not meeting with clients or potential clients in person, we remain available for consultation by telephone.

In parts of the country, the government is temporarily acquiring private property to assist
in the fight against COVID-19. In some cases, land is being acquired for the construction of
temporary hospital units. In others, existing facilities, such as hotels and former pharmacies, are in the process of being temporarily acquired. We certainly support these efforts by the
government, and should you find that the government needs your property in South Carolina,
please contact us to make sure that your rights are protected.

Some much needed change is coming to Columbia and malfunction junction, but not without a cost to businesses and property owners.  In this Post & Courier article, our experienced eminent domain attorney, Keith Babcock, discusses the condemnation process and how involving an attorney at an early stage may benefit a landowner.