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).

The law firm of Lewis Babcock L.L.P. is pleased to announce that David Paavola has received the AV Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell legal rating service.

The Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® rating is the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability. This rating represents the pinnacle of professional excellence. It is achieved only after an attorney has been reviewed and recommended by their peers and fellow members of the bar.

“We are extremely pleased that David has been recognized by fellow attorneys for his legal talent and experience,” said founding partner, Keith Babcock.  “As an AV rated firm, we pride ourselves on bringing the highest level of legal acumen and client service to each matter.”

Paavola is a litigation attorney representing individuals and businesses in eminent domain and condemnation, complex business disputes, professional misconduct, legal malpractice, and contract disputes.  Prior to law school David worked in the financial services industry as a commercial and agricultural loan credit analyst.  After law school and before joining Lewis Babcock, Paavola worked for an Am Law 100 law firm and then served as an Assistant Attorney General in Consumer Protection & Antitrust Section in the Office of the South Carolina Attorney General.

Lewis Babcock L.L.P. is pleased to announce that two attorneys in the firm have been selected to the 2020 South Carolina Super Lawyers List as top attorneys. 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.

Lewis Babcock attorneys included in South Carolina Super Lawyers in 2020 are:

Keith Babcock – Business Litigation (2008-2020)
David Paavola - Eminent Domain (Rising Star) (2019-2020)

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.

Keith M. Babcock has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2020.  Keith Babcock is recognized for his efforts in the areas of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law and Legal Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs.