The skilled litigators at Crowe LaFave Garfield & Bagley steadfastly advocate for their clients through all facets of litigation in all state and federal courts in South Carolina.
Navigating the challenges of investigation, discovery, trial, and resolution is a complex process that requires experience, knowledge, and determination. The firm’s attorneys are committed to obtaining the most beneficial result for their clients, including through trial and appeal. They provide wise counsel and smart legal strategy at each phase of every case. They place a premium on client communication, ensuring clients stay informed, and thoroughly understand all legal options before making a decision. Crowe LaFave’s attorneys partner with insurance carriers, individuals, large and small businesses, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, first responders, and other lawyers or law firms to provide big firm experience with small firm attention.
Under federal law, people can sue government agencies or government employees “acting under the color of the law” for civil rights violations. Often, these federal civil rights lawsuits involve law enforcement, such as allegations of excessive force or police brutality.
Crowe LaFave has represented hundreds of police officers and other first responders in civil actions throughout South Carolina. The firm’s skilled civil rights defense attorneys have taken numerous cases to trial in both federal and state courts and know how to explore every avenue in defending the careers and reputations that are on the line. They have the depth of experience in Section 1983 civil rights cases to understand how to craft a solid defense based on the facts, as well as the extensive legal knowledge needed to develop a sound and effective courtroom strategy.
Crowe LaFave is committed to standing by its law enforcement clients every step of the way, no matter how long it takes.
Crowe LaFave represents business, individuals, and insurance carriers throughout South Carolina in cases arising from automobile accidents, defending them from claims in both state and federal courts. This includes personal injury lawsuits stemming from a car crash, involving alleged soft tissue injuries to wrongful death, as well as property damage claims.
The firm’s skilled automobile accident attorneys know what it takes to build a solid defense. They investigate thoroughly, utilizing experts in the field such as accident reconstructionists, engineers, and/or medical professionals when necessary.
The firm’s clients are involved in every step of the process, enabling them to make the most informed decisions on litigation strategy, whether that be a favorable settlement or presenting the case to a jury.
Business and contract disputes can take a variety of forms. The business litigators at Crowe LaFave have tried cases all over South Carolina in both state and federal courts . Whether the contract dispute involves a written or verbal contract, these determined lawyers have the legal experience and skills to represent their clients across a variety of industries when a contract is involved.
In a day where local governments face increasing demands for services, it’s important that they collect the tax revenue needed to fulfill their obligations to their residents. The business license tax litigation attorneys at Crowe LaFave have the depth of knowledge and skills to fight for South Carolina municipalities and counties when business license tax issues become contentious.
Though it sounds like an action involving law enforcement – and often it is – businesses, too, can find themselves subject to false imprisonment or malicious prosecution lawsuits. For example, merchants are permitted to take reasonable actions to stop theft, but “reasonable” sometimes becomes the subject of litigation. The firm’s experienced attorneys stand ready to defend both businesses and government agencies, as well as their employees, accused of false imprisonment or malicious prosecution.
Under both State Freedom of Information Act, government agencies are required to turn over official documents to citizens who request the information. Government officials often need counsel on complying with those requests. Additionally, local governments frequently are challenged on adherence to procedures required by FOIA.
At Crowe LaFave, our attorneys have worked for decades in government law, both as municipal attorneys and in the private sector. They have the experience to help towns, cities and counties find the right response to freedom of information issues.
Crowe LaFave insurance coverage attorneys have represented companies in a full range of coverage disputes and bad faith defense litigation involving homeowners, auto, disability, life, and commercial general liability insurance policies. They understand industry standards and claim practices as well as the applicable law. Our attorneys are experienced in pre-suit investigations and/or navigating the litigation process for these time-sensitive issues and have experience trying first party cases before juries in state and federal courts of South Carolina.
Crowe LaFave attorneys represent law officers, other first responders, Circuit Solicitors and law enforcement agencies in a full range of state and federal cases, including claims of false arrest, excessive force and malicious prosecution. Additionally, Crowe LaFave lawyers are ready to defend law enforcement in federal lawsuits alleging civil rights violations under Section 1983.
When your career and reputation are on the line, you need a defense attorney with experience, skills and determination in your corner. Crowe LaFave prides itself on providing that type of high-quality representation to law enforcement.
Often complex and high stakes, professional negligence cases are some of the most complicated to defend. The skilled professional negligence attorneys at Crowe LaFave are highly experienced in representing physicians, pharmacists, and other practitioners.
Health-care providers know that when their reputation is at risk, they can rely on Crowe LaFave’s malpractice attorneys, who have the skills to put together the best defense possible.
The firm works to quickly identify the pertinent issues, utilizing its network of medical experts to assess each case. The malpractice defense lawyers put together the strongest possible case, carefully explaining the process to the client at every step.
Crowe LaFave’s skilled litigators are always prepared to take the case to trial. However, if the client elects to settle the matter, the firm’s extensive legal background and exhaustive preparation will place the client in the best negotiating position.
Whether you’re a small town without a full-time attorney or a bigger city seeking help for a complicated case, Crowe LaFave can help.
Founding partner Danny Crowe has decades of experience in municipal law, dating back to 1977 when he first served as an assistant city attorney for Columbia. In the decades since, he has represented municipalities, counties and their employees in litigation, mediation and arbitration. He’s also served as an appointed attorney for eight municipalities and is a former general counsel of the Municipal Association of South Carolina.
In addition to his lengthy and wide-ranging experience, Crowe frequently addresses government organizations on a wide variety of topics, from elections to business licenses to the Freedom of Information Act.
He and the rest of the team at Crowe LaFave stand ready to counsel, advise and represent municipalities of all sizes on any issue.
From business owners to individuals, you can be the subject of a negligence lawsuit in South Carolina even if the plaintiff is partly at fault. That is why representation from the start by an experienced civil litigator at Crowe LaFave is critical.
Negligence lawsuits can be complicated, both factually and legally. Crowe LaFave negligence defense attorneys have the extensive experience and legal know-how to navigate even the trickiest of cases.
There are multiple steps involved in any negligence lawsuit, including a determination of whether the client owed the plaintiff a duty, breached that duty, and caused the plaintiff’s claimed damages. Crowe LaFave negligence defense lawyers carefully build a case that addresses both the pertinent facts as well as crucial points of law. Clients know they can rely on the firm’s attorneys to stand by them every step of the way, with strong, carefully crafted defenses to provide the client with the greatest opportunity for a favorable outcome.
From a slip-and-fall on a wet floor to a trip in the parking lot, and nearly everything in between, business and property owners are at risk for a premises liability lawsuit, despite the precautions taken to prevent such events.
The skilled defense attorneys at Crowe LaFave have decades of experience representing a range of businesses – retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, and other establishments – in such cases.
The firm’s attorneys are always prepared to obtain the most beneficial and efficient result for their client, whether that be a favorable settlement or a win at trial.
In addition to defending filed actions, the firm’s attorneys also assist with pre-suit investigations and claim resolution. If you or your business is in need of counsel on a premises liability matter, the attorneys at Crowe LaFave can assist you in every facet of the process.
If your company is accused of manufacturing, supplying, or selling a product that resulted in injury, the attorneys at Crowe LaFave have the experience and skill to defend your company and help protect your assets.
After carefully examining the facts in each case and consulting with industry experts where necessary, Crowe LaFave product liability attorneys put forward all possible defenses and craft a legal strategy designed to secure the best possible outcome for the client.
Retailers, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses across South Carolina count on the savvy litigators of Crowe LaFave to defend them in the event a customer or employee accident results in a lawsuit. The firm’s defense attorneys are experienced in a wide range of such litigation, including negligence, premises liability, product contamination, alcohol liability/dram shop issues and more. They have successfully represented clients in in all courts, both state and federal, throughout South Carolina.
No matter the venue, Crowe LaFave attorneys have the investigative skills to determine the real facts of the case and the legal intelligence to create a compelling defense. They communicate with the client in every stage of litigation, allowing the client to make informed decisions regarding their preferred strategy.
Crowe LaFave tort claims attorneys have spent decades representing government agencies, officials, officers, and individuals. They’ve worked in the public sector and they’ve defended government agencies or their employees as part of their private practices. These skilled civil litigators can provide a comprehensive defense to government agencies or government employees who are subject to a tort claim.
The tort claims lawyers at Crowe LaFave have the deep experience in government law to understand the nuances involved in tort claims, from the strict procedures to deadlines to the list of exemptions.
Most government agencies and private citizens are familiar with the concept of condemnation: The government’s right to take land for a public project, as long as the landowner receives just and fair compensation.
Less common, though, is inverse condemnation. That’s when landowners claim a condemning authority took part of the land or created a regulation that restricted their ability to use the land. In an inverse condemnation, the landowner initiates legal action.
Crowe LaFave attorneys have a wealth of experience in inverse condemnation cases, defending the actions of agencies in regulatory takings, physical takings, partial takings, and allegations of unreasonable development restrictions.
The experienced legal team at Crowe LaFave can help agencies at every stage of the process, from the initial complaint through litigation if necessary. They understand the evidence and research needed to prevail in an inverse condemnation case. They have deep experience in handling a wide variety of challenges cases, including lack of public use or necessity.
The workers’ compensation defense attorneys at Crowe LaFave have the experience and skills to represent companies in a full range of cases, including those involving complex medical issues such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs and other catastrophic injuries.
Crowe LaFave workers’ comp attorneys work closely with businesses and their insurance carriers, as well as with a range of experts, from medical professionals to accident reconstructionists. We stand by our clients at every phase of the case, from the initial investigation to the final outcome.
Zoning issues are some of the most complicated matters with which municipalities and counties deal. At times, they can also be some of the most controversial.
Crowe LaFave zoning attorneys are deeply familiar with the entire range of zoning topics, including planning, special permitting, and variances.