From commercial real estate transactions to shareholder disputes, trust Cobb Hammett for tailored corporate law counsel.

Corporate law attorney in Spartanburg, SC.

South Carolina has become a magnet for enterprise, hosting over 1,100 international firms. Perfectly situated between New York and Miami, our state boasts a deep-water port, bustling container terminals, and Charleston's international airport, all of which make it a gateway for worldwide commerce. Leading companies in automotive, aerospace, technology, and life sciences are increasingly choosing South Carolina as the place to launch or grow their operations.

Owning a business - whether it's a small storefront or a worldwide brand - can be incredibly rewarding. But those benefits come with many hurdles and legal challenges. At Cobb Hammett, our corporate law attorneys in Spartanburg, SC. work alongside business entities to minimize their risk and maximize their profit. Regardless of the size or corporate structure of your organization, we have the experience necessary to provide advice on a variety of business and legal issues.

Corporate-law-attorney

What is Corporate Law in South Carolina?

Corporate law, also known as company law, shapes the entire life cycle of a corporation, from its birth to its daily workings and pivotal moments like mergers, acquisitions, or winding down. It acts as a guiding framework, ensuring that companies play by the rules when it comes to structure, finance, governance, and a web of state or federal regulations, including securities, labor, and environmental standards. At its heart, corporate law orchestrates the interactions between the company, its shareholders, directors, other businesses, and the public, navigating a landscape of intricate transactions and legal responsibilities.

Corporate-Law-South-Carolina

The Role of Corporate Law Attorneys in South Carolina

Companies and corporations that operate in South Carolina have to abide by many regulations to minimize legal challenges, receive tax benefits, and more. Working with a corporate lawyer for guidance on these matters isn't just wise - it could be a pivotal decision that affects the life of your business.

Without great legal counsel from the start, business owners are exposed to a range of pitfalls, from poorly drafted agreements and intellectual property conflicts to regulatory missteps. Such mistakes may result in costly lawsuits or financial setbacks that proactive legal advice could have prevented.

Here are a few of the biggest benefits of retaining a corporate law lawyer in Spartanburg, SC:

Startup-Advice

Startup Advice

Partnering with a skilled business attorney from the outset allows entrepreneurs to confidently navigate the hurdles of launching a company. Early legal insight is especially crucial, as it lays down a solid framework that safeguards your interests far into the future.

Take, for instance, the decision around business structure—whether to form an LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership, or S corporation. Each path comes with its own set of liability protections and tax consequences. Making an informed choice at the outset can lead to long-term savings, minimize risks, and potentially insulate you from personal financial exposure.

Contract-Creation

Contract Creation and Enforcement

One frequent mistake that business owners make is misinterpreting contracts. This can cause unfavorable disputes or terms. Contracts help govern a range of business relationships, like:

  • Supplier Contracts
  • Employment Contracts
  • Independent Contractor Agreements
  • Client Agreements
  • Partner Agreements
  • Investor and Stakeholder Contracts
  • Consultant Agreements

Each contract your business enters into is shaped by the unique dynamics between you and the other party involved. For instance, agreements with customers specify deliverables and payment terms, while contracts with consultants or contractors detail the services to be provided and the schedule for compensation. An experienced corporate law attorney can tailor these documents to maximize your company's legal safeguards and minimize potential risks.

Intellectual-Property

Help Protecting Your Intellectual Property

Safeguarding your company's intellectual property, like trademarks, copyrights, and patents, requires specialized legal expertise. A corporate business lawyer not only helps secure these rights but also guides you through registration, enforces protections, and drafts strong licensing agreements to leverage your assets.

Spot-Manage-Risk

Spot and Manage Risk

The world of business is full of potential risks, from financial pitfalls to unexpected legal challenges. Effectively navigating these uncertainties is crucial for preserving your assets, maintaining stability, and ensuring long-term success. By working with a corporate law attorney, you gain a trusted advisor who can pinpoint legal vulnerabilities, recommend compliance best practices, and devise proactive strategies to minimize disputes and safeguard your investments.

Why Do Great Business Leaders Use Corporate Law Attorneys in Spartanburg, SC.?

At Cobb Hammett, we advise businesses on their legal rights, responsibilities, and obligations. We focus on a variety of challenges and legal issues across industries and represent businesses of all sizes. Our representation extends beyond technical legal advice; we also serve as trusted advisors and counselors, discussing the commercial and practical implications of business decisions.

In fact, business leaders trust our firm to handle many facets of corporate law, including:

Partner Disputes in South Carolina

A partnership forms when individuals unite to launch a shared business enterprise, pooling their resources and ambitions toward a common goal. Like any close collaboration, partnerships are not immune to conflict. Disagreements over money, hiring decisions, responsibilities, or other core business matters can surface. If unresolved, such disputes may erode profits or even threaten the future of the partnership itself.

Here are just a few reasons why business partners enter into disputes:

  • Breach of Contract
  • Interference with a Contract
  • Failure to Delineate Authority
  • Unfair Workload Distribution
  • Resource Use Disputes
  • Real Estate Disputes
  • Fraudulent Activity
  • Asset Division During Dissolution
  • More
Partner-Disputes

Resolutions to Partnership Disputes

A well-crafted partnership agreement that clearly outlines how disputes will be handled is essential for long-term success. If you require support in drafting this type of agreement or need help navigating a current conflict, our team is prepared to guide you.

At Cobb Hammett, we recognize that partnerships often intertwine business and personal dynamics, making disagreements particularly challenging. Our lawyers offer objective legal insight, working to facilitate resolutions between partners or, when necessary, assisting with a fair and orderly dissolution.

Serving as mediators, we aim to settle partnership conflicts amicably, avoiding litigation or court involvement whenever possible and helping to restore productive working relationships. However, if mediation does not lead to a solution, we are equipped to advocate for our client's interests through the litigation process.

Resolutions-Partnership

Complex Business Formation in South Carolina

Launching a new business or growing an established one comes with excitement and opportunity. Yet, beneath the surface, careful attention must be given to planning, particularly when it comes to choosing the right legal framework for your company. At Cobb Hammett, our business formation attorneys understand that emerging and growing enterprises benefit from experienced legal guidance. We leverage our business insights to help clients identify and implement the optimal structure for their specific goals.

A successful business starts with a structure designed to foster growth and financial stability, while also shielding owners from unnecessary risk if challenges arise. This is why working with a South Carolina business formation lawyer is so valuable—they offer strategic legal insight to safeguard your assets, reduce tax exposure, and position your business for long-term success.

Complex-Business

Business Formation Options Explained

Gaining a clear grasp of different business entity options is essential for choosing the right path. Every business structure brings its own set of features, benefits, and drawbacks. Our team specializes in crafting customized entity solutions to align with your distinct objectives.

Sole Proprietorships

A sole proprietorship stands out for its simplicity and low startup costs — just one person owns and manages the business, with no legal separation between personal and business assets. This ease of formation makes it a popular choice for small, lowrisk ventures. However, the owner assumes full personal responsibility for any business debts or liabilities, exposing personal assets to risk as the business expands or faces challenges.

Limited Liability Partnerships

A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) lets professionals work together while protecting each partner from personal liability for others' mistakes. Partners share profits, and state laws vary, so expert legal advice is important.

Limited Liability Companies

The Limited Liability Company (LLC) stands out for combining strong personal asset protection with adaptable business operations. Members aren't usually personally responsible for company debts or legal claims, and LLCs offer a choice of tax treatments so owners can pick the setup that best fits their needs.

This flexibility and the simpler administrative requirements needed versus those at corporations make LLCs attractive to many small and medium-sized businesses. When it's time to draft an operating agreement, you should always consider working with a corporate law attorney in Spartanburg, SC., who can outline ownership structure, management responsibilities, and financial arrangements among members.

C Corporations

A C Corporation (C Corp) operates as an independent legal entity, distinct from its shareholders. With robust liability protection, this structure is especially attractive to businesses aiming for venture capital investment or a future public offering.

C Corps can attract significant investment by issuing stock to an unlimited number of shareholders, making them well-suited for large or publicly traded businesses. The tradeoff is double taxation: profits are taxed at the corporate level, and dividends are taxed again for individual shareholders.

Complying with a C Corp's intricate legal requirements calls for professional legal guidance. From holding board meetings and keeping detailed records to properly issuing stock, a South Carolina business attorney can help ensure all corporate formalities are met.

S Corporations

An S Corporation (S Corp) lets qualifying businesses pass profits and losses straight to owners' personal tax returns, avoiding corporate tax. This bypasses double taxation seen in C Corps, but S Corps face tight rules: no more than 100 U.S. shareholders and only one class of stock allowed. A business attorney can confirm your eligibility and handle IRS filings so your S Corp stays compliant.

Not for Profit Corporations

A not-for-profit corporation applying for 501(c)(3) status exists to serve charitable, educational, religious, or scientific causes, not to generate profit. Any extra funds are funneled back into the mission, not distributed to owners. Achieving 501(c)(3) recognition brings tax-exempt status and lets supporters claim tax-deductible donations. Setting up and maintaining a nonprofit involves complex legal steps, making experienced legal help invaluable.

The above is just a brief snapshot of how Cobb Hammett attorneys help form business entities. Some additional entities we help form include:

  • Joint Ventures
  • Professional Corporations (PCs)
  • Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs)
  • Limited Partnerships
  • Business Succession Plans

Top 5 Ways Corporate Law Attorneys in Spartanburg, SC. Assist Business Owners After Registration

It's a common misconception that legal worries end after forming a company. In reality, this is when having a business lawyer's proactive advice becomes most crucial. A business attorney serves as a trusted advisor, steering you through South Carolina's legal maze and shielding your company from costly disputes, liabilities, and operational setbacks.

Here are just a few ways that Cobb Hammett can help you thrive after forming your business entity:

Corporate Compliance and Governance

Once your business is registered, it has to adhere to South Carolina requirements and rules. Your corporate law attorney will help:

  • Draft Operating Agreements and BylawsThese documents are foundational and define the roles of shareholders, officers, and directors.
  • Maintain RecordsHold meetings and notate minutes to circumvent legal concerns that may pierce your corporate veil.
  • State ReportingYour business lawyer will help ensure you meet filing requirements with agencies like the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Corporate-Compliance

Reviewing and Drafting Contracts

Having well-drafted contracts means you have a solid bedrock of success. Your Cobb Hammett corporate law lawyer in Spartanburg, SC. will create and review documents such as:

  • Customer and Client ContractsWe'll define payment schedules, liability limits, and scope of work.
  • Supplier and Vendor AgreementsTerms should be favorable, and your obligations should be clear.
  • Draft NDAsNon-disclosure agreements protect your company's competitive advantage and intellectual property.
Reviewing-Drafting

Overseeing Dispute Resolutions and Business Litigation

In business, disputes are an unfortunate but common occurrence. From disagreements with vendors, competitors, or clients, your corporate law attorney acts as an unflinching advocate on your behalf by:

  • Negotiating Business SettlementsYour lawyer will work to resolve issues effectively and out of court, whenever possible.
  • Mediation and ArbitrationSometimes, using alternative resolution methods is a better way to come to a solution without going to trial.
  • Litigation RepresentationIf a settlement can't be reached, your business lawyer will represent you in a court of law.
Overseeing-Dispute

Creating Partnership and Shareholder Agreements

When a business has more than one owner, a clear agreement is essential to head off disagreements down the road. An attorney can craft a document that covers:

  • Buy-Sell AgreementsDraft a fair outline of what happens when one owner wants to leave the business or can't work for the business.
  • Voting Rights & OwnershipYour lawyer will clearly define every owner's stake and the limits of their decision-making power.
  • Distribution of ProfitsThis document outlines how and when losses and profits are allocated to owners.
Creating-Partnership

Guidance on Mergers and Acquisitions

As your business expands, opportunities to acquire other companies or merge with partners may arise. Because these deals involve intricate legal details, having an attorney's guidance is crucial to prevent expensive errors. A Cobb Hammett corporate law attorney in Spartanburg, SC. can help with:

  • Deal StructureYour lawyer will advise you on the most effective and beneficial tax and legal structure for business transactions.
  • Due DiligenceWe'll investigate target companies to reveal hidden risks and liabilities.
  • Draft Negotiating AgreementsWe'll compose and review any final purchase or merger agreements necessary.
Guidance-Mergers

Don't see the corporate law service you need? At Cobb Hammett, we help businesses of all sizes with a wide range of other corporate law needs, including:

  • Stock Offerings
  • Securities
  • Project Finance
  • Local Counsel Opinions
  • Shareholder Agreements & Disputes
  • Operating Agreements
  • Choice of Entity
  • Debt Review & Banking Needs
  • Commercial Real Estate Lease Drafting, Review, & Negotiation for Landlords or Tenants
  • Real Estate Disputes
  • Succession Planning
  • More

Cobb Hammett: The Trusted Choice for Corporate Law Attorneys in Spartanburg, SC.

Business and corporate deals drive South Carolina's economy, with countless transactions taking place every day. Because corporate structure is so critical, many companies turn to seasoned South Carolina corporate attorneys for guidance and support. At Cobb Hammett, we partner with businesses to reduce risk and boost profitability. No matter your company's size or structure, our experience equips us to advise you on a wide range of legal and business matters.

We understand the importance of proper execution and air-tight contracts, and we work to ensure that these issues are addressed with your specific goals in mind. If you need to navigate complex corporate matters, we're here to help. Call our corporate law office in South Carolina today to discover the Cobb Hammett difference.

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Latest News in Spartanburg, SC

Spartanburg Sc motel shooting triggers AMBER Alert as deputies confirm one injured and no custody

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S. C. (Friday, ET) — A shooting at a Spartanburg County motel has escalated from an on-scene response into a broader search effort after authorities issued an AMBER Alert tied to the incident. deputies were sent to the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m., where one person was injured. As of the latest official update, no one is in custody, underscoring that the situation remains active as investigators work to develop leads in spartanburg sc.What officials have c...

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S. C. (Friday, ET) — A shooting at a Spartanburg County motel has escalated from an on-scene response into a broader search effort after authorities issued an AMBER Alert tied to the incident. deputies were sent to the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m., where one person was injured. As of the latest official update, no one is in custody, underscoring that the situation remains active as investigators work to develop leads in spartanburg sc.

What officials have confirmed so far in Spartanburg Sc

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said it is responding to a shooting at a motel on Friday. Deputies said one person was hurt at the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m. (ET). Authorities also stated that no one was in custody at the time of the update.

Shortly before 3 p. m. (ET), authorities issued an AMBER Alert connected to the incident. The alert included a vehicle description: they are looking for a white 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander with South Carolina tag 669BMX.

AMBER Alert issuance adds urgency to the investigation

The decision to issue an AMBER Alert several hours after the initial call signals that investigators are treating the incident as more than an isolated shooting scene. While officials have not released additional details in the publicly available update, the alert indicates law enforcement is seeking rapid public awareness around a specific vehicle believed to be relevant.

In practical terms, an AMBER Alert changes the operating tempo of a case: it extends attention beyond the motel property, focuses the public on an actionable identifier, and can widen the search area as tips and sightings are evaluated. At this stage, officials have not announced an arrest, and the lack of a person in custody keeps the outcome uncertain in spartanburg sc.

What remains unknown and what to watch next

Authorities have not publicly provided the condition of the injured person beyond confirming that one individual was hurt. Officials also have not disclosed information on a suspect, a motive, or the circumstances that led to the shooting at the Rodeway Inn. The AMBER Alert announcement did not include additional narrative details in the available statement.

Key developments that would clarify the scope of the event include any official confirmation of who is connected to the white 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander with tag 669BMX, whether investigators have a description of a person of interest, and whether additional safety guidance is issued. For now, the confirmed facts remain limited to the response time, the location, the injury, the absence of custody, and the AMBER Alert vehicle information connected to the case in spartanburg sc.

Obituary For Jaylin Nicole Simpson

Jaylin Nicole Simpson was born February 11, 2018 to Jacosha Simpson and Jamarcus Wade. In her 8 years of life, she found many joys in her family, her friends and her faith. Jaylin loved attending church with her grandmother at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, her great-grandmother at Greater New Hope, and even would join her grandfather at Greater Target AME Church in Hollyhill, SC.Aside from her faith, Jaylin enjoyed all things creative, girly and cats. She drew pictures and made dolls out of everything she could find. Her love f...

Jaylin Nicole Simpson was born February 11, 2018 to Jacosha Simpson and Jamarcus Wade. In her 8 years of life, she found many joys in her family, her friends and her faith. Jaylin loved attending church with her grandmother at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, her great-grandmother at Greater New Hope, and even would join her grandfather at Greater Target AME Church in Hollyhill, SC.

Aside from her faith, Jaylin enjoyed all things creative, girly and cats. She drew pictures and made dolls out of everything she could find. Her love for music was just as strong. She loved to record videos of her and her friends doing day to day things. She spent the most time with her cousins. She was a very bright student as well and although she didn't like school, she excelled. She loved to travel and see new places, on her list of must sees was New York and Paris.

Jaylin knew how to be the boss and even had a couple of babies of her own: Hailey, Bailey, Kaylie, Aylie and Lolie.

In addition to her parents, left to cherish fond and loving memories are: maternal grandparents, Rita Simpson and James (Renee) McKissick; paternal grandparents, Jamie Fuller and Marcus Wade; great-grandparents, Deloris and Henry James and Lettie Fuller; aunts, Markesha Fuller, Tynesha (Jaylin) Hynes and Klarke McKissick; brothers, Kace and Koree McCreary; cousins, Angela Wallace and Cameron Fuller; godmothers, Briana McCreary and Mariah Chapel; and a host of cousins and extended family members she also loved dearly.

She was preceded in death by: her aunt, Victoria Fuller and her uncle, Jeremiah Gilliam.

Jaylin lived a wonderful 8 years and was loved by everyone she held dear, and she loved us all as well. Please keep Baby Jaylin ,"Sugar Sugar", our sweet girl in your thoughts and prayers.

Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Spartanburg, SC. Burial will be in the Heritage Memorial Gardens, Roebuck, SC.

Public Viewing will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at The John Stinson Woodward Memorial Chapel.

In Honor of Jaylin's love for tea parties, the family kindly requests tea party attire for her homegoing celebration.

South Carolina weather: Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and hail possible

Severe storms are possible Sunday and Monday across the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina, and northeast Georgia, with threats including damaging straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail, and heavy rain.Live radar:Severe threat Monday:MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potentialKeep up with what's happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play....

Severe storms are possible Sunday and Monday across the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina, and northeast Georgia, with threats including damaging straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail, and heavy rain.

Live radar:

Severe threat Monday:

MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potential

Keep up with what's happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.

*** A burst of snow is likely in WNC by the afternoon as the front departs. Light accumulation, mainly on elevated surfaces, is possible. ***

The wind will pick up behind Monday's powerful cold front. A Wind Advisory is in place for the highlighted areas above 3500 feet in western North Carolina. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph are expected.

TUESDAY: Impact Day due to frigid temperatures & wind chills

WEDNESDAY: Impact Day due to another cold morning. Lows in the teens & 20s.

The WYFF News 4 weather team has been independently certified for having the most accurate forecast in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market for the second year in a row.

"Our goal every day, in every forecast is accuracy," said WYFF 4 President and General Manager Blake Bridges. "Our expert weather team is dedicated to giving viewers a forecast they can trust to be right. We are also the only station in the market with our own 24/7 live radar, Live Super Doppler 4. It’s clear that WYFF News 4 is the weather leader in this market."

The certification comes from WeatheRate, an independent research firm that tracks forecasts from every station in multiple markets across the country.

"Everyone knows that forecasting the weather around here is difficult with the Upstate and mountains," said WeatheRate President Bruce Fixman. "The station that gets the forecast right more than anyone else is Chief Meteorologist Chris Justus and the WYFF News 4 weather team."

South Carolina: Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, hail and heavy rain possible

GREENVILLE, S.C. —Severe storms are possible on Monday in the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina and northeast Georgia.Storms may produce damaging, straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain.Live radar:Severe threat Monday:MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potentialDownload the free WYFF News 4 App to receive weather alerts. Be sure your notifications are turned ON.*** A burst of ...

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

Severe storms are possible on Monday in the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina and northeast Georgia.

Storms may produce damaging, straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain.

Live radar:

Severe threat Monday:

MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potential

Download the free WYFF News 4 App to receive weather alerts. Be sure your notifications are turned ON.

*** A burst of snow is likely in WNC by the afternoon as the front departs. Light accumulation, mainly on elevated surfaces, is possible. ***

The wind will pick up behind Monday's powerful cold front. A Wind Advisory is in place for the highlighted areas above 3500 feet in western North Carolina. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph are expected.

TUESDAY: Impact Day due to frigid temperatures & wind chills

WEDNESDAY: Impact Day due to another cold morning. Lows in the teens & 20s.

The WYFF News 4 weather team has been independently certified for having the most accurate forecast in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market for the second year in a row.

"Our goal every day, in every forecast is accuracy," said WYFF 4 President and General Manager Blake Bridges. "Our expert weather team is dedicated to giving viewers a forecast they can trust to be right. We are also the only station in the market with our own 24/7 live radar, Live Super Doppler 4. It’s clear that WYFF News 4 is the weather leader in this market."

The certification comes from WeatheRate, an independent research firm that tracks forecasts from every station in multiple markets across the country.

"Everyone knows that forecasting the weather around here is difficult with the Upstate and mountains," said WeatheRate President Bruce Fixman. "The station that gets the forecast right more than anyone else is Chief Meteorologist Chris Justus and the WYFF News 4 weather team."

BMW discriminated against employee for being American, jury says with $5M verdict

SPARTANBURG — A jury delivered a $5.1 million verdict against BMW last month after determining the Spartanburg plant discriminated against an American employee on the basis of her nationality, in violation of federal Title VII protections.Kelly Dawsey of Greenville left her job in 2021 after learning of a reorganization that replaced her German boss with an American one, according to court records.BMW had a long-standing policy mandating alternate German and domestic positions among senior managers, court records said, wh...

SPARTANBURG — A jury delivered a $5.1 million verdict against BMW last month after determining the Spartanburg plant discriminated against an American employee on the basis of her nationality, in violation of federal Title VII protections.

Kelly Dawsey of Greenville left her job in 2021 after learning of a reorganization that replaced her German boss with an American one, according to court records.

BMW had a long-standing policy mandating alternate German and domestic positions among senior managers, court records said, where no two consecutive managers in the chain of command could be American.

For Dawsey, getting an American boss meant the company would have to replace her with a German. Indeed, the company had made plans to replace Dawsey with a German and transfer her to a new role, court records said.

She left before being offered any alternative position and filed the suit in October 2022. It went to trial this year, where a jury agreed that BMW discriminated against her because she was American.

The jury awarded her $100,000 in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. But since the damages in employment discrimination cases are capped at $300,000, that’s likely all she will receive, plus possible economic damages in the form of lost or future wages.

“We were surprised and disappointed by the outcome,” BMW spokesman Steve Wilson said in an email. “While we disagree, we respect the jury’s decision. We are currently evaluating potential post-trial and appellate options.”

Dawsey’s attorney, Brian Murphy, did not respond to requests for comment.

But Jeremy Summerlin, a Greenville employment attorney who followed the case, said the verdict was a rare occurrence for several reasons.

Nationality-based discrimination claims are less common than sex-based, race-based, age-based or disability-based claims, according to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics. When they do occur, he said, they usually don’t come from Americans. And generally, employment cases are settled before they get to a jury.

“You don’t see a lot of cases like this go to trial,” said Summerlin, who wrote about the case in his own blog. “Something like 97 percent of cases are going to be settled or dismissed at summary judgment before trial.”

Dawsey began working at BMW in 1995 and had worked her way up to department manager for human resources planning and steering, which reports directly to the vice president of human resources.

Before a planned reorganization, the vice president was a German national. When the German left, an American was brought in to fill the role.

Dawsey learned that a reorganization was in the works in the spring of 2021. In early September, before she learned she would be replaced by a German national, she reached out to a recruiter to look for other jobs.

BMW argued in a motion for summary judgment that Dawsey didn’t have a case, in part because she was looking to leave her position before she learned who was replacing her, and that her job transfer would be a lateral move.

In a motion opposing BMW’s request for summary judgment, Dawsey said that she only began looking for other opportunities after communication about the changes became “chaotic” and she wanted “to see if there were alternatives if she was left out.”

Dawsey pointed out that she only accepted employment elsewhere after BMW told her she would be moved to a job that she considered a demotion.

Major questions left up to the jury included whether BMW’s policy of requiring a German in the chain of command violated Title VII and whether moving Dawsey to another role would have been a demotion that could be considered an adverse employment action.

“BMW’s position is that she was being moved laterally, but the testimony, the argument was that position was a lower classification and the plaintiff had worked there for a long, long time,” Summerlin said. “And she was aware that that job was basically a black hole and nobody got promoted out of that position. She knew ‘If they stick me there, that’s basically the end.’ ”

A judge ruled against BMW on its motion for summary judgment, and the case moved forward, eventually ending in a trial.

On Feb. 25, a jury in the Greenville federal courthouse sided with Dawsey.

A hearing on economic damages is scheduled March 13.

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This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

Disclaimer:

This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

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