Fred W. Suggs, Jr. To Be President-Elect of South Carolina Bar

GREENVILLE, SC – February 12, 2008 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. is pleased to announce that Fred Suggs will begin his term as president-elect of the South Carolina Bar in May.  Mr. Suggs, a shareholder in Ogletree Deakins’ Greenville office, has been a member of the Bar since 1976 and has previously served in a variety of leadership positions, including Chairman of the House of Delegates (2004-06), Secretary of the State Bar (2006), and Treasurer of the State Bar (2007-08).

“As an attorney actively involved with the South Carolina Bar for 32 years, it will be a great honor to have an opportunity to serve as its president elect,” said Suggs. “I firmly believe in the programs and services the Bar offers the South Carolina legal community and eagerly look forward to helping to further the Bar’s mission.”

Lewis Smoak, the co-managing shareholder of Ogletree’s Greenville office said “Suggs is a relentless advocate.  His dedication to the profession, to his clients, and to our firm has enabled him to become an important leader of the South Carolina Bar.  We salute the Bar for making a wise selection.”  John Creech, also a co-managing shareholder in the Greenville office, said “the Greenville office excels in client services because Fred Suggs is in charge of it.  He’ll bring that same drive to his services to our Bar.”  Mack Whittle, Chairman and CEO of The South Financial Group says that “I use Fred Suggs and the Ogletree Law Firm for several reasons.  The primary one is that he is the most responsive lawyer I know.  He returns our calls no matter where he is—on a business trip or in a duck blind.  We can count on him and the Bar can too.” 

Mr. Suggs is a certified specialist in labor and employment law.  He has extensive experience advising clients on preventive measures to avoid formal charges and lawsuits, handling union campaigns, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing clients before the National Labor Relations Board and the United States Courts of Appeals, and handling discrimination cases before administrative agencies and in state and federal trial and appellate courts. 

About Ogletree Deakins

Ogletree Deakins first began its practice in Greenville, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, in 1977.  Since then, the firm has grown to more than 400 attorneys and has more than 40 lawyers in Greenville who serve management exclusively.  With a total of 33 locations across the country, Ogletree Deakins is the third largest labor and employment law firm in the United States.  In addition to handling labor and employment law matters, the firm has thriving practices focused on business immigration, employee benefits, and workplace safety and health law.  Ogletree Deakins represents a diverse range of clients, including more than half of the Fortune 50 corporations in the U.S.

For more information, please contact Karen Gonzales, communications manager, at 210-277-3606.