Fred Suggs Named Recipient of 2016 Alan R. Willis Society of Service Award

GREENVILLE, S.C. – June 3, 2016 – Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that Fred Suggs, a shareholder in the firm’s Greenville office, has been named recipient of the 2016 Alan R. Willis Society of Service Award. Suggs is the exclusive winner of this award, which is the highest honor presented by the Upstate Employers Network (UEN).

Established in 1995, the Alan R. Willis Society of Service Award pays tribute to those whose actions help community members understand the meaning of “service above self.” This award, chosen by past Willis Award recipients, acknowledges Suggs for placing the highest priority on community support and service.

The UEN was formed to provide central, easily accessed resources for its members including seminars, classes, custom training, research, publications, and consulting. Suggs, who served on the UEN’s board of directors for many years, helped develop the first Human Resources Law Update for the upstate of South Carolina. Over more than 20 years, this seminar has expanded into an annual event, which now draws hundreds of South Carolina’s human resource professionals.

Suggs has practiced law for more than 40 years and is a certified specialist in labor and employment law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. He represents employers in a full range of labor and employment matters, including matters alleging discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, and age, and claims arising under restrictive covenants, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and common law torts and contracts. He has also advised many companies facing union elections on the rights and responsibilities of management during card signing activity and after petitions for elections have been filed. Suggs’ practice expands across a number of industries, including apparel, automotive, banking, chemicals, communications, construction, education, finance, food service, grocery, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, sales, technology, textiles, and transportation.

Suggs has been lauded for his accomplishments throughout his career. He was named the 2016 Labor Law – Management Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers and since 2005, he has earned a Band 1 ranking, the highest possible, in Chambers USA. Suggs has been recognized as a South Carolina Super Lawyer, is a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and holds an AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Suggs is also very active in the Greenville community. He has served the South Carolina Bar in many positions, including president, as well as chairman of the Labor and Employment Section, Professional Responsibility Committee, and House of Delegates. Suggs has also chaired the Board of the Metropolitan YMCA, served as the General Counsel of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and has been Counsel to the Staff Parish Relations Committee at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church.

About Ogletree Deakins
Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Premier client service, as outlined in the firm’s Client Pledge, is one of the firm’s top priorities and a cornerstone of its core values. U.S. News – Best Lawyers^® “Best Law Firms” has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for five consecutive years. In 2016, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Employment Law – Management category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 750 attorneys located in 49 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to Fortune 50 companies.