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Craig Burgess joins Barnwell Whaley as Special Counsel

Craig Burgess, a Barnwell Whaley attorney at law

June 23, 2009

Charleston, S.C. -- Barnwell Whaley Patterson and Helms is pleased to announce the addition of Craig E. Burgess as Special Counsel. Mr. Burgess returns to Charleston from Atlanta, Georgia, after serving as Senior Litigation Counsel with Bellsouth Corporation and its successor, AT&T South. Prior to joining BellSouth, Mr. Burgess was an associate and then partner in the Charleston office of a regional law firm for eleven years. Mr. Burgess’ areas of practice include commercial litigation, telecommunications law, products liability, lender liability, premises liability and personal injury.

“Craig is an outstanding trial attorney and litigator who has tried 40 cases to verdict,” said M. Dawes Cooke, Jr., member of Barnwell Whaley. “His 11 years of experience as a litigator and commanding court room presence make him an excellent fit at Barnwell Whaley. Coming from one of the country’s top corporate legal departments, Craig has intimate knowledge of the responsibilities and challenges that in-house counsel face in this era of greater corporate responsibility and heightened scrutiny.”

A native of Lake City, South Carolina, Mr. Burgess earned his undergraduate degree from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina and his Juris Doctor at the University of South Carolina. During his third year, he was the recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award and a member of the Order of Barristers resulting from his successes in various Moot Court competitions. Additionally, he served as Chairman of the USC Law School Honor Court and was selected by his classmates to receive the Claude M. Sapp Award. He is admitted to practice law in the states of South Carolina and Georgia and is an active member of the each of the state Bar Associations.

Established in Charleston in 1938, Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms, LLC, serves and counsels businesses and professionals in the state of South Carolina and beyond. Widely respected for their work in complex litigation matters, the firm’s 16 members and associates focus on the areas of intellectual property, civil litigation defense, professional malpractice defense, construction law, business law and products liability defense.

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Firm backgrounder

Established in Charleston in 1938, Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms, LLC, serves and counsels businesses and professionals throughout South Carolina and beyond.

With over seven decades in business under the same banner, the firm is highly respected for its work in complex civil litigation in state and federal courts at both trial and appellate levels.

The firm’s 15 members and associates focus on intellectual property protection, civil litigation defense, professional malpractice defense, construction law, business law and products liability defense.

Barnwell Whaley is a full-service firm of seasoned lawyers supported by an experienced staff of paralegals, secretaries, medical and science professionals, engineers, chemists, law clerks, accounting and administrative personnel totaling 21 staff members. Though the firm may be considered “boutique” in size, the depth and diversity of its professional team allows it to handle complex civil litigation without the encumbrances and overhead of larger firms.

The firm serves and counsels businesses in Charleston, the Carolinas and throughout the country, and is engaged as counsel in several international matters involving intellectual property.

Sample clients include Sawgrass Technology, Maybank Industries Group, The Medical University of South Carolina, the S.C. State Ports Authority, The Citadel (including its defense in the landmark case attempting to admit women to the institution in 1995), Traveler’s Insurance, CNA Insurance, and Lloyds of London, among others.

One of the central practice areas for Barnwell Whaley is its insurance defense practice, which represents numerous insurance carriers and self-insured businesses in the state. The firm is frequently retained to defend insured individuals and businesses who have been sued in various types of negligence actions, including professional liability and malpractice, products liability, construction defects, vehicular accidents, premises liability and other insured risks.

The common thread that connects all of Barnwell Whaley’s practice areas is complexity. Barnwell Whaley’ attorneys have been described by their peers as "lawyers' lawyers." The firm is frequently called by other attorneys to help at trial and is often selected to handle the most difficult cases in a company’s portfolio.

Barnwell Whaley is dedicated to obtaining the best possible outcome for its clients. Often that means carefully and thoroughly preparing a case for trial and then trying the case to a decision. However, there are times when a thoughtfully negotiated settlement is the best interest of the client both emotionally and economically. In any case, the firm always puts the needs and best interests of its clients first.

Barnwell Whaley is located on Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C.

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