Atty. D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne
D. Michael Henthorne focuses his practice on representing clients in employment litigation.
Profile Summary
About D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne at a glance
D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne is a employment and litigation attorney based in Columbia, South Carolina, practicing at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC. Admitted to practice in South Carolina, South Carolina Bar. Educated at The University of South Carolina School of Law (J.D., 1994) and Furman University (BS). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Labor and Employment (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice: (2026). Serands clients in Columbia, SC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
D. Michael Henthorne focuses his practice on representing clients in employment litigation. He has significant trial experience and has successfully appeared before both the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court. He also appears regularly in federal and state courts in South Carolina and before various regulatory and administrative tribunals, such as:
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- The Department of Labor
- The South Carolina Human Affairs Commission
- The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
- The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
A specialist in employment and labor law as certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Michael has litigated matters involving:
- Title VII
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- The Family and Medical Leave Act
- The Fair Labor Standards Act
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Wage and hour disputes
- Employment contracts
- Employment torts
- Covenants not to compete, trade secrets and unfair competition matters
Notably, he served as lead trial counsel in an intellectual property dispute involving a Fortune 50 retailer; in the defense of a $500,000 predatory lending claim that resulted in a jury verdict for a national mortgage lender; and in the settlement of a seven-figure negligence claim for a South Carolina healthcare provider prior to trial. He routinely works with in-house corporate counsel and insurers to resolve employment litigation and appellate matters.
Additionally, Michael was previously admitted pro hac vice in Clark County Nevada where he settled an employment dispute on behalf of a national sporting goods distributor, and in the Western District of Tennessee where he resolved a whistleblower action for a leading aluminum rolled products company.
Certified as both a civil mediator and an arbitrator by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Michael also has previously held the Professional in Human Resources designation from the Human Resources Certification Institute in conjunction with the Society for Human Resources Management. He has been a featured speaker at seminars and corporate training events and makes presentations for numerous professional organizations. He also has taught employment and labor law as an adjunct faculty member at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina.
Practice Areas Explained
D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in South Carolina →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
D. Michael "Michael" Henthorne is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in South Carolina →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in South Carolina
Practicing law in South Carolina. Legal matters in South Carolina are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Columbia are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate South Carolina state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in South Carolina brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in South Carolina courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional South Carolina attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Columbia or all attorneys in South Carolina.
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