Atty. Wallace K. Lightsey

Atty. Wallace K. Lightsey

Wallace is an experienced trial and appellate attorney, with over 60 jury trials in state and federal courts throughout the Southeast, and approximately 100 bench trials, jury trials, and arbitration trials, as well as numerous appeals in the South Carolina appellate courts and the United States Courts of Appeals for the First, Fourth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuits. His practice involves complex securities, corporate, and intellectual property cases, as well as news media and First Amendment disputes.

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About

Wallace is an experienced trial and appellate attorney, with over 60 jury trials in state and federal courts throughout the Southeast, and approximately 100 bench trials, jury trials, and arbitration trials, as well as numerous appeals in the South Carolina appellate courts and the United States Courts of Appeals for the First, Fourth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuits. His practice involves complex securities, corporate, and intellectual property cases, as well as news media and First Amendment disputes. In the area of First Amendment litigation, he has represented Facebook Inc., Time Inc., The New York Times Company, The Associated Press, and Pulitzer Broadcasting, as well as many local and state newspapers and broadcasters. He also has deep experience litigating disputes over intellectual property — such as trademark, copyright, and trade secrets — and in recent years has been lead counsel in copyright lawsuits involving close to a billion dollars at issue.

In 2004, he was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an organization composed of a small percentage of the best trial attorneys in the U.S. and Canada. And in 2019, he was inducted into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, the most prestigious group of appellate practitioners in the country.

Wallace is actively involved in matters of professional ethics, and served as the Chair of the South Carolina Commission on Lawyer Conduct from 1997 through 2004.

Building on his substantial trial and courtroom experience, Wallace has been certified by the American Arbitration Association to its Roster of Neutrals for commercial arbitration, and has served as panel chair, panel member, and sole arbitrator in a number of arbitrations involving large, complex disputes as well as relatively simple ones. Unlike many judges, Wallace likes helping to resolve discovery disputes and is available for appointment as a special discovery master in lawsuits where the parties anticipate having to deal with difficult discovery matters.

Education

J.D.
Harvard University
- 1983
Duke University
- 1979

Awards

Lawyer of the Year — Bet-the-Company Litigation (Greenville)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Appellate Practice
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - First Amendment
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Intellectual Property
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — First Amendment Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Patent
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Trademark Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Special Focus:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — First Amendment
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Awards:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Pro Bono Honor Roll
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — by the Supreme Court of South Carolina, 2019
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Ranked Number One by South Carolina
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Super Lawyers
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2019
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Ranked Second by South Carolina
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2016
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Named Greenville Litigation - Intellectual Property "Lawyer of the Year" by
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — SC Lawyers Weekly
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — "Leadership in Law," 2015
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Greenville Business Magazine
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — "50 Most Influential 2015"
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Greenville Appellate Practice "Lawyer of the Year," 2014
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Named One of the Top 10 Lawyers in SC by South Carolina
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2013-Present
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — The National Trial Lawyers
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer, 2013
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Named One of the Top 25 Lawyers in SC by South Carolina
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2012-Present
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Named Greenville's "Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year" by
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2012
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Listed in South Carolina
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2008-Present
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2004
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Listed in
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Chambers USA
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2004-Present
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — in America, 1997-Present
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Appellate Practice (Greenville)
- 2024
Lawyer of the Year — Litigation - Intellectual Property (Greenville)
- 2016
Lawyer of the Year — Appellate Practice (Greenville)
- 2014
Lawyer of the Year — Bet-the-Company Litigation (Greenville)
- 2012

Bar Admissions

South Carolina, South Carolina Bar

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