Thornwell F Sowell

Practice Areas

Biff's practice focuses on complex business disputes, corporate governance, probate and estate litigation, general commercial litigation, appeals, mediation, and arbitration.

Career

Biff is a litigator in both trial and appellate venues and has argued multiple cases in the state appellate courts and in the United States Court of Appeals. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He was presented the C.C. “Cotton” Harness III Peace Award by the South Carolina Bar in recognition for his leadership in developing alternative dispute resolution in South Carolina. An honoree for the South Carolina Leadership in Law Awards, Biff has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA. He is a Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator and Arbitrator. Biff has been a mediator for 30 years and has mediated as a neutral in excess of 950 cases.  He was the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Section of the South Carolina Bar.

Professional Memberships

Panelist-American Arbitration Association National Roster of Arbitrators; American Bar Association; Fellow, American Bar Foundation; American Board of Trial Advocates;

Richland County Bar Association; South Carolina Bar: - Former Chair, Dispute Resolution Section,

- Former Member, House of Delegates; South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association; Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator and Arbitrator

Personal

University of South Carolina School of Law Adjunct Professor, Spring 2021 and Spring 2022;

Communities in Schools-Columbia: - Former Member, Board of Directors; Midlands Technical College: - Former Commissioner- Former Foundation Member

Expert in these Jurisdictions

South Carolina Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. Court of Federal Claims; U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina; U.S. Supreme Court

Experience

University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D.: - President, Student Bar Association, - South Carolina Law Review; Clemson University, B.A.

Work Highlights

Best Lawyers in America: Bet-the-Company Litigation (2009-2024), Lawyer of the Year (2021 and 2013)- Commercial Litigation (2001-2024)- Appellate Practice (2022-2024);

South Carolina “Super Lawyer”: Recognized from 2008-2024- Top 25 List (2010 and 2011);

Benchmark Appellate Local Star (2012); Litigation Special Report Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation (2012); Chambers U.S.A. America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2003-2023); Benchmark Litigation Local Litigation Star (2009-2014, 2016); Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America: Member, Diversity Law Institute- Member, Trial Law Institute;

Columbia Business Monthly Legal Elite of the Midlands - Business Litigation and Insurance(2020-2022), Labor and Employment, Corporate Investigations (2021-2023), Mediations (2023);

Charleston Business Magazine and Greenville Business Magazine- Business Litigation (2021)

Awards