Richardson Plowden Attorneys at Law
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ATTORNEY HIGHLIGHTS

Shareholder Frank E. Robinson, II, is recognized in Best Lawyers In America for real estate practice.

Shareholder C. Jo Anne Wessinger Hill served as assistant legal counsel to former South Carolina Governor Carroll A. Campbell, as well as on former South Carolina Governor David M. Beasley's Ad Hoc Committee on Health Care.

Associate Drew Hamilton Butler, who has a certificate in dispute resolution and advocacy, serves as a special prosecutor for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, prosecuting criminal domestic violence cases.

Steven J. Pugh

Office
1900 Barnwell Street
Columbia, SC 29201

P.O. Drawer 7788
Columbia, SC 29202

Contact Details
Direct: 803.576.3721
Fax: 803.779.0016
Email: spugh@RichardsonPlowden.com

Practice Areas
Civil Litigation
Insurance Defense
Products Liability
Transportation Law

Education
The Citadel (B.A., English, with honors, 1987)
The University of South Carolina School of Law (J.D., 1990)

Bar Admissions
1990, Texas
1997, South Carolina
2001, North Carolina
1991, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
1993, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
1998, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
2006, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
2009, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina

Other Professional

South Carolina Bar
North Carolina Bar Association
State Bar of Texas
Richland County Bar Association
South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association
International Association of Defense Counsel
The Harmonie Group: Board Member and Marketing Committee Chair

Steve Pugh is the managing shareholder of Richardson Plowden in the Columbia office. He serves on the firm's Executive Committee. His practice includes the defense of product liability claims, toxic torts, commercial disputes and transportation cases. Mr. Pugh and other Richardson Plowden attorneys stand ready to respond to accident scenes and direct the investigation with the appropriate resources on a 24-hour basis.

Mr. Pugh best describes his trial practice as "door law-if it comes through my door, I do it." He has tried a wide variety of cases, everything from multi-million dollar commercial foreclosures to wrongful death claims. Specific examples of his experience include:

  • Lead counsel in the defense of a salmonella class action with more than 1,000 claimants, including several death claims.
  • Successfully tried and subsequently argued the appeal in the South Carolina Supreme Court of a multi-million dollar commercial foreclosure case,
  • Obtained a directed verdict in the defense of a wrongful death case filed by the parents of a sixteen-year old who allegedly became intoxicated at work.
  • Directed the investigation of a multi-million dollar fabric mill fire on behalf of the manufacturer of an allegedly defective loom, which resulted in no claim ever being asserted against the manufacturer.
  • Negotiated the favorable resolution of a wrongful death and severe personal injury action arising out of an apartment complex fire due to alleged incompatible wiring and receptacles.
  • Obtained the outright dismissal of a significant personal injury suit arising from a tractor-trailer accident.
  • Has represented manufacturers in more than 1,000 asbestos cases in South Carolina and the MDL.
  • Has represented numerous entities in approximately 120 silica cases in South Carolina.
Mr. Pugh graduated with honors with a bachelor of arts in English from The Citadel (The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston) in 1987. He earned his juris doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1990. After graduation from law school, Mr. Pugh joined the San Antonio, Texas firm of Matthews & Branscomb. He and his family returned to South Carolina in 1998 when he joined Richardson Plowden.

Mr. Pugh is a member of the State Bar of Texas, South Carolina Bar and North Carolina Bar Association, as well as the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He serves on various committees with The Harmonie Group, including the Transportation, Speakers and Marketing Committees.

When not practicing law, you will most likely find Steve on a baseball or a basketball court, practicing "patience" while coaching his children's various teams.