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Burnette Shutt McDaniel

United States 2025

Overview

Burnette Shutt & McDaniel attorneys have dedicated their careers to moving law forward. They've succeeded, too, winning key battles that have protected the rights of others. They've fought in landmark cases that gave women the right to attend any state-supported college they choose and helped establish marriage equality in South Carolina. They've battled to make sure incarcerated men and women receive the mental-health services they need. They've stood up for reproductive rights on numerous fronts.

The firm's attorneys fight just as hard for client in cases that might not set legal precedent but make major differences in their lives. They help people in disputes with homeowners associations and protect employees’ benefits. They stand by students, parents, and teachers in disputes with school systems. They work to help LGBTQ+ clients with gender-affirmed name and gender-marker changes, and they represent clients in all aspects of family law. The firm counts among its partners one of only a handful of South Carolina members of the LGBTQ+ Family Law Institute, a joint venture of the LGBTQ+ Bar and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

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Practice Areas:
14
Person outline with Best Lawyers logo
Best Lawyers Recognized:
7

Rankings

Regional

Columbia-SC

Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Education Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Employment Law - Individuals
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Litigation - ERISA
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Rankings

Regional

Columbia-SC

Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Education Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Employment Law - Individuals
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Litigation - ERISA
Tier
1
Columbia-SC
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
2
Columbia-SC
Commercial Litigation
Tier
2
Columbia-SC
Employment Law - Management
Tier
2
Columbia-SC
Health Care Law
Tier
2
Columbia-SC
Mediation
Tier
2
Columbia-SC
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier
3
Columbia-SC
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier
3
Columbia-SC
Family Law

Practice Areas

Burnette Shutt McDaniel has been ranked by Best Law Firms for excellence in 13 specialties, reflecting the firm's commitment to delivering outstanding legal services.
Additionally, the firm provides services in these practice areas:
  • Civil Rights Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Education
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Employment Law - Individuals
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Family Law
  • Labor and Employment Law - Employee
  • Labor and Employment Law - Management
  • Litigation - ERISA
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Mediation
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Qui Tam Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Burnette Shutt McDaniel proudly has 7 lawyers recognized for their outstanding professional performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This peer-reviewed honor highlights individual excellence and directly qualifies the firm for consideration in the prestigious Best Law Firms rankings. For over four decades, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard for recognizing top legal talent, serving as the cornerstone for Best Law Firms awards. Learn more about our rigorous Best Lawyers research and selection process.
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Offices & Contacts

Columbia, SC

Significant Matters

  • The United States of America and Nancy Mellette v. James E. Jones, Jr., Chairman, Board of Visitors of The Citadel: Cased paved the way for women to attend state-supported military schools
  • Represented a South Carolina girl in a case that established that girls could play contact sports in South Carolina public schools
  • Condon v Haley, helped establish marriage equality in South Carolina
  • Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Julie Edwards v Joshua Baker, Director, South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, a federal lawsuit contesting South Carolina's refusal to let Medicaid patients be treated at Planned Parenthood clinics
  • Planned Parenthood South Atlantic et al v Alan Wilson, a federal lawsuit challenging South Carolina's abortion ban
  • Planned Parenthood South Atlantic et al v. State of South Carolina et al, complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief asking the South Carolina Supreme Court to clarify its ruling upholding South Carolina's fetal "heartbeat" law
  • Disability Rights South Carolina v. Richland County, a federal lawsuit challenging conditions at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center
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