James G. Long, III

Jimmy Long is a commercial litigator who has tried nearly 100 cases to verdict in every court system in South Carolina. In addition to his busy trial practice, Jimmy has briefed and argued over a dozen appeals in the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals and can handle any civil or administrative appeal. He previously served as the Firm’s General Counsel for seven years and brings a deep knowledge of the issues faced by lawyers in their day-to-day practice. Jimmy is a lawyer's lawyer - other lawyers seek his advice and representation in areas from malpractice claims and disciplinary complaints to unusual issues related to legal ethics.

Jimmy has defended individuals and corporations in all types of litigation, including many bet-the-business cases. His current emphasis is handling injury cases involving death and catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, professional negligence, legal malpractice, complaints to a licensing board, trustee, and fiduciary claims. Jimmy knows that while the vast majority of cases settle, preparation and a willingness to go to court are the cornerstones of success in every case, whether by trial or settlement. He is typically the lead trial attorney but understands the importance of staffing every case with a team of professionals appropriate for the dispute.      

Having represented doctors, nurses, hospitals, and medical providers, Jimmy thoroughly understands medical malpractice. Whether he represents a lawyer, nurse, physician, accountant, or other professional, Jimmy knows how to work with and cross-examine expert witnesses and how to explain statutes, regulations, and standards of care to juries and judges. Clients often hire Jimmy to handle cases with a catastrophic injuries, serious and unusual disease mix, and wrongful death. Over the past ten years, he has led a robust correctional medicine practice defending medical providers who care for incarcerated individuals.

Jimmy’s previous work as the firm’s General Counsel provides a unique insight into the fiduciary and ethical traps facing lawyers. He is particularly well suited to defend claims for legal malpractice and is available to serve as an expert witness or consultant if needed.

In his career, Jimmy has served or is currently serving in numerous capacities to further the practice of law and his professional development. Some examples are the following:

South Carolina Bar, Past Committee Chairperson

South Carolina Bar House of Delegates, Former Member

South Carolina Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee

International Association of Defense Counsel

Jimmy is a former law clerk to the Honorable C. Weston Houck, United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina.

Community & Professional

• South Carolina Bar, Past Committee Chairperson

• South Carolina Bar House of Delegates, Former Member

• South Carolina Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee

• International Association of Defense Counsel

Outside Maynard Nexsen

"My love for courtrooms and a good legal defense is rivaled only by my love of basketball courts and a good press defense."

Although Jimmy is a seasoned litigator, his favorite courts are the ones with basketball hoops.  He has coached a girls church league basketball team for years. He is also a long time owner in both a Fantasy Football League and a Fantasy Baseball League.

• Jimmy’s past experience as General Counsel has provided him great insight into the ethical rules governing attorneys. He has experience providing practical advice for lawyers navigating the ethical rules and the obligations and desires of their clients. He is well able to defend lawyers in court when faced with a claim.
• Jimmy has defended numerous lawyers in response to grievances or complaints filed against lawyers before the South Carolina Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
• Jimmy knows his way around the courtroom having been the lead trial attorney in numerous multi-week trials and he has tried nearly 100 trials to verdict.
• Jimmy knows how to argue a case before a panel of Judges or a single Judge. He has argued over a dozen appeals in either the South Carolina Supreme Court or South Carolina Court of Appeals. See a list of published opinions here.
• Jimmy has handled numerous bet the business cases and is comfortable explaining complex cases to juries and judges in an easy to understand story.  
• Almost all of Jimmy’s cases involve testimony by expert witnesses and he has worked with and/or cross-examined dozens of experts in the medical, legal, and financial fields.    
• Jimmy leads a team of lawyers defending correctional medicine malpractice cases that have involved over 15 diseases or injury.
• Jimmy is well familiar with the State and Federal regulations and laws governing correctional medicine, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes having been the lead attorney in numerous wrongful death and negligence actions involving suicide attempts, elopement, falls, improper medication, improper admission, lack of supervision, and section 1983.
• Jimmy’s has defended a substantial number of wrongful death claims and understands how the law allocates damages for wrongful death and survival claims. He has been successful in minimizing damages in cases with great sympathy to a jury.
• Jimmy has defended trucking companies in multi-fatality cases including one case that lasted over 13 years.  
• Jimmy has been the lead attorney in certificate of need cases involving open heart surgery, linear accelerators, hospital replacement or expansion, ambulatory surgery facilities, and most all of the services regulated in the State Health Plan.
• Jimmy was the lead attorney in two of the longest trials in the history of the South Carolina Administrative Law Court in February and March of 2006 and January and February of 2011. 
• Jimmy led a team of lawyers who tried to verdict a substantial breach of trust case in Federal Court in which he obtained a verdict against a corporate trustee in excess of 1.4 million dollars.
• After 15 hours of mediation, Jimmy successfully resolved the defense of a negligent misrepresentation case arising from the multi-million dollar sale of a business.
• Jimmy was the lead attorney in a complex probate matter that involved simultaneous actions in the Probate Court, Circuit Court and the Court of Appeals.
• Jimmy is well-suited to serve as an expert witness in any matter involving the professional responsibility of an attorney.

See a partial list available on Westlaw.

• Columbia Business Monthly's "Legal Elite of the Midlands" - Healthcare, 2013, 2022; Medical Malpractice - Defendant, 2023
• South Carolina Bar - Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 1997
• Certified Mediator since 1998
• AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation since 2021
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants in 2023 and 2025

• Past instructor at the Orientation School for Newly Elected Judges
• Frequent speaker at legal education seminars
• Former Adjunct Professor at Presbyterian College teaching a Civil Litigation Course
• Former Managing Editor of the ABA Real Property Probate and Trust Journal