Thornwell F. "Biff" Sowell

Biff is an experienced litigator in both trial and appellate venues and has argued approximately twenty cases 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. An honoree for the 2016 South Carolina Leadership in Law Awards, Biff has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA. He is a certified Circuit Court Mediator and in the last 30 years has mediated approximately 950 cases. He was the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Section of the South Carolina Bar.EDUCATIONClemson University, B.A., 1973University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1976- President of the Student Bar Association- South Carolina Law ReviewASSOCIATIONSAmerican Bar AssociationRichland County Bar AssociationFormer member, South Carolina Bar House of DelegatesFederation of Defense and Corporate CounselAdvocate, American Board of Trial AdvocatesSouth Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ AssociationCertified South Carolina Circuit Court MediatorMEMBERSHIPSPanelist-American Arbitration Association National Roster of ArbitratorsAmerican Bar AssociationFellow, American Bar FoundationAmerican Board of Trial AdvocatesSenior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America- Member, Diversity Law Institute- Member, Trial Law InstituteRichland County Bar AssociationSouth Carolina Bar- Former Chair, Dispute Resolution Section- Former Member, House of DelegatesSouth Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ AssociationMember, South Carolina Chapter of The National Academy of Distinguished NeutralsSupreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator and ArbitratorAWARDSSouth Carolina Bar Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section Award (2021)South Carolina Bar C.C. "Cotton" Harness III Peace Award (2017)South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Honoree (2016)Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2001-2025)Best Lawyers in America, Bet-the-Company Litigation (2009-2025), Bet-the-Company Lawyer of the Year (2021 and 2013)Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice (2022-2025)Best Lawyers in America, Litigation- Trusts and Estates (2025)Best Lawyers in America, Mediation (2025)Chambers U.S.A. America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2003-2025)South Carolina “Super Lawyer” (2008-2025)South Carolina “Super Lawyer” Top 25 List (2010 and 2011)Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star (2009-2014)Benchmark Appellate, Local Star (2012)Selected as a Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation by Litigation Special Report (2012)Columbia Business Monthly Legal Elite of the Midlands - Business Litigation and Insurance (2020-2022), Labor and Employment and Corporate Investigations (2021-2023), Mediations (2023)Charleston Business Magazine and Greenville Business Magazine- Business Litigation (2021)COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTUniversity of South Carolina School of Law Adjust Professor, Spring 2021Former Commissioner, Midlands Technical CollegeFormer Member, Midlands Technical College FoundationFormer Member, Board of Directors of Communities in Schools-Columbia

Biff is an experienced litigator in both trial and appellate venues and has argued approximately twenty cases 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. An honoree for the 2016 South Carolina Leadership in Law Awards, Biff has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA. He is a certified Circuit Court Mediator and in the last 30 years has mediated approximately 950 cases. He was the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Section of the South Carolina Bar.EDUCATIONClemson University, B.A., 1973University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1976- President of the Student Bar Association- South Carolina Law ReviewASSOCIATIONSAmerican Bar AssociationRichland County Bar AssociationFormer member, South Carolina Bar House of DelegatesFederation of Defense and Corporate CounselAdvocate, American Board of Trial AdvocatesSouth Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ AssociationCertified South Carolina Circuit Court MediatorMEMBERSHIPSPanelist-American Arbitration Association National Roster of ArbitratorsAmerican Bar AssociationFellow, American Bar FoundationAmerican Board of Trial AdvocatesSenior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America- Member, Diversity Law Institute- Member, Trial Law InstituteRichland County Bar AssociationSouth Carolina Bar- Former Chair, Dispute Resolution Section- Former Member, House of DelegatesSouth Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ AssociationMember, South Carolina Chapter of The National Academy of Distinguished NeutralsSupreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator and ArbitratorAWARDSSouth Carolina Bar Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section Award (2021)South Carolina Bar C.C. "Cotton" Harness III Peace Award (2017)South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Honoree (2016)Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2001-2025)Best Lawyers in America, Bet-the-Company Litigation (2009-2025), Bet-the-Company Lawyer of the Year (2021 and 2013)Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice (2022-2025)Best Lawyers in America, Litigation- Trusts and Estates (2025)Best Lawyers in America, Mediation (2025)Chambers U.S.A. America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2003-2025)South Carolina “Super Lawyer” (2008-2025)South Carolina “Super Lawyer” Top 25 List (2010 and 2011)Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star (2009-2014)Benchmark Appellate, Local Star (2012)Selected as a Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation by Litigation Special Report (2012)Columbia Business Monthly Legal Elite of the Midlands - Business Litigation and Insurance (2020-2022), Labor and Employment and Corporate Investigations (2021-2023), Mediations (2023)Charleston Business Magazine and Greenville Business Magazine- Business Litigation (2021)COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTUniversity of South Carolina School of Law Adjust Professor, Spring 2021Former Commissioner, Midlands Technical CollegeFormer Member, Midlands Technical College FoundationFormer Member, Board of Directors of Communities in Schools-Columbia

Biff is an experienced litigator in both trial and appellate venues and has argued approximately twenty cases 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. An honoree for the 2016 South Carolina Leadership in Law Awards, Biff has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA. He is a certified Circuit Court Mediator and in the last 30 years has mediated approximately 950 cases. He was the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Section of the South Carolina Bar.

EDUCATION

ASSOCIATIONS

MEMBERSHIPS

Member, South Carolina Chapter of The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals

Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator and Arbitrator

AWARDS

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT