Langdon Cheves III
Of CounselLangdon Cheves has over 20 years of experience successfully defending personal injury lawsuits and insurance coverage actions. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).
He has tried over 50 cases to verdict in state and federal courts throughout South Carolina and has handled numerous appeals. Langdon has always been a civil defense attorney and has represented insurance carriers in all aspects of liability work, including automotive, premises, construction, professional and commercial. He still enjoys the adrenaline of trial work but recognizes the satisfaction of obtaining a great settlement for his clients, as well.
Langdon enjoys building a good rapport with his clients within the attorney-client structure, which leads to a foundation of trust. Langdon understands that claims representatives and in-house counsel are sophisticated clients who appreciate an honest evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of a case, as well as an experienced assessment of what a local jury is likely to do with the facts of each case. Langdon is proud of his track record of taking very few verdicts which were outside the scope of his pre-trial assessment of a verdict range.
A former laws clerk to now Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Henry F. Floyd, Langdon still enjoys recounting the many high-stake trials he was able to witness as a young, impressionable trial lawyer. Now with a little more seasoning under his belt, Langdon enjoys assisting younger lawyers as they tackle evidentiary and trial strategy issues.
- Obtained a directed verdict for a laser eye surgery facility after four days of trial in a professional malpractice action.
- Won summary judgment in federal court for large national glass manufacturer after a plant employee suffered a catastrophic injury.
- Obtained summary judgment in federal court action involving allegations of fraud and bad faith against an automobile carrier.
- Successfully defended numerous premises liability claims, including cases involving slip and falls, trip and falls, false imprisonment and assault/battery.
- Composed countless opinion letters for various insurance carrier clients and served as counsel for declaratory judgment actions which followed.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a sports arena after a sports radio host alleged defamation arising out of his termination subsequent to an incident involving arena staff.
- Obtained defense verdicts in several matters where liability for the accident was admitted.
- University of South Carolina, J.D., 1996
- Emory University, B.A., 1993
- South Carolina Bar, 1996
- United States District Court, District of South Carolina, 1997
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, 1997
Professional or Industry Involvement
- South Carolina Defense Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Defense Research Institute, Member
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Member
- Greenville Bar Association, Member
Community or Pro Bono Involvement
- Christ Church Episcopal School Alumni Board, 2010-2017
- United Way Hands On Greenville, 2017-2018
- Upstate Legal Elite, Insurance, 2020
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, “Premises Liability In South Carolina,” 2013
