J. Theodore Gentry, Member
- Antitrust and Trade Regulation
- Appellate
- Class Action Litigation
- Colleges and Universities
- Employee Benefits Litigation
- Employment
- Insurance Coverage
- Litigation
Ted Gentry focuses his practice on complex commercial and financial litigation, including class actions, in both state and federal courts. Ted also has a substantial practice counseling and litigating on behalf of employment clients, and colleges and universities. Ted has extensive appellate experience, including cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Representative Matters
Class Actions
- Pitts v. Jackson National Life Insurance: Defended this insurance practices class action in state court in South Carolina. After conditional certification of a class, obtained summary judgment on the merits, which was upheld on appeal.
- Cook v. Liberty Life: Defended insurance company in this insurance contract interpretation class action. We obtained summary judgment on the merits.
Antitrust
- Stoddard v. Smart Corporation and Hiller v. Smart Corporation. Represented defendant in these two antitrust class actions – one in federal court, one in state court – alleging monopolistic practices in the copying of medical records. We obtained summary judgment on the merits in both cases.
- Spartanburg Regional Hospital System v. Hillenbrand: Worked actively as local counsel in defending this antitrust class action, which alleged antitrust violations arising out of alleged “bundled discounts.”
Employment
- Peacock v. Thomas. Obtained 8–1 victory in the United States Supreme Court in this appeal arising out of an ERISA claim.
- Klein v. Video Update. Obtained seven-figure award on behalf of executive in suit over unpaid wages.
Ted has participated in a number of Sarbanes-Oxley retaliation cases.
Colleges and Universities
- Baird v. Presbyterian College. Obtained summary judgment in tort claim brought by ROTC instructor against college and one if its deans.
Professional Background
| 1991– Present | Wyche Burgess Freeman & Parham, P.A. |
|---|---|
| 1988–1991 | Associate, Shea & Gardner, Washington, DC |
| 1987–1988 | Law Clerk, Hon. Laurence H. Silberman, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit |
Educational Background
| 1987, J.D. | Yale Law School; The Yale Law Journal Managing Editor, 1986–87 |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Fulbright Scholar, Dortmund, Germany |
| 1983, B.S. | Wake Forest University, summa cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa, A.D. Ward Medal |
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Presented annual updates on federal employment law at a number of seminars
- Member, National Association of College and University Attorneys
Bar and Court Admissions
- District of Columbia Bar, 1989
- South Carolina Bar, 1991
Representative Community Activities
- Principal Bassoonist, Foothills Philharmonic
- Board Member and President, Greenville Little Theatre
- Board Member and President, Speech, Hearing & Learning Center
- Board Member and General Counsel, Peace Center for the Performing Arts
- Greenville Rotary Club
Publications
Author, Notes, The Panopticon Revisited: The Problem of Monitoring Private Prisons, The Yale Law Journal, 1986
Awards and Honors
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2007–2008
- South Carolina Super Lawyers, 2008