Theodore 'Bo' Willard, Jr. practices primarily in the areas of life, health and disability insurance litigation, ERISA litigation, business litigation and insurance defense. He has been practicing law for over 27 years, handling cases in the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, The South Carolina Supreme Court, The South Carolina Court of Appeals, South Carolina Circuit Court, The South Carolina Administrative Law Court, as well as handling over 781 cases before the United States District Court For The District of South Carolina. His clients include multiple, nationally known companies, including Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller local companies. He has lectured on matters involving ERISA; life, health and disability insurance litigation; as well as bad faith insurance claims. He was a co-author and co-presenter for “Bad Faith Litigation In South Carolina”, National Business Institute (December 17, 2005); and “Litigating ERISA Claims”, National Business Institute (February 25, 2008). He was the co-author and co-presenter of “The Availability of Discovery in Health or Disability Actions Governed by ERISA: Substantive Law and Strategic Considerations” which was presented at the Twenty-Fifth Annual ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section 1999 mid-winter meeting. He also authored “Defeating ‘Improperly Issued’ 1099 Claims in Disability Insurance Cases,” Defense Research Institute, The Voice, Vol. 14, Issue 23 (June 10, 2015).

Reported Cases

• Cherochak v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 786 F. Supp. 2d 1027 (D.S.C. 2009)
• Gladney v. Garda Sec. Servs., 46 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1252 (D.S.C. 2009)
• Cherochak v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 586 F. Supp. 2d 522 (D.S.C. 2009)
• Tucci v. First Unum Life Ins. Co., 446 F. Supp. 2d 473 (D.S.C. 2006)
• James v. State Employee. Ins. Program, 371 S.C. 637; 640 S.E.2d 474 (Ct. App. 2006)
• Moore v. Unum Provident Corp., 33 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2942 (4th Cir. 2004)
• Univ. Med. Assocs. of the Med. Univ. of S.C. v. UnumProvident Corp., 335 F. Supp. 2d 702 (D.S.C. 2004)
• Univ. Med. Assocs. of the Med. Univ. of S.C. v. UNUMProvident Corp., 333 F. Supp. 2d 479 (D.S.C. 2004)
• Contrs., Inc. v. Powder Coaters, Inc., 350 S.C. 454; 567 S.E.2d 842 (2002)
• Mason v. M.F. Smith & Assocs., 158 F. Supp. 2d 673 (D.S.C. 2001)
• F&D Elec. Contrs., Inc. v. Powder Coaters, Inc., 350 S.C. 454; 567 S.E.2d 842 (2002)
• Russell v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 40 F. Supp. 2d 747 (D.S.C. 1999)
• Shealy v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 979 F. Supp. 395 (D.S.C. 1997)
• Minter v. GOCT, Inc., 322 S.C. 525, 528, 473 S.E.2d 67, 70 (Ct.App.1996)
• Colonial Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. American Family Life Assurance Co., 846 F. Supp. 454 (D.S.C. 1994)

Recognition

Practice areas

• Insurance defense litigation
• ERISA litigation
• Business litigation
• Corporate governance
• Appellate Practice
• Liability law
• Membership & shareholder disputes
• General counsel
• Construction Law
• Trade secrets
• Unfair Competition
• Non-Competition covenants
• Unfair trade practices

Bar admissions

• South Carolina, 1989
• U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina, 1989
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, 2005
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2005

Honors

• AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®

Education

• J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law, 1989
• B.A., The Citadel, 1986

Certifications

• Certified State and Federal Court Mediator

Professional memberships

• South Carolina State Bar Association
• Richland County Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute

Community associations & memberships

• Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
• Columbia Area Citadel Club
• Citadel Alumni Association
• Citadel Brigadier Foundation