Rick McDuff

Phone: 864-882-2466

Email: [email protected]

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

I spent most of my thirty-three years as a partner in larger law firms, where I represented businesses, banks, governmental entities, and health care providers.  I was fortunate to be able to obtain significant experience helping clients with construction law, business law, and complex litigation matters. In addition, I represented people in religious liberty and First Amendment cases before the federal trial and appellate courts.  In 2013, I became CEO of an Upstate health care provider at the request of one of my firm’s clients and served in that capacity until the fall of 2016. I then had to decide whether I wanted to return to a big firm practice in an urban environment.

While I enjoyed my big firm clients and relationships, I wanted to help the people and businesses of the community in which I have been a long-time resident – Oconee County.  Instead of continuing my law practice in Greenville, South Carolina, I chose to move my practice to our own community. I greatly value and appreciate the relationships I have with the people and businesses in our great community and enjoy helping them solve problems and make sound decisions.  I am often asked to provide legal, practical, and strategic advice to clients.

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Healthcare, estate planning, probate, real estate, civil litigation and corporate and business law.

EDUCATION

  • Earned his Juris Doctorate, with honors, from the Florida State University College of Law in 1987, where he was a member of the Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law.
  • Mr. McDuff has a B.B.A. in Finance and Accounting.

MEMBERSHIPS AND COURT ADMISSIONS

  • He is licensed to practice law in South Carolina and Florida.
  • Admitted to practice before the:
  • United States Supreme Court.
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
  • United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

CAREER HISTORY

  • Equity partner with Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP in Greenville and led the firm’s litigation practice group for its South Carolina offices.
  • From 2013 and 2016, Mr. McDuff was CEO of a large home health and hospice company in the Upstate that serves more than 15,000 patients per year.
  • Joined Merrell and Jahn P.A. of counsel in May of 2017.

FUN FACTS

  • Mr. McDuff and his wife live in Seneca, South Carolina and attend LifePoint Church in Seneca.