Grant Burns

E. Grantland Burns practices primarily in the areas of litigation, employment law, corporate compliance/crisis management, and alternate dispute resolution.  He has also advised clients in matters of white-collar crime. 

Mr. Burns has considerable trial experience defending discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases brought under state and federal employment statutes, as well as claims of wrongful discharge, contract disputes, and various torts.  His practice, which has included an extensive amount employment arbitration, has taken him to more than 30 states.

He has also tried a number of environmental matters related to groundwater contamination, and, in addition, he has handled several jury trials involving general business disputes.  A Certified Mediator since 2004, Mr. Burns has helped resolve a wide array of disputes ranging from construction, environmental, probate, torts, and contracts.

Historically, much of Mr. Burns' practice has been preventive counseling and advice on tough corporate decisions.  He has assisted large corporations and small businesses in developing policies and procedures to limit risk and ensure compliance with federal and state laws.   

Away from the office, Mr. Burns is a published author and has been a leader in many civic organizations.

Mr. Burns received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University, where he served as Student Body President, and his J.D. from the Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he was Student Bar Association President.

• Best Lawyers in America - Labor and Employment Law
• S.C. House of Delegates, Member
• Greenville County Bar Association, Former President
• Greenville Young Lawyers, Former President
• South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association - Employment Law Section, Former Chair
• Certified Circuit Court Mediator by S.C. Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification
• Certified Mediator by the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina

• Fifty-nine Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®; Five Practice Areas Listed Among Top in the Carolinas
  Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 59 of its attorneys have been named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®.
• Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Recognized by Their Peers
  Nineteen Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the 2010 list of South Carolina Super Lawyers®.
• Fifty-eight Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®
  Fifty-eight Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
• Twenty-Five Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named Among South Carolina’s Super Lawyers®
  Twenty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the 2009 list of South Carolina Super Lawyers®.
• "Nexsen Pruet new law firm for Anderson County"
  The Anderson Independent Mail reports "Nexsen Pruet new law firm for Anderson County."
• Nexsen Pruet Moves into New Office Space in Greenville
  Nexsen Pruet has moved into new office space in Greenville.
• "Pouring the water cooler on office romance"
  The December 8th, 2008 edition of GSA Business featured a column written by Nexsen Pruet Employment and Labor Law attorney Grant Burns.
• "Please re-lease me: Upstate office glut looms"
  The October 27, 2008 edition of GSA Business features a story about Nexsen Pruet's upcoming move and the amount of vacant office space in the Greenville area.
• 45 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers
  Columbia, SC – Forty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The publication also ranks Nexsen Pruet #1 in eleven practice areas in South Carolina and three in North Carolina.
• 38 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Names To "The Best Lawyers in America 2008"
  Thirty-eight attorneys from Nexsen Pruet, LLC were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2008 – including six who have now earned the honor for 10 years or more.
• Grant Burns Elected to Serve as President of the Clemson University Alumni Association
  We are pleased to announce that E. Grantland ("Grant") Burns has been elected to the national position of president of Clemson University's Alumni Association, effective July 1, 2007. Burns is a member (partner) in Nexsen Pruet's Greenville, S.C. office. He focuses his practice in the areas of litigation and employment law.
• Grant Burns Elected to SC Bar Leadership Post
  E. Grantland "Grant" Burns, an attorney who practices in Nexsen Pruet's Greenville offices, has been elected to serve as a 13th Judicial Circuit Delegate in the South Carolina Bar House of Delegates.

• Employment Law Update - August 2010 Supplemental
  Part one of a two-part OSHA Update describing what employers can do to prepare for an inspection conducted by South Carolina OSHA.
• Employment Law Update - August 2010
  This edition of the newsletter summarizes a Fact Sheet issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) setting out the agency's view of unpaid internships.
• Employment Law Update - June 2010
  This edition reviews a recent decision by the Fourth Circuit federal appeals court examining who is a "supervisor" for purposes of holding a company liable for sexual harassment conduct by a supervisor.
• Employment Law Update - May 2010
  On March 30, 2010, Governor Sanford signed legislation restructuring, and renaming, the South Carolina Employment Security Commission, and amending the state's employment security law. This month's update describes some of the changes that have taken place at the agency and in the benefits claims process.
• Employment Law Update - April 2010
  Employer wins ADA suit brought by medical intern who could not perform the essential functions of his job with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• Employment Law Alert: The HIRE Act and FICA Taxation of Severance Benefits
  Hiring for the HIRE Act: Federal Legislation Offers Substantial Incentives for Bringing on New Workers and Important New Development Affecting FICA Taxation of Severance Benefits
• Employment Law Update - March 2010
  This edition describes new audit initiatives by the IRS and DOL that focus on potential misclassification of workers as independent contractors when they are, in fact, employees, as well as potential misclassification of employees as exempt from wage and hour laws when they do not meet the requirements for exempt status.
• Employment Law Update - February 2010
  This month's Employment Law Update addresses some of the legal risks associated with employee use of blackberries and cell phones after work hours or while driving.
• Employment Law Update - January 2010
  As the new year gets underway, the January edition of the Update discusses four resolutions employers will want to consider.
• Employment Law Update - October 2009
  This edition focuses on the EEOC's recent publication that addresses waivers of discrimination claims in employee severance agreements; the EEOC reminds employers and employees about requirements for valid and enforceable releases, especially when the releases are for employees age 40 and older.
• Employment Law Update - August 2009
  This edition focuses on three Department of Labor opinion letters that address how cost-cutting strategies like mandatory furloughs and reduced workweeks may affect an employee's exempt status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It also updates pending North Carolina legislation that, if passed, would require private sector employers to use E-Verify to check the legal status of new hires.
• Employment Law Update - July 2009
  This edition discusses the U.S. Supreme Court’s Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. decision, which recognized a more stringent standard of proof for employees bringing claims under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). According to the Court, a plaintiff asserting a disparate-treatment claim under the ADEA must prove that age was the “but-for” cause of an adverse employment action, as opposed to a mere “motivating factor.”
• Employment Law Update - June 2009 Supplemental
  Starting July 1, 2009, private employers in South Carolina with 100 or more employees must comply with the employment verification requirements of the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act.
• Employment Law Update - June 2009
  This edition focuses on recent court decisions striking down restrictive covenants for being overly broad and highlights the need to narrowly tailor non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.
• Employment Law Update - May 2009
  This edition explains why many employers are seeking privileged legal compliance reviews of their compensation practices and documentation in the aftermath of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

  A brief video update on immigration compliance developments is available by clicking here. Then, click on the video entitled "Immigration."

• Employment Law Update - March 2009
  This edition describes the recently enacted Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which extends the time period in which employees can pursue pay discrimination claims.
• Employment Law Update - February 2009 - Special COBRA Edition
  The economic stimulus law signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009, contains significant changes to COBRA, providing for a premium subsidy for eligible employees and also giving eligible individuals another chance to elect COBRA.
• Employment Law Update - February 2009
  This edition summarizes laws and issues that can impact Carolinas employers when downsizing or otherwise reducing payroll or schedules.
• Employment Law Update - January 2009
  This edition summarizes key provisions of the new FMLA regulations, which will require substantial changes in employer policies and practices.
• Employment Law Update - December 2008
  2009 promises to bring many changes and challenges for employers and their human resources departments. This edition identifies employment and labor law compliance issues that can be addressed through audits and employee surveys, as well as policy reviews and training.
• Pouring the Water Cooler on Workplace Romance
  As long as men and women have worked together, there has been workplace romance. While all employers should prohibit harassment and discrimination, the question becomes whether, and to what extent, an employer should have an additional “fraternization” policy.
• Employment Law Update - March 2008
  The federal appeals court with jurisdiction over the Carolinas concludes that claims by employees that are directly covered by the FLSA—such as overtime pay claims—must be brought under the FLSA and cannot be brought under state law causes of action that make it easier to sue and to recover punitive damages.
• Employment & Labor Law Desk Reference For The Carolinas

• Employment Law Quarterly Breakfast Briefing
• Employment Law Quarterly Breakfast Briefings
• Webinar: Immigration Compliance & Enforcement Update
• Leave or Left - FMLA and Unemployment Benefits