Event Information

Mundi George's practice focuses on workers' compensation defense in the firm's Columbia office, where she has represented carriers, employers and self-insured employers for over 24 years. Prior to joining MGC, Mundi served as a law clerk to the Honorable E. S. Swearingen, United States Magistrate Judge. Mundi is highly involved in a number of legal organizations, including the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association, where she served on the Workers' Compensation Substantive Law Committee, and the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Educational Association (SCWCEA). She is the past Treasurer for the SCWCEA and has served on the Board of Directors of that organization, as well as on the Nominating Committee; in the past, she has twice chaired the SCWCEA's One-Day Seminar and co-chaired the Medical Seminar. Mundi is a Certified Civil Court Mediator.
Mundi builds relationships with her clients, and they trust her practical advice and timely response. She strives to be upfront about exposure, which allows for the most cost-effective and best outcome for her client.
Outside of the office, Mundi is often found at her daughters' tennis matches, basketball games, soccer games and lacrosse games and enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys concerts, traveling and cheering on the Gamecocks. 

Former Commissioner Derrick L. Williams is one of the youngest-ever to be appointed to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. He was appointed in March 2007, and he served until January 31, 2013, when he decided to return to private practice. He is responsible for spear-heading the effort to make mediation of workers’ compensation available for complex injury by accident cases in South Carolina.

Prior to joining the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission, he was an associate at a national law firm based in South Carolina. He practiced in the areas of business litigation, franchise and distribution litigation, and labor and employment. He began his legal career at a mid-size insurance defense firm, where his litigation background included defending workers’ compensation claims for insurance companies, and insurance defense litigation. As a founding partner with Williams & Roche, Derrick’s practice is devoted to representing injured workers and serving as a mediator for all civil litigation matters. Derrick is a member of the National Academy Distinguished Neutrals.

Derrick earned a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2002, where he was a member of the South Carolina Environmental Law Journal. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in the Honors Program at the College of Charleston in 1999. He ran Cross Country and Track for the College of Charleston, and he was the team captain of both his senior season.

Born in Florence, South Carolina he and his family moved later to Columbia, South Carolina, where he graduated from Dreher High School. He is the Past President of the Riverbanks Zoo Society Board. He is the first black President of the College of Charleston Alumni Association (now the Immediate Past President) and also serves on the College of Charleston Honors College Advisory Board and the College of Charleston English Department Alumni Advisory Board. He has previously been a member in the American Bar Association, where he was involved in the T.I.P.S. Workers’ Compensation Section. He is a member of the John Belton O’Neall American Inn of Court. Derrick also previously served on the South Carolina Board of Law Examiners. He serves on the Executive Committee for the Richland County Bar Association. He also serves on the Central Carolina Community Foundation Board, where he is the Secretary/Treasurer.

Dewana grew up in Great Falls, South Carolina. She comes from a long line of textile workers and blue collar workers. If you ask anyone who knew her as a child, they will tell you that as far back as they can remember, Dewana wanted to be a lawyer and she worked hard to make that dream come true. In 2000, Dewana graduated Valedictorian from Great Falls High School.
She then moved to the "big city" of Columbia and attended the University of South Carolina Honors College. A lifelong Gamecocks fan, Dewana fell in love with Columbia. She graduated magna cum laude in 2004 with an English major and took a year off working in a real estate law firm before pursuing her legal education at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she graduated cum laude in 2008.
Dewana earned the distinction of being appointed to the Order of the Coif (an honor reserved for those graduating in the top 10% of the law school class), the Order of the Wig and Robe, and the Knox Haynsworth Scholarship (for excellence in employment and labor law). Dewana was also a member of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Journal, where she honed her legal writing skills.

After law school, Dewana Looper spent roughly 9 years defending businesses and insurance companies in workers' compensation claims before joining Atkins Law Firm in the spring of 2017, where she devotes her practice to representing injured workers

Dewana is currently serving as the President fro the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Educational Association. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. 

Ellen's 31-year career at Collins & Lacy has involved more than 1,000 cases. Chair of the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, Ellen defends self-insured and uninsured employers and workers’ compensation insurance carriers and has argued cases to the Full Workers’ Compensation Commission, Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

On January 1, 2023, Ellen started a new venture as Ellen Mercer Adams Mediations.

A certified circuit court mediator since 2005, Ellen is known for mediating pre-trial workers’ compensation issues and has helped resolve a very large percentage of these cases.

Additionally, Ellen is experienced in general litigation and professional liability and defends medical technicians, nurses, and chiropractors in professional negligence claims involving medical malpractice.

A native of Cayce, South Carolina, Ellen received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She has been repeatedly named one of the Best Lawyers in America©, and her reputation has earned her an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Greater Columbia Business Monthly named Ellen one of the 2012 Midlands Legal Elite in the area of workers’ compensation. 

Tyler Lee left one of the big firms after fourteen years of practicing law to open Lee Injury Law in 2019, so that he could focus on what he loves doing most helping injured people navigate the workers compensation system and get their lives back on track. He has been recognized as an AV Preeminent © Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named to the Best Lawyers directory, has a 10 out of 10 rating with AVVO.com, and was named to the Legal Elite of the Midlands for 2019 by Columbia Business Weekly. Tyler is a regular CLE presenter on workers compensation. 

After graduating from the University of South Carolina, he began his legal studies at the University of South Carolina School of Law. While still a law student, he worked for two years as a law clerk with a prestigious Columbia firm, where he worked on personal injury, workers compensation, and social security disability claims. After graduating from law school, he was selected as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable James E. Lockemy, who was on the Circuit Court and later became Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. Tyler was next appointed an Assistant Attorney General, where he served as a prosecutor in the Internet Crimes Against Children and Violence Against Women departments.

In 2008, he began handling auto accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, and workers compensation cases on a full-time basis for a large local law firm, where he was eventually elected as a Shareholder. He has handled well over 2000 claims, from minor injuries to catastrophic brain and spinal injuries, and has significant courtroom training and experience.

Tyler is father to two wonderful children. He is a licensed private pilot, and enjoys BBQ cooking, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and enjoying the outdoors.

James E. L. Fickling graduated magna cum laude from the Citadel with a degree in history. As an undergraduate, Eddie was named to the Dean's List, the President's List and the Honor Council. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was part of the Mock Trial Bar. He is licensed to practice law in South Carolina and North Carolina, and focuses his practice on workers' compensation defense, subrogation, civil litigation, and utilities law. Eddie is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, and the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Education Association. 

 J. Keith Roberts has been an intern, law clerk, and staff attorney for the Commission. He now serves as the agency's General Counsel. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Roberts worked for a preeminent law firm in Columbia focusing on workers' compensation. Mr. Roberts is a licensed insurance adjuster.

As General Counsel, Mr. Roberts oversees the functions of the legal department and is primarily responsible for advising the Commission and staff on the law. Mr. Roberts oversees representation of the commission in legal proceedings and coordinates with outside counsel and other government agencies. He regularly updates the Commission and its stakeholders on case law, statutes, regulatory provisions, and current issues impacting workers' compensation.

Mr. Roberts earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2012 and earned a BA in Philosophy from University of South Carolina in 2005.

Joe was born and raised in Belton, South Carolina and comes from a long-line of working-class folks. From a young age, Joe has always been very competitive and very driven. He also strongly believes in the power of paying it forward. Joe cites his parents and many strong mentors in his life for giving him the tools necessary for success.

The first male in his family to attend college, Joe played Division I football and was a team captain for two years while at Presbyterian College “PC”. Joe graduated from PC in 2013 with a major in Business Management and Accounting. Since graduating from PC, Joe continues to serve his alma mater and currently is a member of the Young Alumni Board and holds a board position for the Midlands Alumni Chapter here in Columbia. After graduating from PC, Joe pursued his legal education at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he graduated in 2016.

While in law school, Joe proudly served as President of the Honorable Matthew J. Perry Chapter of the Black Law Student Association “BLSA”. He also served as the National Financial Secretary for the National Black Law Student Association “NBLSA”. He spends a lot of his free time mentoring others as a way to give back to the community.

When he isn’t practicing law or volunteering, Joe is a fitness fanatic! He spends much of his free time working out or competing. When Joe isn’t at the gym, he enjoys cooking and spending time with his Fiancée, Antonia, and their two fur-babies, Daisy and LuLu, as well as spending time with friends and family.

Perhaps one of his greatest joys is finding a good deal—the man is not afraid to clip a coupon. He also loves sports—especially football.

I grew up in Spartanburg and Duncan, South Carolina. From an early age, my great-aunt Doris had a profound impact on me.  She was one of the first women attorneys in the state of Georgia. Doris’s mother always said she wanted a lawyer in their family and when neither of her brothers went into law, Doris decided she would. She worked in Atlanta 50 years mostly doing real estate closings and estate planning. During that time, she provided hours of pro bono service. Aside from work and volunteering, she was loving and generous to her family and friends and made amazing fudge. 

After I graduated from Furman University in 2000, I decided to attend law school at the University of South Carolina’s School of Law. On the day I graduated from law school, Doris gave me a small statute of lady justice. It now sits on the side of my desk as reminder of my obligation as an attorney not only to my clients but to society as a whole. I am grateful for this legal legacy and strive to honor it in my own work. 

For more than 17 years, I practiced at two of South Carolina’s largest workers’ compensation defense firms. During that time, my favorite part of the job was helping pro se claimants navigate the settlement process. As a lawyer for the insurance carrier, I often witnessed their slow and ineffective management of claims and the devastating effects they can have on the injured worker.

Because of my previous experience, I am committed to helping employees who are injured on the job receive the medical and indemnity benefits they deserve. My practice is dedicated to serving injured workers and my background working for carriers and employers, uniquely qualifies me to effectively evaluate and manage your claim to resolution.  Clients can expect personalized attention from during each stage their claim.    

My family includes my husband, David, and our two boys Wyatt and James.  I am an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church.  I am also a devoted member of both my children’s PTAs.  When I’m not working, I play tennis, tutor/mentor at my children’s schools and walk with my sweet dog, Frieda.  

Peter concentrates his practice in workers’ compensation and mediation, representing the rights of injured workers. Peter obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 1999. He was commissioned as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service 2000. Peter was assigned to the New York Field office and served in both special protective and investigative missions for the U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security while he was an agent. Peter returned home to South Carolina to attend law school and received his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2007. Peter has represented clients in hundreds of workers’ compensation trials, including appeals before South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court. Peter has argued and litigated all types of disputed workers’ compensation matters, including occupational exposure, repetitive trauma, brain injuries as well as workers’ compensation matters that involve third party liens and subrogation claims. Peter is also a certified Circuit Court Mediator in South Carolina.

As a partner at Smith, Born, Leventis, Taylor & Vega, attorney Peter Leventis focuses his entire practice on South Carolina workers’ compensation and protecting the rights of injured workers. In 2018, he published a book titled “From Accident to Award” on South Carolina workers’ compensation laws.

“It’s my honor and privilege to help people out due to hard circumstances that are created by the complications from both medical treatment and finances in work-related matters,” said Leventis. “If we can help you, please give us a call.”

Leventis recently taught a continuing legal education (CLE) course for the S.C. State Bar Association’s “on-demand” courses. His hour-long seminar, “South Carolina Workers’ Compensation: Beyond Title 42,” is designed for South Carolina attorneys who focus on workers’ compensation. It covers a number of areas that go beyond the workers’ compensation rules and regulations outlined in Title 42 of the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Code of Laws. Check it out or sign up for the course.