James L. Ward Jr. - Rock Hill, SC
Attorney at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC
Mass Torts Lawyers in Rock Hill, SC
1539 Health Care Drive Rock Hill, SC 29732
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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29
Years
Experience
Rock Hill Mass Torts Lawyer
Updated: 03/10/2026
Areas of Practice
- Mass Torts
- Class Actions
- Personal Injury
- Products Liability
- Commercial Litigation
Attorney Information
Overview
James L. Ward, Jr. is a member of the firm’s consumer class action team, which seeks justice for individuals, businesses, and governmental entities who have been harmed by dangerous, deceptive and illegal business practices. Ward also handles a variety of catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases.
His interest in law was evident at a young age. A native of Saluda, South Carolina, Ward’s parents owned a store across from the town’s courthouse. He spent his formative years observing legal proceedings and speaking to the attorneys and staff who worked there.
Ward began his career with two predominantly defense firms, Sinkler & Boyd in Columbia and Smith, Helms, Mulliss & Moore in Charlotte. His passion for helping people who have been wronged brought him to RPWB, which he joined shortly after the firm was founded.
Experience on both sides of the courtroom has given Ward superior insight into how defendants approach cases and the strategies they employ. He leverages this understanding with RPWB’s intellectual capital, experience with complex cases, and organizational resources in order to achieve the best possible outcome for his clients.
Ward is married with two children. Among his many professional accolades, he is five-time champion of the RPWB Cup (an office triathlon of bocce ball, corn hole, and ladder golf) and two-time champion of the RPWB College Football Fantasy League.
The Ward family supports numerous causes, including the local breast cancer charity Share Our Suzy and the Charleston Miracle League, a recreational baseball league for children and adults with physical and mental challenges.
Representative Cases
The Board of County Commissioners of Douglas County, Kansas et al. vs. McKesson Corporation
The nation’s largest pharmaceutical wholesaler conspired with a drug-pricing data company to artificially inflate the prices of brand name drugs. Ward served as co-lead counsel of this class action, representing governmental entities with self-insured employee health plans affected by the pricing. This case settled for $82 million in 2011.
Airline Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation
Ward is co-lead counsel in a class action against Delta Air Lines and Air Tran Airways. The two airlines are accused of colluding to implement baggage fees and other profitability measures to the detriment of consumers.
Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution Products Liability Litigation
The contact lens solution ReNu with MoistureLoc was pulled from the market after it was found to cause serious eye injuries. Ward was a member of the lead counsel group in the multi-district litigation seeking compensation for people who sustained injuries from using the product.
Air Crash at Charlotte International Airport
In 2003, an Air Midwest turboprop plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Charlotte/Douglass International Airport, killing all 21 people abroad. Ward served as the plaintiff’s liaison counsel in the multi-district litigation of wrongful death lawsuits filed by surviving family members.
The Church of Christ at Azalea Drive vs. Forest River, Inc. et al.
For several years, a shuttle bus manufacturer failed to properly weigh and label its vehicles. This nationwide warranty class action led to a recall of more than 8,000 buses to improve the safety of the buses commonly used by senior centers, churches, and businesses.
Schreiner et al. vs. Patriarch Partners LLC et al.
In January 2014, workers at fire truck manufacturer American LaFrance learned the plant would be closing immediately and that they would not receive any severance pay, an alleged violation of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. We negotiated a settlement that provided the workers with the equivalent of a six-week severance package.
Lewis vs. Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization
Tobacco farmers in a half-dozen states are seeking to dissolve a cooperative that had been created to facilitate the now discontinued federal price support program. The cooperative accumulated $400 million in assets over the life of the program, which the farmers contend should be refunded to them.
Areas of Practice
- Antitrust & Deceptive Trade
- Business Litigation
- Class Actions
- Consumer Lending
- Employment Class Actions
- General Litigation
- Products Liability
- Vehicle Defects
Admissions
- 1997, South Carolina
- 1997, North Carolina
- 1997, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
- 1997, U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina
- 2001, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina
- 2002, U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
- 1999, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Education
- University of South Carolina, J.D., cum laude, 1997
- The Citadel, B.A., magna cum laude, 1994
Professional Memberships
- James L. Pettigru Inn of Court
- Martindale Hubbell Rated: AV
- North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina State Bar
- South Carolina Association for Justice
- South Carolina Bar
- The American Association for Justice
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Martindale Hubbell Rated: AV
- Recipient President’s Award, South Carolina Association for Justice, 2010 - Present
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America (2018-2022) for Plaintiffs’ Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions (Charleston, SC “Lawyer of the Year” 2018 and 2021), Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury Litigation, and Plaintiffs’ Product Liability Litigation
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America (2016-2017) for Plaintiffs’ Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions and Plaintiffs’ Product Liability Litigation
- Included in South Carolina Super Lawyers for Class Action/Mass Torts (2020-2021)
- Recipient of the Silver Compleat Lawyer Award given by the University of South Carolina School of Law Alumni Association to recognize alumni for outstanding civic and professional accomplishments (2011)
- Recipient of “Forty Under 40” award as one of the top forty community leaders under the age of forty as selected by the Charleston Regional Business Journal
- Graduate of the ABA TIPS National Trial Academy (May 2000)
Other Sources of Feedback About James L. Ward Jr.
Included on the 2026 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2024 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2022 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2021 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2020 South Carolina Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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University of South Carolina School of Law,
Columbia,
South Carolina, 1997
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Order of the Coif
Honors: Order of Wig and Robe
Law Review: South Carolina Law Review, Editorial Staff Member and Keeper of the Wit
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University of South Carolina School of Law,
Columbia,
South Carolina, 1997
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Non Legal Education
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The Citadel, 1994
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Major: Political Science
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The Citadel, 1994
Past Positions
- Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC Mt., Pleasant, South Carolina, Member, 2008 - 2016
- Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC Mt., Pleasant, South Carolina, Managing Attorney, 2004 - 2016
- Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC Mt., Pleasant, South Carolina, Litigation Associate, 2002 - 2007
- Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC (f/k/a Smith Helms Mulliss & Moore, LLP), Charlotte, North Carolina, Litigation Associate, 2000 - 2002
- Sinkler & Boyd, PA (n/k/a Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA), Columbia, South Carolina, Litigation Associate, 1997 - 2000
Representative Cases
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Class Counsel and Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, Lightsey v. South Carolina Electric & Gas, Case No. 2017-CP-25-335 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, and Santee Cooper Liability Counsel, Cook v. South Carolina Public Service Authority, Case No. 2019-CP-23-06675 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, Snee Farm Lakes Homeowner’s Association, Inc. v. The Commissioner of Public Works of the Town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Case No. 2018-CP-10-2764 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, Green v. Carolina Truck Driving School, LLC, Case No. 2019-CP-20-302 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee, In re: Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System Products Liability Litigation (No. II), MDL Docket No. 2816 (M.D. Pa.).
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Co-Lead Counsel, In re Airline Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation, C.A. No. 1:09-md-2089-TCB (N.D. Ga.).
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Co-Lead Counsel, In re McKesson Governmental Entities Average Wholesale Price Litigation, C.A. No. 1:08-CV-11349-PBS (D. Mass.).
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Class Counsel, Lewis v. Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization, Case Nos. 05-CVS-188 and 05-CVS-1938 (N.C. Sup. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, Ferrell v. Horry Electric Cooperative, Case No. 2011-CP-26-1266 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, In re Community Bank of Northern Virginia Mortgage Lending Practices Litigation, MDL No. 1674 (W.D. Pa.).
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Class Counsel, The Church of Christ at Azalea Drive v. Forest River, Inc., Case No. 2:11-cv-03371-PMD (D.S.C.).
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Class Counsel, Schreiner v. Patriarch Partners, LLC, Case No. 02:14-CV-220-RMG (D.S.C).
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Class Counsel, Worley Investments, LLC v. Berkeley County, South Carolina, Case No. 2015-CP-08-1153 (S.C. Cir. Ct.).
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Class Counsel, Waxler Transp. Co. v. Trinity Marine Prods., Inc., Case No. 49-741 (La. Dist. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Mississippi in State of Mississippi v. Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 2015-1814 (Miss. Chancery Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Mississippi in State of Mississippi v. Cardinal Health, Inc., Case No. 18-692 (Miss. Cir. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Ohio in State of Ohio v. Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 17CI000261 (Ohio Common Pleas Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Arkansas in State of Arkansas v. Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 60CV-18-2018 (Ark. Cir. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Arkansas in State of Arkansas v. Cardinal Health, Inc., Case No. 60CV-19-2795 (Ark. Cir. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Arkansas in State of Arkansas v. Walgreen Co., Case No. 60CV-21-1792 (Ark. Cir. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Louisiana in State of Louisiana v. Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 661638 (La. Dist. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Ohio in Ohio Pub. Employees Ret. Sys. v. McKesson Corp., No. CV-13-2000 (N.D. Cal.).
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Counsel for the State of Utah in State of Utah v. McKesson Corp., No. CV-10-4743 (N.D. Cal.).
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Counsel for the State of Mississippi in State of Mississippi v. McKesson Corp., Case 251-10-862-CIV (Miss. Cir. Ct.).
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Counsel for the State of Mississippi in State of Mississippi v. Abbott Labs., Inc., MDL No. 1456 (D. Mass.).
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Counsel for the State of Oklahoma in State of Oklahoma v. Abbott Labs., Case No. CJ-2010-474 (Okla. Dist. Ct.).
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Law Committee Co-Chair and Discovery Committee Member, In re Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1785 (D.S.C.).
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Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel, In re Air Crash at Charlotte International Airport, MDL No. 1558 (W.D.N.C.).
Bar Admissions
- South Carolina, 1997
- North Carolina, 1997
- U.S. District Court District of South Carolina, 1997
- U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina, 1997
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 2001
- U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina, 2002
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1999
Other Affiliations
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2019 - 2020 (President)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2018 - 2019 (President Elect)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2017 - 2018 (Vice President)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2016 - 2017 (Secretary/Treasurer)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2010 - 2012 (Executive Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2014 - 2021 (Executive Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2010 - 2021 (Board of Governors)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2012 - 2014 (Chairman Public Education and Communications Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2009 - 2021 (Legislative Policy Steering Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2011 - 2012 (Nominating Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2014 - 2015 (Nominating Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2018 - 2021 (Nominating Committee)
- South Carolina Association for Justice, 2009 - 2011 (Chairman Torts and Negligence Section)
- South Carolina Bar, 2014 - Present (House of Delegates)
- South Carolina Bar, 2011 - 2012 (Chairman Tort and Insurance Practice Section Council)
- South Carolina Bar (Judicial Qualifications Committee (former member))
- Judicial Conference of the Fourth Circuit (Permanent Member)
- American Association for Justice (National Finance Council (former member))
- North Carolina Bar Association
- James L. Petigru Inn of Court, 2015 - 2017 (President)
- James L. Petigru Inn of Court, 2014 - 2015 (President Elect)
- James L. Petigru Inn of Court, 2013 - 2019 (Executive Committee)
- James L. Petigru Inn of Court, 2013 - 2014 (Membership Chairman)
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