Meet Joseph

Joseph D. Dickey, Jr. is a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Columbia office, where he represents businesses, governmental entities, individuals and nonprofit organizations with labor and employment matters and litigation. Joseph serves as outside counsel to clients, advising on corporate matters, including contract review and negotiation, governance and corporate structuring. In addition, he is a certified circuit court mediator.

An advocate for the community, Joseph is serving in his second term as District Four Councilman of the City of West Columbia, where he was first elected in 2019.

Before attending law school, Joseph worked in Fukuoka, Japan, for an economic development firm where he conducted market research to assist in recruiting foreign investment. This experience provided him with valuable insights to better understand Japanese culture, including business practices and being conversant in Japanese.

• University of South Carolina, J.D., 2009
• Clemson University, B.S. and B.A., 2006

• South Carolina, 2011
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2013
• U.S. District Court, South Carolina, 2012

• The Best Lawyers in America© Education Law (2021-2024) and Employment Law - Individuals (2021-2024)
• Best Lawyers® 2022 Employment Law - Individuals "Lawyer of the Year" Columbia
• South Carolina Super Lawyers® Employment & Labor (2020-2024)
• SC Biz News 2024 “New Executives Power List” Honoree
• Columbia Business Monthly "Legal Elite of the Midlands Top Attorney Vote" Employment Law (2023) and International Law (2023)
• Columbia Business Monthly "Legal Elite of the Midlands" Labor & Employment and Education Law (2018-2023) and International Law (2022-2023)
• Columbia Regional Business Journal Icons and Phenoms, 2021 Honoree
• South Carolina Lawyers Weekly 2021 Leadership in Law Award
• The National Black Lawyers Top 40 under 40 in South Carolina (2016-2023) and Top 100 NBL

• South Carolina Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
• Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors (2024-Present)
• University of South Carolina Joseph P. Rice School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Civil Litigation Capstone
• Lexington County Bar Associations
• Richland County Bar Associations
• Autumn’s Way, Co-Founder
• American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
• Japan America Association of South Carolina, Board of Directors
• Congaree Park Homeowners’ Association, Board of Directors
• S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center, former Board Member
• City of Cayce Public Safety Foundation, former Chairman
• City of Columbia Economic Development Advisory Group, former Member
• Columbia Clemson Black Alumni Council, former President
• Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina, Inc., former Board Member
• Midlands Education and Business Alliance, former Board Member
• Salvation Army of the Midlands, former Board Member
• MASC Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government, 2021 Graduate
• Leadership South Carolina, Class of 2015

• “Elephant in the Room: Asking for a Friend,” Panelist, SC SHRM State Conference, September 19, 2024
• “Russian Roulette: Leave, Discipline, or Termination? Which to choose?” SC SHRM State Conference, September 19, 2024
• “HSB Employment Law Webinar: Mid-Year Legislative Update,” June 27, 2024
• “HSB Employment Law Webinar: FLSA Exempt Salary Rule,” April 25, 2024
• Contributing author, “Labor and Employment Law for South Carolina Lawyers, Fifth Edition,” SC Bar
• “Human Resource Law from Start to Finish,” National Business Institute, Employee Handbooks and Policies in the 21st Century, (November 7, 2018)