Meet Perry

Perry MacLennan is a workforce and business lawyer helping companies establish or expand operations in South Carolina and comply with various laws applicable to doing business here. Perry focuses on employment law, economic development incentives, contracts and general corporate matters. He is active in the community and the legal profession.

Perry has a passion for employment law. He regularly blogs about workplace issues at www.scemployersblog.com and counsels clients daily on human resource concerns such as hiring, firing, leave, discrimination, safety and immigration. A skilled litigator when business disputes arise, Perry has argued before the Supreme Court of South Carolina and routinely handles lawsuits in both state and federal court. He has experience representing companies in government investigations from OSHA, the EEOC and the Department of Labor.

Perry also assists companies with economic incentives related to launching or growing their South Carolina presence such as fee in lieu of tax agreements, job development/tax credits and grant funding.

He regularly counsels clients on Fair Housing issues such as housing discrimination and compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act and various HUD regulations. Perry has represented housing providers during fair housing investigations and lawsuits. He also provides advice/counsel to national fair housing training and compliance providers.

• University of South Carolina, J.D., magna cum laude, 2014
• Clemson University, B.A., 2011

• South Carolina, 2014

• The Best Lawyers in America© Commercial Litigation (2024) and Employment Law – Management (2021-2024)
• South Carolina Super Lawyers® "Rising Stars" Employment & Labor (2018-2023)
• South Carolina Lawyers Weekly 2023 Leadership in Law Award
• Charleston Business Magazine “Legal Elite of the Lowcountry” Labor & Employment Law (2020)
• American Bar Association 2020 "On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyer"
• American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division 2018 "Star of the Year"
• Order of the Coif
• Order of the Wig and Robe
• South Carolina Law Review, Associate Editor-in-Chief
• Awarded top overall score in the 2012 Law Review Journal Writing Competition
• Finished in the top 5 of his law school class

• International Association of Young Lawyers, United States National Representative (2019-2022)
• South Carolina Bar Board of Governors (2019-2021), House of Delegates (2019-2021)
• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Human Resources Committee (2017-Present)
• Helping and Lending Outreach Support (HALOS), Board Member (2016-Present)
• South Carolina Economic Development Institute, Class of 2018
• Palmetto Society for Human Resource Management, Board of Directors, General Counsel (2017-2019)
• Clemson University Young Alumni Council, President (2018-2019) 
• American Bar Association, South Carolina Delegate to House of Delegates, Administrative Director of the Young Lawyers Division (2018-2022)
• South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division, President (2020-2021), President-Elect (2019-2020), Secretary-Treasurer (2018-2019) and former member of Special Olympics, Professional Development, Make-a-Wish, ICivics and Bar Convention Committees
• LEADSC, Executive Committee (2016-2018)
• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Discovery Program, Class of 2016

• “Avoiding HR Issues and Pitfalls,” Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation Event, Myrtle Beach, SC, August 10, 2023
• “What does AI mean for HR?,” HSB Blog, August 10, 2023
• “Mid-Year Labor Market Update for Employers,” HSB Blog, July 20, 2023
• “Employee Leave of Absence – A Legal Framework to Analyze Tricky Leave Situations,” Palmetto SHRM July Meeting, North Charleston, SC, July 18, 2023
• “HSB Mid-Year Employment Law Update Webinar,” June 22, 2023
• “The Interaction of Worker’s Compensation, FMLA, and ADAAA,” Coastal Organization of Human Resources (COHR) June Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC, June 6, 2023
• “FMLA and ADA Updates,” Pee Dee SHRM Meeting, Florence, SC, May 16, 2023
• “Tricky Leave Issues: The Intersection of FMLA and ADA,” SC Municipal HR Association Spring Meeting, Columbia, SC, April 27, 2023
• “FTC Proposes Nationwide Ban on Non-Competes,” SC Biz News Webinar, March 2, 2023
• “2023 Employment Law Hot Topics,” HSB Blog, February 14, 2023
• “2023 Employment Law Legislative Preview,” HSB Employment Law Webinar, February 2, 2023
• “Federal Trade Commission Proposes Banning Non-Competes,” HSB Blog, January 6, 2023
• “Economic Development Incentives in South Carolina,” South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA) Advanced Symposium, Lake City, SC, December 16, 2022
• "Employment Contracts - Considerations for Employers," HSB Employment Law Webinar, September 29, 2022
• “2022 Employment and Labor Update,” The Economic Development Partnership, Aiken, SC, July 21, 2022
• “Greenville Starbucks Votes to Unionize,” HSB Blog, June 1, 2022
• “Mid-Year Legislative Update,” HSB Employment Law Webinar Series, May 26, 2022
• “The Future of Employees’ Mobility” (Moderator), AIJA Half-Year Conference, Gothenburg, May 19, 2022
• “LGBTQ Compliance Post-Bostock,” Palmetto SHRM LGBTQ Workshop, Charleston, SC, March 29, 2022
• “Employment Contracts in South Carolina,” 2022 March Academy of the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians, Columbia, SC, March 20, 2022
• “Biden to Sign Law Ending Mandatory Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Cases,” HSB Blog, February 11, 2022
• “HSB Employment Law Legislative Update Webinar,” January 27, 2022
• “U.S. Supreme Court Set to Rule on Vaccine Mandates,” HSB Blog, December 23, 2021
• “OSHA Vaccine Mandate Back On: What You Need to Know,” HSB Blog, December 20, 2021
• “Pay Equity: Common Questions and Best Practices for Employers,” HSB Pee Dee SHRM Employment Law Update, Florence, SC, December 9, 2021
• “Update on the Status of OSHA's Vaccine Mandate,” HSB Blog, November 16, 2021
• ​“What Employers Need to Know About OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard,” HSB 2021 Employment Law Webinar, November 15, 2021
• “OSHA Mandate Vaccine – What Employers Need to Know Under the ETS,” Grace Hill Webinar, November 11, 2021
• “Vaccination Requirements Issued for Employers: What Employers in South Carolina Should Know,” HSB Blog, November 4, 2021
• “Marijuana in the Workplace—to test or not to test?” South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance HR Meeting, October 14, 2021
• “Drug Free Workplaces and Drug Testing in the CBD/Marijuana Environment,” SC SHRM State Conference, September 21, 2021
• “President Biden Asks OSHA to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines,” HSB Blog, September 10, 2021
• “HSB DEI Webinar Series: Pay Equity,” August 19, 2021
• "3 Questions Employers Need to Consider When it Comes to Marijuana in the Workplace,” HSB Blog, June 30, 2021
• “Mid-Year Employment Law Update: Enacted and Pending Legislation, New Cases and Developments, and More!,” HSB 2021 Employment Law Webinar Series, May 27, 2021
• “South Carolina Enacts COVID-19 Liability Safe Harbor Act,” HSB Blog, April 29, 2020
• “Where do we go from here? Applying Lessons Learned from COVID-19 to the Workplace Post-Pandemic,” HSB 2021 Employment Law Webinar Series, April 22, 2021
• “Legislative Update,” Pee Dee SHRM, April 20, 2021
• “Economic Development Incentives in South Carolina,” South Carolina Economic Development Institute, Beaufort, SC, March 11, 2021
• “COVID and Employment Law Trends,” South Carolina Association of Veterinarians Virtual Annual Meeting, March 7, 2021
• “What Employers Can Expect from the Biden Administration and 2021 South Carolina Legislative Session,” HSB 2021 Employment Law Webinar Series, January 28, 2021
• “FFCRA Not Extended, But Credits Still Available,” HSB Blog, December 29, 2020
• “EEOC – Employers Can Require Proof of COVID Vaccination, with Some Exceptions,” HSB Blog, December 16, 2020
• “HR Trends: Don’t Let COVID-19 Distract You From Other Important Developments,” Pee Dee SHRM Webinar, December 2, 2020
• “Strategies for Staying Union-Free,” Oconee Economic Alliance, December 1, 2020
• “HR Trends: Don’t Let COVID-19 Distract You From Other Important Developments,” Anderson University Virtual HR On Purpose Conference, November 12, 2020
• “What Employers Need to Know About Politics in the Workplace,” Anderson University Virtual HR On Purpose Conference, November 10, 2020
• “Politics and the Workplace – Employers, Do You Have a Policy?,” HSB Blog, November 3, 2020
• “Run it by Legal” (Panelist), South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance HR Professionals Virtual Annual Meeting, September 2, 2020
• “COVID-19 Update for Employers,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, August 25, 2020
• “COVID-19 and Its Impact on Employment Law,” Southern Law Network, August 20, 2020
• “Federal Court Strikes Down Portions of FFCRA Regulations,” HSB Blog, August 5, 2020
• “COVID-19 Update,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, July 8, 2020
• “South Carolina Passes Lactation Support Act,” HSB Blog, July 6, 2020
• “DHEC Issues New Guidance for Employers,” HSB Blog, June 30, 2020
• “COVID Legal Update,” Cherokee HR Group Webinar, June 25, 2020
• “Supreme Court Finds Title VII Prohibits LGBTQ Discrimination,” HSB Blog, June 16, 2020
• “HSB COVID-19 Update,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, June 3, 2020
• “COVID-19 Employment Contract FAQs in the U.S.,” Legalmondo, May 27, 2020
• “Employment Practices: What Employers Need to Know when Managing Employees – Pay Reduction,” SC Chamber’s Business in the Era of COVID-19: A Guide for Moving Your Business Forward, May 20, 2020
• “SBA Issues New Interim Rule on Foreign Affiliates,” HSB Blog, May 18, 2020
• “Creating a Successful Return to Work Strategy,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, May 13, 2020
• Return to Work Plan,” Independent Banks of SC (IBSC) Webinar, May 11, 2020
• “Transatlantic Trends from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Paycheck Protection Program,” HSB Blog, May 8, 2020
• “PPP Safe Harbor Repayment Deadline Extended, Treasury Promises Additional Guidance,” HSB Blog, May 6, 2020
• “COVID-19 and FFCRA Check-in for Employers,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, April 22, 2020
• “COVID-19 Considerations,” Pee Dee SHRM Virtual Meeting, April 21,2020
• “Answering Your Questions about the Paycheck Protection Program,” HSB Webinar, April 20, 2020
• “Comprehensive Overview of the Paycheck Protection Program,” HSB Blog, April 14, 2020
• “The SBA's PPP Loan - Qualifying and Processing for Foreign-Owned Corporations,” HSB Webinar, April 9, 2020
• “Supporting Domestic Violence Survivors During COVID-19,” Grace Hill Webinar, April 8, 2020
• “COVID-19 Tax Credits How To: Qualifying and Processing,” HSB and Synergi Partners Webinar, April 7, 2020
• “FFCRA and CARES Act,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series, April 1, 2020
• “Being the Best Employer Possible During These Times – Part II,” Together SC Webinar, April 1, 2020
• “How to Shift to a Remote Workforce,” SC Chamber of Commerce Webinar, March 31, 2020
• “CARES ACT Stimulus Bill and Paycheck Protection Program,” HSB Blog, March 30, 2020
• “COVID-19 Essentials: COVID-19 Health & Safety Best Practices for Multifamily,” Grace Hill Webinar, March 26, 2020
• “Small & Midsize Businesses May Be Able to Swiftly Recover Cost of Coronavirus-related Leave,” HSB Blog, March 26, 2020
• “COVID-19 Essentials: Unpacking the Family First Coronavirus Response Act for Multifamily,” Grace Hill Webinar, March 25, 2020
• “Be The Best Employer You Can Be During This Time,” Together SC Webinar, March 25, 2020
• “DOL Issues Guidance on Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” HSB Blog, March 25, 2020
• “COVID-19 and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” HSB 2020 Employment Law Webinar Series
• “COVID-19 Update: Families First Coronavirus Response Act Takes Effect April 2, 2020,” HSB Blog, March 19, 2020
• “COVID-19 Update: Department of Labor Issues Guidance and Congress Considers Paid Leave,” HSB Blog, March 18, 2020
• “Serving on Non-Profit Boards: Tips for Young Lawyers,” American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Webinar, January 29, 2020
• “Ask the Attorney” (Panelist), HSB 2019 Employment Law Seminar Series
• “Pay Equity,” HSB 2019 Employment Law Seminar Series
• "Offer Letters and Employment Contracts: The Terms of Employment," HSB 2019 Employment Law Seminar Series
• "Creating a Workplace that Works for Everyone," Anderson University's Beyond Compliance: Innovative Workplace Strategies for the Future, March 26, 2019
• "Marijuana & Multifamily: Current Legal Guidelines for Multifamily Executives," Grace Hill Webinar, March 14, 2019