Pierce T. MacLennan

Shareholder  |  Charleston  |  Florence

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.

Education
  • University of South Carolina, J.D., magna cum laude, 2014
  • Clemson University, B.A., 2011
Admissions
  • South Carolina, 2014
Honors and Awards
  • 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
Professional and Civic Activities
  • 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
Presentations and Publications