Attorneys
Kevin W. Sturm
Mr. Sturm has been practicing law for over 20 years and has extensive experience representing local, regional and national employers, as well as public employers, in all aspects of labor and employment law. In his practice, he deals with both federal and state laws affecting the employer-employee relationship including employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, wage and hour, and workplace safety. He also represents public and private entities in environmental law matters and in tort litigation.
In order to assist employers in avoiding expensive litigation, Mr. Sturm emphasizes preventive counseling to ensure every effort has been made to comply with applicable laws and avoid conflict. However, knowing that litigation often cannot be avoided, he assists employers in putting themselves in the best possible position to defend claims by employees. Mr. Sturm’s practice also emphasizes preventive maintenance for employers. In that regard, he has conducted numerous audits of company employment practices and policies, as well as compliance with applicable environmental and workplace safety and health laws. In addition, his practice includes the presentation of training classes, seminars and workshops on employment, environmental and workplace safety and health issues.
Mr. Sturm is an honors graduate of the University of Akron (B.A., summa cum laude, 1981) and the University of Akron School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1984). While in law school, he was a member of the Honor Court and the Case and Comment Editor for the Akron Law Review. He is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in South Carolina as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is the former Chairman of the Western Carolinas Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association and a former member of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Occupational Safety Council. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Carolina Country Club. Finally, Mr. Sturm is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association (Employment and Labor Law Section; Environment and Natural Resources Section), the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section), the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association and the Spartanburg County Bar Association.
Mr. Sturm holds an AV rating, the highest designation offered by Martindale-Hubbell®, a professional legal organization.
Patrick L. Cont
Mr. Cont has been practicing law for over 15 years and has extensive experience representing local, regional and national employers in business immigration law matters as well as employment and labor law. Mr. Cont has worked with numerous domestic and multinational corporations to secure U.S. work visas and permanent residency for their employees. His representation of clients in the area of immigration law includes developing corporate immigration strategies to meet staffing needs. Mr. Cont also frequently advises clients on employment verification issues and conducts I-9 audits. In addition to his immigration practice, he routinely represents employers in the area of labor and employment law and has represented numerous employers in the Southeast during union campaigns and with other labor relations issues.
Mr. Cont is a frequent lecturer on labor, employment and immigration law topics. He has been a presenter at the Society of Human Resource Management's National Conference for the past seven years. He has also been a speaker at the SHRM Global Forum and has presented sessions for the American Rental Association's National Conference. Additionally, he frequently speaks at statewide SHRM conferences and at other trade organization meetings. Mr. Cont has been selected by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2007”, for Immigration Law and Labor and Employment Law. Mr. Cont was also selected for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America 2006.” Earlier in his career, Mr. Cont served as the first Law Clerk to the Honorable Paul M. Burch, Circuit Court Judge. Of Swiss descent, Patrick is fluent in the Swiss-German language.
Mr. Cont is a graduate of Wofford College (B.A., 1988) and the University of South Carolina (J.D., 1991). He is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in South Carolina. Mr. Cont currently serves on the Board of the South Carolina Association of Residential Care Homes. He is past President of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Spartanburg. Mr. Cont was a former member of the Spartanburg West Rotary Club where he served as a board member. Mr. Cont is a graduate of Leadership Spartanburg. Finally, Mr. Cont is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, the Spartanburg County Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
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