Joel Collins co-founded Collins & Lacy, P.C. in 1984. He has devoted his practice to professional liability law, white-collar criminal defense, and complex civil litigation. Joel defends a variety of licensed professionals including healthcare providers, pharmacists, financial advisors, attorneys, and insurance brokers and agents in claims against their job performance. He also has extensive experience with white-collar criminal defense cases involving alleged abuse of federally funded programs, income tax evasion, securities fraud, and racketeering. Joel is skilled in defending complex civil litigation suits involving a variety of civil disputes including professional malpractice, breach of contract, breach of non-compete agreements, and tortious interference with contractual rights.
Upon graduation from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1968, Joel served four years in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAGC) of the United States Army and served one year in Viet Nam with the Americal Division, where he was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medals. Joel also served as an assistant professor of law at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. He then spent two years with the Frankfurt, Germany law firm of O’Haire and Fiore, after which he was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, focusing on the investigation and prosecution of white-collar criminal cases.
In 1982, after three years with a large national firm, Joel established his own South Carolina practice, which later became Collins & Lacy. He has held numerous leadership positions in civic organizations including Rotary, National Safety Council and the ABOTA Foundation, including his current role as President of ABOTA. Joel also enjoys a variety of volunteer activities in the community. Joel’s professional standing and his reputation in the courtroom have led his peers to consider him one of South Carolina’s preeminent attorneys, according to Martindale-Hubbell. He is also honored by South Carolina Super Lawyers© and Best Lawyers in America©, two of the oldest and most respected peer-reviews in the legal profession. In 2012, Primerus honored Joel with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his longtime support and service to Primerus.
Click here for a detailed account of Joel’s life, mission, and dedicated service to South Carolina.
