Lana H. Sims Jr.
Lana H. Sims Jr. joined Adams and Reese in 2013 as a Partner following the firm’s expansion into Columbia.
Practicing law since 1988, Lana is a certified mediator recognized by the Supreme Court of South Carolina, and has experience in state and federal litigation, workers’ compensation, long shore and harbor worker matters. He has experience in workers’ compensation cases in circuit court or federal court actions, and cross-over claims like workers’ compensation claims with third party liability liens, assisting litigants with the resolution of a myriad of disputes, and his depth of experience is a valuable asset both to clients and to the litigants he assists in mediation throughout South Carolina.
Lana is also fluent in Spanish, born and raised in Panama, helpful to civil litigation mediations that may involve Hispanics.
Lana is recognized by his peers among Best Lawyers in Workers’ Compensation Law.
Much of Lana’s career has involved representing employers, self-insured funds, and insurance companies throughout the state. His experience includes representation of clients before the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission and defending clients in matters involving occupational disease and exposure to hazardous materials.
Some of Lana’s representative clients include Accident Fund Insurance Company, Kraft Foods and ESIS/ACE.
Conversationally fluent in Spanish, he’s able to defend workers’ compensation claims involving Spanish-speaking claimants.
Lana’s representative matters include:
- Asbestosis/silica exposure claim involving 7 party defendants
- Contested severe closed head injury claim with third party liens, Social Security and Medicare issues
- Premises liability claim under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act
- Land valuation dispute involving multiple parties
- Nine-year pending claim with both Workers Compensation and Longshore & Harbor Worker Act defendants
Lana’s case verdicts include:
- Robbins v. Walgreens, 652 S.E.2d 90 (S.C. Ct. App. 2007)
- Stephenson v. Rice Services, Inc., 473 S.E.2d 699 (S.C. 1996)
- Fox v. Newberry County Memorial Hospital, 461 S.E.2d 392 (S.C.1995)
- McCreery v. Covenant Presbyterian Church, 400 S.E.2d 130 (S.C. 1990)
Lana began his legal career clerking for the Honorable James E. Moore and later entered private practice with a focus on general civil litigation in South Carolina’s state and federal courts. His experience includes asbestos litigation, breach of contract, premises liability, insurance, real estate and toxic torts.
An active member of the South Carolina Bar, Lana is a past president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Bar and recently served a two-year term as a South Carolina State Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. He has been a member of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Bar since its inception. Lana is past president of the South Carolina Bar Foundation, recently completing a six-year term on its Board of Directors.
In the community, Lana is an active member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church and also participates in the South Carolina Bar program for “iCivics” - taking fundamental civics education into local area middle schools.
Among the people Lana most admires are his parents – his father married his mother while he was serving in the Navy stationed in Panama, and eventually, he became one of the first lobbyists to work at the State House in South Carolina, representing the railroad industry. Lana’s mother was his professional assistant until his death in 1977. She was asked to continue in the role as lobbyist for the SC Railroad Association (and later CSX) and remained until her retirement one of the most respected pioneer female lobbyists in South Carolina and Washington, DC. Their success at work, much as with raising four children, was based on sincerity, strong moral character, and trust.
In his spare time, Lana enjoys playing golf and the guitar.
- AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Columbia, South Carolina 29201