A. Victor Rawl, Jr. is the Managing Partner of the firm's Nebraska offices. Vic is a litigator with broad experience in numerous areas of complex litigation including construction, class action/mass tort, environmental/toxic tort, professional negligence, health care, mortgage foreclosure and bankruptcy, and products liability in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration. Vic has a recognized reputation for his defense of large national builders, product manufacturers, hospitals, and other health care entities.
After receiving his Master of International Business Studies and his Juris Doctor degrees, he served as law clerk to The Honorable P. Michael Duffy, U. S. District Judge, District of South Carolina, from 1995 until he joined McNair Law Firm, P.A. in November 1997. Prior to joining GRSM, Vic was with McNair Law Firm for approximately 20 years, where he was the Chair of their Class Action Practice Group. Vic utilizes his legal experience and business education to evaluate each case individually and to formulate strategies tailored to client-specific needs and goals.
Vic has been highly rated by his peers practicing in his jurisdictions. Vic has been selected as Lawyer of the Year in the area of "Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants” by The Best Lawyers in America® (2021). Vic is also Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated "AV Preeminent" and is rated as a Super Lawyer for "Class Action / Mass Torts" by Super Lawyers Magazine. Vic is also listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation and Construction Law.
Vic’s experience includes the following:
Commercial Litigation/General Liability
Vic has considerable experience handling litigation involving general commercial litigation claims, including contract disputes, shareholder disputes, product liability, breach of warranty, defamation actions, premises liability, class actions, franchise disputes, mechanic's liens, unfair trade practice, civil RICO, trade secret claims, non-compete, and corporate unwind.
Class Action Defense
Vic has substantial class action experience. He has defended class actions in a wide variety of matters, including construction claims, product liability claims, lender liability claims and claims arising under consumer protection statutes. He has litigated class actions in federal courts, state courts and in arbitration. He has both defeated class certification in matters and obtained summary judgement prior to class certification. He has removed class actions to federal court pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act, and he has obtained significant opinions from federal appellate courts blocking class claims in arbitration.
Construction
Vic devotes a significant portion of his practice to the representation of general contractors and other construction related entities. Vic has extensive construction experience, including representing some of the country’s largest national builders. He has experience with a diverse spectrum of matters including construction defects, class actions, product defects, breach of contract claims, breach of warranty claims, alleged errors in design and/or workmanship, mechanic’s liens and construction site accidents. He also represents engineers and architects regarding matters of professional liability. Vic also advises construction entities on employment matters, licensing matters and a variety of other general legal issues.
Environmental/Toxic Tort
Vic has handled the defense of environmental, chemical exposure, asbestos and other "toxic tort" claims in both South Carolina and Nebraska. Vic has experience defending manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers of flavoring products used in food manufacturing. Vic has also defended several entities in asbestos cases in South Carolina and Nebraska.
Product Liability
Vic has defended several clients in product liability matters. He has represented large companies in claims relating to tires, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer electronics, and building products.
Professional Liability
Vic has experience in the defense of professionals, including attorneys, health care providers, architects, engineers, accountants, and directors and officers. He has represented professionals under insurers’ errors and omissions policies and directly.
Health Law
Vic has broad health care experience – including Medicare fraud, qui tam actions, drug and medical device claims, medical negligence, and certificate of need. He has numerous years of experience defending nursing homes in negligence and wrongful death cases. Vic has also represented hospitals and other health care entities in matters ranging from qui tam/Medicare fraud cases to products liability matters, and from certificate of need litigation to shareholder disputes. Medicare fraud, qui tam actions, drug and medical device claims, nursing home claims, and certificate of need.
Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
- U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
- Nebraska
- South Carolina
Memberships
- American Bar Association, State Delegate for Nebraska to the ABA House of Delegates (2020-2023); Nominating Committee (2020-2023)
- Member, South Carolina Bar Association - Board of Governors (2003 - 2005); House of Delegates (2001 - 2010, 2014-2016); President, Young Lawyers Division (2002 - 2003); Articles Editor, South Carolina Lawyer (1997 - 1999)
- Member, American Bar Association - Member of TIPS, Litigation, and Health Law sections
- Member, Tort Trial and Insurance section of the ABA - TIPS NOW Fellow (2003-05); Vice- Chair, Business Litigation Committee; Former Chair, Outreach to State and Local Bars Taskforce
- Member, Nebraska State Bar Association
- Past President, John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court
- Graduate, Leadership Charleston
- Member, Defense Research Institute
- Completed National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) Rocky Mountain Regional Trial Skills training program in Denver, Colorado.
- Completed Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School