Burnette Shutt & McDaniel welcomes attorney Jack E. Cohoon
A determined advocate and experienced attorney with a track record of moving law forward, Jack E. Cohoon has joined Burnette Shutt & McDaniel.
His practice includes employment law, civil rights, appeals, and administrative law. He’s a skilled litigator who will fight for clients for as long as it takes, whether in the courtroom or before a state or federal agency.
“We love the experience and determination Jack brings to our firm and to our clients,” firm co-founder Nekki Shutt said. “We’re excited about working with him as he continues to fight to move law forward.”
An experienced employment lawyer
Cohoon worked for nearly 14 years in the Columbia office of South Carolina Legal Services before coming to Burnette Shutt & McDaniel. He rose to the positions of senior litigator and head of the Employment Unit.
His practice focused on helping clients with employment law issues such as discrimination, unpaid wages, unemployment benefits denials, wrongful termination, and occupational licensing issues.
He also fought to remove barriers to employment, working to obtain pardons, reopen criminal convictions, expunge criminal records, and correct errors in criminal records. He successfully filed a lawsuit under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act after a client was denied a job opportunity due to an erroneous background report.
He’s battled state and federal agencies for clients in cases that changed policies and procedures for them and others.
He successfully challenged the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s practice of listing non-payment of child support on criminal records. That policy caused problems for those undergoing pre-employment background checks.
Cohoon filed a federal civil rights action challenging the state’s $50 charge for an ID card for people with certain criminal convictions. As a result of the suit, the state Legislature removed the fee.
He developed clinics covering criminal records and driver’s license that now are models throughout South Carolina. He’s also taught numerous continuing legal education seminars on topics such as pardons, unemployment benefits, and representing clients in administrative proceedings.