Licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, Matt Gilley counsels employers throughout the region on a full spectrum of federal and state labor and employment matters. 

He has notched wins for companies in trial, arbitration, and on motions.  He has substantial experience handling complex litigation in which multiple parties are involved.

Matt has expertise across many industries and has won favorable results for employers in each:

  • Health Care, Long Term Care, and Assisted Living
  • Private Club Management, including golf clubs
  • Energy
  • Restaurants, particularly the franchisees in the quick-serve segment
  • Telecommunications Manufacturing and Service
  • Employers headquartered or operating abroad, including Asia, Europe, and Latin America. He is conversant in Japanese.
  • PEO companies

Matt remains very involved in community and state affairs:

  • Chair of the Leadership Spartanburg Board of Regents
  • Board of Directors for the Spartanburg Preparatory School
  • Board of Directors for Westgate Family Therapy
  • Board of Directors for the South Carolina Association of Residential Care Homes (SCARCH) (2008-12)
  • Board of Directors for the Hope Center for Children (2008-12) 

He remains active in SCARCH as well as in SCALF, the Carolina Healthcare Association and the National Asia-Pacific Bar Association.

Matt is a regular contributor to the current FordHarrison Blog, EntertainHR, an informative look across the landscape of television, movies, sports and celebrity culture from an employment-law perspective. The website is available at http://blogs.hrhero.com/entertainhr/

Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America - Employment Law - Management (2025)
  • "South Carolina Rising Stars," Super Lawyers magazine (2014-2015)

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  • Health Care, Long Term Care, and Assisted Living: Prevailed in a labor arbitration contesting the termination of an employee for improper patient care.
  • Private Club Management: Obtained a favorable result at a federal trial against a plaintiff claiming wrongful termination from a private club on a variety of legal claims.
  • Energy: Obtained summary judgement on all 49 plaintiffs' claims filed in two related lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina alleging various state law contract, quasi-contract, equitable, and tort claims arising from the plaintiffs' terminations following an investigation by the company into employee misconduct. Recently prevailed a second time when two of the plaintiffs unsuccessfully appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which affirmed the District Court's decision awarding summary judgment in favor of the company and dismissing plaintiffs' claims.
  • Telecommunications, Manufacturing and Service Industry: Represented a national satellite television provider in a disability discrimination claim before the American Arbitration Association.  Following arbitration, obtained a favorable award to the client that allowed the plaintiff only a minimal, nominal recovery.
  • Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets: Represented several clients in non-compete and trade secret litigation in North Carolina and South Carolina courts involving multiple industries. 
Education
  • Emory University School of Law
    J.D., 2001
  • Wake Forest University
    B.A., magna cum laude, 1998
Memberships
  • South Carolina Bar
  • North Carolina State Bar
  • State Bar of Georgia
  • American Bar Association
Bar Admissions
  • Georgia
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee