John Dodds

John is a trial lawyer who was born and raised in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The son of a local attorney, John knew from an early age that he wanted to advocate on behalf of those in need of guidance and representation throughout the legal process.

John received his undergraduate degree from Tufts University, where he was a member of the varsity football team. After college, John attended the Charleston School of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude, was an active member of the Charleston Law Review and Trial Advocacy Board, and served as a Teaching Fellow in the Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing Department. Following law school, John clerked for the Honorable Edgar W. Dickson of the First Judicial Circuit. During his clerkship, John gained invaluable legal research and writing skills and was able to provide a hands-on contribution to the judicial decision-making process. John thereafter joined a well-respected defense litigation firm in Charleston and litigated a wide array of cases, including wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, products liability, construction defect, and insurance bad faith. While practicing as a defense attorney, John handled all facets of complex litigation and tried numerous cases to verdict in both state and federal court.

Since joining Yarborough Applegate in November 2021, John has helped his clients recover millions of dollars to compensate them for their injuries and damages. These results have stemmed from cases involving workplace accidents, dram shop/victims of drunk driving, tractor-trailer collisions, negligent security, and premises liability. Some of the results include:

• $23 million settlement resulting from a tractor-trailer collision
• $15.75 million settlement resulting from a workplace accident
• $10 million settlement resulting from a UTV rollover
• $6.5 million settlement resulting from a tractor-trailer collision
• $3.5 million settlement resulting from a defective glass shower door.

John has been recognized and selected by his peers in South Carolina as a “Rising Star” in the Super Lawyers publication for Plaintiff’s civil litigation. John also recently co-authored Dealing with Objections to Written Discovery: The Modern Approach to Discovery Objections in South Carolina State and Federal Courts. His prior experience as a defense attorney has provided him with valuable insight in dealing with insurance companies who are actively fighting against his injured clients, and his clients can depend on him to solve problems and manage their cases throughout the complexities of the legal system.