A. Johnston Cox

Practice Areas

Business & Commercial Litigation

Government Liability

Insurance Coverage

Tort & Personal Injury (TIPS)

Career

A. Johnston Cox is a partner in the firm’s Columbia, South Carolina, office. He received his B.A. degree from Washington & Lee University in 1991 and his J.D. degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1995.

For the past 30 years, his practice has focused on insurance litigation, business litigation and complex personal injury matters. He has litigated cases in these areas as well as declaratory judgment and “bad faith” actions for various insurance industry clients in state and federal courts throughout South Carolina. He has tried over 50 cases to verdict.

Johnston has obtained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for insurance and personal injury law. He has been honored by South Carolina Super Lawyers, a Thomas Reuter publication, for business litigation. Dedicated to the advancement of the legal profession, he received the ADTA President’s Award for Outstanding Service in 2021. He received the South Carolina Leadership in Law Award from the South Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly in 2017. Johnston is the current President of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, having previously served on its Executive Council and National Membership Chair. He is a member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), having previously served on the Admissions Committee and faculty of the FDCC’s Litigation Management College.

Also dedicated to community improvement, Johnston has served various charitable organizations. He previously served as a board member of Senior Resources Inc., the Community Advisory Board for Home Works of America Inc. and currently as a member of the Board of Directors for Home Works of America Inc. – a nonprofit organization enabling more than 40,000 youth and adult volunteers to repair homes for elderly, disabled or veteran homeowners across South Carolina. He also currently serves as a commissioner and Secretary on the City of Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission.

Professional Memberships

Association of Defense Trial Attorneys

-President (2026)

-President-Elect (2025)

-Executive Committee

-Past National Membership Chair

Defense Research Institute (DRI)

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)

Richland County Bar Association

South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association (SCDTAA)

-President (2019-2020)

-Treasurer, (2017)

-Secretary (2016)

-Executive Committee