R. Taylor Speer

Practice Areas

Taylor advises and litigates for clients on renewable energy matters and represents employers in workplace litigation and immigration.

Energy

Taylor has represented a diverse group of energy sector clients, including major ratepayers, solar developers and special interests, in multiday trials before the South Carolina Public Service Commission. He appeared in Duke Energy's first-ever fully litigated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) trial in South Carolina and also represented a public entity in its proposed development of utility-scale solar.

A frequent contributor to the public dialogue on clean energy, Taylor has been cited as an authority on environmental issues pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Employment

Employers rely on Taylor to protect their interests in litigation involving allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, discrimination as well as violations of fair-housing, wage-and-hour, immigration and consumer protection laws. Taylor tried an employment case to jury verdict in federal court and argued for an employer in a federal court of appeal. In addition, Taylor helps employers access global talent through (IR and EB) green card applications and nonimmigrant visas.

He also advises and counsels businesses on a broad range of multistate business litigation, particularly lawsuits involving business torts and other deals gone bad.

Professional Memberships

Haynsworth-Perry American Inn of Court | Green Ribbon Advisory Committee for City of Greenville | Member of the Board, Conservation Voters of South Carolina | E4 Carolinas: Task Force for South Carolina Clean Energy Industries (formerly South Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance Advisory Committee). | Conservation Voters of South Carolina, Board of Directors

Personal

Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D.) | University of Colorado Leeds School of Business (B.S.)

Career

Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, Taylor was a shareholder in the Greenville office of a regional law firm. Before that, he was partner at a boutique firm in Florida. Taylor served as a law clerk at two different firms while earning his law degree.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar Admissions: South Carolina, Florida