J. Walker Coleman IV

J. Walker Coleman IV is a Partner in Dentons' Employment & Labor practice, based in Charleston, South Carolina. He has been a go-to lawyer for clients' most sensitive, high-profile, and high-stakes employment and labor disputes for over 30 years.

He primarily litigates complex employment, labor, restrictive covenant, and trade secret misappropriation disputes throughout the United States and abroad, and has significant class and collective action experience. He represents companies in government and internal investigations, and assists domestic and international companies with economic development projects, including tax incentives and immigration-related issues. His practice includes defending companies in litigation relating to employment discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, wrongful termination, trade secret misappropriation, and unfair labor practices. He routinely counsels employers on leave issues, employment policies, reductions in force, executive terminations, and union avoidance, and has appeared before the EEOC, the US Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, and state agencies.

Walker holds a J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law (1993) and a B.A. from Clemson University (1986). Prior to law school, he served as an intelligence officer in the US Navy, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

He is recognized by Chambers USA for Labor & Employment in South Carolina (2010–2026), by The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, and has been named to the South Carolina Super Lawyers list. He was named "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation – Labor and Employment (2022) and Employment Law – Management (2021) in Charleston.