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Tara C. Sullivan

Tara Sullivan is a litigation partner in the Charleston office where her practice focuses on complex commercial, product liability and toxic tort, real estate, and financial services litigation.

In her commercial litigation practice, Tara has represented a diverse group of clients as plaintiffs and defendants in both state and federal courts. She assists clients with diverse business disputes and litigation matters, including claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of warranty, tortious interference with contract, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and trade secret misappropriation. She also counsels business entities with respect to contractual rights, obligations, and disputes.

Tara also has significant products liability experience and regularly defends a broad range of clients, including equipment manufacturers, premises owners, and retailers, in toxic tort and other personal injury claims.  She oversees the defense of a mass number of repetitive cases filed against her clients in South Carolina courts and ensures a strong and coordinated defense for her clients.

In her real estate litigation practice, Tara has represented a diverse group of clients, including developers, commercial landlords, sellers, and purchasers, in a variety of disputes and litigation matters.  Her experience includes eminent domain/condemnation defense, lease disputes, disputes regarding purchase and sales agreements, and construction defect defense.   

Tara also has significant experience in financial services litigation and has represented various lenders in consumer and commercial collection and foreclosure litigation. She has routinely defended lenders against borrowers' claims for violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, RESPA, TILA, and various state consumer protection laws as well as claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair trade practices, negligent misrepresentation, unauthorized practice of law, fraud, and wrongful dispossession of personal property following foreclosure. She has also represented financial institutions in connection with licensing requirements and alleged securities fraud.

Tara has also represented motor vehicle manufacturers in the litigation arising from the manufacturer-dealer relationship, franchise law and disputes, and antitrust regulation.

Tara also has experience in appellate litigation, having argued a number of cases before both the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court.

Prior to joining K&L Gates, Tara was an associate at a national law firm based in South Carolina.

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Commercial Litigation, 2021–2022
  • Charleston Regional Business Journal, Forty Under 40, 2018
  • American Bar Association
  • South Carolina Bar Association
  • Charleston County Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association, South Carolina Chapter
  • American Heart Association, Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team, 2020-2022
  • Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Charleston Class of 2020
  • Defense Research Institute
  • South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys’ Association
  • Ellevate, Global Professional Women’s Network
  • National Association of Women Lawyers
  • South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
  • Pet Helpers, Volunteer
  • Trident United Way, Women United and Young Philanthropists Society
  • Past Involvement:
    • Richland County Bar Association, Public Service Committee
    • Palmetto Center for Women, Board of Directors
    • HELP Homeless Legal Clinic, Volunteer
  • Speaker, “Regulatory Environment Affecting Banks,” Charlotte, NC, September 2016
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