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Cory E. Manning
Partner
1320 Main Street
17th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201
19191 South Vermont Avenue
Suite 900
Torrance, CA 90502
Born and raised in central Iowa, Cory attended college on a Division I wrestling scholarship and is well acquainted with hard work and grit. He continues to summon these qualities when providing legal advice to his clients. Cory practices in the areas of business litigation, corporate internal and regulatory investigations, securities litigation, and class action...
Born and raised in central Iowa, Cory attended college on a Division I wrestling scholarship and is well acquainted with hard work and grit. He continues to summon these qualities when providing legal advice to his clients. Cory practices in the areas of business litigation, corporate internal and regulatory investigations, securities litigation, and class action defense. He has been with the firm since 2005 and is the former chair of the Firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations.
defense. He has been with the firm since 2005 and is the former chair of the Firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
Recent Experience Spotlight: Practitioner, Teacher, and Author re Business Torts and Commercial Litigation
Not only does Cory represent individuals and entities in business tort and commercial litigation disputes, but he also teaches a course called Business Torts at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and he recently published a book entitled South Carolina Business Torts. This book (published in late 2021 by the South Carolina Bar) is intended to be a manual for the practitioner and discusses the primary causes of action that come up in business tort and commercial litigation disputes. It also contains snippets, comments, and practice pointers from the author’s more than 20 years litigating commercial and business tort disputes.
Experience:
- Practice involves litigation, negotiation, and counseling services in both civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, including parallel proceedings
- Has represented clients in state and federal courts, state and federal administrative tribunals, self–regulatory organization tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution settings
- Has advised public and private companies and their officers and directors on a broad range of issues regarding litigation risk–reduction strategies, commercial contracts, fiduciary duties, and corporate compliance matters
- Has conducted more than 30 internal investigations in the last 20 years on behalf of corporate boards and board committees into allegations of possible misconduct, including the following:
- Sarbanes–Oxley compliance
- government procurement fraud (FCA)
- securities fraud
- insurance fraud
- bank fraud
- insider trading
- accounting irregularities
- discriminatory employment practices
- With respect to his securities experience, in 2018 the South Carolina Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari in a case where the South Carolina Court of Appeals found that Cory’s client’s due process rights were violated, because the South Carolina Securities Division (and by extension the Attorney General, who acts as the Securities Commissioner) lacked and procedural rules for the quasi–administrative hearings held within the Division. McIntyre v. Securities Commissioner of South Carolina, 823 S.E.2d 193 (S.C. Ct. App. 2018), cert denied (June 28, 2019). The panel even cited Caligula’s “rulings on high” in making its point.
- One of the most distinguishing features in the administration of the Emperor Caligula, whose name is proverbial for his tyranny, was, that he caused his edicts to be suspended so high that they could not be read by his subjects. 823 S.E.2d at 199. View the opinion here.
- Has advised and defended financial advisors and broker dealers in transition matters (including temporary injunctions, trade secret claims, and raiding claims) in state and federal courts and in front of FINRA
- Has developed experience in several areas, including securities litigation, complex commercial litigation, internal investigations, officer and director liability, merger and acquisition litigation, trade secret litigation, class action and derivative litigation, broker–dealer litigation, and regulatory enforcement actions – e.g., FINRA, SEC, OCC, FTC, FDIC, and various state regulatory agencies.
Previous Professional Experience:
- Practiced law at Cooley Godward LLP in Palo Alto, CA (2000–2005) representing individuals and entities (public and private) in various commercial civil litigation and governmental investigation matters.
- Practiced law at Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole (n/k/a Motley Rice) in Charleston, SC representing state attorneys general in the Medicaid recoupment litigation against the tobacco industry (1997–1999)
Education
-
University of Iowa College of Law,
JD,
with Distinction
(1997)
- Articles and Book Review Editor, Iowa Law Review
- University of Northern Iowa, BA, Political Science, magna cum laude (1993)
Admissions
- California
- South Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Clerkships
- Judicial Clerk, the Honorable Robert M. Parker, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1999 - 2000)
Practice Areas
Industries
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
Recent Experience Spotlight: Practitioner, Teacher, and Author re Business Torts and Commercial Litigation
Not only does Cory represent individuals and entities in business tort and commercial litigation disputes, but he also teaches a course called Business Torts at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and he recently published a book entitled South Carolina Business Torts. This book (published in late 2021 by the South Carolina Bar) is intended to be a manual for the practitioner and discusses the primary causes of action that come up in business tort and commercial litigation disputes. It also contains snippets, comments, and practice pointers from the author’s more than 20 years litigating commercial and business tort disputes.
Experience:
- Practice involves litigation, negotiation, and counseling services in both civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, including parallel proceedings
- Has represented clients in state and federal courts, state and federal administrative tribunals, self–regulatory organization tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution settings
- Has advised public and private companies and their officers and directors on a broad range of issues regarding litigation risk–reduction strategies, commercial contracts, fiduciary duties, and corporate compliance matters
- Has conducted more than 30 internal investigations in the last 20 years on behalf of corporate boards and board committees into allegations of possible misconduct, including the following:
- Sarbanes–Oxley compliance
- government procurement fraud (FCA)
- securities fraud
- insurance fraud
- bank fraud
- insider trading
- accounting irregularities
- discriminatory employment practices
- With respect to his securities experience, in 2018 the South Carolina Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari in a case where the South Carolina Court of Appeals found that Cory’s client’s due process rights were violated, because the South Carolina Securities Division (and by extension the Attorney General, who acts as the Securities Commissioner) lacked and procedural rules for the quasi–administrative hearings held within the Division. McIntyre v. Securities Commissioner of South Carolina, 823 S.E.2d 193 (S.C. Ct. App. 2018), cert denied (June 28, 2019). The panel even cited Caligula’s “rulings on high” in making its point.
- One of the most distinguishing features in the administration of the Emperor Caligula, whose name is proverbial for his tyranny, was, that he caused his edicts to be suspended so high that they could not be read by his subjects. 823 S.E.2d at 199. View the opinion here.
- Has advised and defended financial advisors and broker dealers in transition matters (including temporary injunctions, trade secret claims, and raiding claims) in state and federal courts and in front of FINRA
- Has developed experience in several areas, including securities litigation, complex commercial litigation, internal investigations, officer and director liability, merger and acquisition litigation, trade secret litigation, class action and derivative litigation, broker–dealer litigation, and regulatory enforcement actions – e.g., FINRA, SEC, OCC, FTC, FDIC, and various state regulatory agencies.
Previous Professional Experience:
- Practiced law at Cooley Godward LLP in Palo Alto, CA (2000–2005) representing individuals and entities (public and private) in various commercial civil litigation and governmental investigation matters.
- Practiced law at Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole (n/k/a Motley Rice) in Charleston, SC representing state attorneys general in the Medicaid recoupment litigation against the tobacco industry (1997–1999)
Media
Recognitions
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Commercial Litigation (2016–2025)
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2023)
- Litigation – Securities (2023–2025)
- "Acritas Star" by Acritas (2019)
- AV® Martindale Preeminent, Overall Peer Rating in Litigation, Business Law and Commercial Law
- Columbia Business Monthly "Legal Elite of the Midlands"
- Business Litigation (2020)
- Corporate Investigations (2020–2024)
Professional Activities
- American Law Institute, Elected Member (2015)
- Members Consultative Group, Torts: Liability for Economic Harm
- Litigation and Business Law Sections, American Bar Association (2005–present)
- Former Chair, Business Law Section’s Subcommittee on Business Courts (2010–2013)
Community
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Corporate Walk Chair for Light the Night 2021
- Adjunct Professor, Business Torts, University of South Carolina Law School (2013–present)
- Board of Trustees Member, Central Carolina Community Foundation (2011–2018, 2019–present), Chair of the Board (2023–present), Executive Committee (2015–2018, 2020–present), Vice-Chair (2020–2023),
- Board of Directors, Fact Forward (2018–present)
- Board of Trustees, Historic Columbia (2022-present)
- Former Vice President, Board Member, South Carolina Philharmonic (2007–2012)
Leadership
- "Leadership in Law" award, South Carolina Lawyers Weekly (2017)
- Riley Institute, Diversity Leaders Initiative, Midlands Class of 2017
- Chosen by The State newspaper to receive the “20 Under 40” Achievement Award in recognition of his professional achievements and community leadership (January 2010)
Born and raised in central Iowa, Cory attended college on a Division I wrestling scholarship and is well acquainted with hard work and grit. He continues to summon these qualities when providing legal advice to his clients. Cory practices in the areas of business litigation, corporate internal and regulatory investigations, securities litigation, and class action... defense. He has been with the firm since 2005 and is the former chair of the Firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations.
Experience
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
Recent Experience Spotlight: Practitioner, Teacher, and Author re Business Torts and Commercial Litigation
Not only does Cory represent individuals and entities in business tort and commercial litigation disputes, but he also teaches a course called Business Torts at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and he recently published a book entitled South Carolina Business Torts. This book (published in late 2021 by the South Carolina Bar) is intended to be a manual for the practitioner and discusses the primary causes of action that come up in business tort and commercial litigation disputes. It also contains snippets, comments, and practice pointers from the author’s more than 20 years litigating commercial and business tort disputes.
Experience:
- Practice involves litigation, negotiation, and counseling services in both civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, including parallel proceedings
- Has represented clients in state and federal courts, state and federal administrative tribunals, self–regulatory organization tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution settings
- Has advised public and private companies and their officers and directors on a broad range of issues regarding litigation risk–reduction strategies, commercial contracts, fiduciary duties, and corporate compliance matters
- Has conducted more than 30 internal investigations in the last 20 years on behalf of corporate boards and board committees into allegations of possible misconduct, including the following:
- Sarbanes–Oxley compliance
- government procurement fraud (FCA)
- securities fraud
- insurance fraud
- bank fraud
- insider trading
- accounting irregularities
- discriminatory employment practices
- With respect to his securities experience, in 2018 the South Carolina Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari in a case where the South Carolina Court of Appeals found that Cory’s client’s due process rights were violated, because the South Carolina Securities Division (and by extension the Attorney General, who acts as the Securities Commissioner) lacked and procedural rules for the quasi–administrative hearings held within the Division. McIntyre v. Securities Commissioner of South Carolina, 823 S.E.2d 193 (S.C. Ct. App. 2018), cert denied (June 28, 2019). The panel even cited Caligula’s “rulings on high” in making its point.
- One of the most distinguishing features in the administration of the Emperor Caligula, whose name is proverbial for his tyranny, was, that he caused his edicts to be suspended so high that they could not be read by his subjects. 823 S.E.2d at 199. View the opinion here.
- Has advised and defended financial advisors and broker dealers in transition matters (including temporary injunctions, trade secret claims, and raiding claims) in state and federal courts and in front of FINRA
- Has developed experience in several areas, including securities litigation, complex commercial litigation, internal investigations, officer and director liability, merger and acquisition litigation, trade secret litigation, class action and derivative litigation, broker–dealer litigation, and regulatory enforcement actions – e.g., FINRA, SEC, OCC, FTC, FDIC, and various state regulatory agencies.
Previous Professional Experience:
- Practiced law at Cooley Godward LLP in Palo Alto, CA (2000–2005) representing individuals and entities (public and private) in various commercial civil litigation and governmental investigation matters.
- Practiced law at Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole (n/k/a Motley Rice) in Charleston, SC representing state attorneys general in the Medicaid recoupment litigation against the tobacco industry (1997–1999)
Education
-
University of Iowa College of Law,
JD,
with Distinction
(1997)
- Articles and Book Review Editor, Iowa Law Review
- University of Northern Iowa, BA, Political Science, magna cum laude (1993)
Admissions
- California
- South Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Clerkships
- Judicial Clerk, The Honorable Robert M. Parker, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1999 - 2000)
Practice Areas
- White Collar Defense & Government Investigations
- Commercial Litigation & Business Torts
- Securities & Enforcement
- Directors & Officers Liability Coverage
- Professional Liability
- Qui Tam Litigation
- Anti-Money Laundering
Industries
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Commercial Litigation (2016–2025)
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2023)
- Litigation – Securities (2023–2025)
- "Acritas Star" by Acritas (2019)
- AV® Martindale Preeminent, Overall Peer Rating in Litigation, Business Law and Commercial Law
- Columbia Business Monthly "Legal Elite of the Midlands"
- Business Litigation (2020)
- Corporate Investigations (2020–2024)
- American Law Institute, Elected Member (2015)
- Members Consultative Group, Torts: Liability for Economic Harm
- Litigation and Business Law Sections, American Bar Association (2005–present)
- Former Chair, Business Law Section’s Subcommittee on Business Courts (2010–2013)
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Corporate Walk Chair for Light the Night 2021
- Adjunct Professor, Business Torts, University of South Carolina Law School (2013–present)
- Board of Trustees Member, Central Carolina Community Foundation (2011–2018, 2019–present), Chair of the Board (2023–present), Executive Committee (2015–2018, 2020–present), Vice-Chair (2020–2023),
- Board of Directors, Fact Forward (2018–present)
- Board of Trustees, Historic Columbia (2022-present)
- Former Vice President, Board Member, South Carolina Philharmonic (2007–2012)
- "Leadership in Law" award, South Carolina Lawyers Weekly (2017)
- Riley Institute, Diversity Leaders Initiative, Midlands Class of 2017
- Chosen by The State newspaper to receive the “20 Under 40” Achievement Award in recognition of his professional achievements and community leadership (January 2010)
Highlights from the Firm’s Insights
