Michael Edward Atwater

Michael Edward Atwater

4.3
Rating: 5.4

Licensed for 30 years

Litigation Lawyer Practice Areas: Litigation, Criminal Defense, Car Accidents ... +2 more
This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2012
See Details

About Michael

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Litigation 50%

31 years

50%
Car Accident 20%

31 years

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check

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Licenses

Licensed in South Carolina for 30 years

State: South Carolina

Acquired: 1995

Good Standing

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2012

Location

No contact information is available for this lawyer

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The Avvo Rating explained

Michael Edward Atwater's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.3 /5.0

6 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (6) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 5
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 1
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews | General Knowledge

Posted by Johnathan | December 11, 2025 | Hired Attorney

A Great Man and A fighting Man for Your Case

Mr. Atwater has been my attorney for a span of 30 years. Michael goes beyond to help in any situation. He actually acts as a family member who truly cares for his clients. Michael is a very knowledgeable attorney in many aspects. His case load is very heavy but seems to manage to return your question...s very quickly. A great man and a wonderful Attorney. A person who will go toe to toe with anyone he is up against. Also a great Godly man.

Posted by Betty | January 02, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Knowledgeable, Competent Attorney

Michael Atwater came to our aid when we needed him. We were being represented by an attorney who was not fighting for us, who did not seem well equipped to efficiently handle a case in court. He was a kind man but we needed a fighter. Michael Atwater was that man. In our initial conversations he exh...ibited his knowledge of court procedure and arguments to support our stance in our current fight which is a grandparent custody issue. We needed a lawyer able to effectively make his case in the courtroom and we have that in Michael Atwater. I read the negative reviews but most people do not understand how attorneys work on their cases. I worked for an attorney for 5 years and they cannot be available to everyone for every phone call when they represent several clients. We chose Michael Atwater for our needs.

See All Client Reviews

Michael Edward Atwater's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Michael
Ali Ebrahimzadeh headshot
Ali Ebrahimzadeh

Unknown lawyer | Jan 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington headshot
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

Unknown lawyer | Jan 09

Relationship: Other

"If you want the best results look no further. I highly recommend and endorse this lawyer."

Sean Cleary headshot
Sean Cleary

Car accident lawyer | Dec 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer. A brilliant, trustworthy and highly respected attorney in the legal community."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Michael. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

View All Endorsements
Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

General practice lawyer

Sean Cleary headshot
Sean Cleary

General practice lawyer

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

General practice lawyer

Experience

Rating:  5.4 (Average)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2012.

Suspension issued in SC, 2012

updated on 05/13/2013

This means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.

Suspension issued in SC, 2009

updated on 05/13/2013

This means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.

Public Reprimand issued in SC, 2003

updated on 05/13/2013

Public reprimand means an attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The State gives the lawyer a public reprimand in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. Details of the infraction are made part of the public record.

Honors

2023

Elite Lawyer Award 2023 - Civil and Criminal Litigation, Elite Lawyer Advisory Panel

Associations

1996 - Present

South Carolina Association for Justice

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Nail Gun Injury

Plaintiff's verdict. $450,000.00 jury award. Insurance company denied liability and only offered $10,000.00 prior to trial.

Tractor trailer wreck

Settled at mediation for 1.5 million dollars

Premises Liability

Settled for 1.2 million structured to 5.5 miliion over lifetime of minor Plaintiff.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1994

University of South Carolina School of Law

Juris Doctor

Speaking Engagements

2007

Business Law Club Meeting

Law and the Entrepeneur

Languages

Spanish

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2012
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution