Cherie Blackburn is a shareholder and Co-Chair of Saxton & Stump’s Labor and Employment group and a member of the Business Litigation and Strategic Solutions and IP Litigation groups, based in the firm’s Charleston office. A seasoned litigator and trusted advisor with over 35 years of experience, Cherie represents clients in employment law, business disputes, and intellectual property litigation.
Cherie’s employment law practice is both preventive and strategic. She regularly assists employers with compliance and litigation avoidance through training, policy and handbook development, wage and hour guidance, and drafting of employment agreements and restrictive covenants. When disputes arise, she represents employers in state and federal courts across South Carolina in cases involving discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination, and other employment-related claims. She also handles litigation involving trade secrets, non-compete enforcement, trademark protection, and commercial litigation for clients.
She also serves as a certified mediator in both South Carolina state and federal courts and frequently helps resolve complex matters outside of litigation. Her clients span industries including hospitality, technology, manufacturing, education, and professional services.
Cherie is widely recognized as a leader in her field. Chambers USA ranks her for Labor & Employment law in South Carolina, and Best Lawyers in America has included her since 2005 in five distinct practice areas, naming her “Lawyer of the Year” in the Charleston area on multiple occasions. She has been listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers for Employment and IP Litigation since 2008 and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
In 2013, the University of South Carolina School of Law awarded her its prestigious Compleat Lawyer Gold Award, which honors alumni who demonstrate outstanding professional competence and ethics. Earlier in her career, she received the Claude M. Scarborough Award for her commitment to pro bono service.
Cherie is an active contributor to the legal community and has held leadership roles in the South Carolina Bar, Charleston County Bar Association, American Bar Association, and Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel. A frequent speaker and author, she writes on workplace law, trade secrets, and emerging employment issues.
She earned her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law, her B.A. from Emory University, and an associate’s degree from Oxford College.
