A History of Our Firm.

2008


  • Derfner & Altman moves into mod-urban offices it converted from former storage space above the Charleston storefront that housed Altman Furniture Co. from 1928 to 2006. (The furniture store was a fixture on upper King Street, and one of Charleston's longest running retail merchants - originally founded by Derfner & Altman partner Samel Altman's father and two uncles.) Derfner & Altman's retrofitted workspace will be the firm's permanent home.

  • The book "On the Global Waterfront, The Fight to Free the Charleston 5" is published, (Monthly Review Press, 2008). The book reads like a novel and documents the legal work of Derfner & Altman partners in the volatile and highly publicized longshoreman showdown of 1999. The litigation ended in the successful release of the five dockworkers who'd been imprisoned after a labor protest. Copies of the book are now available for purchase on Amazon.

    2007


  • The American Bar Association recognizes Derfner & Altman with a prestigious Pro Bono Publico Award, given annually to attorneys and firms that provide outstanding commitment to legal services for poor and disadvantaged people. Derfner & Altman is one of only five recipients for 2007, named for its work on such cases as a successful suit to redraw Charleston County Council election districts to end voting discrimination, and a series of suits to save the land and homes of a group of African-Americans who were the target of highly sophisticated real estate scams.

    2006


  • For the first time, the South Carolina Bar Association honors two lawyers from one firm as Pro Bono Lawyers of the Year. The 2006 honor went to Derfner & Altman partner Jonathan Altman, and recognized the entire Derfner & Altman firm's commitment to community service.

    2002


  • Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, a national organization, names Derfner & Altman partner Armand Derfner (with co-counsel) as the 2002 Trial Lawyer of the Year. The award recognizes Derfner's work in Ayers v. Fordice, a 25-year case involving racial discrimination in Mississippi's higher education system. After the award ceremony, The Post and Courier wrote a High Profile feature about Derfner's life and career.