November 10, 2021
Douglas O’Neal elected as ACTEC Fellow
Merline & Meacham, P.A. is pleased to announce that Doug O’Neal, has received an invitation to become a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Doug O’Neal joined Merline & Meacham in 2008 and his expertise lies in the areas of estate planning (wills, trusts, asset protection, and trust modification/decanting), business entity work (formation of partnerships, LLCs and corporations, partnership and corporate tax, mergers and acquisitions, corporate lending and financing transactions, preparation and negotiation of corporate contracts and business succession planning).
O’Neal attended Furman University and received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law. O’Neal also received his LL.M in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law and Estate Planning and Probate Law. O’Neal was listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2022.
ACTEC is an organization of almost 2,400 trust and estate lawyers and law professors who have been elected by their peers in recognition of having made outstanding contributions to the practice of trust and estate law. ACTEC brings together top lawyers in the profession to maintain a high quality of trust and estate legal services through mutual education, to create and foster networking among those lawyers based on the highest order of trust and confidence, and to contribute to the improvement of the areas of law in which trust and estate lawyers practice. Congratulations Doug!
September 27, 2021
August 30, 2021
Merline and Meacham, P.A. congratulates the firm attorneys who were named to the “2021 Legal Elite” by Greenville Business Magazine
Merline & Meacham, P.A. Attorneys Recognized as 2021 Legal Elite Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly and Charleston Business Magazine have honored attorneys from around the state by publishing their Legal Elite section. This section highlights the top vote-getters in the Upstate, Midlands and Lowcountry in 26 categories, solely voted on by area attorneys. We are pleased to announce that David Merline, Jr. was the top vote-getter in the Upstate for Tax & Estate Law. Other attorneys recognized by their peers in Tax & Estate Law from our firm were Douglas O’Neal, Marie Monroe, Keith Meacham, Phillip Martin, and Thomas Sinclair in the Upstate area; Robert August and Verne McGough, in the Midlands area and J. Aaron Nelson in the Lowcountry.
In addition, Robert August, Jonathan Colao, Phillip Martin, Verne McCough, David Merline, Jr., and Douglas O’Neal were recognized in the Upstate in the areas of Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions. In addition, Verne McGough and Robert August were recognized in the Midlands in Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions and Thomas Sinclair was recognized in the Midlands in Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions. Congratulations to all!
August 27, 2021
Attorneys on 2022 Best Lawyers® One’s to Watch list
Phillip J. Martin 
Andrew D. Merline
Two of our attorneys have received a 2022 Best Lawyers®: One’s to Watch recognition including:
Phillip Martin for Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates; and
Andrew D. Merline for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates.Congratulations.
Phillip and Andy – We are so proud of you!
August 25, 2021
Four named as Best Lawyers® 2022 “Lawyer of the Year”
Merline and Meacham is proud very to announce the following four attorneys were named Best Lawyers® 2022 “Lawyer of the Year”:
David A. Merline Jr. for Litigation – ERISA; Douglas B. O’Neal for Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Robert E. August for Litigation and Controversy – Tax; and Thomas G. Sinclair for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.
Congratulations, David, Douglas, Bob and Thomas!
August 23, 2021
Merline & Meacham, P.A. is ranked in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2022
Merline & Meacham, P.A. is pleased to announce their inclusion in the 2022 U.S. News – Best Lawyers ® rankings. The following attorneys were selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2022:
Robert E. August in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates;
Verne McGough Jr. selected in the fields of Litigation – Trust and Estates, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates;
Keith G. Meacham in Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates;
David A. Merline Jr. in the fields of Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – ERISA, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates;
Marie Monroe in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Employee Benefit (ERISA) Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates;
Douglas B. O’Neal in Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; and
Thomas G. Sinclair in the areas of Business Organizations (including LLC’s and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates.
August 5, 2021
Sarah Duggan joins Merline & Meacham, P.A.
Merline & Meacham is pleased to welcome our new Paralegal, Sarah Duggan! Originally from Augusta, Georgia, Sarah has earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Augusta University and a Master of Arts in Professional Communication from Clemson University. While completing Greenville Technical College’s Paralegal Program this past year, she was named the National Association of Legal Assistant’s 2021 Student of the Year. With experience in higher education and communications, Sarah is excited for the opportunity to apply her skills within the legal field. She is currently pursuing NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) credential. Outside of the office, Sarah enjoys ballroom dancing, cooking, and watching Clemson football. Sarah and her husband Chandler reside in Simpsonville with their French Bulldog, Schöne.
July 23, 2021
Newly renovated office space
We are excited to welcome you to our newly renovated office in Greenville, South Carolina!
July 13, 2021
Intern, Zach Idris, joins Merline & Meacham, P.A.
Please welcome our new intern, Zach Idris! Zach is a native of Greenville, South Carolina and recently graduated Cum Laude from Davidson College with a degree in political science (class of 2021). He was a member of the Division I football team and is an aspiring law student who plans to enroll in Fall of 2022. He is interested in pursuing a career in litigation. Outside of the office Zach enjoys working out, cooking, and watching sports, most notably Davidson Football and the Atlanta Braves.