John Grantland founded Murphy & Grantland with J.R. Murphy in 1997. His practice is primarily in circuit courts throughout South Carolina and focuses on insurance defense, premises liability as well as trucking and automobile defense. As a defense trial attorney he has successfully tried over 200 cases to verdict in state and federal courts across 40 counties in South Carolina. John is a member of the Richland County Bar Association, the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association and The Defense Research Institute. He also was past chairman of the Midlands Judicial Selection Committee.
John received a full academic scholarship to The Citadel and graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in English, magna cum laude, and received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Society of Cincinnati Medal. He joined the Marine Corps at The Citadel and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant. John earned a scholarship to the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was Vice President of the Student Bar Association. During law school, John was a law clerk to Governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
Upon graduation from law school, John went on active duty in the Marine Corps where he was a Judge Advocate and Defense Counsel at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, and the Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort. He successfully tried 30 criminal trials to verdict as defense counsel and received a number of acquittals and dismissals for the Marines and Sailors he represented. John was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments as a Judge Advocate.
In 1995, John left the Marine Corps and joined J.R. Murphy at the Sweeny Wingate Murphy and Barrow firm. He tried a number of cases as an associate with remarkable success. John and J.R. left Sweeny Wingate Murphy and Barrow on his daughter’s first birthday to start Murphy Grantland in 1997.
Originally from Anderson, S.C., John learned the importance of honesty, customer service and hard work from his parents. His grandfather and father ran a local bakery and his mother worked at AnMed Health Hospital for over 40 years.
John has been married for more than twenty-five years to the former Rebecca DuBard of Blythewood, S.C., and they have three children. John is active in his church, Shandon United Methodist, where he sings in the choir and teaches the three-year-old Sunday School Class. John is an Eagle Scout and is also Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 10.
