Demetri (Jim) K. Koutrakos

Demetri (Jim) K. Koutrakos

Member

1812 Lincoln Street
Columbia, South Carolina

Biography

Jim Koutrakos focuses his practice on litigating and resolving all types of real property disputes. Jim has developed an extensive title insurance litigation practice. He is frequently hired by title insurance companies to represent their insured lenders and owners in litigating complex real property issues. Jim is often asked to provide coverage opinions to title insurance companies and frequently represents title insurance companies in litigation. Jim’s practice also includes commercial collections, general commercial litigation, and appeals.

Jim graduated in 1996 from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was an Associate Student Works Editor of the South Carolina Law Review.  After law school, Jim had the privilege of being law clerk to the Honorable C. Tolbert Goolsby Jr., one of the original judges of the South Carolina Court of Appeals.  Jim joined the law firm in 1997 and became a member in 2002.  

Representative Cases:    

DISCLAIMER:  THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES ARE INTENDED ONLY TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF MR. KOUTRAKOS’ PRACTICE.  MR. KOUTRAKOS IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CONTENT.  THESE EXAMPLES ARE NOT INTENDED, AND CANNOT BE RELIED UPON, TO PREDICT THE RESULTS IN ANY OTHER CASE.

  • Represented a developer of a resort in Charleston in litigating and successfully resolving a title dispute involving a $130 million title insurance policy.
  • Represented a developer in Georgetown in complex litigation and successfully resolved a title dispute regarding the commercial area of a horizontal property regime.
  • Successfully litigated through trial and appeal a title dispute involving access to a tailgating facility near Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
  • Represented numerous homeowners in a golf community in litigating and resolving a major title dispute that traced its roots back to the construction and development of Lake Murray.
  • Successfully represented a cotenant through trial and appeal in the case of Laughon v. O'Braitis, 360 S.C. 520, 602 S.E. 2d 108 (Ct. App. 2004), an interesting partition case.
  • Obtained summary judgment for a title insurance company in federal court in the case of Read v. Chicago Title Ins. Co., 2006 WL 3313935 (D.S.C. 2006).
  • Successfully represented a lender at trial where the trial court found that the lender’s $1.3 million mortgage was superior to a purchase money mortgage given to a seller.
    Practice Areas
    Admissions
    • South Carolina, 1996
    • U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, 1998
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1999
    Education
    • University of South Carolina School of Law (J.D. 1996)
      • Associate Student Works Editor, South Carolina Law Review 
      • Order of the Wig and Robe
    • University of South Carolina (B.A. 1993, Political Science)
      • Magna Cum Laude
      • Phi Beta Kappa
      • Outstanding Senior in Political Science
    Associations
    • Palmetto Land Title Association, Director
    • American Land Title Association
    • Real Estate Section of the South Carolina Bar 
    • American Bar Association