Callison Tighe’s Koutrakos named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers
Demetri K. “Jim” Koutrakos of Callison Tighe & Robinson has been named the 2026 Lawyer of the Year in Columbia for Litigation – Real Estate by The Best Lawyers in America®. This distinction is awarded to the attorney who receives the highest overall peer-feedback rating in their practice area and geographic region.
He was previously named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers, in the same practice area, in 2023, and has made the overall Best Lawyers list every year since 2017. He holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and received the 2021 J. Lee McDonald Award for outstanding contributions to the Palmetto Land Title Association.
Mr. Koutrakos earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina, graduating magna cum laude. He then earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
He focuses his practice on litigating and resolving all types of real property disputes. His work includes title insurance litigation, real estate litigation and foreclosure litigation. Title insurance companies frequently hire him to represent their insured lenders and owners in complex real property issues. He has handled more than a thousand title insurance claims, including numerous major claims, bad faith claims, and litigation involving large title defects in resort properties along the South Carolina coast. He also deals with commercial collections, general commercial litigation and appeals.
Mr. Koutrakos is often invited to speak at seminars held by major title insurance carriers and industry groups. At these seminars, he covers a variety of topics, including title insurance claims, recent case law involving real property matters, and trends in real estate litigation.
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based on peer review. The process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. For more information, go to the Best Lawyers website.
