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by WILL FOLKS
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One of the nation’s most prominent attorneys and a major benefactor of the University of South Carolina (and its athletics programs) passed away on Thursday (September 3, 2026).
Joseph F. Rice – a founder of the Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based Motley Rice law firm – died suddenly at his office on Thursday afternoon. He was 72 years old. Rice died a little more than thirteen years after his fellow founding partner, Ron Motley, passed away.
Rice’s loss reverberated across South Carolina’s legal landscape – and at the Palmetto State’s flagship higher education institution, whose law school bears his name. It was also felt sharply at Williams-Brice Stadium – home of the Gamecock football program he loved and financially supported for decades.
“We lost the Lion King,” former U.S. attorney Pete Strom said.
Rice had practiced law since 1979, distinguishing himself in the words of his official biography as “a skillful and innovative negotiator of complex litigation settlements, having served as the lead negotiator in some of the largest civil actions our courts have seen in the last 30 years.”
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A year ago today, we were proud to reintroduce @UofSCLaw as the Joseph F. Rice School of Law thanks to a transformative gift from legal trailblazer Joe Rice and his family.
— University of South Carolina (@UofSC) November 10, 2024
More on this extraordinary alum: https://t.co/V8LHtWnLGf pic.twitter.com/VAMiimCROV
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One of the inaugural inductees in South Carolina’s legal Hall of Fame in 2018, Rice’s “leadership and molding of litigation on behalf of millions of injured workers, patients and consumers has spanned nearly 40 years,” according to his firm.
In November of 2023, the University of South Carolina renamed its law school in Rice’s honor after he and his family made a “transformative” $30 million gift – one hailed by the school’s president as establishing “a stellar trajectory for USC’s future growth and national repute.”
“My alma mater is a huge part of my family’s history and success,” Rice said at the time. “It gives me great pride to directly impact the lives of its students. My hope is that this worthy cause will inspire and bring out the best in generations of future lawyers, while laying the foundation they’ll need to achieve great things. I want to also challenge my legal colleagues across the country, from any law school, to repay their good fortune with dollars, time, talent or creativity to bring about more positive change.”
Previously, Rice and members of his firm created the Ronald L. Motley Memorial Scholarship Fund and Civil Litigation Training Program Fund at the law school in honor of their former colleague.
Rice’s many contributions to the South Carolina football program were featured last fall in a story by Jordan Kaye of The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper.
“I don’t live a complicated life,” Rice told Kaye. “Professionally I do, but not personally.”
This is a developing story… please check back for updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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SOUND OFF…
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