Former SC justice joins Wyche litigation team 

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Kaye Hearn, a former South Carolina Supreme Court Justice, has joined the Wyche law firm as special counsel. 

Based in Conway, she will serve clients statewide as a member of the firm’s litigation team, a news release says.  

Tally Parham Casey, Wyche’s CEO and chair, touted Hearn’s experience and the skills she brings to the firm.

“Her distinguished career on the South Carolina Supreme Court, her leadership in the judiciary and her commitment to excellence in the legal profession make her an invaluable addition to our firm and our clients,” Casey said. 

Hearn, in turn, was enthusiastic about the position, saying, “I look forward to bringing my years of experience to the firm and working alongside its talented team.” 

The Wyche position is her latest service in a long, successful legal career. 

When Hearn retired in April from the state’s Supreme Court, she was the longest-serving member of the South Carolina State Court Judiciary. She was elected to the Supreme Court in May 2009 and was only its second female member. 

She previously served 15 years as a member of the South Carolina Court of Appeals, including 10 years as its chief judge. While chief judge, she also served as president of the Council of Chief Judges, a nationwide network of chief judges of the intermediate appellate courts.  

Her other legal service includes working as a Family Court judge; a trial attorney with Stevens, Stevens, Thomas, Hearn and Hearn; and a member of the South Carolina Board of Bar Examiners. 

When she graduated from law school, Hearn clerked for state Supreme Court Justice Julius B. Ness. She is the only former law clerk to return to the court as a justice. 

Her list of honors also is lengthy. It includes presentation of the Jean Galloway Bissell Award in 2010 by the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association; the Woman of Achievement Award from the South Carolina Commission on Women by Gov. Nikki Haley in 2012; and the Outstanding Jurist Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2022. 

She earned her bachelor’s at Bethany College and her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, both with honors. 

Wyche, a 102-year-old firm, has 34 other lawyers across offices in Greenville, Spartanburg and Columbia, its website says. For information, go to wyche.com.