South Carolina H 4999: Carolyn Matthews-congratulations

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4999 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 22, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4999

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A concurrent RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE THE 
HONORABLE CAROLYN CASON MATTHEWS AND TO CONGRATULATE HER ON RECEIVING THE 2025 
JEAN GALLOWAY BISSELL AWARD FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly is delighted to learn that the Honorable Carolyn 
Cason Matthews received the 2025 Jean Galloway Bissell Award at the South 
Carolina Women Lawyers Association award ceremony at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden on 
Thursday, November 20, 2025; and

Whereas, the Bissell 
Award selection criteria include the honoree's distinguished and noteworthy 
service to the public and the legal profession, achievement of professional 
excellence, and participation in activities that have paved the way to success 
for women lawyers on the national, state, or local level. Past recipients 
include the Honorable Jean H. Toal, the Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Jr., and 
the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor; and

Whereas, Judge Matthews 
earned a bachelor's degree in English from Furman University in 1972, also studying 
during college at the University of London and the Royal Shakespeare Institute 
in Stratford, England, where she focused on English literature, theater, and history. 
In preparation for her outstanding legal career, she earned a juris doctorate 
from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1978, finishing in the 
top ten percent of her class for which she was inducted into the Order of Wig 
and Robe; and

Whereas, a member of 
the South Carolina Bar since 1978, she also was admitted to practice before the 
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (1979), the United 
States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1981), and the Supreme Court of 
the United States (1986). Her broad career has spanned the three branches of 
South Carolina government, serving the judicial branch as a South Carolina 
Supreme Court staff attorney (1978-1981) and a law clerk to Justice George T. 
Gregory Jr. (1981-1982), the legislative branch as counsel for the House 
Judiciary Committee (1986-1988), and the executive branch as an assistant attorney 
general (1982-1986), and an administrative law judge (1999-2015); and

Whereas, from 1988 to 
1999, she worked in private practice as a partner at Woodward, Cothran, and Herndon 
and at Nelson, Mullins, Riley, and Scarborough, specializing in administrative 
and governmental relations as well as commercial litigation and appellate 
practice. She returned to private practice in 2016, opening her own firm and 
working as a certified circuit court civil mediator (2016-2023), and currently 
is a partner in Bell Legal Group, focusing on mass tort and complex civil 
litigation; and

Whereas, Judge Matthews' 
accomplishments and service to her profession are many and varied. She was a graduate 
of Leadership South Carolina in 1994, a 2011 fellow at the Riley Diversity 
Leaders Institute of Furman University, and a 2012 Woman of Distinction for the 
South Carolina Girl Scouts. She served as president of the South Carolina Women 
Lawyers Association (2012-2013) and president of the South Carolina Senior 
Lawyers Executive Council (2020-2021); has written and taught on a variety of legal 
topics, such as increasing diversity in the judiciary, state governmental 
ethics, judicial independence, and appellate practice. She also served on the South 
Carolina Bar's House of Delegates and as a mentor in its Young Lawyers Division; 
has been a member of the Richland County Bar Association since 1978, the South 
Carolina Women Lawyers Association since 1995, the National Association of 
Women Lawyers since 2003, the National Association of Administrative Law Judges 
since 1999, and the John Belton Inn of Court since 2002; and

Whereas, together with 
her husband, Colonel John A. McAllister Jr., she has reared three fine 
daughters. The South Carolina General Assembly is pleased to commend the 
Honorable Carolyn Cason Matthews for her stellar career and to applaud her upon 
receiving the Jean Galloway Bissell Award. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House 
of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the 
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize the Honorable Carolyn 
Cason Matthews and congratulate her on receiving the 2025 Jean Galloway Bissell 
Award from the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association.

Be it further resolved that 
a copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Carolyn Cason Matthews.

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