Charleston and the wider South Carolina legal community are mourning the unexpected death of Joseph “Joe” Rice, a prominent plaintiffs’ attorney and co-founder of Motley Rice LLC.
Rice died unexpectedly Thursday, September 3, 2026, according to the Mount Pleasant-based law firm, bringing an end to the career of an attorney who became nationally recognized for his work in complex civil litigation.
His death has prompted attention across the legal profession because of the scale and significance of the cases associated with his career. Rice was known for representing plaintiffs and for negotiating major settlements involving individuals, families and communities affected by alleged corporate wrongdoing.
Who Was Joseph “Joe” Rice?
Joseph F. Rice was a South Carolina attorney whose legal career began after he graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1979.
He had previously earned his undergraduate degree from the university in 1976. After beginning his legal career in Barnwell, South Carolina, Rice developed a reputation as a skilled negotiator and became deeply involved in complex litigation across the United States.
Over the course of his career, Rice worked on litigation involving asbestos exposure, tobacco, consumer issues, environmental contamination, securities, catastrophic injuries and other complex legal matters.
His professional profile at Chambers described him as a skillful and innovative negotiator of complex litigation settlements who had served as lead negotiator in some of the largest civil actions of the previous decades.
Joe Rice and the Founding of Motley Rice
One of the defining achievements of Rice’s career was the creation of Motley Rice LLC.
In 2003, Rice co-founded the firm with fellow attorney Ron Motley. The firm subsequently developed into one of the largest plaintiffs’ litigation practices in the United States, handling individual cases, class actions and multidistrict litigation.
Rice remained closely associated with the firm and its major cases, helping establish its reputation for handling complex litigation involving large numbers of plaintiffs.
His work extended across several areas of law, including occupational disease, pharmaceutical and medical-device litigation, securities fraud, consumer protection, environmental contamination, catastrophic injuries and wrongful-death cases.
Major Litigation Associated With Joe Rice
Rice became particularly well known for his role in major national litigation.
The University of South Carolina credits him with playing a lead role in some of the country's most significant civil actions, including major asbestos resolutions, the 1998 National Tobacco Settlement, BP oil-spill litigation and national opioid litigation.
His work on the tobacco litigation was particularly significant. Rice served as lead negotiating counsel in the landmark 1998 National Tobacco Settlement, one of the largest civil settlements in American history.
He also played a major role in asbestos litigation and later became involved in litigation surrounding the BP oil spill and the national opioid crisis.
Motley Rice continues to identify Rice as an important figure in its litigation history, including his work involving asbestos-related claims and the BP oil-spill litigation.
University of South Carolina Honors Joe Rice
Rice’s influence extended beyond private legal practice.
The University of South Carolina renamed its School of Law the Joseph F. Rice School of Law in November 2023.
The naming recognized Rice’s long relationship with the university and his contributions to legal education and the profession. The university said Rice and his family made a $30 million investment that established an endowed scholarship fund and supported professorships and other law-school programs.
The university has continued to describe Rice as an important alumnus whose career helped shape major litigation throughout the country.
Its law-school materials identify him as a 1976 B.S. and 1979 J.D. graduate and highlight his involvement in asbestos litigation, the tobacco settlement and opioid litigation.
A Reputation as a Skilled Negotiator
Beyond the size of the cases he handled, Rice developed a reputation for negotiation.
His Chambers profile identifies him as a leading plaintiffs' attorney and notes his long-standing recognition in product-liability litigation. The profile also highlights his experience in asbestos, pharmaceutical and other complex mass-tort matters.
That reputation made Rice an influential figure in negotiations involving large groups of plaintiffs and major corporations.
His professional legacy was therefore built not only on courtroom litigation but also on the ability to structure and negotiate complicated settlements involving thousands of people.
Joe Rice’s Impact on South Carolina
Although Rice became a nationally recognized attorney, his professional and philanthropic connections remained strongly tied to South Carolina.
The University of South Carolina has highlighted his contributions to scholarships, professorships and the law school’s Children's Law Program.
His work through Motley Rice also kept him connected to Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry, where the firm's headquarters are located in Mount Pleasant.
The naming of the university's law school after him ensured that his name would remain permanently connected to legal education in South Carolina.
Tributes Expected Following His Death
News of Rice’s death is expected to lead to further tributes from attorneys, former colleagues, clients, legal organizations and members of the South Carolina community.
For many in the legal profession, his death represents the loss of an attorney whose career was closely connected to some of the largest and most consequential civil litigation in modern American history.
His influence can be seen through the law firm he co-founded, the attorneys who worked alongside him, the cases he helped lead and the legal institution that now bears his name.
Cause of Death and Funeral Arrangements
Joseph “Joe” Rice’s death has been described as unexpected, according to the law firm as reported by Charleston-area media.
However, a specific cause of death has not been independently confirmed in the reliable sources reviewed for this report.
No verified funeral or memorial arrangements were identified in those sources at the time of publication. Readers should therefore avoid relying on claims about an illness, accident or other circumstances unless they are confirmed by Rice’s family, Motley Rice or another authoritative source.
Remembering Joseph “Joe” Rice
Joseph “Joe” Rice leaves behind a significant professional legacy.
From his early years practicing law in South Carolina to his leadership in major national litigation, Rice became one of the country's better-known plaintiffs' attorneys.
His work on asbestos litigation, tobacco litigation, the BP oil spill and opioid litigation placed him at the center of cases affecting thousands of people and communities.
His legacy also extends into legal education through the Joseph F. Rice School of Law at the University of South Carolina.
For Charleston, South Carolina, and the wider legal community, his death marks the passing of a major figure whose career helped shape the modern plaintiffs' litigation landscape.
