Matt Burgess is a South Carolina attorney and has represented clients across the state in matters involving Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, General Civil & Appellate Litigation. Matt has been chosen a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Under 40; selected by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys and the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as a member of their “10 Best Attorneys”; by the American Society of Legal Advocates as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Lawyers in the State of South Carolina; and has been recognized by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys as a recipient of their Top 10 Under 40 Attorney Award.
The Law Office of Matt Burgess, Ltd. Co. is located in downtown Rock Hill, where Matt regularly takes cases in York County and the surrounding areas- Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw & Lancaster counties- though he has also represented clients across South Carolina’s Midlands & Lowcountry, including Lexington, Richland, Sumter & Charleston counties, among others. He has appeared locally and nationally on major broadcast networks and their affiliates- NBC, CBS, FOX & CNN- and quoted by mainstream periodicals, his casework featured in publications such as the Washington Post, New York Times, People & USA Today.
Matt began his career with a general litigation firm in Manning, South Carolina (Clarendon County), where he spent two years as an associate before opening his practice in Rock Hill (York County). He is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the York County Bar and the Rock Hill Citadel Club, and has also volunteered in the South Carolina State Guard as a Captain in their JAG Section. In 2015, he was awarded their Commendation Medal for pro bono representation undertaken in State v. Stinney (1944), a unique legal matter involving the youngest defendant executed in the United States since the beginning of the 20th Century. In this 1944 case, George Stinney Jr., an African-American youth, was wrongfully convicted for the murders of two young, white girls in rural Alcolu, South Carolina, a small mill town in Clarendon County; electrocuted just 83 days after his arrest, he was 14 years-old and weighed 95 lbs. In 2013, Matt spearheaded a legal effort to clear Stinney’s name, and- in December 2014, seven decades after Stinney’s death- his conviction was posthumously vacated, marking perhaps the first time in United States history where judicial process has set aside a conviction post-execution. USA Today’s “50 Stories in 50 States” named Stinney South Carolina’s biggest story in 2014.
Matt is a believer in the system created by our Founding Fathers, and understands that justice can only truly be reached through diligent representation from both sides of our adversarial system. He firmly believes that the Constitutional safeguards promised to each of our citizens are what set us apart as a Nation, and that these safeguards are to be vehemently protected: All are equal before the eyes of the law. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Matt is devoted to the preservation of these principles, and takes pride in defending those rights on behalf of his clients. He is similarly committed to representing the interests of those who have suffered harm at the hands of others’ negligence.
Though a native of South Carolina- born in Columbia and raised in Camden- Matt graduated from high school in Franklin, Tennessee (just outside of Nashville) before returning to his home state to enroll at The Citadel, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As a freshman, “fourth-class” cadet, he was the youngest member of the entering class, having finished high school in three years, and went on to serve in a number of leadership positions during his time at The Military College. As a junior, he was selected as the November Company First Sergeant, tasked with the supervision of more than 100 peers and subordinates. As a senior, he was a member of the Summerall Guards, chosen for membership following a demanding initiation process of rigorous physical training, and was also the recipient of the 2010 Citadel English Faculty Award, awarded annually for the most outstanding academic essay submitted during the specified school year. Upon graduating from The Citadel with honors in May 2010, Matt enrolled at the Charleston School of Law. As a law student, he served as an extern in the quarters of The Honorable Thomas L. Hughston, Jr. In December 2012, Matt graduated early from law school and became licensed to practice law in the State of South Carolina.
Matt is driven by the notion of making a positive difference in the lives of others, particularly those who need it the most. Each of his clients will receive every effort to ensure that their rights are protected.
Matt can be reached at 803-909-9415, or, by e-mail, at [email protected].
Practice areas
Plaintiffs' Personal Injury, including Car Accidents & Slip-and-Fall cases
Felony & Misdemeanor Offenses, including DUI & DWI
Languages spoken
English
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
SC | Good Standing | 2013 | 12/29/2020 |
Legal answers | 20 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
---|---|---|
Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 | American Society of Legal Advocates | 2017 |
10 Best Attorneys | American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys | 2017 |
10 Best Attorneys | American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys | 2017 |
Top 10 Under 40 | National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys | 2016 |
Top 40 Under 40 | The National Trial Lawyers Association | 2016 |
Top 100 Trial Lawyers | The National Trial Lawyers Association | 2016 |
---|---|---|
Commendation Medal | South Carolina State Guard | 2015 |
Top 100 Trial Lawyers | The National Trial Lawyers Association | 2015 |
Top 100 Trial Lawyers | The National Trial Lawyers Association | 2014 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Attorney | The Law Office of Matt Burgess, Ltd. Co. | 2015 - Present |
Captain | South Carolina State Guard JAG Section | 2014 - Present |
Associate Attorney | Coffey, Chandler & McKenzie, P.A. | 2013 - 2015 |
Judicial Extern | The Honorable Thomas Hughston, Jr. | 2012 - 2012 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
American Society of Legal Advocates | Member, Top 40 Under 40 | 2017 - Present |
American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys | Member | 2017 - Present |
National Trial Lawyers Association | Member, Top 40 Under 40 | 2016 - Present |
National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys | Member, Top 10 Under 40 | 2016 - Present |
South Carolina Bar, Young Lawyers Division | Member, Service Project Committee | 2015 - Present |
National Trial Lawyers Association | Member, Top 100 Trial Lawyers | 2014 - Present |
---|---|---|
South Carolina Bar | Member | 2013 - Present |
South Carolina Bar, Young Lawyers Division | Member | 2013 - Present |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
LegalNews.com | “Dusty writ helps lawyer right 70-year-old-wrong.” | 2015 |
CNN | "New trial sought for George Stinney, executed at 14." | 2014 |
Fox News | "Lawyers for South Carolina teen executed in 1944 have new info." | 2014 |
USA Today | “Judge throws out black teen’s conviction from 1944.” | 2014 |
Charlotte Observer | “70-year-old murder conviction of SC teen overturned.” | 2014 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
Charleston School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 2012 |
The Citadel | BA | 2010 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Wake Forest University School of Law Innocence & Justice Clinic | State of South Carolina v. George Stinney, Jr. | 2016 |
Charleston School of Law BLSA Event: "Justice for George." | State of South Carolina v. George Stinney, Jr. | 2015 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
State of South Carolina v. George Stinney, Jr. | Conviction vacated. |
Posted by Kelly
Tue Nov 24 2020
Posted by anonymous
Thu Jan 23 2020
Posted by anonymous
Tue Jul 09 2019
Posted by Dirk
Sat Jan 12 2019
Posted by anonymous
Tue Nov 13 2018
Posted by anonymous
Wed Jun 07 2017
Posted by anonymous
Wed Jun 07 2017
Posted by Elizabeth
Wed Jun 07 2017
Posted by Robert
Sat Dec 24 2016
Posted by Graham
Wed Sep 30 2015
Stephen Peper, Criminal defense Attorney on Sep 28, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I've known Matt Burgess for nearly a decade. He has proven to be an intelligent and meticulous person from the moment I met him. These traits coupled with his willingness to fight for his clients make him a worthy adversary in the courtroom. I would recommend his services.
Travis Newton, Criminal defense Attorney on Jul 29, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.