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About Our Founder Reese I. Joye

Joye Law Firm was founded by Reese I. Joye, who started the firm in 1968 with the mission of helping people during some of the most difficult times of their lives. Joye, 70, passed away in 2008 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he had been furthering his profession by organizing an annual trial advocacy summer conference at Harvard University.

A tenacious litigator who focused on protecting the rights of individuals, Joye tried hundreds of cases before juries and authored several legal books during his more than 40-year legal career. In 1997, Joye Law Firm brought a lawsuit against Daimler Chrysler for more than $262.5 million, winning the largest settlement in South Carolina history and one of the largest settlements against a car manufacturer in the United States.

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The long-time trial lawyer was known for his knowledge of DUI cases in addition to personal injury law. Joye was instrumental in the debate over drafting the state’s DUI law in the last few years of his life. In 2006, he was one of three attorneys asked to help draft legislation to replace South Carolina’s DUI laws.

Joye was a leader in the Charleston and South Carolina legal community. He was a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense, founding president of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the primary organizer of the Charleston County Public Defender’s Office.

A native South Carolinian, Joye was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Bennettsville High School in 1956, where he was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” From there he earned both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of South Carolina. He was a man invested in his community and dedicated to his practice.

Joye and his firm demonstrated a firm commitment to the Charleston community throughout the years, helping to support local charities and education initiatives.

Joye’s personal legacy lives on in his wife, Jackie, three children, including firm partner Mark Joye, and five grandchildren. Professionally, the attorneys at Joye Law Firm strive every day to follow in their founder’s footsteps of providing quality legal work that helps clients restore the quality of their lives while giving back to the community around them.

Recent Case Study

Case Number: Claim Settled Before Lawsuit Filed Joye Law Firm attorney Brent Arant negotiated a $300,000 pre-lawsuit settlement for a young girl who was bitten by a Rottweiler in her front yard in Charleston. The claim was brought against the owners of the…

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Latest Blog Post
By: Joye Law Firm

The simple answer, is yes. However, there are important details you need to be aware of to ensure your rights are protected. Being injured on the job might require a lot of medical attention, including emergency visits, hospital stays, and…

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