The State
Each year, The State showcases young Midlands professionals who have made their mark before age 40 and who look like they will continue their contributions for years to come. Wyche attorney Matthew Richardson was selected as one of South Carolina’s “20 Under 40” for 2009.
Matthew has an impressive background, having been the former USC law review editor and a clerk for former S.C. Court of Appeals Judge Kaye Hearn and U.S. District Judge Michael Duffy before joining Wyche as a litigation attorney. While working on a legislative redistricting case, Richardson became interested in becoming more involved politically. Since then, he has taken on leadership roles in the Democratic Party, including serving as legal counsel and South Carolina’s elected representative to the Democratic National Committee. He has also been very involved in the community, serving as a board member for S.C. State University, Palmetto Horizon Foundation, the Appleseed Legal Justice Center, and Central Carolina Community Foundation. He also served as treasurer for the S.C. Association for Justice and participated in the Liberty Fellowship program.
When asked ‘what he lives by,’ Matthew responded, saying “My mother and father were both raised in small towns by parents who were strong examples of hard work and the desire to help those in need, and they’ve lived it too. In my family, we just call it ‘desire.'””
He was also asked how he recovered after failing at something, and responded that “Early in my law practice, I represented a group of truck drivers whose company was intentionally underpaying them for the miles they were required to drive. I worked hard so they would have their day in court, but we lost. I could have stayed mad at myself or chosen easier cases after that loss, but the resilience of those hard-working truck drivers was inspiring – and I learned to keep fighting for what I believe is right.”
