Continuing with our celebration of Rosen Hagood’s 75th anniversary, we focus now on members of our firm who have made valuable contributions over the years to the Charleston and South Carolina legal communities. In honoring these individuals, we reflect on our past but maintain an eye toward the future and how we can use our professional leadership to better represent our clients.

Presidents of the South Carolina Bar

Rosen Hagood is one of few, if any, South Carolina law firms that has the distinct honor of having three attorneys who have served as president of the South Carolina Bar.

The first firm member to serve as Bar president was none other than the late Morris Rosen, the founder of our firm in 1947 who launched what would ultimately become Rosen Hagood. Mr. Rosen served as president of the South Carolina Bar from 1979 to 1980. In addition to building an esteemed legal practice, Mr. Rosen worked to desegregate the Charleston Municipal Golf Course, one of the first to be integrated in South Carolina, in 1961 while serving as the City of Charleston’s Corporation Counsel. He was also past president of the Charleston County Bar Association, the College of Charleston Alumni Association, and the South Carolina Municipal Attorneys Association.

Then in 2002, his son, Richard Rosen, became the second member of the firm to serve as South Carolina Bar president. During his career, Mr. Rosen held the highest professional rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. He was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Business Litigation, Personal Injury, and Probate & Trust Litigation. In addition to serving as president of the Bar, Mr. Rosen was appointed by the state supreme court to the South Carolina Judicial Council in 1987.

In 2013, Alice Paylor became the firm’s third member to serve as president of the South Carolina Bar, and only the fourth woman at the time to hold this honor. On top of an impressive legal practice across several areas of law, Ms. Paylor is also a past president of the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association. She has served in a number of other capacities, including on the board of the Franklin C. Fetter Family Health Center, the City of Charleston Redevelopment and Preservation Commission, and as chairwoman of the Sullivan’s Island Board of Zoning Appeals. And these are only a few of Ms. Paylor’s distinguished community service roles.

Attorney Alex Cash Serves as President of the South Carolina Association for Justice

From 2016 to 2017, firm attorney Alex Cash served as president of SCAJ, the South Carolina Association for Justice. The motto of this venerable organization is “Advocates for Fairness Under the Law.” SCAJ has over 1200 members across the state and works to advocate for the legal rights of individuals no matter their wealth or social status. More specifically, SCAJ:

• Upholds and defends the constitutions of the State of South Carolina and the United States of America
• Seeks justice by championing open and fair courtrooms
• Resists unjust laws and supports policies that hold wrongdoers accountable
• Strengthens the justice system through education and action
• Upholds the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in the legal profession

Mr. Cash previously held several other positions within SCAJ, including president-elect, vice president, secretary/treasurer, and member of the board of governors. He holds the highest professional rating, AV Preeminent, from Martindale-Hubbell and has been repeatedly selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and South Carolina Super Lawyers. He is also a member of the National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” in South Carolina.

Mr. Cash devotes his legal practice primarily to the areas of family law and catastrophic personal injury cases.

Attorney Alice Paylor Admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers

In October 2021, Ms. Paylor earned another honor: admission as a Fellow to the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. The ACTL includes the very best of the American trial bar, as well as attorneys in Puerto Rico and Canada. Membership is by invitation only and is extended after meticulous investigation into the individual lawyer’s legal practice and background.

Members of the ACTL include experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds who have mastered the art of legal advocacy and who exhibit the highest standards of professionalism, ethical conduct, civility, and congeniality in their careers. To be considered for Fellowship, an attorney must have at least fifteen years of trial experience. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. Currently, there are approximately 5,800 members in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Ms. Paylor’s trial experience includes complex commercial litigation, employment litigation, land use and zoning litigation, and trust and estate litigation.

Dedication to the Profession

Rosen Hagood’s professional involvement allows us to contribute to the development of the South Carolina legal and justice systems, which in turn helps us understand and better serve the needs of our clients. We look forward to celebrating the future accomplishments of our partners and attorneys in the years to come.