Bert G. Utsey, III

For more than 36 years, attorney Bert G. (“Skip”) Utsey, III has had the privilege of representing thousands of clients across a wide range of legal matters. As a skilled Charleston personal injury attorney and partner at Clawson Fargnoli Utsey, LLC, he currently focuses his practice on appeals, insurance coverage disputes, insurance bad faith litigation, medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability, trucking accidents, motor vehicle collisions, and other cases involving serious personal injuries.

Skip has tried cases across South Carolina, from one-room magistrates’ courts at the ends of dirt roads in rural counties to Circuit Courts and Federal District Courts in the state’s most populous areas.  He has argued cases in the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the South Carolina Supreme Court, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and has worked on cases decided by the United States Supreme Court. Skip has also handled administrative hearings, trials, and appeals related to state and federal agencies. In his career, he has handled cases with legal, financial, and sometimes societal significance against highly capable and experienced attorneys. In addition to representing parties in appeals, Skip has filed briefs on behalf of amici curiae addressing important legal issues before appellate courts on multiple occasions.  Among the numerous reported appellate decisions in which he has been involved are cases that have established or clarified significant points of law that frequently affect the daily practice of South Carolina litigation attorneys. Through this diverse experience, Skip has developed powerful legal knowledge and skills, which he uses to the advantage of his clients.

Skip Utsey grew up in the small town of Walterboro, Colleton County, South Carolina. He attended the College of Charleston, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in 1984. He received his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1987 and has actively practiced law throughout South Carolina ever since.

Skip is a prominent and active member of the legal community, with professional memberships with the South Carolina Bar, the Charleston County Bar, the American Association for Justice, the American Board of Trial Advocates (of which he serves as vice-president of the Charleston Chapter), the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the South Carolina Association for Justice (of which he previously served as president). Skip is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.  He has been selected to Super Lawyers® since 2013 and listed in the Top 10 Charleston Super Lawyers® and the Top 25 South Carolina Super Lawyers® since 2023.  Skip has authored several articles in law practice publications and frequently presents at educational seminars and conventions for attorneys. He is a member of Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston and serves as the Chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.