The South Carolina Law Review is the principal legal publication in South Carolina. It is also the oldest legal publication in state, founded in 1948. The Law Review traces its roots to 1831, during the brief existence of the Carolina Bar Journal, which was published in Columbia, South Carolina prior to the Civil War. Today, the Law Review is the flagship legal publication at the University of South Carolina and is one of the most frequently cited legal journals in the country. A recent survey ranked the Law Review in the top 5% of the most frequently cited publications in the nation.

The South Carolina Law Review has two primary purposes: to publish an authoritative legal journal, and to provide members with practical experience in legal writing and analysis. Membership on the Law Review is determined through participation in the journal writing competition. The Law Review considers both first year grades and scores in the writing competition when inviting new members; generally, about 30 - 35 first years are invited to join. Second-year members perform first-level edits of articles to be published, and gain valuable practical experience in legal writing, research and analysis. Law Review members also have the opportunity to be published in the Survey of South Carolina Law, an annual special issue of the Law Review that summarizes recent developments in South Carolina law.

Alumni of the South Carolina Law Review include distinguished members of the bench and bar, including the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, the Attorney General of South Carolina, the former state Superintendent of Education, Ed Mullins of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Ron Motley of Motley Rice, Terry Richardson of Richardson Patrick, and many others.

In March 2005, the South Carolina Law Review hosted the 2005 National Conference of Law Reviews, an international organization of legal publications. Law Review members organized, planned and hosted that important national conference.

In October 2003, the Law Review hosted a nationally recognized symposium on sealed settlement agreements. Participants included scholars from across the country and the discussion was profiled in The National Law Journal.

"Selection to the editorial staff of the South Carolina Law Review
. . . remains one of the proudest events of my legal career." The Honorable Jean Hoefer Toal, Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, and Articles Editor, Volume 19 of the South Carolina Law Review.

"My Law Review experience was invaluable. The skills I learned as a Law Review member still serve me today." Scott Moise, Chair of the SC/NC Recruiting Committee, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, and Editor in Chief, Volume 40 of the South Carolina Law Review.

"Many of my assignments as a law clerk for a federal judge remind me of my Law Review experience - legal writing, research and analysis." Ashley Twombley, federal law clerk to the Honorable Margaret Seymour of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Ashley served as Managing Editor of Volume 54 of the South Carolina Law Review.