Former volleyball standout now excels in the legal arena
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Attorney Spotlight
Former volleyball standout now excels in the legal arena
By Brian Cox
There is a pastel painting on the wall of attorney Mary Harriet Moore’s office that depicts a sailboat on the choppy waters off the Battery in downtown Charleston, the oldest and largest city in South Carolina.
The artwork evokes two things closest to Moore’s heart: the city of Charleston, where her family has lived since the 19th century, and her maternal grandma, Harriet Molony Condon, in whose house the painting hung for years until she died at the age of 93.
“She was an amazing woman,” says Moore of her grandma, who lived on her own for 35 years after her husband died. “She was very strong and the head of the family. She was ahead of her time in a lot of ways and doing things not expected of her for a woman born in 1925. She was very influential.”
On another wall, Moore has a painting of St. John Catholic Church, which is in North Charleston. Her grandma was a principal at St. John Catholic School.
Moore is, in fact, named after both of her grandmothers – Mary Loretta Dodds Moore and Harriet Molony Condon. She goes by Mary Harriet in honor of their legacy and influence.
The maternal side of Moore’s family is known for owning the Condon Department Store, which was located at the corner of King and Warren Streets in downtown Charleston for nearly 100 years. Founded around the turn of the 20th century by Moore’s great-grandfather, the store was a prominent landmark in the city until it closed in 1984.
Attorney Mary Harriet Moore's family owned and ran Condon's Department Store in downtown Charleston for nearly 100 years. The landmark business was opened by her great-grandfather near the turn of the 19th century.
Born and raised in a suburb of Charleston, Moore comes from a large Irish-Catholic family. Both her parents have eight siblings and Moore grew up surrounded by aunts, uncles, and more than 50 first cousins. She has an older brother and two younger sisters, and just recently became an aunt and godmother after the birth of her first niece.
At Bishop England High School, Moore was a stellar basketball and volleyball player. As a center and power forward, she helped lead the Battling Bishops to two state championships, and as the volleyball team’s middle hitter, she won an impressive four consecutive state titles. She was named AA Player of the Year, her senior year in 2013.
The high school volleyball program had long been a powerhouse in the state and Moore says she learned how to perform to high expectations.
“I think you learn a lot about leadership when you’re going through a program that has a strong reputation and how to deal with the pressure of wanting to keep it up,” she says. “You learn how to work under pressure on a big stage and to keep your cool and know how to roll with the punches.”
Moore continued to play volleyball at Davidson College in North Carolina where she was elected team captain her senior year, during which she started in all 27 matches, accrued 81 kills, 25 aces, and 77 blocks.
At Davidson, Moore majored in economics and Hispanic studies, entertaining an idea of going into international business. Her junior year, however, she joined the pre-law society through which she was introduced to local attorneys who talked about their practices. Her interest was piqued.
“They seemed to be making a great difference in their community,” says Moore, who then began to consider a career in law.
After graduation, she returned to her home state and enrolled at the University of South Carolina Law School in Columbia. She initially thought she might practice business and transaction law, but after getting into evidence classes and civil procedure, her view of the future changed.
“I could see myself doing litigation,” she says. “It taps into my competitive nature. I am very laid back and get along with most people, but then when I need to turn it on, I can turn it on.”
During law school, she served as the Symposium Editor for the South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business, a peer mentor for the Student Bar Association, and was a member of Women in Law.
Her first summer, she clerked for the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, where U.S. attorneys from across the country come to do training. The summer following her second year of law school, she clerked for the law firm of Rosen Hagood – and found where she felt she belonged.
Mary Harriet is named for her grandmothers – Harriet Molony Condon (left) and Mary Loretta Dodds Moore – the two women were influential forces in her life.
“I love the size of the firm,” says Moore. “It kind of reminded me of Davidson – smaller so you get to know everyone, but still a powerhouse in taking on big cases.”
Mary Harriet Moore was a standout volleyball player in high school and college. She led her high school team to four consecutive state championships and at Davidson College she was elected team captain her senior year.
Just as importantly, Moore says she loved the people.
“It felt like a family,” she says. “It felt like they all knew each other very well, they got along, and that they really cared about each other.”
The firm was founded in 1947 by Morris Rosen, who as Charleston’s corporate counsel in the early 1960s worked with the mayor to integrate the city’s golf courses, playgrounds, and swimming pools. The firm became Rosen, Rosen & Hagood in 1985 when Brew Hagood became a partner. The firm has produced three presidents of the South Carolina State Bar. Two years ago, Rosen Hagood marked 75 years of legal experience and leadership in the state.
Considering Moore’s roots in Charleston, it’s no surprise that after law school she gave no thought to living or working anywhere else. She joined Rosen Hagood in 2021.
“I’ve have loved my time at Rosen Hagood because they let you do more than many firms, but they’re still guiding you every step of the way,” says Moore. “I think it’s helping me develop quicker than most attorneys would.”
Moore’s practice now primarily consists of business litigation, construction litigation, and plaintiff’s personal injury. She has found the South Carolina bar to be close-knit and cooperative.
“I find most of the time that once you meet one person and have a good interaction with them then that really grows your reputation,” she says.
She attended her second Primerus Young Lawyers Conference in New Orleans, La. in March. The event was different from her first conference because she was now seeing familiar faces.
“You have these genuine relationships you’re building with people from all across the country,” she says. “It’s a unique experience.”
Outside of the law office, Moore continues to be involved with volleyball. She plays beach volleyball and coaches club volleyball.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from coaching is that I didn’t realize how much coaches have to change their approach and tailor it to each kid so that they can get the most out of that kid,” she says. “You have to really know your players and then tailor your coaching style to them.”
She enjoys travel and has been to 11 countries. Her junior year in college, she studied abroad for 3-1/2 months in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She didn’t know a single person in the program and says she gained a new level of confidence from the experience.
“It pushes you outside of your comfort zone,” she says. “You’re meeting with people who have lived a completely different life from you and understand and work through those differences. It challenges you and opens your horizons. You come back as a more understanding person.”
For inspiration and guidance, Moore says she continues to draw on her family. Her mother, Mary Helen Condon Moore, is a significant role model. A senior vice president with Merrill Lynch Bank of America, Moore’s mother has been a financial advisor for more than 30 years.
“She is such a girl boss,” says Moore of her mother. “She has completely owned it and had a great career. She’s taught me how to be confident in my skills and what I can do and to not back down.”
