Riley Cranford grew up in Columbia, South Carolina and completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the Darla Moore School of Business and the University of S outh Carolina Honors College. During her senior year she focused her senior thesis on South Carolina’s Domestic Violence Reform Act and its effects on how the judicial system handles domestic violence cases and seeks to address its root causes.
She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2019. During her time there, she spent a semester focusing on the development of regulations and legislation surrounding autonomous vehicles and a semester focused on feasibility studies and drafting of local and municipal regulation of communal bikes and scooters. She participated in the Domestic Violence Clinic during her final year assisting individuals seeking protection from domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking through emergency civil litigation.
After law school, Riley practiced at two regional defense firms in general civil litigation including motor vehicle accidents, premises, liability products liability and construction defect work. While there she developed a thorough knowledge of how to handle and evaluate an insurance claim from start to finish. She has successfully tried several cases to verdict and has negotiated hundreds of successful settlements for clients of all types, including individuals, businesses, and insurance companies. She is passionate about her work advocating for individuals and solving problems for her clients.
Riley moved to Rock Hill when she married Will Cranford, a Rock Hill native, who is a dentist at Cranford Dental. They share a love for community service and being involved in local events. They are thankful to settle in Will’s hometown where they can both serve their friends and neighbors. When she is not working, Riley enjoys traveling and cooking with Will for their friends and family.
Education:
- B.S., University of South Carolina, 2016
- J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law, 2019
Admissions:
- State of South Carolina
- United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Honors:
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch – Insurance Law (2023-2026); Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2023-2026)
- South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star – Civil Litigation: Defense (2024)
- Columbia Business Monthly’s Legal Elite of the Midlands – Construction (2023), Insurance (2023) and Personal Injury (2023 and 2025)
Memberships & Involvement:
- York County Bar Association
- Richland County Bar Association
- South Carolina Association for Justice
- South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
- Junior League of Columbia
