Governor Hodges is President and Chief Executive Officer of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP. He advises clients on business and policy matters, dividing his time between Washington, D.C., and Columbia, S.C. Prior to serving as South Carolina’s Governor, Governor Hodges served as General Counsel to one of South Carolina’s largest private companies.

He has assisted clients on matters in all 50 states, and has extensive knowledge about government and government decision makers across the United States. He regularly works with clients having matters at the National Governors Association, Democratic Governors Association, Democratic Attorneys General Association, and National Association of Insurance Commissioners. In addition, Governor Hodges works with private equity investors and portfolio companies to help them understand the implications of state-level policy decisions and market trends for their investment and business decisions, and to gain a better understanding of the key players in government impacting these important decisions.

Governor Hodges served as a national co-chair of the Obama for President Campaign in 2008, and regularly advises political and business leaders on a wide range of state, regional and national policy issues.

Jim received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, The Citadel, Winthrop University and Francis Marion University. While earning his law degree at the University of South Carolina, he was a member of the mock trial team. As an undergraduate, he was named Outstanding Senior in Economics and selected to Phi Beta Kappa. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America from 2008 through 2021.