Thomas William McGee III was born in Columbia, South Carolina. He was raised in nearby Irmo and attended public schools in Lexington County.

After graduation from high school, Judge McGee attended and graduated from Clemson University and then The University of South Carolina School of Law. He next served as law clerk to the Honorable M. Duane Shuler and, in 1997, as an associate at Holmes & Thomson, LLP. In 1999, Judge McGee accepted a position at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, where he worked until his election to the bench.

Judge McGee is a member of the South Carolina, North Carolina, and District of Columbia Bars, as well as all state and federal courts in those jurisdictions. He is also a member of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Judge McGee was elected to Circuit Court At-Large Seat 8 by the South Carolina General Assembly on April 17, 2024, to fill the unexpired term of the Honorable D. Craig Brown.