Kent Stair and Patrick Norris secured a defense verdict for their mechanical engineer client in Georgia after a two-day arbitration hearing in February. The claimant was seeking damages in excess of $800,000 for allegedly faulty HVAC systems.  The arbitrator ultimately found insufficient evidence to prove engineering malpractice.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

Kent Stair and Ryan Wilhelm successfully defended an engineering firm in an environmental engineering malpractice case.  Plaintiffs contended that the engineering firm committed professional malpractice by failing to properly monitor and report hazardous chemicals found in the soil and underground water at a commercial site.  Kent and Ryan not only defended the merits of the claim, but established that Plaintiff’s claims, which Plaintiffs’ expert valued at more than $2.4 million, were barred by the statute of limitations.  The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the engineering firm, which was affirmed on appeal by the Georgia Court of Appeals.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

Kent Stair, Paul Sperry and Patrick Norris obtained summary judgment for their client days before the start of a multi-week complex construction defect trial. The plaintiff Property Owners Association (POA) was seeking over $24 million in damages. The judge granted the motion on statute of limitations grounds, holding that the POA, despite being controlled by the Developer and not yet being turned over to the homeowners, had notice of potential claims against the Defendant more than three years before the “owner-controlled” POA sued.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

William Jones and Kent Stair successfully obtained summary judgment for an employer and several officers of the company, dismissing RICO and retaliation claims brought by a former employee that was terminated for cause. The employee claimed his termination was the result of “whistle-blower” conduct that included going outside his chain of command and not following proper reporting procedures. In granting the motion for summary judgment, the Court agreed with the employer and officers that the former employee failed to show how he was injured by any of the alleged RICO violations and the evidence did not show that the employee spoke out as a private citizen and, therefore, his speech was not protected under the First Amendment.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

Kent Stair and Cheryl Shaw obtained summary judgment for a Tennessee law firm that was sued in Georgia for professional malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud. Plaintiffs alleged that the Firm failed to timely disclose a conflict of interest, causing plaintiffs to miss the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Kent and Cheryl argued that plaintiffs failed to prove proximate cause, an essential element of each claim. The U.S. District Court, Northern District, Atlanta Division agreed, entering summary judgment for the firm on all counts and dismissing plaintiffs' case.

For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.

Carlock, Copeland & Stair's Annual Risk Management Seminar for Architects & Engineers was on Thursday, July 11, 2019.  For the first time as a firm, it was held at The Charleston Music Hall in Historical Charleston, South Carolina.  In almost forty years of Design Professional representation, we have seen just about everything "bad" that an architect or engineer can sign.  To highlight this topic, Kent Stair and the Design Professional Team presented You Signed WHAT???  This program focused on controlling risks through the exercise of reasoned prudence in the execution of documents. For more information on this seminar or similar programs that we can bring to you, please contact Michelle Mattox, mmattox@cskl.law.

The SCDTAA 29th Annual Trial Academy took place May 8-10, in Charleston, SC.  Kent Stair shared his expertise and presented Tips On Being An Effective Defense Trial Attorney on Wednesday, May 8 at 1:45 pm.  He was joined by Kristen Thompson and Lee Weatherly, who participated as break out leaders to facilitate discussions with students and answer any questions they had.  In addition, Caroline Niland attended all three days of the academy. For more information on the SCDTAA and this event, click here.

Carlock Copeland Charleston attorneys, once again, participated in a Charleston-area Habitat for Humanity build on April 27, 2019.  Spearheaded by partner Tyler Winton, Carlock Copeland has developed a long-standing relationship with the Charleston-area Habitat for Humanity Organization, giving back to our local communities by participating in area builds at least twice a year. For more information on Habitat for Humanity in your area, please click here.

Carlock, Copeland & Stair's Annual Risk Management for Design Professionals Seminar was Thursday, November 15, 2018. Once again this event was held at the Cobb Galleria Centre/Cobb Galleria Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. Scheduled session topics included: Key Revisions to the AIA A201 Family of Contract Documents, Changes in Georgia Law on Indemnity Provisions and Pitfalls of Design-Build Projects. This was the 25th year for the seminar in Atlanta and it did not disappoint! For more information on this seminar or similar programs that we can bring to you, please contact Michelle Mattox, mmattox@cskl.law or by calling 843.727.0307.

Carlock, Copeland & Stair are proud to announce the following attorneys selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2018. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers®. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.   Super Lawyers® Thomas S. Carlock - Civil Litigation: Defense Wade K. Copeland - Civil Litigation: Defense Eric J. Frisch - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense Johannes S. Kingma - Professional Liability: Defense D. Gary Lovell, Jr. - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense Rolfe Martin - Personal Injury General: Defense David F. Root - General Litigation Douglas W. Smith - Personal Injury General: Defense Kent T. Stair - Professional Liability: Defense Frederick M. Valz, III - Insurance Coverage Rising Stars® is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars® list. Rising Stars® Lauren Meadows - Civil Litigation Defense Jay M. O'Brien - Personal Injury General: Defense

Kent Stair and Bill Jones of the Design Professional Group presented at Carlock, Copeland & Stair's Annual Risk Management for Design Professionals Seminar held at the Cobb Energy Centre on November 16. Four AIA and CE credits provided. Certificates of attendance provided to engineers. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law for more information on continuing education offerings for design professionals.

Kent Stair, Paul Sperry and the Design Professional Group led a discussion regarding claims against design professionals which included advice on the best practices to avoid claims, how to handle claims when they cannot be avoided, and the various ways to resolve claims. This event was held at the Francis Marion Hotel on June 15, 2017. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law for more information.

Kent Stair, Bill Jones and the Design Professional Group presented How to Avoid, Manage and Resolve Claims Against Design Professionals and led a discussion regarding claims against design professionals which included advice on the best practices to avoid claims, how to handle claims when they cannot be avoided, and the various ways to resolve claims. This event was held at the Cobb Energy Centre on November 17. Please contact Patty O'Toole at potoole@cskl.law for more information.  

We are proud to announce that 9 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2016. Super Lawyers® Kent T. Stair - Construction Litigation Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers®. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars® Andrew W. Countryman - Professional Liability Defense Jackson H. Daniel, III - Civil Litigation Defense Douglas W. MacKelcan - Civil Litigation Defense Patrick J. Norris - Construction Litigation Laura Paris Paton - Construction Litigation Lee C. Weatherly - Medical Malpractice Defense Tyler P. Winton - Construction Litigation Rising Stars® is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars® list.

February 19, 2016 Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce our lawyers selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2016. Thomas S. Carlock and Johannes S. Kingma have been selected for inclusion on the Top 100 Super Lawyers® in the State of Georgia. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers®. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, which is a service of Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Top 100 for the State of Georgia - Super Lawyers® Thomas S. Carlock - Top Rated Civil Litigation Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia Johannes S. Kingma - Top Rated Professional Liability Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia Super Lawyers® Thomas S. Carlock - Civil Litigation: Defense Wade K. Copeland - Civil Litigation: Defense Eric J. Frisch - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense Johannes S. Kingma - Professional Liability: Defense D. Gary Lovell, Jr. - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense David F. Root - General Litigation Douglas W. Smith - Personal Injury General: Defense Kent T. Stair - Professional Liability: Defense Frederick M. Valz, III - Insurance Coverage Rising Stars® is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars® list. Rising Stars® Shannon M. Sprinkle - Professional Liability: Defense Peter Werdesheim - Professional Liability - Defense

Kent Stair participated in the Covenant House Sleep Out in Atlanta on Thursday, November 19. Covenant House helps homeless children, teenagers, and young adults with basic needs of food and shelter and serves kids every year, in dozens of cities across six countries. Sleep Out participants sleep outside with the children and raise money via sponsor donations in support of the mission of Covenant House. Kent stayed outside in a yard adjacent to some industrial train tracks and a busy industrial road. 85 people slept out this year and raised over $300,000. The money raised will make it possible to open another cottage to house eight more kids and bring on an additional part time licensed therapist to help kids heal from the trauma they experienced on the streets. Covenant House recognizes participating groups that raise more than $10,000 by placing a plaque over a bed in their shelter. Kent is proud to say his group raised over $13,000 and there will be a bed in the shelter as a result of the efforts of “Friends of Kent and Jan Stair.”

Kent Stair, and Bill Jones, presented at the Carlock Copeland Risk Management for Design Professionals (A&E) Seminar.   The event was held November 3 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law for more information.

The Joint Conference of the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers and Maryland Society of Surveyors was held October 7 - 9 in Baltimore, MD. Click on the link below for more information: Joint Conference of the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers & Maryland Society of Surveyors Information

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that several of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2018. Super Lawyers recognizes attorneys who have distinguished themselves in their legal practice. Attorneys are chosen for this honor through a nomination process, peer review by practice area and independent research on candidates. The lengthy process identifies lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  Meet our Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®! Super Lawyers®, only five percent of attorneys in the state of South Carolina are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers list: D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Kent T. Stair Rising Stars® list recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state – those who are 40 years old or younger, or those who have been practicing for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys are named to the Rising Stars list, here are ours: J. Patrick Norris Laura Paris Paton Tyler P. Winton  

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that several of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2018. Super Lawyers recognizes attorneys who have distinguished themselves in their legal practice. Attorneys are chosen for this honor through a nomination process, peer review by practice area and independent research on candidates. The lengthy process identifies lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Meet our Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®! Super Lawyers®, only five percent of attorneys in the state of Georgia are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers list: Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Eric J. Frisch Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Rolfe M. Martin David F. Root Douglas W. Smith  Kent T. Stair Fred M. Valz, III Rising Stars® list recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state – those who are 40 years old or younger, or those who have been practicing for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys are named to the Rising Stars list, here are ours: Lauren E. H. Meadows Jay M. O'Brien

Carlock, Copeland & Stair LLP congratulates the following attorneys who have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018®. These attorneys practice in commercial litigation, medical malpractice law, personal injury litigation, construction law, construction litigation, and insurance law. In addition, Gary Lovell has been named Best Lawyers’ 2018 “Lawyer of the Year® for Medical Malpractice – Defendants (Charleston, SC). Thomas S. Carlock • Commercial Litigation (Atlanta, GA) • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA) • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (Atlanta, GA) • Best Lawyers® Since 1991 Kent T. Stair • Construction Law  (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) • Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) • Litigation – Construction (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) • Best Lawyers® Since 2006 Fred M. Valz, III • Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA) • Best Lawyers® Since 2013 Johannes S. Kingma • Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA) • Best Lawyers® Since 2009 D. Gary Lovell, Jr. • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) • Lawyer of the Year®, Medical Malpractice – Defendants (Charleston, SC) • Best Lawyers® Since 2013 Rolfe M. Martin • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA) • Best Lawyers® Since 2017 Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. More than 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers received more than 13 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas around the world, with more than 7 million votes being cast in the United States. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers® is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers® “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” Please click here for Press Release. For additional information, please visit https://cskl.law/. (Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that several of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2017. Super Lawyers® Kent T. Stair - Construction Litigation Rising Stars® Douglas W. MacKelcan - Civil Litigation: Defense J. Patrick Norris- Construction Litigation Laura Paris Paton - Construction Litigation Tyler P. Winton - Construction Litigation

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that several of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2017. Super Lawyers® Thomas S. Carlock - Civil Litigation: Defense Wade K. Copeland - Civil Litigation: Defense Eric J. Frisch - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense Johannes S. Kingma - Professional Liability: Defense D. Gary Lovell, Jr. - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense David F. Root - General Litigation Douglas W. Smith - Personal Injury General: Defense Kent T. Stair - Professional Liability: Defense Fred M. Valz, III - Insurance Coverage Rising Stars® Shannon M. Sprinkle - Professional Liability: Defense

Carlock, Copeland & Stair LLP congratulates the following attorneys who have been selected by their peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® 2017: From Our Atlanta Office: Thomas S. Carlock

• Commercial Litigation
• Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Best Lawyers® Since 1991

• Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Best Lawyers® Since 2009

• Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2013

• Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2013

• Construction Law –Charleston (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Litigation – Construction (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2006

Carlock Copeland congratulates the following lawyers selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2016. Super Lawyers® Kent T. Stair - Construction Litigation Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers®. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars® Jackson H. Daniel, III - Civil Litigation Defense Douglas W. MacKelcan - Civil Litigation Defense Patrick J. Norris - Construction Litigation Laura Paris Paton - Construction Litigation Lee C. Weatherly - Medical Malpractice Defense Tyler P. Winton - Construction Litigation Rising Stars® is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars® list.

February 19, 2016 Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that 13 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2016. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers®. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, which is a service of Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of Prcandidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Super Lawyers® Thomas S. Carlock - Civil Litigation: Defense Wade K. Copeland - Civil Litigation: Defense Eric J. Frisch - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense Johannes S. Kingma - Professional Liability: Defense D. Gary Lovell, Jr. - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense W. Dan McGrew, III - Professional Liability: Defense David F. Root - General Litigation Douglas W. Smith - Personal Injury General: Defense Kent T. Stair - Professional Liability: Defense Frederick M. Valz, III - Insurance Coverage Rising Stars® is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars® list. Rising Stars® Brent A. Meyer - Construction Litigation Shannon M. Sprinkle - Professional Liability: Defense Peter Werdesheim - Professional Liability - Defense

Carlock, Copeland & Stair LLP congratulates the following attorneys who have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016: From Our Atlanta Office: Thomas S. Carlock

• Commercial Litigation
• Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Personal Injury Litigation
• Best Lawyers® Since 1991

• Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Best Lawyers® Since 2009

• Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2013

• Medical Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2013

• Construction Law –Charleston (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Litigation – Construction (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)
• Best Lawyers® Since 2006

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that 17 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2015. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Super Lawyers

• Thomas S. Carlock
• Wade K. Copeland
• Eric J. Frisch
• Johannes S. Kingma
• D. Gary Lovell, Jr.
• W. Dan McGrew
• David F. Root
• Douglas W. Smith
• Kent T. Stair
• Fred M. Valz, III

• John L. Bunyan
• Brent A. Meyer
• Heather H. Miller
• Shannon M. Sprinkle
• Peter Werdesheim

Carlock, Copeland & Stair congratulates Thomas S. Carlock, and Kent T. Stair for being selected as a 2015 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in different practice areas. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant. In addition, congratulations to the following attorneys who have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015: Thomas S. Carlock Commercial Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Medical Malpractice Law – Lawyer of the Year (Atlanta, GA) Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 1991 Kent T. Stair Construction Law - Lawyer of the Year, Charleston (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) Litigation - Construction (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) Best Lawyer® Since 2006 Fred M. Valz, III Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Johannes S. Kingma Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2009 D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 36,000 leading attorneys cast almost 4.4 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” (Copyright 2012 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

We are proud to announce that 10 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2014. Super Lawyers Kent T. Stair Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyersundertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Kathy A. Carlsten Andrew W. Countryman Jackson H. Daniel, III Laura P. Paton Paul E. Sperry Lee C. Weatherly Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP is proud to announce that 17 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2014. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Super Lawyers

• Thomas S. Carlock
• Wade K. Copeland
• Kent T. Stair
• Douglas W. Smith
• David F. Root
• W. Dan McGrew
• Johannes S. Kingma
• D. Gary Lovell, Jr.
• Eric J. Frisch

• Shannon M. Sprinkle
• Peter Werdesheim
• Heather H. Miller
• Ryan B. Wilhelm
• John L. Bunyan
• Cheryl H. Shaw
• Brent A. Meyer

Nine lawyers from Carlock, Copeland & Stair were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2014 (Copyright 2012 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). The following attorneys are to be congratulated for their Best Lawyer® recognition: Thomas S. Carlock, Best Lawyer® Since 1991 Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Kent T. Stair, Best Lawyer® Since 2006 Construction Law, Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC) Fred M. Valz, III, Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA) Johannes S. Kingma, Best Lawyer® Since 2009 Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) D. Gary Lovell, Jr., Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC)

We are proud to announce that 10 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2013. Super Lawyers Kent T. Stair Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyersundertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Kathy A. Carlsten Jackson H. Daniel, III Paul E. Sperry Lee C. Weatherly Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

We are proud to announce that 14 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2013. Super Lawyers Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Kent T. Stair Douglas W. Smith David F. Root W. Dan McGrew Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Eric J. Frisch Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Shannon M. Sprinkle Peter Werdesheim Heather H. Miller Ryan B. Wilhelm John L. Bunyan Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

Seven lawyers from Carlock, Copeland & Stair were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2013 (Copyright 2012 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). In addition, firm founder Thomas S. Carlock was named a Best Lawyer® for the eleventh year in a row as well as the 2013 “Lawyer of the Year” in the Atlanta Personal Injury Litigation category. Carlock has practiced in the civil trial arena in Georgia for 46 years and during that time has tried more than 500 jury trials. Throughout his career, Tom has handled a wide variety of civil litigation including medical malpractice, catastrophic injury including wrongful death, coverage disputes, and every other type of civil lawsuit imaginable. He has tried, to verdict, in excess of 75 wrongful death cases and more than 150 catastrophic injury cases. His skill and leadership have helped the firm to continue to grow from five attorneys to 89, many of which have been honored as well for their skill and commitment to the legal profession. The following Carlock, Copeland & Stair attorneys are to be congratulated for their Best Lawyer® recognition: Thomas S. Carlock, Best Lawyer® Since 1991 Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Kent T. Stair, Best Lawyer® Since 2006 Construction Law, Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Wayne D. McGrew, III, Best Lawyer® Since 2008 Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Fred M. Valz, III, Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Insurance Law (Atlanta, GA) Johannes S. Kingma, Best Lawyer® Since 2009 Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) D. Gary Lovell, Jr., Best Lawyer® Since 2013 Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) About Best Lawyers Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 36,000 leading attorneys cast almost 4.4 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as a Best Lawyers' “Lawyer of the Year.” Lawyers being honored as “Lawyer of the Year” are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the exhaustive peer-review assessments that Best Lawyers conducts with thousands of leading lawyers each year. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity. (Copyright 2012 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

We are proud to announce that five of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2012. Super Lawyers Kent T. Stair Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Jackson H. Daniel This is the first year that Rising Stars have been selected for South Carolina. Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

We are proud to announce that 14 of our lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2012. Super Lawyers Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Kent T. Stair Douglas W. Smith David F. Root W. Dan McGrew Fred M. Valz, III Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Eric J. Frisch Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyersundertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Shannon M. Sprinkle Peter Werdesheim Heather H. Miller John L. Bunyan Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years of age or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less, and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

On Nov. 1, U.S. News and Best Lawyers® named Carlock, Copeland & Stair to its National and Atlanta Metropolitan 2011-2012 "Best Law Firms" Rankings. The firm ranks in Tier 1, in the Atlanta Metropolitan Rankings, for Construction Law, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Carlock Copeland is also listed in the National Rankings, in Tier 3, for Construction Law, and, again, in the Atlanta Metropolitan Rankings, in Tier 3, for Commercial Litigation. U.S. News and Best Lawyers® chose a tiering system rather than ranking law firms sequentially because firms were often separated by small or insignificant differences in overall score.The first tier includes those firms that scored within a certain percentage of the highest-scoring firm(s); the second tier, those firms that scored within a certain percentage of the next highest scoring firm(s), and so on. The number of tiers included in each practice area or metropolitan area ranking varies. This honor of being included in the "Best Law Firms" rankings comes close on the heels of the U.S. News and Best Lawyers® announcement of The Best Lawyers in America® 2012, which included four Carlock Copeland attorneys: Thomas S. Carlock Commercial Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Medical Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 1991 Kent T. Stair Construction Law (Atlanta, GA) Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2006 Wayne D. McGrew, III Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2008 Johannes S. Kingma Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2009

Carlock, Copeland & Stair congratulates the following attorneys on selection by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012. Our lawyers ranked in the 2012 edition are: Thomas S. CarlockCommercial Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Medical Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 1991 Kent T. StairConstruction Law (Atlanta, GA) Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2006 Wayne D. McGrew, III Personal Injury Litigation (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2008 Johannes S. Kingma Legal Malpractice Law (Atlanta, GA) Best Lawyer® Since 2009 Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 41,000 leading attorneys cast almost 3.9 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

We are proud to announce that 15 of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2011. Super Lawyers Honorees Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Kent T. Stair Douglas W. Smith David F. Root W. Dan McGrew Fred M. Valz, III Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Eric J. Frisch Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters, Legal division based in Eagan, MN. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Honorees Shannon M. Sprinkle Peter Werdesheim Heather H. Miller Spencer A. Bomar Ryan B. Wilhelm Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

Carlock, Copeland & Stair lawyers were selected by their peers for 4 listings in 5 categories of legal skill in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®. First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive annual peer-review survey. For the new U.S. edition, more than 50% of the lawyers listed in Best Lawyers cast more than 3.1 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in the same and related specialties. The Carlock, Copeland & Stair lawyers ranked in the 2011 edition are: Commercial Litigation: Thomas S. Carlock (1991) Atlanta, GA Construction Law: Kent T. Stair (2006) Atlanta, GA Legal Malpractice Law: Johannes S. Kingma (2009) Atlanta, GA Kent T. Stair (2006) Atlanta, GA Medical Malpractice Law: Thomas S. Carlock (1991) Atlanta, GA Personal Injury Litigation: Thomas S. Carlock (1991) Atlanta, GA Wayne D. McGrew III (2008) Atlanta, GA (Year) first year the lawyer was listed Because of the rigorous and transparent methodology used by Best Lawyers, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."

We are proud to announce that 15 of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists for 2010. Super Lawyers Honorees Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Kent T. Stair Douglas W. Smith David F. Root W. Dan McGrew Fred M. Valz, III Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Eric J. Frisch Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters, Legal division based in Eagan, MN. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Rising Stars Honorees Shannon M. Sprinkle John C. Rogers Pete Werdesheim Ryan B. Wilhelm Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.

Bill Jones and Kent Stair presented IOA's Annual Risk Seminar, Building Codes: Gravity is the Only Law that can be Certified in March, 2017.

Bill Jones and Kent Stair presented, Legal Issues for Civil Engineers and Land Surveyors in November, 2016.

Kent Stair, Bill Jones and the Design Professional Group presented, How to Avoid, Manage and Resolve Claims Against Design Professionals and led a discussion regarding claims against design professionals which included advice on the best practices to avoid claims, how to handle claims when they cannot be avoided, and the various ways to resolve claims. This event was held at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, GA on November 17. Please contact Patty O'Toole at potoole@cskl.law for more information.

Kent Stair and Paul Sperry presented at Carlock, Copeland & Stair's 2016 Risk Management for Design Professionals on June 2, 2016.  The annual seminar was held at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, SC, and included a segment about pre-suits, a panel discussion with industry leaders, guest presenters and a very informative Q&A segment. For more information on our Annual Risk Management for Design Professionals Seminar, please contact Michelle Mattox, mmattox@cskl.law

Kent Stair and Bill Jones, presented at the Carlock Copeland Risk Management for Design Professionals (A&E) Seminar.   The event was held November 3 in the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law for more information.

Kent Stair and Paul Sperry presented "The 101 of the A201" at Carlock Copeland's Annual Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals on June 18, 2015 at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, SC.

Bill Jones and Kent Stair presented, Contractual Liability: Studies in Self-Inflicted Pain...and Self-Help Techniques for Pain Relief at IOA's Annual Risk Seminar in April, 2015.

Bill Jones presented, After the Horse Has Left the Barn -- Managing the Claim at the 20th Annual Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals on October 15, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia.

CCS Attorneys Kent Stair and Paul Sperry took each primary clause from an owner’s “contract from hell” and “negotiated” it from each side, in search of a deal which everyone can live with. Attendees departed with a greater ability to understand the specific problems presented by a “bad” contract and the ability to better negotiate a good one.

Attorneys Kent Stair and Paul Sperry presented "Litigation & Defending Civil & Structural Design Professionals" at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Joint GA/SC Event: The Augusta Founding Fathers Conference, held March 13-15 at the Partridge Inn in Augusta GA.

Kent Stair presented at the 2014 Architect & Engineer Seminar “Risk Management: Lessons Learned the Past 25 Years” hosted by Professional Liability Brokers Insurance Office of America on March 4, 2014.

Kent Stair and Brent Meyer presented “Learning From Experience - Case Studies for Design Professionals” at the 19th Annual Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals on October 30, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kent Stair and Paul Sperry presented “So That's What You Want to Know? A Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals” at our annual Firm-hosted seminar to engineering and architecture professionals at Charleston’s American Theater.

One Carlock Copeland attorney presented to nearly 120 attendees at the 2013 Annual Architect & Engineer Seminar on “Managing Contract Language to Mitigate Increased Risk Exposures”. Bill Jones presented “Protecting Your Company’s Assets in a Tech-Driven World”.

"The Marriage of Professionalism to Mediation, Without the Divorce of Zealousness from Advocacy. " Kent Stair. Charleston Lawyers Club Annual Tips from the Bench and Bar CLE. February 22, 2013. (Charleston, SC)

Kent Stair presented “Talk About Scary: It's Election Time Again!” at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s 18th Annual Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals on October 31, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bill Jones presented “Protecting Your Company’s Assets from Former Employees” at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s 18th Annual Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals on October 31, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Phifty Rules to Phollow." Kent T. Stair. Annual Risk Management Seminar for Architects & Engineers. June 22, 2012. Charleston, SC.

Partner Kent Stair presented at the 2012 Annual Architect & Engineer Seminar, “Managing Increased Risk in New Risk Transfer Requests," on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, hosted by Professional Liability Brokers/IOA and CNA/Schinnerer.

Bill Jones spoke at the CMMA South Atlantic Chapter breakfast on November 15, 2011 as part of a panel discussion regarding the topic "Construction Management Agent Not at Risk: Is there any such thing as "not at risk"?.

"What's on Your Mind? Answering the Questions of Architects and Engineers." Bill Jones and Ryan Wilhelm. Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP's 17th Annual Risk Management Seminar. October 25, 2011. Atlanta, GA.

"When the Rain Delay Ends and Play Resumes: Adjusting Your Game to the New Conditions." Kent Stair. Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP's Annual South Carolina Risk Management Seminar. May 13, 2011. Charleston, SC.

"When the Rain Delay Ends and Play Resumes..." Kent Stair. Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP's 16th Annual Risk Management Seminar. November 10, 2010. Atlanta, GA.

"Potential Practice Pitfalls Performing Under 'Perfect' Contract." Kent Stair. Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP's 15th Annual Risk Management Seminar. September 24, 2009. Atlanta, GA.

"Messin' with a Good Thing: Contracts from the Design Professionals Point of View." Kent T. Stair. February 7, 2008 (Columbia, SC).

Kent T. Stair, Jr. presented 25 Years of Lessons Learned at the Annual Risk Management Seminar on October 11, 2007 in Atlanta, GA.