Rolfe M. Martin
Partner / Atlanta
Rolfe is a Partner within the Copeland Stair’s Health Care Practice. Rolfe has successfully defended physicians and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice lawsuits involving almost every area of medicine. He is an excellent communicator and skilled negotiator who has achieved outstanding results at trial. An eagerness to fully understand the medicine and consummate preparation have resulted in defense verdicts in every case he has taken to a jury. In those cases which needed to be settled, he has worked just as hard to seek the best possible resolution. Rolfe brings the same level of preparation and advocacy to his representation of other clients who find themselves involved in complex litigation. In 2017, Rolfe was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018® in Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Atlanta). Rolfe has been selected as a Georgia Super Lawyers® consistently since 2009.
Results
Rolfe Martin and Mike DiOrio Obtain Defense Verdicts in Medical Malpractice Case
August 2, 2019
Congratulations to our partners, Rolfe Martin and Mike DiOrio, for a defense verdict in the State Court of Cobb County. Plaintiff alleged that a nurse practitioner and supervising physician failed to diagnose and treat timely a testicular torsion. The team obtained a directed verdict for the physician and after deliberating for 45 minutes, the jury returned with a defense verdict for the nurse practitioner and practice.
For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.
Events
Michael DiOrio, Eric Frisch and Rolfe Martin Attended the 35th Annual Medical Malpractice Liability Institute in Amelia Island, FL – November 7-9, 2019
November 7, 2019
Atlanta partners Michael DiOrio, Eric Frisch and Rolfe Martin attended the State Bar of Georgia's 35th Annual Medical Malpractice Liability Institute in Amelia Island, FL. This conference offered various opportunities to network with and learn from peers in medical malpractice litigation. Additionally, physicians and medical professionals from around the country shared their insight and perspective with attendees. For more information on this Institute or the State Bar of Georgia, please click here.
Carlock, Copeland & Stair Announce Lawyers Selected on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® List for 2018
February 22, 2018
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
News
CSKL Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers® Lists in Multiple Practice Areas and Office Locations
August 20, 2020
Copeland Stair Kingma & Lovell, LLP is pleased to announce our Attorneys named to 2021 Best Lawyers® lists in multiple categories and office locations.
- Erin E. Gomez, 2021 Best Lawyers®; Ones To Watch recognition for Litigation - Labor and Employment; Professional Malpractice Law in Chattanooga, TN
- Johannes S. Kingma, 2021 Best Lawyers® recognition for Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants in Atlanta, GA
- Gary Lovell, Jr., 2021 Best Lawyers® recognition for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants in Atlanta, GA and Charleston, SC
- Rolfe M. Martin, 2021 Best Lawyers® recognition for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants in Atlanta, GA
- Dan B. Millman, 2021 Best Lawyers®; Ones To Watch recognition for Commercial Litigation in Atlanta, GA
- Kent T. Stair, 2021 Best Lawyers® recognition for Construction Law and Legal Malpractice Law – Defense and Litigation - Construction in Atlanta, GA and Charleston, SC
- Fred M. Valz, III, 2021 Best Lawyers® recognition for Insurance Law in Atlanta, GA
CSKL Attorneys Named to 2020 Georgia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
February 15, 2020
Copeland, Stair, Kingma & Lovell, 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 2020. 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®! Only five percent of attorneys in the state of Georgia are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers® list. Our Super Lawyers® are: Wade K. Copeland Eric J. Frisch Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Rolfe M. Martin Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. William D. Newcomb 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 in Atlanta: Melissa L. Bailey Stephen J. Cohen Michael P. DiOrio Tawny D. Mack Claire A. Sumner
Carlock Copeland Attorneys Named to 2019 Georgia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
February 28, 2019
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 2019. 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. Our Super Lawyers are: Thomas S. Carlock Wade K. Copeland Eric J. Frisch Johannes S. Kingma D. Gary Lovell, Jr. Rolfe M. Martin Jay M. O'Brien David F. Root Douglas W. Smith Kent T. Stair Fred M. Valz 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 is ours in Atlanta: Melissa L. Bailey Please click here to Read about our South Carolina Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®!
Carlock Copeland Attorneys Selected for Georgia 2018 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®
February 27, 2018
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 Congratulates Attorneys Named Best Lawyers 2018 Lawyer of the Year® and Best Lawyers in America 2018®
August 29, 2017
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)
Publications and Presentations
Expect an Uptick in the Number of Lawsuits Being Filed Within the Next Year – Blog Posting by Rolfe Martin
August 17, 2017
Blog Posting by Rolfe Martin. Medical malpractice insurance carriers, defense lawyers and the doctors they work with can expect an uptick in the number of lawsuits being filed within the next year alleging our doctors negligently prescribed OxyContin and other opioids or failed to counsel patients appropriately to prevent their addiction. With the Attorneys General of several states suing the companies which sell these opioids and the president declaring a national emergency due to the rising rate of opioid addiction, we can expect plaintiff’s lawyers to take notice. Class actions against the pharmaceutical companies are already brewing and spin off malpractice litigation is inevitable. Our pain management doctors are most vulnerable to these claims given the volume of patients to whom they prescribe but they generally have better procedures in place with respect to opioid prescriptions since they have been cracked down on by most state medical boards over the last few years. It is the occasional prescriber who may be least prepared to defend these allegations. They are more often criticized for failing to refer patients to a pain management specialist. Juries may now view these cases with slightly more sympathy for the plaintiffs given that the media is stressing the “inevitable” addiction associated with opioid use. We must adjust to this change in perception and perhaps alter the way we defend these cases at trial. Please click here for more information on our Health Law & Regulation Update Blog.