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Carlock Copeland Congratulates Robert Hawk and Jeffrey Crudup on Being Selected to Join the Firm's Partnership
Robert Hawk
is a partner in the Charleston office where he represents business owners, professionals, and insurance companies in civil litigation and
insurance coverage
matters.
Robert serves on the Charleston County Bar Executive Committee and as a South Carolina Bar Foundation Ambassador. He was a member of Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Charleston Class of 2012 and previously served as a Roper St. Francis Foundation Fellow and on the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division Habitat for Humanity Wills Committee.
Robert was named a South Carolina Rising Star® by Super Lawyers® in 2016.
Jeff Crudup is a partner in the Charleston office and focuses his practice on complex civil cases involving medical malpractice, automobile and motor carrier accidents and commercial litigation. Prior to joining Carlock Copeland, Jeff practiced in a large law firm based in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He has an array of litigation experience involving medical malpractice, construction litigation, employment litigation, general business and commercial litigation, and real estate disputes. Jeff also has experience providing general business advice to clients. As a litigator with transactional business experience, he works to limit the costs of litigation to his clients while working for the best possible outcomes for them. Since coming to Charleston, Jeff has become an active member of the South Carolina bar, but remains a member of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York Bars.
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What Every Adjuster Needs to Know: Part 1 by Sarah Wetmore and Clinton Magill
Additional Insured (AI) demands are on the rise in South Carolina. Those demands are increasingly having a significant impact on construction litigation disputes with general contractors, developers, subcontractors (and their respective carriers) fiercely debating the obligations under their contracts and insurance policies. To help you navigate this complex topic, we have broken down what you need to know about AI issues into a series of articles in a series of quarterly writings.
For more information please click here.
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 South Carolina Court of Appeals Strikes Plaintiffs' Class Action Allegations and Jury Trial Demand: A Win for Defendants Against the Growing Trend of Class Action Claims in Construction Defect Litigation by C. Robin Graham
As even those outside the legal profession know, the right to a jury trial is fundamental in American law. Another familiar legal concept is the class action lawsuit, where a group of similarly situated plaintiffs can band together to bring a civil suit, often against larger corporate defendants. Less familiar is that these rights - the right to a jury trial and the right to form a class action - can be contracted away. While jurisdictions may vary and each case turns on its own set of facts, this is the conclusion that the South Carolina Court of Appeals reached earlier this year in the case
The Gates at Williams-Brice Condominium Association v. DDC Construction, Inc., et al. In the construction litigation context, this case is particularly notable given the increasing number of class action claims that general contractor, design professional and subcontractor defendants face.
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Carlock Copeland Welcomes Alexandra K. Hughes to our Atlanta office
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Recent Events
Kimberly Reeves and
Michael Manfredi presented
Is There an App for Liability? The Practice of Law in a Shared Economy on Dec. 9 at the Marjorie and Ralph Knowles Conference Center in Atlanta.
There seems to be an ever-increasing number of companies entering the shared economy-from Uber to Airbnb to Roadie, these companies are rapidly restructuring how we operate as consumers. Much of the shared economy business model remains an under-regulated Wild West that presents liability landmines in a number of ways. Our panelists will discuss recent cases and emerging issues that examine the tension inherent in regulating the sharing economy including insurance, taxes, and consumer rights. Beyond that, there are ethical issues that lawyers encounter both in advising these clients and participating in the shared economy.
Michael Manfredi produced a paper entitled
Evolving Coverage in an Evolving World: Coverage Issues in the Sharing Economy with a Focus on Transportation Network Services. Please contact
Patricia O'Toole at
[email protected] if you would like more information on this topic.
Elizabeth Bentley and
Melissa Bailey participated in the Trucking and Transportation Regulations, Liability and Litigation Conference at the National Business Institute on December 7.
Elizabeth Bentley presented
State/Federal Rules, Regulations, Laws and Legislative Restrictions and Melissa Bailey presented
Insurance Coverage Complexities, Concerns, Liability and Litigation (Including Lessor-Lessee Issues).
Please click here for more information.
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Defense Verdict for Orthopedic Surgeon in Week-long Medical Malpractice Trial
Gary Lovell and
Andy Countryman obtained a defense verdict in a week-long medical malpractice trial in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Plaintiff was a 46-year old who suffered injuries including hip fractures and dislocation in an automobile accident in August 2010. The Defendant orthopedic surgeon saw Plaintiff in the ER and reduced the hip dislocation. The Defendant also saw Plaintiff for follow up over the ensuing months, during which Plaintiff's hip pain never resolved. The Defendant ultimately performed a hip replacement surgery on Plaintiff. Following the surgery and after initially improving, Plaintiff experienced hip pain and complained of an awkward gait and leg length differential. Plaintiff sued the orthopedic surgeon alleging he performed an unnecessary hip replacement procedure and performed the surgery incorrectly leading to a leg length discrepancy. Plaintiff sought over $400,000 in damages. The jury returned a defense verdict after deliberating for 35 minutes.
Georgia Supreme Court Voids Injunction Against Law Firm's Advertisement
Shannon Sprinkle and Tyler Wetzel prevailed for the second time at the Georgia Supreme Court on behalf of its out-of-state law firm client. In a related 2015 case, Shannon and Ty had secured a reversal of a trial court injunction of prior advertisements. This second lawsuit contended that the law firm had infringed upon the trademarks of a national nursing home facility group. The Plaintiff sought relief under Georgia's trademark anti-dilution statute. The trial court entered a permanent injunction prohibiting the law firm from placing any advertisements which used the nursing home's service marks, trade names, logos, or photographs of such. Shannon and Ty appealed the injunction to the Georgia Supreme Court, assisted by co-counsel specializing in trademark law.
The Georgia Supreme Court reversed the trial court's order finding that the law firm's advertisements did not infringe upon the nursing home facilities' trademarks. Justice Nahmias authored the opinion holding that "[not] every unwelcome use of one's trademark in the advertising of another provides a basis for a tarnishment claim." He said the law firm was using the nursing home logo in a descriptive manner and "counting on the public to identify" the facility. Nahmias added, "In short, the ad very clearly was an ad for a law firm and nothing more." A link to the Daily Report's coverage of the Supreme Court's ruling is below.
The Supreme Court's holding is a victory for law firms that rely upon legal advertisements. Although legal advertising is clearly permitted under the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, this case and the earlier 2015 case show that such advertisements may continue to be challenged on other legal grounds and remain hotly contested.
Please click here for more information
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Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification Defeated in South Carolina
Paul Sperry and
Tyler Winton
successfully defeated Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification in South Carolina. As a result, Plaintiffs' attempt to secure class certification of a neighborhood of single family homes was denied.
This is a huge win for all construction clients and carriers in South Carolina.
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South Carolina Office Supports Carolina Youth Development Center with Holiday Gifts
Suzanne Deters organized members of the firm to donate jackets, bed comforters, pillows, towels, toiletries and snacks for the Carolina Youth Development Center's Urgent Needs "Wish List" over the holidays.
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Editorial Staff
The CCS
Quarterly Newsletter is a periodic publication of
Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP, and should not
be construed as legal advice or legal opinion
on any specific facts or circumstances. The
contents are intended for general information
purposes only, and you are urged to consult
counsel concerning your own situation and any
specific legal questions you have.
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920 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
423.551.4345 P
404.523.2345 F
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