Copeland, Stair, Valz & Lovell, LLP is pleased to announce Kierra N. Brown, Taylor L. Cary, and Jodene W. Edwards were elevated from Associate to Partner effective January 1, 2026. Additionally, David L. Barry and Eric C. Steinhart were elevated from Associate to Of Counsel.

Kierra N. Brown is a Partner in our Charleston office. She practices a wide range of general liability litigation, including automobile liability and premises liability, and represents individuals, restaurants, retail stores, hotel chains, as well as private property and small business owners. She’s has experience in insurance defense, appellate law, and education law. Kierra graduated magna cum laude from Lander University and attended the Dickinson School of Law at Pennsylvania State University. She is also a member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association. The NRRDA fosters collaboration, education, and advocacy within the legal community, addressing the unique challenges faced by those representing businesses in the retail and restaurant industries.

Taylor L. Cary is a Partner in our Charleston Office. She practices a range of commercial, professional, and management liability litigation. Prior to joining CSVL, Taylor practiced commercial litigation in New York. She graduated cum laude from Hofstra University before attending Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where she also graduated cum laude. Taylor was selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers for Business Litigation in 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Each year, no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

Jodene W. Edwards is a Partner in our Atlanta office and is part of our General Liability, Architects & Engineers, and Construction Litigation practice groups. Prior to joining CSVL, Jodene handled complex cases involving catastrophic injury, trucking, rideshare, and automobile liability, and other general liability. She has served as both first and second chair in jury trials, resulting in numerous successful outcomes for her clients. She is also a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

David L. Barry is Of Counsel in our Chattanooga office. He works in our construction, trucking & transportation, and general liability practice groups. David earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and his Juris Doctor from the Nashville School of Law. During his time at law school, David was inducted into Cooper’s Inn, an honor reserved for the top 10% of the class.

Eric C. Steinhart is Of Counsel at our Chattanooga location, focusing his practice on Professional & Management Liability and Design Professional Litigation. Eric received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before graduating cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to joining CSVL, Eric served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Ellen L. Hollander, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Eric previously represented clients in civil litigation, enforcement, white collar, and international arbitration matters as an associate attorney at law firms in Washington, D.C. Eric also served as a Trial Attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, where he represented the United States in federal district and circuit courts nationwide.

Our newest partners each exhibit our Firm Fundamentals in all that they do. These lawyers continue to grow, shine and demonstrate leadership. We are proud to see their progress and know that they will help the firm achieve our ultimate goal of superior client service for years to come.