Hampton, VA

Avery T. Waterman, Jr.

Avery T. Waterman, Jr. is an award-winning attorney specializing in vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and serious personal injury cases, including brain injuries. He has been recognized for 19 consecutive years in Best Lawyers in America for both Plaintiff Medical Malpractice and Plaintiff Personal Injury, and has been named "Lawyer of the Year" multiple times. He has also been listed in Virginia Super Lawyers for 17 consecutive years, and in the National Trial Lawyers "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Virginia" and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for 16 consecutive years. Mr. Waterman is licensed in Virginia, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia, and has over 40 years of legal experience. He is known for achieving significant settlements and verdicts, including landmark cases upheld by the Virginia Supreme Court.

John M. Cooper

John M. Cooper is a founding partner at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers and a veteran of Virginia personal injury law practice. A native of Hampton Roads, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988. He has 37 years of experience, specializing in complex, catastrophic personal injury cases, including railroad law. He is recognized for his dedication to securing strong results in difficult cases and his involvement in the legal community.

Jim Hurley

Jim Hurley has been practicing law throughout Virginia for more than thirty years. Over his career, he has obtained several multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients. He is guided by the principle that the client is in charge of his or her case and should be kept fully aware of the process. As managing attorney at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, Jim encourages every attorney at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers to represent each and every client so as to provide great client service and a great result in their case. He lives in the downtown area of Norfolk VA with his wife, Pam, and has two children, Jimmy and Blair. He grew up in Buffalo, NY, attended the University of Arizona, and settled in the Norfolk area over 30 years ago.

Eric K. Washburn is a partner at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, licensed in Virginia and North Carolina. He holds a B.B.A. in Finance from James Madison University and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Eric is recognized as a 'Rising Star' Super Lawyer in Virginia since 2014 and a Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Silver in 2019. He is actively involved in the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia Beach Bar Association.

Christina Pendleton

As a founding partner of The Pendleton Law Team, Christina Pendleton has dedicated her career to fighting for individuals who have been injured due to negligence. With years of experience in personal injury law, she built a reputation as a fierce advocate for her clients, ensuring they receive the compensation and justice they deserve. Under her leadership, the firm has grown into a powerhouse for injury victims, handling cases involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. Christina is known for her strategic litigation skills, client-centered approach, and unwavering commitment to leveling the playing field against insurance companies and large corporations. Born in Taegu, South Korea, she moved to the United States as a child and later attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill on a classical piano performance scholarship. During law school at North Carolina Central University, she clerked at the North Carolina General Assembly and the Durham County District Attorney’s Office. She is a trial attorney based in Richmond, Virginia, who has successfully handled thousands of cases throughout central Virginia.

Bailey Gifford

Bailey Gifford joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers as an associate in late 2020 and became a senior associate in 2024. She specializes in catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, trucking, railroad, and complex premises liability cases. She graduated magna cum laude from Morehead State University in 2016 and earned her J.D. from the Appalachian School of Law in 2020. She has secured multiple seven-figure settlements for clients and is recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and Virginia Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming Lawyer.

Howard Smith

Howard Smith, managing partner at Brain Injury Law Center, has over 48 years of legal experience. He earned his B.A. from the University of Richmond and his J.D. from the College of William & Mary. He is licensed to practice in Virginia, New York, and the District of Columbia, focusing on wrongful death, medical malpractice, auto accidents, trucking crashes, and brain injuries.