Portsmouth, VA

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.

Peter T. Nicholl

Peter Nicholl is a founding partner of the firm, establishing it in 1995 after 16 years as a senior partner at another personal injury law firm. He began his legal career in 1979. Mr. Nicholl specializes in asbestos cases involving mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases, and has also tried complex cases involving radiation exposure, defective products, unsafe conditions, and medical mistakes. He has represented thousands of Maryland citizens, contributing to over $2 billion in client recoveries from various large corporations and entities. Mr. Nicholl is recognized for his professional excellence and community service, regularly donating to local and national charities.

Willard J. Moody, Jr.

Willard J. Moody, Jr. is the President and senior attorney in The Moody Law Firm. He has been representing railroad workers and handling Federal Employers’ Liability Act claims since 1983. He is licensed to practice law in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida, and admitted to numerous Federal courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a past President of the Portsmouth Bar Association and the Academy of Railway Labor Attorneys (ARLA), and a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. His practice includes FELA claims, product liability, trucking liability, medical malpractice, and auto negligence cases. He heads the Mass Tort division, handling pharmaceutical cases and defective implant cases. He co-authored a chapter on FELA claims in ATLA's 'Litigating Tort Cases' and is a member of AAJ Litigation groups. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and a 2017 recipient of the TOP 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in Virginia by The National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys. He has achieved the highest Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating.

Jeff Brooke

Jeff Brooke is the personal injury lawyer that other lawyers turn to when they have been injured. He is a personal injury attorney serving clients in Virginia Beach and throughout Virginia in both state and federal courts. Jeff’s approach to personal injury is to treat every client as his most important client and to make sure that his clients’ needs are being met in every way possible. Many of Jeff’s clients comment that Jeff and the entire Jeff Brooke Team go above and beyond what is expected from a personal injury lawyer.

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.

Bringing over 45 years of legal expertise to the Oast & Taylor team, Bill Oast’s practice areas include Elder Law, Estate, Trust & Fiduciary Litigation, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Estate & Trust Administration, and Estate Planning. Among other associations, he is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. In the 1990s, Bill became one of the first attorneys in Virginia to dedicate his practice to the emerging field of Elder Law. He was a founding member of the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA), and for many years he served on the organization’s Board of Directors as its Treasurer.