PI Attorneys - We Will Make the Difference

Attorney David L. Hoffman

David founded Hoffman Law Firm in April 2007 in a one-room office on Carriage Lane in the West Ashley area of Charleston. With the goal of providing effective, individualized service, he has grown the business into a recognizable and well-known law firm in the Charleston area. His practice areas are in Workers' Compensation, Longshore, motor vehicle accidents and personal injuries. He speaks both Spanish and Italian and has represented injured people from all walks of life since 1998. As your attorney, he will approach your case with the same tenacity and attention to detail that has allowed him to grow his business and reputation in our community.

Dave is a South Carolina native, growing up and attending high school in Mount Pleasant, SC. After graduating magna cum laude from The Citadel in 1991, Dave began a career in public service before pursuing his law degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he graduated with honors.

An active member of the Lowcountry, Dave helps his community by supporting Abby's Friends, The American Heart Association, Camp Happy Days, Darkness to Light, Trident Literacy Association, and is a sponsor of the Charleston Scottish Society's Annual Scottish Games, from which proceeds go to benefit the Ronald McDonald House.

Attorney Kevin B. Smith

Kevin loves a challenge almost as much as he loves the opportunity to make a difference in peoples' lives. Kevin has represented injured South Carolinians since 2002 and has been a partner at Hoffman Law Firm since 2014, where he leads the litigation department. His practice areas are in personal injuries, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, and pharmacy errors. As your personal injury attorney, he will personally work with you every step of the way, acting as your advisor and helping you navigate the people and organizations that oppose you.

Kevin graduated from The Citadel in 1994 as a Gold Star recipient before attending to the New England School of Law to pursue his law degree. An appointee to the Keenan Ball College faculty, Kevin teaches new and innovative trial techniques to lawyers from all over the country. As a Lowcountry native, he enjoys personal injury law because he is able to stand up for people who would otherwise be left to fight the insurance companies alone. "Verdicts send messages and make our community safer by providing a financial incentive to those who would endanger any of us. The message is, if you break the rules and someone gets hurt as a result, you'll be held accountable for the full extent of the harm you cause. This is the essence of trial work and the important role of our juries."

Attorney Matthew R. Cook

Matt diligently emphasizes helping people that have suffered a life-changing work accident and are faced with dealing with powerful employers and insurance carriers who are working against them. Matt understands just how lost and alone a person can feel during such a time. He takes great pride in being able to join them in their fight and to let them know that they are not alone. He gives them a voice demanding that they be heard by companies that would otherwise silence them and recognizes that throughout a work injury, individuals will be faced with problems and fears that seem too great to overcome. He does all that he can to overcome those problems for them and to mitigate any fears. He wants them to know that they matter and their case matters. Matt develops a strategy that enables clients to get their life back on track. He works closely with clients to accommodate their needs and objectives, determining the most effective and efficient way to quickly resolve a case through prompt communication and aggressive legal strategy.

In his workers’ compensation practice, Matt represents injured workers who have suffered a spectrum of injuries including traumatic brain injury, paraplegia/incomplete paraplegia, repetitive trauma, mold and chemical exposure, complex spinal injuries requiring disc replacement or spinal fusion, knee injuries requiring everything from arthroscopy to a total knee replacement, shoulder injuries, burn/chemical scarring and disfigurement. Additionally, he has frequently appeared before the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission and Full Commission on behalf of his clients.

Since he began practicing law, Matt has achieved over $27 million dollars in orders and settlements on behalf of injured workers, including a $1.2 million dollar settlement for a denied traumatic brain injury.

Matt is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association, South Carolina Injured Workers’ Advocates (IWA), Charleston County Bar Association, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a certified court mediator and the South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star list.

Matt graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1999 and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor in 2003 from the University of South Carolina. During his legal study, he received CALI Awards for the highest law school grade in Insurance and Criminal Procedure.

When Matt is not doing legal battle, he enjoys traveling, being on the water, and spending time with his family.

Attorney Amanda R. Stearns

From Amanda's earliest days in law school, she knew she wanted to be a trial lawyer. Determined to finish law school quickly so that she could pursue her dream of fighting for justice, Amanda graduated a semester early from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Throughout her undergraduate and law school years, Amanda competed in mock trial competitions all across the country and continues her involvement in mock trials as a mentor to the University of South Carolina's School of Law Mock Trial Bar and undergraduate mock trial team.

Prior to law school, Amanda obtained her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Elon University in North Carolina. During law school, Amanda worked for the South Carolina Bar offering law related education to school children and teachers through a variety of programs. Amanda continues to serve as a committee member to the South Carolina Bar Law Related Education Committee.

Amanda's competitive spirit can be traced back to the days when she competed internationally on the equestrian circuit and won two national gold medals in dressage. As your personal injury attorney, through hard work and long hours of research and preparation, Attorney Amanda Stearns will apply the same dedication and intensity to your case.