Brian R. Holmes is an attorney at Joye Law Firm’s Columbia office. He practices civil plaintiff’s law, primarily focusing on personal injury and workers compensation cases. Throughout his career, he has been devoted to representing injured motorists, workers, and their families in South Carolina. Brian takes immense pride in providing assistance to his clients and guiding them through the complexities of our legal system during their most challenging times.
Meet Brian R. Holmes
Tell Us About Your Approach When Meeting a Client
I try to practice law like an educator – because, let’s be honest, there aren’t any classes in high school on what happens when you get hurt in an accident or how to deal with insurance companies. I don’t want to hide the ball or make it seem like the situation is beyond my client’s understanding, because it’s not. I try to take on the position of a teacher and to educate my clients about the law while I represent them. I believe that it’s extremely important for my clients to understand the process that they are going through, which only helps me to more effectively guide them through the difficult situation that they’re in. When a person has been hurt in an accident or at work, it’s the biggest thing going on in their life. They are upset, in pain, and their whole life has been interrupted. I want my clients to be fully informed so we can function as a team and make collaborative decisions together. I may provide the legal expertise, but it’s the client’s life and they bring their own personal experience to the table – which is equally important. I want my clients to understand that there are no stupid questions and no concern is too small. My aim is for my clients to leave my care with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and get the best outcome for themselves and their families if they are ever in a similar situation in the future.
What do you want a personal injury victim to come away with after their initial meeting with you?
I want my clients to know that I am available to them whenever they need me. When I call a client for the first time, I always block off my calendar so they can spend a few hours on the phone with me. I want them to know up front that I am there to support them and they have my undivided attention, no matter how long that may take. By demonstrating my availability and willingness to listen up front, I hope to convey to my clients that calling me or asking for my time is not an imposition to me, but a privilege.
What is the most satisfying aspect of being a personal injury lawyer?
I get the most satisfaction when the long shots come through. I once had a client who was driving down I-26 when he saw a car that was crashed into a guard rail. Being a nice guy and good Samaritan, my client pulled over and walked up to see a teenage girl slumped over the wheel with her airbag deployed. As he was trying to get her attention, another truck slammed into the car and launched him over the guardrail, breaking his arm. When the police arrived, they advised him to take himself to the Emergency Department since his car wasn’t damaged and there were so many other individuals that needed medical attention from EMS. Assuming the police would include him in the police report, he provided them with his information and drove himself to the hospital, only to find out later that they failed to write him into the report. Due to this oversight, there was no proof that his arm was broken in the collision or that he was even at the scene of the accident at all. He tried to find legal representation, but no other attorneys would take the case. I felt so bad for the guy! He did the right thing and was only trying to help another person in need, but the insurance companies all denied his claim because he didn’t have the paperwork to prove that he was there. I worked on this case for three years because I refused to believe that this was just a case of insurance fraud as the insurance companies suggested. I refused to let them punish my client for trying to do the right thing. When the insurance companies finally took responsibility and settled his claim, he shook my hand and said, “Mr. Holmes, you are the only one who believed me.” I still think about that case, and it drives me to continue fighting for my clients to this day.
Brian’s Background and Education
Brian is a native South Carolinian who grew up in Mt. Pleasant and has spent his entire life in the state.
Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Carolina, a Masters in Business Administration from the College of Charleston, and a Juris Doctorate from the Charleston School of Law.
His journey in the legal field began as a paralegal for J. L. Mann Cromer, Jr., a former South Carolina Congressman and the current Reading Clerk for the South Carolina House of Representatives. While in law school, Brian served as a Research Editor and Articles Editor for the Charleston Law Review. He also held the position of Chair for the Charleston School of Law Student Bar Association Elections Committee. Additionally, he was an active member of various organizations, including the Charleston School of Law Business Law Society and the Charleston School of Law Intellectual Property Law Society.
After completing law school, Brian began practicing in Charleston, South Carolina where he gained valuable experience and honed his skills in personal injury law. In 2017, he relocated to Columbia, South Carolina and, in 2023, he joined Joye Law Firm.
Brian shares his life with his wife, Ashley. The two met as undergrads at USC. Together, they have two pet dogs, a bearded dragon, a hedgehog, and a fish. Outside of his legal career, Brian is an avid music lover. He enjoys attending live shows and can play virtually anything that’s brass, as well as, acoustic guitar, electric bass, and ukelele. He loves to run, surf, and is teaching himself to speak Japanese. Brian is also a big football fan who enthusiastically supports the New Orleans Saints and his alma mater, the Carolina Gamecocks.
- Charleston School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2014
- College of Charleston, Masters of Business Administration, 2014
- University of South Carolina, Bachelor of Arts in History, 2010
- State Bar of South Carolina, 2014
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