Hinesville attorney Carl Varnedoe has added a statewide recognition to his growing list of awards.
Varnedoe, 36, a partner in the Jones Osteen & Jones law firm, was named to the Daily Report’s “2013 On The Rise” list of up-and-coming lawyers. The Daily Report is a legal newspaper that covers breaking news related to Georgia law, trial coverage and law firms, according to dailyreportonline.com.
“I am humbled and honored anytime someone shines a light in my direction,” Varnedoe said. “I can tell you unequivocally I don’t do it for that.”
Varnedoe primarily represents plaintiffs in personal-injury cases, helping clients navigate an ever-changing insurance-compensation landscape.
“There are a lot of different ways for people to be injured through no fault of their own,” he said.
Insurance companies sometimes must be persuaded to compensate their insured or an innocent party for the wrongdoing or negligence of their insured, the Hinesville lawyer said.
“People come to us when something awful has happened in their lives,” Varnedoe said. “It truly is about helping these people at a time when they are most vulnerable. It’s a tremendous responsibility and one which we are honored to bear for our clients.”
He said the first step is to ensure his clients are appropriated compensated.
“We walk them through the process from A to Z,” Varnedoe said.
He said his work is rewarding, and each case presents new challenges. Varnedoe said he and his colleagues at Jones Osteen & Jones also strive to keep their clients informed and offer up-to-date advice on laws that constantly change.
The legal newspaper also touted Varnedoe’s “$500,000 policy limit settlement on behalf of a girl whose father was killed.”
The Hinesville attorney advocated for a structured settlement that would provide consistent support for the 8-year old, according to the Daily Report.
“He is an extraordinary young man,” said Billy Jones of Jones Osteen & Jones. “Carl has all the tools and it is a great honor for him to be selected. There are over 60,000 lawyers in the state of Georgia and for him to be selected among (this) group of 40 is extraordinary. It’s a reflection of his intelligence, his discipline and to the fine history and body of work he has already accomplished at a young age. He’s a product of Liberty County and is somebody that all Liberty Countians can be proud of.”
Varnedoe left his practice with Baker Donelson in Macon three years ago to join Jones Osteen & Jones and serve his hometown.
The Daily Report listed a number of Varnedoe’s legal achievements, including his successful negotiation for “an additional $2.1 million in compensation for a landowner affected by a Savannah harbor expansion project,” and a summary judgment he won “in the defense of a $10 million fraud claim against a community bank.”
Charles Ruffin, a shareholder at Baker Donelson and the State Bar of Georgia president, was quoted by the Daily Report describing Varnedoe as “cool, calm and collected,” and “a most accomplished talent.”
“But his roots are in his small town, as are mine,” Ruffin said. “I wasn’t the least bit surprised he returned to Hinesville, but I hated to see him go.”
“My wife is from here, our family was here,” Varnedoe said.
He said Jones, Osteen & Jones offered him both a great professional opportunity and a chance to come home.
“It made sense on a personal level as well,” Varnedoe said.
Hinesville is named after Varnedoe’s great-great-great grandfather, Charlton Hines, who is credited with founding the city. Hines served in the Georgia Senate and was appointed a justice of the interior court.
Varnedoe earned a degree in marketing from the University of Georgia and graduated from Mercer University School of Law 10 years ago.

The Daily Report contributed to this report.