Stephanie provides thoughtful and tailored advice to clients in the retail, restaurant and hospitality industries and serves as the chair for the firm’s Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Practice Group. Her practice focuses on serving retailers, business owners and operators, franchises, manufacturers, and distributors in premises liability matters, product liability actions, and business disputes. Stephanie’s experience includes handling slip or trip and fall accidents, falling merchandise cases, negligent security claims, breach of contract and warranty actions, food liability cases, and commercial disputes, to name a few.
Stephanie also serves as vice chair for the firm’s Premises Liability Practice Group. Her experience with premises liability cases includes not only representing her retail and hospitality clients, but representing housing authorities across the state and defending them against negligent security claims.
Whether resolving a case amicably through pre-suit mediation, vigorously defending a case through trial, or providing effective counsel on ways to limit and manage risks, Stephanie protects her clients’ interests and collaborates with them to understand and help achieve their goals.
Representative Matters
Cases or matters referenced do not represent the lawyer’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.
- As co-counsel, successfully defended a housing authority in a case involving the death of a resident of a high rise facility for the elderly, which was alleged to have resulted from a criminal assault and inadequate security.
- Obtained partial summary judgment for a retailer and owner of the retail company in a products liability case where Plaintiff fell from his wheelchair and made claims for negligence and breach of warranty against the manufacturer, retailer, and owner of the retail company.
- In a commercial litigation case, obtained transfer of venue from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, pursuant to a forum selection clause between the parties.
- At trial, obtained a “no negligence” verdict from the jury in a motor vehicle negligence case in Wake County.
- Obtained summary judgment for the owner of a hotel in a premises liability case where Plaintiff alleged that she slipped on an area of wet carpet in her hotel room.
- Obtained summary judgment in a defamation and misrepresentation case filed by a radiologist against an orthopedic surgeon, where Plaintiff radiologist contended that statements allegedly made by the Defendant orthopedic surgeon resulted in a lawsuit being filed against him for medical malpractice and fraud.
- Obtained partial summary judgment for a housing authority in a wrongful death case where Plaintiff was seeking punitive damages and the housing authority was entitled to immunity.
- As co-counsel, successfully defended a housing authority in a wrongful death case where an elderly resident of one of the housing authority properties was strangled to death in her apartment by a fellow resident. Issues in the case included allegations of improper screening, admission, and retention of residents by the housing authority. After a two week jury trial, the Plaintiff asked the jury to award over $10 million in compensatory damages. The jury returned with a verdict of $132,000.
Articles, Presentations, and Publications
- “Menu Labeling Update,” DRI Products Liability Seminar, February 2018
- “Peeling Back the Label: Current Trends in False Labeling Claims,” In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2018
- “Current Trends in Handling False Labeling Claims,” DRI Retail and Hospitality Litigation Seminar, May 2017 (panel moderator)
- “Affordable Care Act: Implications and Opportunities,” Harmonie Next Generation Cutting Edge Litigation Topics Seminar, November 2015, August 2016
- “Legal Implications of Effective & Proper Use of Premises Camera Surveillance,” The Harmonie Group, Spring Conference (2016)
- Women Rainmakers – Roadmap to Success, Contributing Author, DRI (2014)
- Food Liability Claims & Litigation, The Harmonie Group, Fall Conference (2013) – manuscript
- Franchisor Liability Issues, The Harmonie Group (authored section on NC franchisor liability, 2013)
- “Hot Topics and Trends in the Retail Industry: Seven Minute Drill” – DRI Retail & Hospitality Litigation and Claims Management Seminar 2012
Most Recent Posts
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Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).… Read More
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3 Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP Attorneys Selected For DRI Leadership Positions
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Stephanie Gaston Poley Publishes Retail & Hospitality Article in DRI For the Defense
Stephanie Gaston Poley, Chair of the Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Practice Group at Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP, was recently published in the July 2017 edition of For the Defense. Stephanie’s article “Seven Years of Growth” gave a recap of the 2017 Retail and Hospitality Seminar and the committee’s plans for the upcoming Annual Meeting in Chicago.… Read More
33 Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America© 2018
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018 (Copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Eight attorneys were selected for inclusion in the list for the first time.… Read More
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Today Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH Law) proudly announced that 17 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2017 North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
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Stephanie Gaston Poley has been appointed the Chair of the DRI Retail and Hospitality Committee. The appointment is for a one-year term beginning October 2016 with an option for a second-year term. … Read More
Premises Camera Surveillance Part 1: When Does the Duty to Preserve Video Evidence Arise?
The effective and proper use of premises camera surveillance is just the first step in whether or not video evidence… Read More
CSH Law Attorneys to Present at Harmonie Conference
Stephanie Gaston Poley and Dan Katzenbach will appear as featured speakers at the Construction & Cutting Edge Litigation Topics Seminar presented by the Harmonie Group. The event is scheduled for Aug. 3 at the Embassy Suites Atlanta-Perimeter.… Read More
Tips for Hiring Your Seasonal Help
Stephanie Gaston Poley and Virginia Wooten are featured in the July 2016 edition of At Your Service, the magazine for the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. Their article, “Tips for Hiring Your Seasonal Help,” explains the legal issues that must be considered when hiring seasonal staff. … Read More
Summary Judgment for Restaurant in Premises Liability Case
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Dismissal of Non-Resident Defendant in Non-Compete Case
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Stephanie Gaston Poley (Raleigh) obtained directed verdict for a third party logistics company in the North Carolina Business Court, where plaintiffs… Read More
Directed Verdict for Restaurant Slip and Fall Case
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Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (CSH) is proud to announce that 16 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2016 North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
Stephanie Gaston Poley Receives President’s Award from Wake County Bar
Stephanie Gaston Poley was recently awarded the President’s Award for helping coordinate the silent auction for the Wake County Bar Awards, which was held on Oct. 29.… Read More
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Stephanie Gaston Poley, Chair of the Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Practice Group at Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP, has been reappointed to the position of Vice Chair of the national Retail and Hospitality Committee of DRI. This will be Stephanie’s second term as committee Vice Chair.… Read More
“NC Laws That Help Food Stay Safe”
Stephanie Gaston Poley, of Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP, was recently published in At Your Service, the magazine of the North Carolina Retail and Lodging Association.… Read More
20 Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog Attorneys Named to 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
CSH Law announced that 20 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers and North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
Stephanie Poley Contributing Author to Women Rainmakers Publication
Stephanie Gaston Poley, contributing author to Women Rainmakers – Roadmap to Success; experiences of in-house counsel and attorneys in private practice.
… Read More
Five CSH Law Attorneys Listed Among 2015 Legal Elite
Five CSH Law attorneys in its Raleigh, Charlotte and Wilmington offices were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as Legal Elite… Read More
Stephanie Gaston Poley Appointed Vice-Chair of DRI Retail and Hospitality Committee
Stephanie Gaston Poley, Chair of the Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Group at CSH Law, appointed Vice-Chair of DRI Retail and Hospitality Committee.… Read More
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CSH Law announced that 21 of its attorneys are selected for inclusion in the 2014 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2014 North Carolina Rising Stars lists.… Read More
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Poley joins other professionals from the Triangle in this leadership training program which lasts from August 2013 until May 2014.… Read More
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Ten CSH Law attorneys were selected as 2013 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 14 CSH Law attorneys were selected as 2013 North Carolina Rising Stars.… Read More
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