Claire M. Holloway, J.D.

Claire M. Holloway is a partner at Cordwell, Holloway & Feltner, LLP, and the head of the firm's Paranormal Real Estate and Cryptid Litigation practice groups. Ms. Holloway's practice focuses on representing individuals who have suffered physical, financial, or psychological harm as a result of paranormal property fraud, undisclosed spectral activity, and injuries caused by cryptids or unclassified biological entities. She has recovered more than $2.1 million in damages for cryptid-injury victims alone and has handled over 150 paranormal disclosure disputes since joining the firm in 2004.

Ms. Holloway's interest in paranormal litigation stems in part from personal experience. In November 1999, while conducting field research for her undergraduate thesis at the University of Georgia, she was among a group of witnesses to a Mothman manifestation event near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The encounter, which resulted in minor injuries to several members of the research party and significant property damage to their vehicle, went uncompensated due to the absence of any viable legal theory at the time. This experience informed Ms. Holloway's decision to attend law school and ultimately to develop the legal frameworks that now govern cryptid personal injury claims in twelve states.

In 2004, Ms. Holloway founded the firm's Cryptid Practice Group, the first dedicated cryptid-litigation practice at any major plaintiffs' firm in the United States. Under her leadership, the group developed the Cordwell Cryptid Encounter Protocol (CCEP), a standardized intake and evidence-preservation methodology that has been adopted by personal injury firms in seven states. She currently serves on the ethics board of the International Association for Paranormal and Preternatural Advocacy (IAPPA), where she has led efforts to establish uniform standards for the admission of paranormal evidence in civil proceedings.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Holloway spent three years at the Georgia Attorney General's Office, where she handled consumer protection matters, including several early cases involving fraudulent paranormal property disclosures. She is admitted to practice in Georgia, South Carolina, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and she regularly serves as an expert commentator on paranormal liability for the Savannah Morning News and Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Capabilities

Practice Areas

Recent Work

• Lead counsel, Beaumont v. Tidewater Realty Group (2019) — $780K verdict for undisclosed Class IV haunting in residential property
• Co-counsel, In re Skunk Ape Timber Injury Litigation (2017) — consolidated claims for 23 plaintiffs injured during Skunk Ape encounters in the Okefenokee Swamp
• Lead counsel, Thurston v. Jersey Devil Holdings, LLC (2021) — established duty of care for property owners in known cryptid migration corridors
• Lead counsel, Nakamura v. Airbnb, Inc. (2023) — landmark ruling on short-term rental platforms' disclosure obligations for paranormal activity

Publications & Speaking

• 'Spectral Nondisclosure: The Emerging Tort of Paranormal Property Fraud' — Emory Law Journal, Vol. 57 (2008)
• 'Legal Standing for Cryptids: A Comparative Analysis' — Virginia Environmental Law Journal, Vol. 31 (2013)
• 'The Mothman Precedent: Eyewitness Testimony and Cryptid Encounter Litigation' — Georgia Law Review, Vol. 50 (2016)
• 'Paranormal Evidence in Civil Proceedings: Toward a Uniform Standard' — American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Vol. 44 (2021)

Recognition

• Georgia Super Lawyers — 'Top Women Attorneys in Georgia' (2016, 2018, 2021)
• IAPPA Ethics Award for Distinguished Service (2019)
• Daily Report (Georgia) — 'Most Influential Attorneys Under 50' (2017)
• National Association of Paranormal Counsel — 'Practitioner of the Year' (2022)
• Savannah Business Journal — 'Legal Elite' (2020, 2023)