My interest in practicing Law sprouted in my undergraduate studies. Though I was born and raised in the Dallas area, I received my Bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in Economics and Philosophy. I obtained my J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. During law school, I not only met my law partner but also my life partner, Genevieve. We have been practicing law together since 2005, and we moved our law firm to South Texas to be closer family and friends. I enjoy problem solving, and with my 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney, I have learned how to apply this to my legal practice in a way that is beneficial to my clients. I help my clients navigate the tumultuous waters of divorce, child custody and property distribution issues. I excel at engaging courts in prosecuting personal injury claims, such as bodily injury due to car accidents, injury due to another's negligence, or breaches of contract or other business dealings. I am invested in getting the best results possible for all of my clients and assuring a satisfactory outcome for their cases.

Valerie is Southeast Texas born and raised and is a proud alumni of All Saints Episcopal School (c/o 2000), West Brook High School (c/o 2004), Rice University (c/o 2008), and Tulane University Law School School (c/o 2014). Before law school, she spent one year teaching English in rural France. She subsequently served two years as a Teach For America Corps Member in Northern California, where she taught seventh grade English as part of Teach For America’s mission to make excellent education equitable for all children and fought for an uncompromising belief in every child. Valerie’s advocacy skills also carry into her volunteer efforts in the Southeast Texas community, where she has served on the Boards of Directors of the Junior League of Beaumont, the Michelle M. Mehaffy Inn of Court, the Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association, and the Foundation for Southeast Texas.

Since 1988, J.C. Bailey has provided strategic legal solutions in Business and Probate Law. A graduate of Abilene Christian University and Baylor Law School, he is a member of the Order of Barristers, the State Bar of Texas, and the Tarrant County Bar Association. J.C. prioritizes constructive, professional advocacy, aiming for resolution through mediation and arbitration when possible, but he is also a respected trial attorney. Based in the Bedford office, he serves businesses, families, and even Texas Lottery winners with expertise and dedication.

Gary W. Coker, a principal with the firm, is a native of Jasper, Texas. For more than 35 years, Gary has represented financial institutions, businesses and individuals primarily in the areas of business organizations and transactions, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, real estate, health law and estate planning and probate. Gary is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings and is licensed to practice in Texas state courts and the United States District Court for the Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern Districts of Texas, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Jefferson County Bar Association, Texas Association of Bank Council, and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas and is an active member of Beaumont’s First Baptist Church. Gary is also a certified mediator.

Christopher D. Leavins is a Principal and Member at our Beaumont and Houston offices and has been with Germer PLLC since 2008. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics prior to receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence at South Texas College of Law. Chris is Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate Law and Residential Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Chris has extensive experience in representing real estate developers, lenders, and businesses, as well as individuals in complex real estate transactions, financing, leasing, development, subdivisions, shopping centers and office buildings. In addition, he also has experience in estate planning, probate, business acquisitions, commercial litigation, and advising clients on the formation, operation and dissolution of various business entities. Chris has significant public entity representation, including acting as City Attorney and City Prosecutor for local municipalities, as well as representing economic development corporations and emergency service providers. He has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star, a Thompson Reuters publication, from 2018 – 2022.

Proudly taking International; Wills; Social Security; Elder Law; & Family Law cases out of Grand Prairie, Texas and the surrounding areas.