emilyrowell, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Asbestos & Mesothelioma Litigation

July 7, 2015 by emilyrowell

GroupPic — Katie Kiihnl, Mark Thomas, Sharon Zinns, & Larry Christensen

Mark Thomas w/ Mark Thomas & Associates, PC

Mark Thomas is a 1984 graduate of East Tennessee State University with a degree in marketing. Mark graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in 1987. Mark began his professional career as a law clerk in Houston County with the Superior Court and then with the Houston County District Attorney’s office before switching to the practice of personal injury law as a defense attorney for insurance companies. In 1998, he opened his current firm and since that time has devoted himself to aiding the injured worker. His work on behalf of insurance companies gives him a unique “behind-the-scenes” perspective on how insurers think and act, which has proven a significant advantage for his injured clients. Mark practices in Sandy Springs and is a member of GTLA, WCCL, Sandy Springs Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta. He is also a volunteer citizen patrol officer with the Sandy Springs Police Department and lives in Sandy Springs with his wife Karen and sons Colin, a sophomore at the University of Alabama, Iain, a sophomore at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, and Will, a sixth grader at Ridgeview Middle School.

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Sharon Zinns w/ Levy Konigsberg, LLP

As an associate at Levy Konigsberg LLP Sharon focuses on asbestos/mesothelioma litigation representing individuals and families who have been affected by asbestos-related illnesses. From her office in Atlanta, Georgia, Sharon has represented asbestos victims throughout the country. Her clients range from war veterans to homemakers, from auto mechanic to doctors. Prior to joining LK, Sharon’s practice included asbestos/mesothelioma, medical malpractice, personal injury, and commercial litigation cases.

Sharon is licensed to practice law in California, Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. She is also licensed to appear before the United State District Courts for the Central District of California, the Southern District of New York, and the Eastern District of New York.

Sharon attended law school at Emory University School of Law, where she was a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar, a member of the Emory International Law Review, and Student Bar Association president. She attended both Columbia University and Emory University as an undergraduate, and she obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Emory University in 2002. While in school, Sharon interned for the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Cancer Society, and the DeKalb County Juvenile Court.

Sharon is an active member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. In her free time, Sharon enjoys running, yoga, and volunteering with the Atlanta March of the Living.

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Katie Kiihnl w/ Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle

Katie A. Kiihnl earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration cum laude from the University of Tennessee and her law degree from the University of Memphis School of Law. During her third year of law school, Katie attended Georgia State University College of Law where she earned the Custer-Tuggle Award for Excellence in Family Law from the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Prior to joining Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle, Katie was an associate with Kessler & Solomiany.

Katie has dedicated her practice exclusively to the area of family law. During her career, Katie has successfully represented clients in high-asset divorce cases, as well as complex child custody cases, including actions for legitimation, paternity, and modification of custody, child support, and parenting time. In addition, Katie was trained by the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation to serve as Guardian ad Litem, and provides her services to the Fulton County “reduced fee” Guardian ad Litem program.

Outside of her legal practice, Katie has been an active member of the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyers Division Family Law Committee, which sponsors the annual Supreme Cork silent auction and wine tasting to benefit Atlanta legal charities. Katie is also a graduate of the YLD Leadership Academy.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Katie now lives in Atlanta with her rambunctious black lab, Memphis. Katie is a spirited alumna of the University of Tennessee and enjoys college sporting events. In her spare time, Katie serves on the Advisory Board to the Delta Zeta chapter at Georgia State University.

HONORS

Listed, Atlanta Magazine’s Super Lawyers “Rising Stars,” 2014, 2015

Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Division, Family Law Committee

Member, Fulton County Family Division Task Force

Speaker, “Divorce 101: A Bird’s Eye View of Family Law,” Tropical Seminar CLE (2015)

Speaker, “Alternatives to Filing an Appeal,” Appellate Road Map for Family Lawyers CLE (2014)

Moderator, “Ask the Experts: A Child Custody Roundtable,” Family Law Institute, 2013

Graduate, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Institute for Associates, Advanced

Graduate, Leadership Academy, Young Lawyer’s Division, State Bar of Georgia

Custer-Tuggle Award for Excellence in Family Law

CALI Award in Family Law

PUBLICATIONS

“Five Habits of Money-Savvy 20-Somethings” Fox Business (2015)

“Relief from Judgments: What to Do If the Court Got It Wrong” Appellate Road Map for Family Lawyers CLE (2014)

“Women and Divorce: How to Protect Yourself Financially, Part 1 and Part 2” Go Girl Finance (2013)

“Good Night, Sleep Tight: Varying Views on Overnight Visitation,” Atlanta Bar Association, The Family Lawyer Newsletter (January, 2012)

“Hot Tips: Email Do’s and Do Not’s,” co-authored with John L. Collar, Jr., Family Law Institute (2012)

EDUCATION

University of Tennessee, B.S. Business Administration, cum laude

University of Memphis, J.D.

ORGANIZATIONS

Guardian ad Litem, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation

American Bar Association

State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section

State Bar of Georgia, Young Lawyers Division, Family Law Section Committee

Court Appointed Special Advocates (C.A.S.A.)

Atlanta Bar Association, Family Law Section

ADMISSIONS

Supreme Court of Georgia

Georgia Court of Appeals

United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

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Larry Christensen w/ Laurence L. Christensen, PC

Mr. Christensen graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1976. His law practice is limited to injury and disability law in which he represents individuals with social security disability claims, as well as children’s disability claims and social security overpayment cases. He has published numerous articles relating to these areas, and has participated in seminar presentations for medical providers, members of the Bar, and other organizations. He is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), the American, Georgia and Cobb Bar Associations.

Areas of Practice

Social Security Disability – Adults and Children
Guardianships
Special Needs Trusts

Bar Admissions

Georgia, 1976
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1976
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1987

Education

Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia
- J.D. – 1976
The Athenaeum of Ohio
- B.A.

Honors and Awards

AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Rated 10.0/10.0 Superb, AVVO
Distinguished Service Award, Georgia Center for Dispute Resolution

Professional Associations and Memberships

Georgia Dispute Resolution Section, Executive Committee
National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives, Member
Georgia Mediators Association, Member
State Bar of Georgia, Member
Cobb County Bar Association, Member

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Entertainment Law

June 30, 2015 by emilyrowell

John Seay, Stacy Ehrisman, Ryan Locke, & Emily Rowell (Host)

John Seay w/ The Seay Firm

John Seay is an entertainment, intellectual property, and business lawyer, and the founder and principal of The Seay Firm LLC, a law firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Goat Farm Arts Center. As an artist himself, John has over a decade of experience as a musician, tour manager, and writer. John is also Of Counsel in the entertainment and media practice group in the Nashville, Tennessee, office of Loeb & Loeb, one the largest and most comprehensive entertainment and media practice groups in the world.

Before founding The Seay Firm LLC, John worked for Turner Broadcasting and drafted and negotiated licensing agreements during his tenures in the legal departments of a Fortune 15 healthcare technology company and the University of Georgia Research Foundation. John is on the Board of Directors of #weloveatl and is a member of The Recording Academy. He is rated as a “Superb” Top Attorney – with a rating of 10.0 – in the field of Entertainment Law by Avvo and currently serves as a volunteer attorney at Georgia Lawyers for the Arts.

John has been quoted in matters relating to entertainment law on or in Pitchfork.com, CBS Radio, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, WSB-TV Channel 2, the Daily Report, the 2016 Songwriter’s Market, and Flagpole Magazine, among others, and has served as a panelist at numerous conferences, including the 2014 ICLE Entertainment Law Institute, the Future Music Attorneys, and the 2013 Protect Athens Music Conference in Athens, GA, about which he was also interviewed in Flagpole Magazine. John has written about his pro bono work in the Fulton County Daily Report. John is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served as Executive Articles Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and President of The Sports & Entertainment Law Society. John, his wife Jennifer, and their daughter Edie, live in Decatur, GA. Follow John on Twitter: @TheSeayFirmLLC.

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Stacy Ehrisman-Mickle w/ The Ehrisman Law Firm, P.C.

Attorney Stacy M. Ehrisman-Mickle was born and raised in the state of Iowa. She graduated from English Valleys High School, a small, rural school with a class of approximately 30 people. Stacy went on to attend the University of Iowa where she received her B.A. and graduated with highest distinction in December of 2005. She studied Political Science, International Studies and Japanese Language and Literature. Stacy immediately went to law school at the University of Iowa College of Law. She wrote for the international law journal, Transnational Problems and Contemporary Issues, as well as competed in moot court. During law school, Stacy completed an internship with a law firm in Madrid, Spain. She later worked as an assistant county attorney in the Henry County Attorney’s Office. Upon graduation, Stacy received the Boyd Service Award for her dedication to community service throughout law school.

After graduation in 2008, Stacy pursued her career in immigration law. She began working for an immigration firm in Marietta, Georgia. She was soon transferred to Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee to practice litigation-based immigration law. In 2010, Stacy found herself in New York City practicing all areas of removal defense and family-based immigration law. In 2013, she decided to open her own firm in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Stacy finds gratification in her practice as an immigration attorney. “I truly believe that I am fulfilling my unique purpose in life through my service to the immigrant community,” she explains.

Stacy speaks Spanish.

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Ryan Locke w/ Locke Law Firm, LLC.

I’m a trial lawyer. I went to law school–and started my own firm–because I love thinking strategically about tough problems, writing elegantly and effectively, and standing up in front of people to argue my case. I’ve spend hundreds of hours in the courtroom and thousands of hours outside representing my clients to the best outcomes possible. The results speak for themselves.

I also represent immigrants. Right after law school, I lived in Mexico and represented refugees and asylum-seekers with the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project. Today, I mostly represent immigrants getting married to citizens or spouses seeking work authorization.

I live in East Atlanta with my wife, two small children, and one medium-sized dog. I cook a lot, brew beer, and blast Spotify at the office. Our official drink is Diet Dr. Pepper and our official brewery this summer is Creature Comforts from Athens, Georgia.

If you need a lawyer, give me a call.

Notable Accomplishments

PROFESSIONAL

I am an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law for the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques, seven days of intensive workshops on trial techniques for all second-year students.

I was selected for The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and Top 40 under 40. Membership is by invitation only. I am also AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and rated 10/10 by Avvo–the highest ratings for both organizations.

After law school, I worked for the Public Defender for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, the largest (and best!) office in Georgia. I spent most of my time in the juvenile court and I’m a member of the State Bar’s Juvenile Law Committee. The Georgia Public Defender Standards Council continues to appoint me to represent children in this court.

I was selected by the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to attend the 13th Bill Daniel Trial Advocacy Program in Athens, Georgia.

I am widely involved in the legal community, holding membership in the Atlanta Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Federal Bar Association, and the Georgia Trial Lawyer’s Association.

I am admitted in all state trial and appellate courts in Georgia; for the federal courts, I am admitted in the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

COMMUNITY

I perform a significant amount of pro bono work. I have performed free work for people harassed by junk debt collectors, tenants wrongfully evicted from their homes, the International Community School, Occupy protesters arrested during peaceful protests, and federal prisoners seeking clemency from unreasonable drug sentences with Clemency Project 2014. I also work closely with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta.

I hold the record for the largest verdict obtained for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.

I coach Southwest DeKalb High School‘s mock trial team.

I am a board member at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church and the East Atlanta Charter School.

I am an Eagle Scout from Troop 993 in Severna Park, Maryland. I was even a camp counselor in the summer and can start a fire with a battery and steel wool (but my morse code and flag semaphore are pretty rusty).

LAW SCHOOL

I graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, where I competed with our mock trial team and coached a team my third year. I was a pupil in the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Inn of Court.

I also was an editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and published my student note about the constitutionality of laches barring a copyright infringement claim within the statute of limitations in the Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal in 2009. The Supreme Court of the United States agreed with me when they decided this issue in Petrella v. MGM, 572 U.S. ___ (2014).

At graduation, I was one of ten students inducted into The Order of Barristers, a national honor society for oral advocacy. I also was awarded the class award for “Outstanding Achievement in Socratic method–Member of the class whose performance in Socratic dialogue entertained us the most.” The first award is more prestigious than the second.

During law school I worked in a variety of clinics and internships. The highlights include working in UGA’s Special Education Clinic and Family Violence Clinic, and interning with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project.

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Criminal Defense & More

June 23, 2015 by emilyrowell

T Roberts, T Holder, E Stone, M Pociask, E Rowell (Host)

Tiffany W. Roberts, Attorney at Law

Tiffany Williams Roberts is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She obtained a B.A. from Emory University in 2003. In 2008, Tiffany obtained her J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law, graduating with pro bono distinction and several other honors. While at Georgia State, Tiffany studied in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Panama City, Panama and Durban, South Africa.

As a staff attorney at the Office of the Public Defender, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, Tiffany represented hundreds of clients facing felony charges in the Superior Court of Fulton County. While in public defense, she committed herself to providing the very best representation to her clients, despite limited resources and time. Through the nationally acclaimed Gideon’s Promise (formerly Southern Public Defender Training Center), Tiffany continued her legal education. Tiffany also serves as Deputy Director of the National Institute for Teaching Ethics and Professionalism, housed at the Georgia State University College of Law.

In addition to her legal career, Tiffany dedicates numerous hours to the community organizing around issues of police accountability, public safety and civil rights. She is a volunteer and leader of Ishmael’s Promise, a youth pretrial diversion program launched by the Board of Deacons at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Tiffany’s solo practice, specializes in criminal defense and civil rights issues. Her commitment is one to professionalism and client-centered representation.

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Tom Holder w/ Long & Holder, LLP.

Tom Holder graduated from Case Western Reserve U. He also spent his Junior Year Abroad at Lancaster U. in England. He received his J.D. from Emory.

He has practiced with the firm of Long & Holder, LLP for the last 28 years, with a practice exclusively devoted to the representation of injured workers in workers’ compensation cases. He is AV rated, has been designated as a Georgia Super Lawyer every year since 2004 and was in the Top 100 for 2012, 2013 and 2015. He is a Fellow of The College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. He is a member of the Board of Directors of WILG, the national claimants’ attorneys’ organization.

He is a Past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, the Founding Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, and a longtime member of the Executive Committee of WCCL, the Georgia claimant’s attorney organization. He is a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation topics.

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Erin Stone w/ Bovis, Kyle, Burch, & Medlin, LLC

Erin is an experienced family law attorney and has handled cases in all areas including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, division of property/debt and contempt. In 2012, Erin joined the family law practice at Bovis, Kyle, Burch & Medlin, LLC as a partner. Erin began her private practice with Schulten Ward and Turner in 1996 with a general civil litigation practice that included some family law as well as business litigation, construction litigation, contract disputes, dissolution of partnerships and personal injury. As her practice grew, Erin decided to focus her practice exclusively on family law.

Erin is an experienced trial lawyer having participated as lead counsel in jury trials, bench trials and numerous hearings in many counties of metro Atlanta as well as in Savannah and Macon. Erin has also participated in cases in federal court in the Northern District of Georgia and Southern District of New York. Erin feels that in family law her courtroom experience is crucial because clients often need the assistance of the court in order to protect their safety and financial security. Erin is a trained mediator and is able to bring that training and insight to her own clients’ settlement negotiations and mediations. Erin also offers her clients a network of relationships with professionals such as accountants, financial advisors, security experts and private investigators.

Erin is an Atlanta native. She grew up in Sandy Springs, graduated from Riverwood High School and now lives in Dunwoody with her husband and two children.

PROFESSIONAL OR TRADE AFFILIATIONS

State Bar of Georgia
American Bar Association
Atlanta Bar Association
DeKalb Bar Association
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers

HONORS & AWARDS

Top 50 Women for Georgia Super Lawyers, 2013 and 2014
Georgia Super Lawyer, 2009-2014
Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, 2013

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Matthew Pociask w/ Hiscox

In short, I’m currently a claims counsel for Hiscox. Since that leaves many asking a what?, for who?, I’ll explain further. Starting with “who,” Hiscox is a leading specialist insurer. Founded in England, where it’s a member of Lloyd’s of London, Hiscox’s history in America is short by comparison. However, in that short time, Hiscox has already pioneered direct liability insurance, so now American small business owners can shop online or call for their insurance needs, the same way individuals already shop online for auto or health insurance.

The direct business is important to me, because I’m a claims counsel on the start-ups and small business claim team. When one of our direct customers sends in a claim, they’ll be getting a call from us. Once I receive a claim, I examine it for coverage. For covered claims, I then work with the customer to help them resolve the problem at hand. That may include appointing defense counsel and making sure our customer’s interests are being protected, or negotiating a fair resolution directly with claimants.

Prior to coming in-house with Hiscox, I worked in private practice at Foltz Martin Knapp as a litigation associate. I also worked for a short time at the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the Staff Attorney Office.

A double dawg, I graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law, and received my AB in History from the Franklin College of Arts & Science at Georgia. In between, I worked in non-profit fundraising, managing dozens of student callers who annually raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the UGA Annual Fund.

In my personal time, I spend time with my family, read old books, and try to write when I can.

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Morgan & Morgan and The Windecher Firm

June 16, 2015 by emilyrowell

Rob Hendrix, David Windecher, Angela Caruso, & Emily Rowell (Host)

Robert Hendrix, III w/ Morgan & Morgan

Robert L. Hendrix, III (Rob), is an accomplished trial lawyer who has recovered over $20,000,000.00 in benefits for his clients in over a decade of practice. Rob focuses his practice almost exclusively on representing injured employees in workers’ compensation cases. He has tried cases in nearly every corner of the State in front of nearly every Administrative Law Judge. Rob is currently heading the Columbus, Georgia office of Morgan & Morgan.

In addition to Rob’s trial accomplishments, he is also an experienced appellate advocate. He has handled numerous matters through the appellate process, including at the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court. Included in Rob’s appellate advocacy is the reported case of Dekalb Board of Education v. Singleton, 294 Ga. App. 96; 668 S.E. 2d 767 (2008), which was landmark in that the decision allowed for an injured employee to receive income benefits for a psychic injury only after the physical injury resolved.

Rob has been recognized many times for his skill as an attorney. For four straight years (2010-2013), he was named a Georgia Rising Star Super Lawyer, which is published by Atlanta Magazine in conjunction with Law & Politics Magazine. This is an honor recognizing the top 2.5% of attorneys in their practice area under the age of 40. In 2014, Rob was named a Georgia Super Lawyer recognizing the top 5% of all lawyers in their practice area. Rob is the youngest Georgia workers’ compensation lawyer to receive this honor. For three straight years (2012-2014), Rob has been named a Top 100 by The National Trial Lawyers. This is an invitation-only group composed of the top trial lawyers in the country. That organization has also named Rob a Top 40 Under 40 for three straight years (2012-2014). Rob has also been named a Top 40 Under 40 by the American Society of Legal Advocates for two straight years (2013-2014). Finally, Rob has been named one of the Best Attorneys in America by Rue Ratings. This honor is bestowed on less than 1% of attorneys in the country.

Rob takes his obligations to the law very seriously and is active in the legal community, serving in leadership positions at the local, state and national level. He serves as Vice Chair of the Workplace Injury section of the American Association of Justice (AAJ), and formerly served as Editor of the section’s newsletter. Additionally, Rob serves on the Paralegal Education Taskforce and the Convention Planning Committee for the AAJ. Further, Rob serves on the Executive Board as Treasurer of the Workers’ Compensation Claimant’s Lawyers (WCCL) arm of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA). Along with his Executive Board position, Rob also heads the Leadership Development committee and serves on the Fee Arbitration Committee. Locally, Rob is a Board Member at Large for the workers’ compensation section of the Atlanta Bar Association. He also serves on the Amicus Curiae committee of the Georgia Legal Foundation, which is dedicated to addressing specific appellate issues in the workers’ compensation community. Lastly, Rob is a member of the Workers’ Injury Law Group (WILG), American Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia.

Rob is a frequent lecturer on the local, state and national level. He has given presentations at every major legal conference involving Georgia workers’ compensation law, including: the annual ICLE seminar in St. Simon’s Island, GTLA annual convention, State Bar of Georgia, State Board of Workers’ Compensation annual seminar, the WCCL annual educational seminar (For Your Eyes Only), Atlanta Bar Association, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, and Travelers Employer School. In 2013, Rob spoke twice at the AAJ National Convention in San Francisco. Rob has lectured on topics such as turning around the tough case, affirmative defenses, taking depositions, civil discovery in workers’ compensation cases, common mistakes made by employers, independent medical evaluations, developing medical evidence, and case intake. In addition to lecturing, Rob has also authored journal articles for the State Bar of Georgia newsletter (workers’ compensation section) and the AAJ’s Workplace Injury Group newsletter.

Personally, Rob enjoys spending time with his wife (Vicki) and his three children (Sammy, Harrison and Max). When not practicing law, he enjoys traveling to Las Vegas and following his beloved Georgia Bulldogs. Rob has also served as an assistant martial arts instructor in Choi Kwang Do, and is currently working toward a black belt in Hap Ki Do under 6th degree Master Kathy Tusa.

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David Lee Windecher w/ The Windecher Firm

David Lee Windecher was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2012 and the Florida Bar in 2014. David is a member of the Georgia and Florida Court of Appeals, the Georgia and Florida Supreme Court, the Northern District of Georgia United States District Court and the American Bar Association.

Windecher, the son of Argentine immigrants, spent his formative years residing in two of the most dangerous cities in the United States – El Monte, California and Miami, Florida. Despite being born into desperate circumstances surrounded by tough gangs and limited opportunity, David relentlessly fought to change his fate.

Beating the odds, David was accepted into law school. During law school David interned with the Dekalb County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases under the Third-Year Practice Act from May 2011 thru May 2012. In addition, David was elected President of the John Marshall Law School Sports and Entertainment Law Society in 2010 and voted Peer Mentor of the year in 2011. Prior to attending law school, David was employed by the Miami Dolphins as a Public Relations Coordinator. In 2005, David graduated at the top of his class with the summa cum laude distinction from the American Intercontinental University in South Florida. David is also fluent in Spanish.

Today, Windecher practices criminal defense at his own Atlanta-based firm, The Windecher Firm and is the Founder of RED, Inc., a non-profit organization sponsoring GED programs for young juveniles facing non-violent criminal charges and capable of rehabilitation through an education.

He wrote an autobiography – The AmerIcan Dream | HisStory In The Making – to portray the difficulty of obtaining the American dream as an impoverished minority.

Windecher’s faith in God and love for his family were the catalysts for turning his life around.

BAR ADMISSIONS

EDUCATION

John Marshall Law School, Atlanta, GA, Juris Doctor, 2012
American Intercontinental University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Bachelor of Arts, 2005

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

American Bar Association

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration DUI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, 2013-Present
General Mediator, State of Georgia

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Client Distinction Award issued by Martindale-Hubbell, 2013

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Workers’ Compensation Law & More

June 9, 2015 by emilyrowell

E Rowell, M Moebes, D Scott, N Hartman, E McBurney, & M Friedman

Michael Friedman w/ Law Office of Michael H. Friedman, LLC.

A licensed attorney since 1992, Michael H. Friedman has been practicing exclusively in the area of Workers’ Compensation law since 1993. Mr. Friedman has devoted the first 20 years of his practice representing employers and insurance companies, and began representing the injured workers of Georgia in 2011. His past experience representing insurance companies gives him a unique perspective and successful approach to representing injured employees, and sets him apart as an advocate for Georgia workers. Michael Friedman practices all over Georgia and is experienced in handling all types of cases and injuries.

Attorney Michael H Friedman has tried over 100 cases before the administrative law judges at the State Board of Workers Compensation, and has handled appeals to the Appellate Division, the superior courts, and the Georgia State Court of Appeals.

Areas of Practice

100% Workers Compensation

Litigation Percentage

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

Georgia, 1992
U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1993
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1993

Education

Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta, Georgia
- J.D. – 1992
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- B.S. – 1988

Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of Georgia, Member, 1992 – Present
State Bar of Georgia, Workers’ Compensation Section, Member, 1993 – Present

Pro Bono Activities

Georgia High School Mock Trial, 1992 – Present

Website Atlanta Law Service GA Workers’ Comp Law LinkedIn

Emily McBurney w/ Kegel McBurney, LLC.

For more than a decade, Emily’s law practice has been primarily devoted to Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (“QDROs”) and other retirement benefit matters. Prior to forming Kegel McBurney LLC in 2012, Emily was a shareholder at the Atlanta law firm of Davis, Matthews, & Quigley, P.C.

Emily is a recognized expert in the field of QDROs, and provides QDRO preparation and consultation services for clients across the country. She is a popular speaker, and is frequently invited to lecture on this subject by legal and professional organizations nationwide. Emily has published numerous articles and contributed to various publications about QDROs. She also writes a QDRO blog for the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emily-w-mcburney/).

Emily is a member of both the Family Law and Employee Benefits Sections of the State Bar of Georgia and the Family Law section of the Atlanta Bar Association. She is a member of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, Women In Pensions, and a Barrister in the Charles Longstreet Weltner Family Law Inn of Court. Emily served as the Staff Attorney to the Honorable Cynthia D. Wright during the inaugural term of the Family Division of the Fulton County Superior Court in 1998. Emily also served as a Staff Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the 11^th Circuit.

Emily graduated, magna cum laude, from Brown University with a B.A. in 1990 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her law degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1995. Emily was raised in New Rochelle, New York.

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Nathan A. Hartman w/ Hartman Private Law, LLC.

Nathan Hartman, a resident of the Atlanta community for 16 years, is the principal of Hartman Private Law. Mr. Hartman attended Emory University College, Candler School of Theology, and the Emory School of Law. His professional life has been complimented by service as an Elder of Emory Presbyterian Church, founder of the law school’s E.A.G.L.E. orientation program, and as owner of Alexander Antiques. He very much enjoys the opportunity of sharing what he has learned through his deep commitment to the law and to the community. He invites you to contact him if you or someone you love does not yet have a Will or needs any of the services of a Trusts and Estates attorney.

Website LinkedIn Special Needs Trust Article

Debra Donaldson Scott w/ Vining Financial Services, Inc.

Debra Donaldson Scott is an independent financial planner working at Vining Financial Services, Inc., a full service financial planning firm offering securities through Triad Advisors, Inc., and clearing services through National Financial Services. Debra is a native of Georgia who grew up on a working family farm, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia, a Paralegal Certification from the National Center of Paralegal Training, and completed the Certified Financial Planning Program from the University of Georgia. Her informal education through personal life experiences has been as valuable as her formal education to assist in understanding her clients’ concerns and struggles financially. She worked in the metropolitan Atlanta area as a corporate and litigation paralegal for 17 years then obtained her insurance and securities licenses while working for an insurance company in 2000. Debra worked for Wachovia Bank as an officer and financial specialist until 2007 and currently has clients ranging from young professionals to the elderly, small business owners and families. Due to her background with corporate clients and litigation, Debra’s specialties are small business planning and structured settlements. However, she has a soft spot for working with women who find themselves solely responsible for the finances of their businesses or families due to circumstances they did not anticipate such as divorce. Debra enjoys teaching clients the fundamentals of planning for immediate, short term and long term financial goals and covers cash flow analysis, risk management, and investment planning including preparing for retirement, college and windfalls such as awards from lawsuits and inheritances.

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Michael Moebes w/ Moebes Law, LLC.

Michael Moebes began his professional career as a client representative with IBM before resigning to attend law school at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He spent three years representing employers and insurers at the insurance defense law firm of Drew, Eckl & Farnham in midtown Atlanta before joining the legal team at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for two years. These five years taught him how insurers evaluate injury claims in terms of validity and financial exposure in addition to teaching him about the nuances of practicing injury law throughout the great state of Georgia.

In 2009, Mr. Moebes started Moebes Law, LLC and has passionately represented the injured ever since. In fact, he has recovered millions of dollars and won the right to countless medical procedures in the course of his representation of injured workers and veterans since starting his firm. He is active in the National Organization for Veterans’ Advocates, the Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group, and numerous local and national bar organizations.

Mr. Moebes has been named a “Rising Star” by the Georgia “Super Lawyers” organization, an honor given to 2.5% of attorneys in their practice field as voted upon by their peers. He has also been named among the “Legal Elite” by GeorgiaTrend magazine. He has lectured at the Georgia Trial Lawyers annual convention, the “Fundamentals of Law Practice” course at Georgia State University College of Law, and the “National Return to Work Week” radio show.

When not practicing law, Lieutenant Colonel Moebes serves as a Medical Service Corps officer with the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He has deployed three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom: twice to Balad Air Base, Iraq and once to Andrews AFB, Maryland. In the course of his decorated military service, he has facilitated the aeromedical evacuation of thousands of wounded warriors, and he participated in the Jessica Lynch rescue mission in 2003.

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Hold your Workers Compensation Depositions, client consultations, and Meditations in professional and neutral Atlanta Conference Rooms. Peachtree Offices offers 30+ rooms across metro-Atlanta for attorneys.

Child Custody

June 2, 2015 by emilyrowell

group — Rich Casanova (Host), Amy Kaye, Allison Hill, & David Garfinkel

David Garfinkel, w/ Levine Smith Snider & Wilson

I have joined Levine Smith Snider & Wilson as an of counsel attorney. I have over 30 years of family law experience, having specialized in complex divorce litigation, paternity, prenuptial and post nuptial agreements, high asset property division, custody, alimony, visitation, and child support issues. I relocated to Atlanta after living in Jacksonville, Florida for 26 years.

I am recognized as a Best Lawyer in America, a top 100 Florida Family Law Attorney, Martindale Hubbel AV rated preeminent lawyer, by Legal Elite, and by Super Lawyers. I am Board Certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in Marital and Family Law. I am a leader both in the legal profession and in the community, and have served as a director and chairman on multiple boards. I have served on the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar. While serving as co-chairman of the Florida Family Law Equitable Distribution Committee, I co-drafted a proposed statute to submit to the State Legislature. I lecture frequently to attorneys and law students on various marital and family law topics. I am admitted to the bars of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

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Amy L. Kaye, Partner at Ellis Funk

Amy joined Ellis Funk, as a shareholder in 2005 when her former firm, Leitz, Fink & Kaye, LLC, combined with Ellis, Funk, Goldberg, Labovitz & Dokson, P.C. Amy has practiced law for 25 years. She began her law career in the area of Business and Corporate law, and has focused exclusively on Family Law matters for the last 18 years. Amy handles Family Law cases throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area.

Amy’s practice covers all areas of Family Law including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, spousal support, equitable division of assets and liabilities, modification, marital agreements including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, paternity actions, separation agreements, mediation and arbitration. Amy also serves as a Court appointed Guardian Ad Litem in custody matters, and has been a frequent speaker at family seminars. Amy is a member of the Charles L. Weltner Family Law Inn of Court, and has been named to Georgia “Super Lawyers” in the area of family law and named to the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, and named by The American Lawyer as a Top Rated Lawyer in Family Law.

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Dr. Allison Hill w/ Peachtree Psychological Associates

Dr. Hill obtained her law degree from Villanova University in 2010 and her doctoral degree in Clinical Forensic Psychology from Drexel University in 2012. Dr. Hill obtained her undergraduate degree from Duke University. Dr. Hill is a member of the Georgia Bar, the Georgia Psychological Association, and is a current board member to the American Psychological Association Society for Family Psychology. Dr. Hill works in private practice and continues to supervise psychiatry residents and psychology students at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Hill works with families in transition, couples in high conflict divorce, and conducts parental fitness and child custody evaluations.

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The Hybrid Future of Lawyer Marketing

May 26, 2015 by emilyrowell

Atlanta Legal Experts Radio presents:

Nothing You’ve Ever Seen: The Hybrid Future of Lawyer Marketing

Our guests today included Randy Kessler, Alvaro Arauz, Soo Hong, and Bruce Hagen discussing our upcoming event. Randy and Alvaro will be presenting at this 1-hour marketing seminar given from two national perspectives in a never-before-seen format: a lawyer and a law firm consultant having a dialogue on what works and doesn’t work for marketing in the evolving legal landscape. The unique insights leave attorneys with another hour to network with the lessons that they can implement in their own practice.

Enjoy the incredible view of Atlanta from the 49th floor at the Commerce Club for a networking happy hour sponsored by The State Bar of Georgia’s YLD Affiliates Solo-Small Firm Committee and Peachtree Offices. Complimentary drinks and hors-d’oeuvres will be provided during the course of the evening. More details and registration page CLICK HERE

GroupSit — E Rowell, S Hong, B Hagen, R Kessler, & A Arauz

Alvaro A. Arauz w/ 3a Law Practice Management

“We challenge ourselves with complex assignments of all kinds – it requires us to constantly evolve, which in turn allows us to give better advice. If you’re a brave attorney putting up your own shingle, a small firm adding more associates and staff, or a mid-size firm that needs infrastructure re-engineering, we can help. We promote progress through productivity. It’s about results, not effort.”

In 1997, Alvaro began helping lawyers by teaching them how to achieve the holy grail of greater profits for less work. Now, Alvaro’s clients ask for his counsel in every facet of their business growth.

He believes lawyers should do two things: represent clients and foster new clients. Anything that takes them away from that needs to be delegated. He also believes law firms should inherit the two do-wells: Do Well By The Client & Do Well By The Employee. To do so, his clients receive a comprehensive and streamlined set of solutions organized and funneled through a central database. This lets attorneys spend less time on administration details or capturing time and more emphasis on clients or at home.

These days he shares his knowledge by speaking at frequent CLE seminars, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Conference on Law Practice Management or at solo practitioner boot camps. Fluent in Spanish, he can assist Latin American attorneys here and other countries. Aside from helping many of Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia’s Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, he is proud to claim top tier lawyers recognized globally by Chambers, 7 of the Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers and 3 of US News Best Law Firms in America as clients. They are also frequent experts on CNN and other national news sources.

When not saving lawyers from inefficiencies, Alvaro would rather spend time with his loved ones, helping his home community or expanding his photography portfolio by traveling around the world. His literature studies in Cambridge, England and creative writing degree allowed him to teach graduate students and help start a screenwriting program at USF in Tampa. He also contributes his time serving on four operating boards of non-profit organizations here in Atlanta and in his hometown of San Francisco.

“I teach my kids they have to give forward to receive. If I don’t lead by example, my kids – much less clients – will pay me no mind.”

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Soo Hong w/ Blevins & Hong, PC

Soo has helped hundreds of clients with their financial hardship by zealously representing them and advising them with the best options to rebuild their credit. She has represented clients from simple Chapter 7 cases to complex business Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. Soo has helped many small business clients save their business while getting rid of their debt and rebuilding their credit. Soo has also aggressively and successfully represented many clients in Adversary Proceeding cases. Soo prides herself in being able to provide strong personal relationships to her clients. She understands the importance of the tough issues and decisions that her clients are facing and is available for her clients through each step. She finds that the most important aspect of her role as an attorney is to always be available to answer any questions or concerns of her clients. Soo has also represented clients in traffic and DUI Court. She has completed training with NHTSA’s DUI Detection and Field Sobriety Testing as well as training in Intoxilyzer 5000EN. Soo also serves as a bankruptcy instructor at Chattahoochee Technical College. Soo was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the United States at the age of 10. She is fluent in Korean and is grateful that she is also able to help the Korean community in Georgia.

Education:

• J.D. at Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law, 2008

• B.S. at Georgia Institute of Technology, 2003

Training

• Field Sobriety Testing and DUI Detection

• Intoxilyzer 5000EN, understanding the instrument and interpreting the results presented by Forensic Alcohol Consulting and Training, LLC

Professional Memberships:

• State Bar of Georgia

• Atlanta Bar Association

• Cobb Bar Association

• Cobb County Bar Association’s Younger Lawyers Division – Treasurer

• Metro Atlanta Consumer Bankruptcy Association Group (MACBAG)

• National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA)

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)

• National College for DUI Defense

• Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA)

• Georgia Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL)

Bar Memberships:

• Georgia Supreme Court• Georgia Court of Appeals

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia

• All Superior, State Magistrate, Probate, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts of Georgia.

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Bruce A. Hagen w/ Hagen Law, P.C.

Bruce A. Hagen has represented clients since 1986 in a variety of personal injury matters. He has handled more than 6,000 personal injury cases for more than 10,000 clients. Some of the issues he handles include wrongful death, auto accidents, bicycle wrecks, bus accidents, cases involving brain injury or drunk driving, slip and falls, products liability, and related litigation and appeals.

Mr. Hagen has appeared on television and radio to discuss personal injury law, and has been the featured speaker at dozens of legal seminars, including the recent seminar “Trying the Soft Tissue Injury Case in Georgia.” He is a frequent guest on 680 The Fan and a regular contributor on both Atlanta Eats TV and Atlanta Eats Radio.

Bruce has a particular expertise and passion for personal injury cases on behalf of injured bicyclist. As a cyclist himself, Bruce is both committed to advocacy for bike safety and education while equally committed to obtaining justice for cyclists that are injured due to drivers’ negligence. Bruce recently become part of Bikelaw.Com, a national network of lawyers who both advocate for cyclists rights and represent injured bicyclists. Bruce and his mentor, Ken Rosskopf are frequent sponsors of various events within the cycling community.

In addition, Mr. Hagen belongs to the Atlanta and DeKalb County Bar Associations, the State Bar of Georgia and the American Association for Justice. He also is a member of Georgia Personal Injury.com and a Champion member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Hagen has served as President of the Sandy Springs Youth Football and Cheerleading Association, and as President of the North Springs High School Athletic Association. For 9 years, Bruce was “The Voice of North Springs Football” until he recently retired from his announcing duties.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Mr. Hagen earned his Juris Doctor from George Washington University. He is admitted to practice in the courts of Georgia, the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.

Areas of Practice:

Wrongful Death
Auto Accidents
Bicycle Crashes
Bus Accidents
Brain Injury
Drunk Driving Accidents
Slip and Falls
Products Liability
Litigation & Appeals

Bar Admissions:

Georgia
U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

Education:

George Washington University National Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
University of Florida

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Plaintiff’s Personal Injury: Practice Tips and Application, National Business Institute
Speaker, “Trying the Soft Tissue Injury Case in Georgia”
Guest, “Layman’s Lawyer”

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Atlanta Bar Association
DeKalb County Bar Association
State Bar of Georgia
American Association for Justice
Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
Georgia Personal Injury.com
Sandy Springs Youth Football and Cheerleading Association

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Randall Kessler, Kessler & Solomiany, LLC.

Founding partner of the 13 lawyer, Atlanta family law firm – KS Family Law.

Practiced family law for over 25 years.

Frequently represents high profile individuals, particularly Athletes and Entertainers.

Former Chair of the Family Law Sections of the American Bar Association, GA Bar and Atlanta Bar.

Authored Family Law books including:

Divorce: Protect Yourself, Your Kids and Your Future (www.divorceprotect.com).

Georgia Library of Family Law Forms.

Has taught the Domestic Relations course at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta since 2005.

Editor of NEXT Magazine, a magazine to help people survive divorce (see it online at www.nextdivorce.com).

Editor Emeritus of the Family Law Review, the official magazine of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of GA.

Media: Often quoted in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, People Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated.

Guest commentator for CNN, HLN, NBC Today Show, ESPN, FoxBusiness.com and others.

LinkedIn “Influencer” with over 135,000 followers.

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Civil Rights Issues

May 19, 2015 by emilyrowell

G Jacobs, M Earle, C Sermons, S Ditzel, & E Rowell

Greg Jacobs w/ Jacobs & King

Gregory is the Managing Member of Jacobs & King. With over 20 years of experience, Greg co-founded Jacobs & King in 2010. His concentration within the practice is on Trusts and Estates, Asset Protection Planning, Business Law, Real Estate and Tax issues.

Prior to co-founding the firm, Greg held positions including Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director, Financial Planning at Wachovia Bank; Senior Manager, Private Client Services at Arthur Anderson; and Partner at Lawler & Tanner.

He earned a B.S. with Honors in accounting from the University of Florida and a J.D. with Honors also from the University of Florida. He was a member of the National Business Honor Society and Beta Alpha Psi, the National Accounting Honor Society.

Greg brings the special combination of his legal and accounting experience into play for resolving some of the most complex cases. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association and the Atlanta Bar Association, and maintains an additional license as a Certified Financial Planner.

Originally from Brockton, Massachusetts, Greg also spent time in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida before settling in Sandy Springs, Georgia after law school in 1992. He has been married for 18 years and is the father of three sons. In his spare time Greg loves coaching and watching his sons’ sports teams, including hockey, football, lacrosse, basketball, soccer and baseball. He volunteers as the coach of the Riverwood Jr. Raiders football team and is also on their Board of Directors. Greg is active in civic organizations as well, serving as the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee Professional Advisory Counsel of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and is on the Planned Giving and Endorsement Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

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Myrlin Earle w/ Bruce A. Hagen P.C., Trial Lawyers

Myrlin Earle w/ Hagen P.C. started his career in Georgia at the Fulton Solicitor General’s office. He then moved up to the Fulton District Attorney’s office. From there, Myrlin moved into the corporate, private sector by spending the last 10 years working for State Farm Insurance Company’s legal department in Atlanta, Sharon Ware & Associates. After spending a good bit of time defending car wreck cases.

Myrlin has now come to the “Good Side” and will be putting all that experience to work to help his clients get a fair treatment in court.

History:

2011-Present, Bruce A. Hagen P.C., Trial Lawyers. Personal Injury Trial Attorney.

2001-2011 Senior Attorney for Sharon Ware and Associates; In-House Counsel for State Farm Insurance Company. Myrlin accumulated numerous defense verdicts in metro Atlanta which saved State Farm Insurance Company millions of dollars. In 2010, he successfully defended a $10 Million lawsuit involving avascular necrosis which resulted in defense verdict.

1996-2001, Chief Senior/Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. Supervised Major Drug Trafficking Unit. He was the Assistant. D.A. in the trial division. Myrlin handled thousands of Felony prosecutions and supervised jury trials and hundreds of seizure cases.

1993-1996, Senior Asst. Solicitor General, Fulton County Solicitor General’s Office. Myrlin started his illustrious career handling thousands of misdemeanor cases, including DUI Prosecutions.

Mr. Earle belongs to the Atlanta and County Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia. He also is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.

Areas of Practice:

Wrongful Death
Automobile Accidents
Trucking Accidents
Bus Accidents
Brain Injury
Drunk Driving Accidents
Slip and Falls
Products Liability

Bar Admissions:

Georgia
Washington DC

Professional Associations and Memberships:

State Bar of Georgia
Atlanta Bar Association
Georgia Trial Lawyers Association

Education:

Howard University School of Law
California State University Long Beach

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Crystal James Sermons w/ Crystal Sermons, LLC

Attorney Crystal James Sermons is an accomplished attorney, educator, leader, and motivator, that has only begun to make a mark on the world. Born in Broxton, Georgia, Attorney Sermons received her Bachelor of Science degree from Clark Atlanta University, her Master of Public Health from Rollin’s School of Public Health at Emory University, her Juris Doctorate from University of Houston, and her license to practice law from the State of Georgia, all by the age of twenty-six. She has been able to not only work within her science and public health interests, she has also maintained a successful legal practice that focuses mainly on the areas of civil right issues, which include labor and employment issues, voting irregularities, criminal law, personal injury, as well as domestic relations. With more than sixteen years of private practice experience and offices in Atlanta, GA and Ocilla GA, Attorney James continues to seek opportunities to utilize her unique training and background to assist the clients that she serve.

Attorney Crystal James is also a mother, and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

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Sean Ditzel w/ Kessler & Solomiany, LLC

Education

J.D., University of Georgia School of Law

B.A., summa cum laude, Georgia State University

Bar Admissions

State Bar of Georgia

Supreme Court of Georgia

Georgia Court of Appeals

United States Federal Court, Northern District of Georgia

Selected Honors

Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia,

Family Law Section, 2011-2013

Chair of the Technology and Social Media Subcommittee,

Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, 2012-2013

Chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia,

Family Law Section, 2011-2013

Super Lawyers Magazine Rising Star, 2011

Graduate of the Leadership Academy of the Young Lawyers Division, 2012

Selected Positions

Webinar, Recent Developments in Technology for Family Law Practitioners, November 2012

Speaker for LiveCLE Seminar – Family & Matrimonial Law in the 21st Century: Practicing with Humanity

Panelist for Atlanta Bar Association’s Valentine’s Day CLE: Ethics Issues in Family Law

Live CLE Seminar Family & Matrimonial Law in the 21st Century: Practicing with Humanity March 28, 2013

Speaker at the 2012 Joint Legal / Forensic Accounting Divorce Seminar

Guest lecturer at John Marshall Law School

Guardian Ad Litem, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation

Summary

Mr. Ditzel was born in Baltimore, Maryland and moved to Atlanta, Georgia at an early age. After graduating at the top of his class at Georgia State University, where he was named the James Madison Scholar for Political Science, he earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2006.

Domestic relations law has been Mr. Ditzel’s exclusive area of legal practice. He has attained considerable litigation and courtroom experience in matters ranging from divorce, child support, custody, legitimation, paternity and adoption. Mr. Ditzel has represented a variety of clients throughout the State of Georgia, including many prominent athletes, entertainers and executives. Mr. Ditzel has been recognized as a Rising Star by the Super Lawyers Magazine for his exemplary work in domestic relations law.

Mr. Ditzel is extremely active in leadership positions in various local and state bar organizations and is also a trained Guardian Ad Litem for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. Mr. Ditzel and his wife, Robin, make their home in Marietta, Georgia with their dog, George.

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GA Top Trial Lawyers

May 12, 2015 by emilyrowell

Ronnie B. Wotorson, The Wotorson Firm, LLP.

Mr. Ronnie B. Wotorson is a student of the law. From a family of trial lawyers, senators and politicians, Mr. Wotorson knew very early that he would be a trial lawyer.

After he received his undergraduate degree, he worked for many years in some of the nation’s top corporations. He managed multi-million dollar businesses and oversaw and trained hundreds of people how to lead and manage successful businesses. Determined to follow his dreams of becoming a trial lawyer and truly helping people, Mr. Wotorson left a bright future in corporate America and attended law school where he served as a tutor and research assistant to multiple Professors and Deans and graduated with Honors amongst the top of his class. Mr. Wotorson has trained with the nation’s top litigators. Amongst them are the trial lawyers at the prestigious national law firm of Gary, Williams, Parenti, Finney, Lewis, Watson & Sperando, P.L. Mr. Wotorson’s passion for justice is unmatched. He has worked on some of the nation’s most complex cases with values ranging from hundreds of thousands to billions of dollars. Mr. Wotorson has tremendous knowledge and expertise from his experiences, both in business and law. He brings all his experiences to cater to the specific needs of each client. Mr. Wotorson was named Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States, an extremely elite class of attorneys. Most recently he was nominated for “The Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers In The United States”. He was recently the winner of the “Esquire Award” presented by the National Bar Association.

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Robin Frazer Clark w/ Robin Frazer Clark, PC.

Robin Frazer Clark is the owner and founder of the law firm of Robin Frazer Clark, P.C. Ms. Clark has practiced law for twenty years in Atlanta, Georgia, all as a trial lawyer in personal injury cases. Prior to this firm she was a partner in Clark Goldner, P.C. from 2004-2006 and a partner in Jewett and Clark, LLC from 1997-2004. Ms. Clark devotes one-hundred percent of her practice exclusively to representing everyday Americans who have been injured by the carelessness of others. This includes personal injury and employment matters, automobile wrecks, tractor-trailer wrecks, premises safety, elevator and escalator cases, products safety (including defective automobile manufacture), medical malpractice and sexual harassment cases.

Ms. Clark is the Immediate Past President of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA) and serves on the Editorial Board of The Verdict. Ms. Clark has previously served as President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian and Education Committee Co-Chair of GTLA. Ms. Clark was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Ms. Clark was also reelected to the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia for Atlanta Circuit Post No. 36. She is the current President (2012-2013) of the State Bar of Georgia and a member of the Atlanta Bar Association in which she serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Litigation Section. She is a Member of the General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia. She is also a member of the American Association for Justice (formerly, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) and a member of the Executive Committee of The Lawyers Club of Atlanta. Ms. Clark is a Fellow of The Lawyers Foundation of Georgia.

Ms. Clark received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Vanderbilt University in 1985 and received her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1988. Ms. Clark is the author of numerous published articles, including “Trial Practice Corner: Avoid the IRS on Confidentiality Provisions, Verdict Magazine, Fall 2005; “There You Go Again: Other Similar Incidents in Medical Malpractice Cases (A Case Study of Bean v. Northeast Georgia Medical Center),” The Verdict, Fall/Winter 2004, “Essential Tools for Overcoming Trial Fear,” Trial Excellence, Advanced Trial Tactics for Attorneys, May 2001, “Closing Argument Tips: Compensatory and Punitive Damages,” Trial Excellence, Tactics, Legal Updates & Samples, September 2001 and Exceptions to Preferential Transfers: Closing the Hunting Season with Section 547 (c), 4 BANKR. DEV. J. 149 (1987) , Bankruptcy Developments Journal, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute / Emory University School of Law.

Ms. Clark is admitted to the State and Superior Courts of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Clark has tried over 50 trials, the majority of which were solo trials, in the last twenty years. Ms. Clark has advocated before Georgia Appellate Courts approximately 24 times. Ms. Clark has given numerous speeches for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education of Georgia and for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and has appeared on “The Layman’s Lawyer” on Atlanta Public Television on the issue of products liability and has appeared on “Leyes Cotidianas,” or Everyday Law, on Georgia Public Television on the issue of recent changes to the Georgia Civil Justice System.

Ms. Clark has served as volunteer counsel for The Carter Center program “Not Even One Child’s Death by a Firearm is Acceptable or Inevitable,” the Georgia Council for the Hearing Impaired and the Atlanta Bar Foundation’s Truancy Intervention Project.

Ms. Clark is married to William T. Clark, Director of Political and Public Relations for Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. They have two children, Chastain, age 18, and Alexandria, age 16. Ms. Clark has been a member of Saint Mark United Methodist Church for 19 years, where she serves as Vice Chair of the Administrative Council. Ms. Clark is an avid golfer, carrying a 21 handicap.

Read The Young Lawyers Division Review in which Robin Frazer Clark was highlighted for being on the first place team in the Annual Golf Tournament. View full BIO HERE

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J.P. Gingras w/ The Gingras Firm, LLC.

The Gingras Firm, LLC is a full-service forensic accounting firm specializing in damages calculations, complex business litigation, securities litigation and expert testimony.

Mr. Gingras has extensive experience consulting with law firms and corporate law departments on litigation, accounting, and finance matters. “J.P. offers what law firms need, particularly in the current economic environment: the capability to successfully and efficiently help attorneys understand complex litigation involving accounting and/or financial matters, and, at the same time, reduce the cost of litigation to clients,” said Betsy Collins, partner at Burr & Forman LLP. “J.P. offers a one-stop shop for accounting and finance consultation, expert matters, litigation consultation, and e-Discovery capabilities,” added Ms. Collins. Mr. John Latham, partner at Alston & Bird LLP, stated that “J.P’s financial, accounting and litigation experience gives him unique insights and make him a tremendous resource for lawyers.”

Mr. Gingras’ previous employment experience includes more than 3 years at Alston & Bird LLP (“A&B”) where he provided accounting, finance, and valuation advisory support services to attorneys. While at A&B, Mr. Gingras worked with litigation teams that represented clients in securities class action suits and was involved in white-collar crime investigations. J.P. played an integral role in all phases of litigation including discovery, witness preparation and depositions, expert reports/testimony, motion practice, and trial preparation. Mr. Gingras also assisted in the representation of Boards of Directors of public companies in connection with several large special investigations.

Prior to A&B, J.P. was a manager at Deloitte & Touche accounting firm, where he developed extensive experience in providing audit services to various public company clients.

Specialties:Forensic Accounting, Securities Litigation, Damages Calculation, Trial Preparation and Expert Testimony.

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Sanford (Sandy) Wallack w/ Wallack Law

Sandy has been practicing criminal defense throughout the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years. He has experience handling offenses including murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, white-collar crime, sexual offenses, commercial gambling, drug offenses and RICO actions. Sandy has experience and handles cases at both the trial and appellate level in state and federal court.

Licensed by the Georgia State Bar since 1994, Sandy has worked in both the public and private sectors including Jacobs King & Wallack, Michael Moran & Associates, Kramer & Thomas, the Fulton County Conflict Defender’s Office, the Douglas County Public Defender’s Office and the City of Atlanta Public Defender’s Office.

Sandy received his B.A. in Political Science from University of Florida and his J.D. from Emory University School of Law. He is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College Trial Practice Institute. Sandy is a life member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Animal Law section of the Georgia bar and has provided pro bono assistance in the area of animal law since law school. Sandy also speaks with groups and organizations on a variety of criminal defense topics. To learn more, click here.

Sandy has called Atlanta his home for over 30 years, having grown up in the Atlanta area. Sandy is married with three kids and a dog.

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