(Freeman & Hawkins, 1963-1996)
MEMBERS OF FIRM
J. Bruce Welch (Member) born Asheville, North Carolina, January 14, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, Georgia; 1995, Florida; 1996, Nebraska; 1997, West Virginia. Education: University of North Carolina (B.A., 1963); Emory Univeristy (J.D., 1967). Phi Alpha Delta. Member, Bryan Society. Adjunct Professor, Emory University School of Law, 1982-1986. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; The Florida Bar; Nebraska State Bar Association; West Virginia State Bar; State Bar of Texas; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1983; Vice-President, 1988-1989; Secretary-Treasurer, 1990-1991; Executive Vice President, 1991-1992; President, 1992-1993); International Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute (Georgia State Representative, 2005-2008); American College of Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Products Liability; Toxic Tort Litigation.Email: J. Bruce Welch
Albert H. Parnell (Member) born Washington, D.C., December 24, 1941; admitted to bar, 1969, Georgia; 1989, Nebraska and West Virginia; 1994, Texas and Florida. Education: George Mason College of University of Virginia; Arkansas College (B.A., 1965); Vanderbilt University (J.D., 1968). Phi Delta Phi. Presiding Judge, Vanderbilt Moot Court, 1967-1968. Recipient, Louis Potter Annual Award for Professionalism, Defense Research Institute, 2003. Author: "Requests to Charge on Georgia Law: A Compendium," Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Private Printing, May, 1976; "The Coordinated Group Defense," For the Defense, Vol. 22, No. 6, November, 1980; "Industrywide Litigation - Where We've Been and Where We're Going," Insurance Counsel Journal, April, 1981, p. 296; "Litigation Poses Serious Challenge to Insurers," The Independent Adjuster, Vol. 46, No. 2; "Manufacturers of Toxic Substances: Tort Liability and Punitive Damages," The Forum, American Bar Association, Vol. XVII, No. 4, Spring, 1982; "The Effective Use of Demonstrative Aids in Closing Argument," For the Defense, Vol. 25, No. 12, December, 1983; "Medical Monitoring: A Dangerous Trend," For The Defense, Vol. 34, No. 4, April, 1992. Member: Atlanta and American (Vice-Chairman, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee, Section of Tort and Insurance Practice, 1981-1982; Vice-Chairman, Committee on Toxic and Hazardous Substances and Environmental Law, Section of Tort and Hazardous Substances and Environmental Law, Section of Tort and Insurance Practice, 1985-1986) Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1974; Vice President, 1977; President, 1979-1980); Defense Research Institute (Member, Board of Directors, 1992; Chairman, Industrywide Litigation Committee, 1979-1981; Chairman, Law Institutes Committee, 1982-1984; Southern Regional Vice President, DRI, 1989); International Association of Insurance Counsel (Member, Products Liability Committee, 1981-1982). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Products Liability Law; Toxic Tort Litigation.Email: Albert H. Parnell
A. Timothy Jones (Member) born Gary, Indiana, April 15, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, South Carolina; 1968, Georgia; 1990, Indiana; 1992, Texas. Education: University of Virginia (B.A., 1963); University of South Carolina (J.D., 1967). Phi Delta Phi. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; South Carolina Bar; State Bar of Texas; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. (Resident, Charleston, WV Office). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; General Products Liability; Toxic Tort Litigation; Medical Device Litigation; Environmental Litigation.Email: A. Timothy Jones
Alan F. Herman (Principal) born Richmond, Virginia, January 7, 1949; admitted to bar, 1973, Georgia; Pro Hac Vice, U.S. District Court, District of Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. District Court, District of New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. District Court, District of St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. District Court, District of Roanoke, Virginia and State Courts in New Jersey, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Utah, Arizona, Ohio, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and California. Education: Duke University (A.B., 1970); University of Virginia (J.D., 1973). Introduction: Alan F. Herman is a senior partner with Hawkins & Parnell, and is an experienced trial lawyer, who strives to provide personal attention to each of his clients. Alan's civil litigation practice concentrates on the representation of healthcare providers in professional medical negligence litigation, hospitals, physicians, nurses, chiropractors, podiatrists, and medical device manufacturers; product manufacturers and product liability cases alleging errors in design, manufacture, assembly, testing and selling of all types of products to include industrial, consumer and medical products; the defense of trucking companies, their drivers, and insurers in catastrophic and other accident related matters; the defense of retail clients and premises owners in matters relating to premises liability, negligent security, and other premises related claims; legal malpractice cases; and general liability matters of all types. Alan believes in being personally available to his clients. He often visits hospitals, nurses, and healthcare providers to prepare them for depositions and other interactions when it is convenient for his clients, whether it be at 7:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. When clients need Alan due to trucking accidents in the middle of the night or problems which arise urgently, they know that they can count on him to be available and that he holds each matter entrusted to him as being very important, because it is important to each of his clients. Alan is personally committed to his trade and aggressively defends his clients in a respectful, well-prepared manner. Alan's forthrightness and integrity has earned him the esteem of his peers, including judges, opposing counsel and jurors. Professional Experience: Professional Medical Litigation Alan has successfully defended medically related lawsuits of every kind to include medical issues involving almost every portion of the anatomy, from head to toe, over the majority of his 35-year career. Representative matters include: Defense of brain damage claims Defense of bad baby cases, obstetrical claims, and alleged wrongful deaths of mothers and children Defense of healthcare providers in wrongful death and injury claims arising out of quadriplegia and paraplegia, anesthesia injuries, aneurysms, neurological compromises, closed head injuries, fractures of all types, ophthalmological injuries, surgical injuries, radiological claims, chiropractic and podiatric care, emergency care, and paramedic claims, and claims involving men's health Defense of psychiatrists in cases involving suicide, the use or alleged misuse of psychiatric medications, and border violations Product Liability Litigation. Alan has served as national counsel for over 20 years for a component manufacturer of recreational vehicle products which has made him knowledgeable on all aspects of recreational vehicles and their appliances to include furnaces, water heaters, and ranges. Alan's experience in these cases has involved nationwide participation in product related inspections and lawsuits involving fires, explosions, exposure to carbon monoxide, propane gas and natural gas related cases and other product related claims. Alan has defended claims on a national basis relating to personal care communicators designed to alert a call center in the event of emergency to elderly or disabled residents. Representative matters include: Defense of various manufacturers of lawn and garden equipment, including but not limited to lawn tractors and chipper shredders in fires, cases involving injured extremities to adults and children, and other product related actions Defense of consumer products to include washers, dryers, vacuum cleaners, baby baths, exercise equipment, bicycles, trailers, and power tools, in claims involving personal injury and wrongful death Defense of manufacturers of industrial equipment to include punch presses and other heavy equipment Defense of Trucking Companies Defense of national trucking companies in claims of personal injury, wrongful death, and property damage involving the companies themselves, their drivers, and insurers, to include claims for negligent hiring and retention and multiple accident situations where negligent driving, poor weather conditions, visibility or products claims are at issue. Premises Liability Claims Alan has represented retailers and landowners in slip and fall cases, injuries due to alleged negligent security, pharmaceutical claims, alleged false arrests and imprisonments, as well as claims relating to assaults and batteries. Legal Malpractice Defense of attorneys in professional legal actions arising out of underlying litigation and also real estate transactions. General Liability Cases relating to construction, non-specific general liability claims, coverage and bad faith. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Society of Hospital Risk Managers; American Board of Trial Advocates; Propane Gas Defense Association; Trucking Insurance Defense Association. Reported Cases: Harris v. Leader, State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia; Poe v. Kadum, et al., Bartow County, Georgia; Clark v. Sutton, State Court of Fulton County, Georgia; McGrail v. Rouse, State Court of Fulton County, Georgia; Bartlett v. Louis, Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia; Mobley v. St. Mary's Hospital, Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia; Wright v. Lafferty, Superior Court of Houston County, Georgia; Parham v. Blake, Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia; Ward v. Workcare Medical Group, et al., United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Rome Division; Murphy v. Symbas, Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia; Partain v. Soundappan, Superior Court of Houston County, Georgia; Donaldson v. Mann, Superior Court of Houston County, Georgia; Chapman v. Sears, State Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia; Koskoff v. Flow-Tron, Armatron International, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Prelusion v. MGI, Superior Court of Fayette County, Georgia; Von Gal v. Suburban Manufacturing, et al, Circuit Court of Autauga County, Alabama; Sroka v. Suburban Manufacturing, Circuit Court of Oakland County, Michigan; Skinner v. East Manufacturing Corp., et al., State Court of Dougherty County, Georgia; Allstate v. Electrolux, State Court of Fulton County, Georgia; Newby v. Waddell v. Hennessy Cadillac, Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia; DeMott v. General Manufactured Housing, et al., State Court of Colquitt County, Georgia; Stanley v. First Coast Intermodal, Superior Court of Wilkinson County, Georgia; McCoy v. SAIA Motor Freight, State Court of Cobb County, Georgia; Ritter v. New Plan Realty, Inc., Superior Court of Polk County, Georgia; Brown v. Costco, State Court of Fulton County, Georgia. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Transportation Litigation; Medical Malpractice; Insurance Defense Law; Premises Liability; Legal Malpractice; Physicians Professional Liability.Email: Alan F. Herman
Michael J. Goldman (Member) born Norfolk, Virginia, February 20, 1952; admitted to bar, 1976, Georgia and Virginia. Education: University of Richmond (B.A., cum laude, 1973); Emory University (J.D., 1976). Pi Sigma Alpha; Omicron Delta Kappa. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Virginia State Bar; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute; Master, American Inns of Court. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Professional Negligence; Insurance Defense Law; Civil Rights Litigation; Governmental Liability.Email: Michael J. Goldman
H. Lane Young, II (Member) born Fort Benning, Georgia, March 15, 1951; admitted to bar, 1976, Georgia; 1989, West Virginia. Education: University of North Carolina (B.A., cum laude, 1973); University of Georgia (J.D., cum laude, 1976). Phi Delta Phi; Blue Key. Judicial Assistant to Justice William B. Gunter, Associate Justice, Georgia Supreme Court, 1976-1977. Member: Atlanta (Member, Board of Directors, Litigation Section) and American (Member, Committees on: Products, General Liability & Consumer Law; Member, Sections on: Torts, & Insurance Practice) Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; International Association of Defense Counsel; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1990-1991); Defense Research Institute; Chairman, United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia Bar Council. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Environmental Litigation; Professional Negligence; Civil Rights; Insurance Coverage; Bad Faith.Email: H. Lane Young, II
Frank C. Bedinger, III (Member) born Richmond, Virginia, December 23, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, Georgia. Education: Hampden-Sydney College (B.A., 1976); University of Virginia (J.D., 1979). Mr. Bedinger focuses his practice on traditional tort liability defense work, as well as insurance coverage analysis and the defense of 'bad faith' claims directly against insurance carriers. Mr. Bedinger has acted as lead trial counsel in numerous tort, contract, and federal civil rights cases. he has appeared in court representing clients in the States of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Professional Experience: Mr. Bedinger has extensive appellate experience, having appeared before the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, the Tennessee Court of Appeals for the Western District (Jackson, TN), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court (December 1991). Omicron Delta Kappa. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: General Civil Litigation; Employment Litigation; Products Liability; Environmental Insurance Coverage and Litigation; Premises Liability.Email: Frank C. Bedinger, III
S. Christopher Collier (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, 1973; admitted to bar, 1999, Alabama; 2001, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia and Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: Wake Forest University (B.A., Economics and Psychology, 1996); Emory University School of Law (J.D., 1999). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Alabama; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Premises Liability; Products Liability; Transportation; Toxic Torts.Email: S. Christopher Collier
William H. Major, III (Member) born Atlanta, Georgia, December 25, 1957; admitted to bar, 1982, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1979; J.D., cum laude, 1982). Phi Kappa Phi; Beta Gamma Sigma; Phi Delta Phi. Member, Georgia Law Review, 1980-1981. Author: "Notice Requirements in Condemnation Proceedings - Does Mullane Still Apply?" 15 Georgia Law Review 516 (1981). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Products Liability Law; Insurance Defense Law; Professional Negligence Law; Civil Litigation.Email: William H. Major, III
T. Ryan Mock, Jr. (Member) born Albany, Georgia, August 2, 1957; admitted to bar, 1982, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.B.A., summa cum laude, 1979; J.D., 1982). Phi Kappa Phi; Beta Gamma Sigma; Phi Delta Phi. Member: Moot Court Executive Board, 1981-1982; American Bar Association Moot Court Team, 1980-1981. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute (Program Chair, 1999 DRI Law Office Economics Seminar); Georgia Defense Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Professional Negligence Law; Insurance Defense Law; Employment Discrimination Law; Civil Rights Law; Civil Litigation.Email: T. Ryan Mock, Jr.
Jack N. Sibley (Member) born Atlanta, Georgia, July 15, 1948; admitted to bar, 1975, Georgia. Education: University of Virginia (B.A., 1970); University of Georgia (J.D., 1975). Notes Editor, Georgia Journal of International Law, 1974-1975. Co-author: "Breath of Fiduciary Duties," Model Jury Instructions: Business Tort Litigation, 3rd Ed., American Bar Association. Instructor, Criminal Law, National Center for Paralegal Training, 1980. Member: State Bar of Georgia; Atlanta and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Business Torts; Fiduciary Law; Trusts and Estates Litigation; Contract Disputes.Email: Jack N. Sibley
Warner S. Fox (Member) born Burnsville, North Carolina, March 31, 1955; admitted to bar, 1984, Georgia. Education: Valdosta State College (B.A., cum laude, 1977); University of Georgia (J.D., cum laude, 1984). Sigma Alpha Chi; Phi Delta Phi. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1999); Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Products Liability; Environmental Law.Email: Warner S. Fox
Ollie M. Harton (Member) born Conway, Arkansas, March 3, 1957; admitted to bar, 1982, Tennessee; 1989, Georgia and West Virginia; 1990, Pennsylvania; 1991, Texas. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., B.S.M., 1979); Memphis State University (J.D., 1982); Emory University (LL.M., 1987). Law Clerk to Judge Charles E. Nearn, 1982-1983. Staff Attorney, Tennessee Securities Division, 1983-1987. Assistant Attorney General, Tennessee, 1988. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Products Liability; General Civil Litigation; Environmental and Toxic Tort Litigation.Email: Ollie M. Harton
David C. Marshall (Member) born November 27, 1957; admitted to bar, 1982, Georgia; 2001, Texas; 2006, Florida. Education: University of Georgia (B.A., magna cum laude, 1979; J.D., 1982). Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi; Phi Eta Sigma. Member, Moot Court Executive Board, 1981-1982. Assistant District Attorney, Clayton Judicial Circuit, 1983-1986. Member: American Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia; State Bar of Texas; The Florida Bar; Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation; Defense Research Institute; Atlanta Claims Association. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Toxic Tort; Nursing Home.Email: David C. Marshall
Peter R. York (Member) born Atlanta, Georgia, September 8, 1964; admitted to bar, 1990, Georgia. Education: University of the South (B.A., 1986); University of Georgia (J.D., 1990). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia (Member, Editorial Board, Calendar Call for the General Practice Section and Trial Section, 1992-1993); Atlanta Council for Younger Lawyers (Board Member, 1996; Board Member, 1997; President Elect, 1998; President, 1999; Past President, 2000); Defense Research Institute; Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Association (Board Member, 1999, 2000). Practice Areas: General Civil Litigation; Insurance Defense; Premises Liability.Email: Peter R. York
Christine Lupo Mast (Member) born Plainfield, New Jersey, December 12, 1966; admitted to bar, 1992, Georgia. Education: University of Illinois (B.S., high honors, 1989); University of North Carolina (J.D., 1992). Phi Delta Phi. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Association of Women Lawyers; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Professional Liability.Email: Christine Lupo Mast
Robert S. Thompson (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, April 20, 1967; admitted to bar, 1992, Georgia. Education: Washington & Lee University (B.A., 1989); University of Georgia (J.D., cum laude, 1992). Phi Delta Phi. Clerk, Supreme Court of Georgia, 1990. Member: State Bar of Georgia; Atlanta Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Business Torts; Commercial Litigation.Email: Robert S. Thompson
Matthew F. Barr (Member) born Birmingham, Alabama, May 25, 1972; admitted to bar, 1997, Georgia. Education: Georgia Institute of Technology (B.S., highest honors, 1994); Florida State University (J.D., cum laude, 1997). Matthew Barr is a senior partner with Hawkins & Parnell, LLP. Matt has over a decade of experience as a litigator and trial lawyer. Matt's civil litigation practice concentrates on the representation of healthcare and other professionals, as well as retailers and landowners. Matt takes pride in his ability to work with his clients, other attorneys, and judges, in a respectful and professional manner. Matt has tried numerous cases throughout the state and federal courts of Georgia and has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Professional Experience: Professional Negligence Litigation, Matt has successfully defended a variety of professionals in virtually every type of malpractice litigation. Matt has represented physicians, nurses, pharmacists, midwives, psychiatrists, physical therapists, counselors, architects, engineers, real estate brokers and agents, and numerous facilities, including hospitals and mental health treatment facilities. Representative matters include wrongful death cases, bad baby cases, obstetrical cases, radiological cases, and emergency medicine cases. Premises Liability Litigation, Matt has represented several of the nation's leading retailers and landowners in a variety of premises liability matters, including slip and fall cases, negligent security cases, assault cases, and false imprisonment cases. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Reported Cases: Woody v. Morin, et al., Rockdale Superior Court Defense verdict of certified nurse midwife in case alleging misdiagnosis; Smith v. Five Star, Cobb State Court Summary judgment granted in wrongful death case; Reed v. Walker, Bibb State Court Motion to Dismiss granted to midwife; Chachad vs. CVS Pharmacy and Georgia Clinic, Fulton State Court Plaintiff's verdict, reduced due to finding of comparative negligence; Goldman v. Clearvision Laser Centers, et al., DeKalb State Court Defense Verdict on Co-Defendant's Cross-Claim for indemnification in laser eye surgery case; Jackson v. Toys R Us, Fulton State Court Defense verdict; Myers v. CVS Pharmacy, Fulton State Court Defense verdict; Regina Stamps v. CVS Pharmacy, Gwinnett Superior Court Defense verdict; McCoy v. Simon Property Group, Cobb Superior Court Directed verdict granted; Nestadt v. Simon Property Group, United States District Court, N.D. of Georgia Judgment as a Matter of Law granted. Practice Areas: Professional Malpractice; Insurance Defense; Civil Litigation; Discrimination Defense.Email: Matthew F. Barr
Carl H. Anderson, Jr. (Partner) born Glen Ridge, New Jersey, July 8, 1962; admitted to bar, 1987, Georgia. Education: Phillips Universität, Marburg, Germany; Davidson College (B.A., 1984); Mercer University (J.D., 1987). Mr. Anderson has successfully defended and favorably prosecuted cases involving claims ranging from several thousand to several billion dollars. He concentrates his practice on business torts, including Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA) and Fair Credit Reporting Act cases, commercial and contractual disputes and equitable relief. He also has considerable experience handling fiduciary, real estate, intellectual property, professional negligence, and product liability litigation. Recently, Mr. Anderson successfully defended a sole practitioner in a FDCPA and legal malpractice case arising from an alleged wrongful foreclosure. He also obtained summary judgment in a case, in which the plaintiff sought $4 million from an individual corporate officer based on negligent misrepresentation and breach of warranty. Further, Mr. Anderson obtained extraordinary relief from both the District Court and the Eleventh Circuit Court in a Section 1983 case involving excessive use of force. Delta Phi Alpha (German Honorary Society); Phi Delta Phi; The Order of Barristers. Law Clerk to the Hon. Frank C. Mills, III, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, Cherokee and Forsyth Counties, 1987-1989. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Languages: German. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Corporate Litigation; Civil Rights Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Products Liability Litigation.Email: Carl H. Anderson, Jr.
David H. Wilson (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, December 2, 1963; admitted to bar, 1996, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (A.B., 1986); Georgia State University (J.D., cum laude, 1996). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Commercial Law; Corporate Representation.Email: David H. Wilson
E. Elaine Shofner (Partner) born Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 26, 1969; admitted to bar, 1995, Massachusetts; 1997, Georgia. Education: Vanderbilt University (B.A., 1991); Suffolk University (J.D., 1995). Elaine Shofner is a partner at the law firm of Hawkins & Parnell, LLP. She is an accomplished trial lawyer with twelve years experience in defense litigation. Elaine has tried, managed, and settled thousands of cases in complex toxic tort litigation involving asbestos, silica, and chemical inhalation cases. She is committed to delivering outstanding client service and results for her clients. Elaine practices in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. She has acted as local and regional counsel for over 40 companies, ranging from family-owned businesses to multinational corporations. Professional Experience: Toxic Torts and Product Liability Practice, Elaine has defended toxic tort and environmental claims throughout her career, including a substantial number of asbestos lawsuits. She is instrumental in the Georgia asbestos docket and leads her litigation areas in aggressive motions practice, trial strategy, and enforcement of legislation beneficial to her clients. She participates in all phases of the defense of asbestos matters, from initial discovery through dispositive motions, expert discovery, medical issues, settlement negotiations, and trial. Elaine maintains an active litigation practice, having tried to verdict toxic tort and product liability cases during her career. She is extensively involved in the defense of products including, but not limited to, brakes and linings for automobiles, industrial boilers, gaskets, construction materials, roofing products, joint compounds, building wall panels and wall boards, floor tiles, cement pipes, pipe coverings, heat transfer products, pumps, and valves. Elaine has developed outstanding product knowledge and testing expertise which she applies in developing aggressive defense strategies, exhibits, witnesses, and trial preparation. This involves examination and knowledge of the intended uses of products, operating principles, maintenance schedules and procedures, applicable regulations, and industry standards. She is very successful developing experts, strategies, and defenses to counter plaintiffs' experts and allegations. She is able to provide her clients with favorable results. Elaine has also defended product liability cases involving chemical inhalation. She participates in the development of strategies and defenses for a component part supplier. Member: Atlanta, Massachusetts and American Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Lawyers Club of Atlanta. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Products Liability; Toxic Tort Litigation.Email: E. Elaine Shofner
Margaret A. Droppleman (Partner) born Clarksburg, West Virginia, August 16, 1966; admitted to bar, 1991, West Virginia and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia; 2004, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Education: West Virginia University (B.S., 1988; J.D., 1991). Phi Alpha Delta. Golden Key. Member: West Virginia State Bar. (Resident, Charleston, WV Office). Practice Areas: Toxic Tort Litigation; Corporate; Contract.Email: Margaret A. Droppleman
M. Elizabeth O'Neill (Member) born 1970; admitted to bar, 1994, Wisconsin, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin and U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. (Not admitted in Georgia). Education: Marquette University (J.D., 1994). Reported Cases: Dunigan v. Winnebago County, 165 F.3d 587 (7th Cir., 1999); Bethesda Lutheran Homes & Services v. Leean, 154 F.3d 716 (7th Cir., 1998); Perritt Ltd. Partnership v. Kenosha Unified School District, 153 F.3d 489 (7th Cir., 1998). Practice Areas: Litigation.Email: M. Elizabeth O'Neill
E. Tyron Brown (Partner) born Columbia, South Carolina, February 28, 1962; admitted to bar, 1988, Florida; 1999, Georgia. Education: Florida State University (B.S., 1985; J.D., 1988). Phi Delta Phi; Florida Gold Key. Recipient, Virgil Hawkins Fellowship Recipient. Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. Assistant City Attorney, City Attorney's Office, Tampa, 1988-1994. Member: Hillsborough County Law Library Board; Florida Lottery Commission, 1994-1998; Tampa Bay Economic Development Corporation, 1994-1999; Hillsborough County School Board Bi-Racial Advisory Committee, 1992-1999. Member: Gate City, Hillsborough County National and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Professional Liability; Business Litigation.Email: E. Tyron Brown
Ronald G. Polly, Jr. (Member) born Whitesburg, Kentucky, March 27, 1965; admitted to bar, 1991, Georgia; 1992, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; 1995, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia; 1996, U.S. District Court, District of Illinois and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; 1997, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: University of Virginia (B.S., 1987); University of Kentucky (J.D., 1991). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment.Email: Ronald G. Polly, Jr.
Evelyn M. Fletcher (Member) born Tallahassee, Florida, November 19, 1971; admitted to bar, 1998, Georgia; 1999, Florida; 2000, Alabama. Education: University of California at Santa Barbara (B.A., with honors, 1994); Florida State University (J.D., cum laude, 1998). Georgia Super Lawyer, Atlanta Magazine, 2005 and 2006. Author: "New Plaintiff and Product Investigation - For the Novice, the Experienced, and In Between," Defense Research Institute Asbestos Medicine Seminar, November 2008; "In-Depth Discovery Issues," Mealey's Benzene Litigation Conference, July 2008; "Skits and Suds," Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar for Young Lawyers, 2008; "The Business of Practicing Law: The Hard Reality of What Law School Does Not Teach You About The Business of Law and Marketing," Florida State University College of Law, April 2007. Speaker: Defense Research Institute Preeminent Trial Lawyer Seminar, 2007; Defense Research Institute Asbestos Medicine Seminar, 2007; "Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty of a Silica Deposition," Defense Research Institute Silica Medicine Seminar, June 2006; "The Asbestos Deposition Primer - For the Novice, the Experienced, and In Between. What Makes a Great Plaintiff's Deposition When You Take the Time To Do It Right," DRI Asbestos Medicine Seminar, November 2006. Member: State Bar of Georgia; The Florida Bar; Alabama State Bar; Atlanta Bar Association; Defense Research Institute (Member, Board of Directors; Regional Representative for Southeast Women in the Courtroom Committee; Member: Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee; Diversity Committee; Marketing Chair, Women in the Profession Seminar); Georgia Defense Lawyer's Association (Member, Board of Directors; Participant, Trial Academy); National Association of Women Lawyers; Atlanta Council Younger Lawyers. Practice Areas: Toxic Tort Litigation; Products Liability; Appellate Practice.Email: Evelyn M. Fletcher
Patricia M. Peters (Partner) born Stuttgart, Arkansas, January 5, 1956; admitted to bar, 1986, Missouri; 1990, Georgia. Education: DeKalb College of Nursing Clarkston, Georgia (A.A., Nursing, 1978); University of Missouri-Kansas City (B.A., Psychology, 1983; J.D., 1986). Delta Theta Phi. Registered Nurse: Georgia, 1978 and Missouri, 1980. Member, Georgia Chapter of Nurse Attorneys. Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Premises Liability; Transportation Litigation; Nursing Home Litigation; Professional Liability.Email: Patricia M. Peters
Allen E. Lockerman, IV (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, April 15, 1969; admitted to bar, 1994, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.A., 1991); Mercer University (J.D., 1994). Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Personal Injury; Environmental Law; Toxic Torts; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice.Email: Allen E. Lockerman, IV
Kim M. Jackson (Partner) born Lexington, Kentucky, August 28, 1969; admitted to bar, 1994, Kentucky; 1995, Georgia. Education: Wabash College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1991); University of Kentucky (J.D., Order of the Coif, 1994). Rising Star in Georgia (Super Lawyer), 2005, 2006, 2007. Participated as a speaker on Legal Ethics and Abusive Litigation in Multiple CLE seminars. Published multiple times in For The Defense, a DRI publication. Delta Theta Phi. Recipient, Wall Street Journal Award for Top Economist. Associate Editor, Kentucky Law Journal. Member: Atlanta, Kentucky and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Atlanta Lawyers Club. Practice Areas: General Civil Trial Practice in all Courts; Motor Carrier Law; Insurance Defense; Employment Discrimination; Professional Liability; Professional Licensing Defense; Insurance Coverage Litigation; Legal Malpractice.Email: Kim M. Jackson
Todd E. Schwartz (Partner) born Flemingsburg, Kentucky, August 17, 1965; admitted to bar, 1991, Pennsylvania; 1992, New Jersey and U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey; 1993, Georgia. Education: University of Kentucky (B.B.A. in Finance, 1987); Rutgers University School of Law (J.D., 1991). Watts Honor Society. Member: Savannah and American (Member, Sections on: Taxation; Business; Insurance and Litigation) Bar Associations; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Asbestos Litigation; Transportation Litigation; Civil Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Bankruptcy.Email: Todd E. Schwartz
Assunta S. Fiorini (Partner) born 1963; admitted to bar, 1998, Georgia; 2002, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia and Georgia Court of Appeals; 2003, Georgia Supreme Court; 2004, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia. Education: Ithaca College (B.F.A., 1985); Georgia State University (J.D., 1998). Managing Editor, Georgia State University Law Review, 1997-1998. Outstanding Law Student of the Year, Georgia State University, 1998. Author, "Income Taxes: Provide for No Income Taxation and No Withholding Tax on the Distributive Share of a Nonresident Member of a Resident Limited Partnership Which Derives Income Exclusively from Buying, Selling, Dealing in, and Holding Securities on its Own Behalf," 14 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 271 (1997). University/Regional Theatre Association National Finalist, 1995. Revised American Bar Association Model Rule 1.7 and Formal Opinion 05-436. Co-author, Open Ended Waiver of Future Conflicts of Interest, Prof. Persp. (Defense Research Institute, Chicago, IL), Fall 2005, at 10 (with Jeffrey N. Mykkeltvedt). Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Hospital Association. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Products Liability; Premises Liability; Mortgage Fraud.Email: Assunta S. Fiorini
William T. Wood, III (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, 1968; admitted to bar, 1994, Virginia; 1997, District of Columbia and Georgia. Education: College of William & Mary (B.A., 1990); Pepperdine University (J.D., 1994). Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Litigation; Products Liability; Commercial Litigation; Civil Litigation.Email: William T. Wood, III
C. Shane Keith (Partner) born Birmingham, Alabama, June 28, 1975; admitted to bar, 2000, Georgia, U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, Georgia State and Superior Courts. Education: Auburn University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1997); Emory University School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2000). Order of the Coif. Phi Alpha Delta. Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Premises Liability; Municipal Liability; Labor and Employment.Email: C. Shane Keith
Christian Lang (Partner) born South Plainfield, New Jersey, 1969; admitted to bar, 1995, New Jersey; 2004, Georgia; U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey. Education: Clemson University (B.A., 1991); Quinnipiac University (J.D., 1995). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Long Term Care; Insurance Defense.Email: Christian Lang
Kenneth Sisco (Partner) born Pequannock, New Jersey, October 7, 1970; admitted to bar, 1996, New Jersey; 2000, New York; 2002, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Education: Princeton University (A.B., History, 1992); Widener University School of Law (J.D., 1996). Member: State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association (Member, Construction Law Forum, Insurance). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Personal Injury Defense; Products Liability; Negligence; Construction Litigation; Construction Defects; Construction Contracts Claims; Design Professionals Defense.Email: Kenneth Sisco
Kimberly D. Stevens (Partner) admitted to bar, 1996, Michigan and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; 2001, Georgia; 2003, U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Education: Michigan State University (B.A., 1991); Wayne State University (J.D., 1996). Recipient: Distinguished Service Award, Wolverine Bar Association, 2002; Special President's Award, Wolverine Bar Association, 2000. Chairperson, Hon. Damon J. Keith Scholarship Committee, Wayne State University, 1998-2002. Member: Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association (Member, Board of Directors, Barristers, 1998-2002); State Bar of Georgia; State Bar of Michigan; Wolverine Bar Association (Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2002); Wolverine Bar Foundation (Member, Board of Directors, 1996-2002); National Bar Association; Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Labor and Employment; Toxic Torts.Email: Kimberly D. Stevens
Allison S. Bloom (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia. Education: University of Florida (B.S., with honors, 1998); University of Pennsylvania (J.D., 2001). Member: State Bar of Georgia; Atlanta and American Bar Associations; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Premises Liability; Products Liability; Professional Liability; Insurance Defense.Email: Allison S. Bloom
Matthew A. Boyd (Partner) born Nashville, Tennessee; admitted to bar, 1996, Tennessee; 2001, Georgia. Education: Furman University (B.A., cum laude, 1993) Vanderbilt University (J.D., 1996). Matt Boyd is a partner in the Firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group. Matt's practice consists of defending and advising employers in labor and employment matters with an emphasis on complex litigation, including class actions, collective actions, multi-plaintiff litigation, and arbitrations. Matt has extensive experience in defending, advising, and training employers with respect to all types of state and federal employment-related matters, including discrimination claims, wage and hour issues, compliance with disability and family and medical leave laws, whistleblower and violation of public policy claims (including under the False Claims Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and state whistleblower statutes), and employee privacy issues. Matt also has extensive expertise in drafting, negotiating, and enforcing employment agreements (including senior executives and other professionals, as well as college coaching and sports agreements), restrictive covenants, and contractual provisions to protect employers' trade secrets and confidential information. Finally, Matt has conducted a number of highly sensitive internal investigations for employers involving senior employees accused of harassment, illegal activities, retaliation, and similar misconduct. Member: Atlanta Bar Association (Former Governing Board Member, Labor & Employment Section); State Bar of Georgia (Member, Labor & Employment and Appellate Practice Sections). Reported Cases: Defending a Fortune-50 beverage company on a national basis against variety of single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action claims under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. §1981; the Americans With Disabilities Act; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Fair Labor Standards Act; and the Family and Medical Leave Act; Defending a New York specialty pharmacy company against claims of religious and national-origin discrimination in one of the earliest discrimination/harassment cases brought by a Muslim employee following September 11, 2001; Defending a national fast-food chain in a collective action against claims that its assistant store managers should have been treated as non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act; Conducting a number of internal investigations into alleged retaliation and wrongdoing by senior executives of publicly-traded companies; Enforcing non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements against senior executives of three different publicly-traded companies following the alleged theft of highly sensitive trade secrets; Defending a prominent New York hedge fund against multi-million dollar breach of contract claims brought by traders and analysts; Drafting and negotiating a number of CEO, CFO, and other senior executive employment agreements for public companies, large private companies, and professional and collegiate sports teams/programs. Representing the athletic association of a major university with respect to the drafting and negotiation of all of its sports coaching contracts; Representing a professional sports team in a highly publicized dispute with one of its premier players; and Representing a prominent college sports coach in a dispute over publicity rights brought against him by a national sports equipment manufacturer. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Labor and Employment.Email: Matthew A. Boyd
OF COUNSEL
Debra E. LeVorse (Of Counsel) born Atlanta, Georgia; admitted to bar, 1987, Georgia. Education: Furman University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1983); University of Georgia (J.D., 1987). Phi Beta Kappa. Member and Notes Editor, Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, 1986-1987. Author: "The Impact of Third Preference Status (Professionals) on Immigrants as Created by the 1965 Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act-Retraction of Expansion of Degree Equivalency," 16 Ga. J. Intl. & Comp. L. 311 (1986). Law Clerk to Hon. William H. Alexander, Fulton Superior Court, 1987-1989. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Lawyers Club of Atlanta. Practice Areas: Civil Rights; Insurance Defense; General Civil Litigation.Email: Debra E. LeVorse
Elizabeth Branch Padgett (Of Counsel) born Athens, Georgia, April 30, 1958; admitted to bar, 1983, Hawaii; 1996, Georgia; 2003, Alabama and Tennessee. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (1975-1977); University of Hawaii (B.A., English, with honors, 1979); Loyola University (J.D., 1983). Deputy Corporation Counsel and Division Head of Child Support Enforcement, County of Maui, 1984-1987; Instruction of Legal Writing and Research, University of Georgia School of Law, 2001-2002. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Alabama State Bar. Practice Areas: Litigation; Products Liability; Personal Injury.Email: Elizabeth Branch Padgett
John E. Talmadge (Of Counsel) born Boston, Massachusetts, September 4, 1938; admitted to bar, 1962, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.A., 1960; LL.B., 1963). Phi Delta Phi; Blue Key. Member, Board of Directors, Moot Court. Editor-in-Chief, Student Editorial Board, Georgia Bar Journal. Adjunct Professor, Business Law, University of Alaska, 1964-1965. Arbitrator: Fulton County Courts; State Bar of Georgia, Attorney Fee Arbitration Panel. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. [Capt., USAF, 1963-1965]. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation; Products Liability; Asbestos Defense; Professional Liability; Alternative Dispute Resolution.Email: John E. Talmadge
Teresa E. Lazzaroni (Of Counsel) born Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 15, 1961; admitted to bar, 1986, North Carolina; 1990, Georgia and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Education: State University of New York at Buffalo (B.A., Psychology, 1983); Wake Forest University (J.D., 1986). Member: Cobb County Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia; State Bar of North Carolina. Practice Areas: General Civil Litigation; Medical Malpractice; Family Law.Email: Teresa E. Lazzaroni
Christi Dickson Feeney (Of Counsel) born Memphis, Tennessee, October 11, 1970; admitted to bar, 1996, Texas and U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; 2003, Tennessee; 2006, Georgia; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Emory University (B.A., 1992); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1995). Delta Theta Phi. Member: Dallas, Tennessee and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; State Bar of Georgia; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers; Defense Research Institute.Email: Christi Dickson Feeney
ASSOCIATES
Alex M. Barfield (Associate) born Moultrie, Georgia, November 10, 1976; admitted to bar, 2003, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1999); University of Georgia (J.D., 2003; M.B.A., 2003). Member: Mock Trial Board; William Daniel Mock Trial Team. Member, Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law. Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Insurance Defense; Business Litigation.Email: Alex M. Barfield
Sarah L. Bright (Associate) born Newton, Massachusetts, 1973; admitted to bar, 1999, Maryland; 2000, Georgia; 2001, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., with honors and distinction, 1995); University of North Carolina School of Law (J.D., 1999). Sarah (Sally) L. Bright is a senior associate in Hawkins & Parnell LLP's Business Litigation Group. She concentrates her practice on the representation of corporate, municipal, and individual clients in complex business litigation, product liability, employment, municipal liability, and professional negligence matters. She prosecutes and defends suits involving a variety of areas of law including commercial and contractual disputes, business torts, real estate, and intellectual property. She also has experience defending corporate and municipal clients in Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 cases. Prior to joining the firm, Sally was an associate in the Financial Institutions Group in the Atlanta office of a large national law firm, practicing banking and public finance law for over three years. Professional Experience: Representing one of the nation's largest producer of paints and coatings in a variety of actions, including product liability and breach of contract, in state and federal courts; Obtaining summary judgment for a federally-contracted security services company in a Title VII discrimination action brought by one of its former security guards (district court judgment successfully upheld on appeal by the Eleventh Circuit); Obtaining summary judgment for a large corporate client on claim for tortious interference with business relations (district court judgment successfully upheld on appeal by the Eleventh Circuit); Representing one of the nation's leading communications companies and provider of cable services in a variety of matters including breach of contract; Representing one of the nation's leading auto parts retailers in a breach of contract action involving real estate purchase. Member: Atlanta Bar Association; Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.; State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association. Fellow: Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Products Liability; Professional Liability; Municipal Law; Labor and Employment.Email: Sarah L. Bright
Kristin Brock (Associate) born Birmingham, Alabama; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia; 2004, Alabama. Education: University of Georgia (B.F.A.); Georgia State University (J.D., 2001). Recipient, Bar Fellowship, American Health Lawyers Association. Member: State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Asbestos Defense.Email: Kristin Brock
Frank I. Chao (Associate) born Seoul, South Korea, 1975; admitted to bar, 2005, Florida; 2006, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 2008, U.S. District, Northern District of Florida. (Not admitted in Georgia). Education: Emory University (B.A., 1998); Duke University School of Law (J.D.; LL.M.). Member: The Florida Bar; American Bar Association.Email: Frank I. Chao
Elisabeth Cheatham (Associate) born Springfield, Ohio, September 22, 1977; admitted to bar, 2007, Indiana and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; 2008, Georgia. Education: Indiana State University (B.S., Communications, 1999); Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis (J.D., 2007). Recipient, Pro Bono Award, Indiana University School of Law. Member: Marion County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Toxic Torts; Asbestos Defense.Email: Elisabeth Cheatham
William M. Davis (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana, 1976; admitted to bar, 2006, Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; 2008, Georgia. Education: Auburn University (B.S., 1999); Louisiana State University (J.D., 2006; B.C.L., 2006). Member: Atlanta, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Languages: French.
W. Wright Dempsey, Jr. (Associate) born Rome, Georgia, November 26, 1972; admitted to bar, 1999, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Shorter College (B.B.A., Accounting, cum laude, 1995); University of Tennessee College of Law (J.D., 1998). Member, Tennessee Law Review, 1996-1998. Member: State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Construction Defects; Premises Liability; Products Liability; Insurance Defense; Civil Litigation.Email: W. Wright Dempsey, Jr.
Benjamin S. Dorfman (Associate) born Wilmington, Delaware, 1976; admitted to bar, 2004, Mississippi; 2008, Georgia. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1998); University of Mississippi (J.D., 2001). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Environmental Law; Toxic Torts.Email: Benjamin S. Dorfman
Willie Ellis, Jr. (Associate) born New York, New York, August 18, 1976; admitted to bar, 2004, Georgia and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; 2006, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 2007, New York. Education: Clark Atlanta University (B.S., Psychology and Political Science, 1999); New York Law School (J.D., 2003). Member: State Bar of Georgia; New York State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Products Liability.Email: Willie Ellis, Jr.
Sara A. Evans (Associate) born Colorado Springs, Colorado, December 30, 1960; admitted to bar, 1999, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Education: College of St. Thomas (B.A., 1983); University of Georgia (J.D., 1999). Phi Alpha Delta: Law Related Education Director, 1997-1998. Author: "Wireless Service Providers v. Zoning Commission: Preservation of State and Local Zoning Authority Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996," 32 Ga. L. Rev. 965; republished in 1999 Zoning and Planning Handbook, West Publishing, 1999. Member, Board of Visitors, University of Georgia, 2002-2005. Member: State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Products Liability; Toxic Tort Litigation; Land Use and Zoning Law; Commercial Law; Bankruptcy (Creditors).Email: Sara A. Evans
Jason L. Groch (Associate) born LaPorte, Indiana, March 11, 1968; admitted to bar, 1996, Maryland; 2002, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; Georgia Court of Appeals. Education: University of Arizona (B.A., magna cum laude, 1991); George Washington University (J.D., with honors, 1995). Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif. Member, George Washington Law Review. Member: Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.; State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Asbestos Defense; Civil Litigation.Email: Jason L. Groch
Eric T. Hawkins (Associate) born Franklin, North Carolina, July 18, 1980; admitted to bar, 2007, Georgia. Education: University of North Carolina (B.A., 2002); Georgia State University (J.D., 2005). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Toxic Torts.Email: Eric T. Hawkins
Jonathan M. Hill (Associate) born Englewood, New Jersey, October 17, 1979; admitted to bar, 2007, Georgia. Education: Davidson College (B.A., 2002); Georgia State University School of Law (J.D., 2006). Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Labor and Employment.Email: Jonathan M. Hill
Peter Jacxsens (Associate) born May 10, 1977; admitted to bar, 2002, Georgia; 2004, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Education: University of Richmond (B.A., 1999); George Washington University (J.D., 2002). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Personal Injury Defense; Insurance Coverage.Email: Peter Jacxsens
Julie Jun (Associate) born Seoul, South Korea, April 13, 1976; admitted to bar, 2006, New Jersey, New York and Georgia. Education: Emory University (B.A., 1998); University of Georgia (J.D., 2005). Member: New Jersey State and New York State Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Premises Liability; Toxic Torts.Email: Julie Jun
Martin A. Levinson (Associate) born Atlanta, Georgia, October 25, 1979; admitted to bar, 2004, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.A., 2001); University of Georgia School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Premises Liability; Insurance Bad Faith; Insurance Coverage; Insurance Litigation; Transportation.Email: Martin A. Levinson
Eric Ludwig (Associate) born July 28, 1974; admitted to bar, 2000, Kentucky; 2003, Indiana; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. (Not admitted in Georgia). Education: University of Kentucky (B.S., Economics and Business Managements); University of Dayton (J.D., 2000). Member: Louisville, Kentucky and Indiana State Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Premises Liability; Toxic Torts; Civil Litigation.Email: Eric Ludwig
Catherine A. McCormack (Associate) born Atlanta, Georgia, May 21, 1976; admitted to bar, 2003, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (A.B.J., 1998); Georgia State University (J.D., 2003). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Contract Litigation; Business Torts; Employment Litigation.Email: Catherine A. McCormack
Matthew McLaughlin (Associate) born North Kingstown, Rhode Island, 1970; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia; 2002, U.S. District Court, Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia. Education: Auburn University (M.B.S., 1992); University of Mississippi (J.D., 2001). Phi Delta Phi (President, 2000-2001, Vice-President, 1999-2000). Member: State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (Vice Chair, Appellate Advocacy Substantive Law Committee, 2006). Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Professional Negligence; Legal Malpractice; Insurance Bad Faith; Insurance Coverage; Transportation.Email: Matthew McLaughlin
Daniel Mills (Associate) born 1983; admitted to bar, 2008, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.B.A., cum laude, 2005); Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., 2008). Member: State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association.Email: Daniel Mills
Jennifer A. Mills (Associate) born Barbourville, Kentucky, August 9, 1979; admitted to bar, 2005, Georgia. Education: Purdue University (B.A., 2000); Emory University School of Law (J.D., 2005). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Professional Negligence; Transportation; Products Liability.Email: Jennifer A. Mills
Bianca A. Motley (Associate) born Cleveland, Ohio, September 13, 1977; admitted to bar, 2003, Ohio; 2007, Georgia. Education: Duke University (B.A., 1999); Washington University (J.D., 2003). William Webster Scholar. Member: Ohio State Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Toxic Torts.Email: Bianca A. Motley
Lacey J. Ourso (Associate) born Baton Rouge, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2006, Georgia. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., General Business, 2003; J.D. and Bachelor of Civil Law, 2006). Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Construction Litigation; Construction Law; Construction and Design Law; Premises Liability; Accountants Malpractice; Architects and Engineers Errors and Omissions; Legal Malpractice.
Frances Spinthourakis (Associate) born New York, New York, 1971; admitted to bar, 1997, Florida. (Not admitted in Georgia). Education: New York University (B.A., cum laude, 1992); University of Miami (J.D., 1995). Member: The Florida Bar; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Toxic Torts; Toxic Torts Defense.Email: Frances Spinthourakis
Brian W. Sprinkle (Associate) born Lynchburg, Virginia, July 1, 1976; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia. Education: University of Virginia (B.A., 1998); Tulane University Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2001). Phi Delta Phi. Recipient, Ray Forrester Award in Constitutional Law. Member, Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law. Member: Atlanta and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia Practice Areas: Defense Litigation; Civil Litigation; Appellate Practice; Civil Appeals.Email: Brian W. Sprinkle
Ernest L. Wetzler, II (Associate) born Atlanta, Georgia, 1979; admitted to bar, 2006, Florida. (Not admitted in Georgia). Education: University of Georgia (B.S., Political Science); Florida International University College of Law (J.D., 2006). Vice-President, Student Bar Association. Member, Florida International University College of Law. Practice Areas: Professional Negligence; Products Liability.Email: Ernest L. Wetzler, II
Jacob M. Zuniga (Associate) born February 2, 1978, Montebello, California; admitted to bar, 2003, California; 2006, Georgia. Education: Pepperdine University, (B.A., 2000); Pepperdine University School of Law (J.D., 2003). Member: State Bar of Georgia. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Labor and Employment.Email: Jacob M. Zuniga