(Main Office)

Our firm specializes in defending physicians, hospitals, nurses, and other medical professionals in medical malpractice cases. Our philosophy is to handle each case professionally, zealously, and cost effectively to produce the best possible result for each of our clients. The firm consists of attorneys who have devoted their careers to the defense of medical professionals and hospitals. We have nurses and a board certified internist on staff as part of our team approach to providing the best possible defense for our clients. We have developed relationships with leading experts in all medical specialties in both academic and clinical medicine who are willing to assist in the evaluation and defense of malpractice cases. We have significant experience representing physicians in state licensing matters and medical staff privileging issues, as well as representing hospitals in medical staff credentialing and healthcare regulatory matters. We also continue to handle general commercial and corporate litigation matters for our clients.

Statement of Practice

Litigation, Medical Malpractice Defense, Products Liability Defense, Personal Injury Law, General Civil, Trial and Appellate Practice in State and Federal Courts. Medical Staff Litigation, Credentialing Litigation, Hospital Representation, Healthcare Regulatory Issues, General Corporate and Commercial Litigation.

Representative Clients:

MAG Mutual Insurance Company
Medical Assurance Insurance Company
American Healthcare Indemnity
Medical Mutual Insurance Company of North Carolina
The Doctor's Company
Gwinnett Hospital Systems
First Professional Insurance
Hudson Insurance
St. Paul Traveler's Company
CNA HealthPro
Western Litigation Specialist
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Oconee Regional Medical Center
American Junior Golf Association
Liza Bryant Interiors
Dorminey Medical Center
Valdosta Smith Hospital
Peachtree Orthopedic Clinic
Emerginet, LLC
Pinnacle Orthopedics
Darwin Insurance.

Address

191 Peachtree Street N.E., Suite 3900
Atlanta, GA 30303, (DeKalb & Fulton Cos.)

Phone

Phone: 404-524-1600
Facsimile: 404-524-1610

Website

http://www.weathingtonfirm.com

Office Hours

Monday: 08:30 AM - 05:30 PM
Tuesday: 08:30 AM - 05:30 PM
Wednesday: 08:30 AM - 05:30 PM
Thursday: 08:30 AM - 05:30 PM
Friday: 08:30 AM - 05:30 PM

PARTNERS

Thomas E. Lavender, III (Partner) born Atlanta, Georgia, June 22, 1969; admitted to bar, 1997, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.B.A., Finance, 1992); John Marshall Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1997). Member: State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice Defense; Civil Litigation; Personal Injury.Email: Thomas E. Lavender, III

Allison M. Richardson (Partner) born Portland, Maine, November 3, 1970; admitted to bar, 1997, Georgia; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Education: Furman University (B.A., 1993); Georgia State University (J.D., 1997). Moot Court Board, 1996-1997. Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice Defense; Health Care; Civil Litigation.Email: Allison M. Richardson

ASSOCIATES

Stan Riepe (Associate) born Mt. Vernon, Illinois, July 22, 1949; admitted to bar, 2006, Georgia. Education: Emory University (M.D., summa cum laude, 1974); Emory University School of Law (J.D., 2005). Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice Defense.Email: Stan Riepe

Lindsay Forlines (Associate) born 1980; admitted to bar, 2008, Georgia. Education: University of Georgia (B.A., Journalism, magna cum laude, 2003; J.D., 2008). Lindsay joined The Weathington Firm in the summer of 2008. She is pleased to represent physicians and others in the medical community, and in doing so hopes to honor her late mother, an accomplished nurse practitioner and an active Emory University alumnus and employee. Lindsay is a proud native of Atlanta; specifically, she was born and raised in Avondale Estates, Georgia. She attended St. Pius X Catholic High School before heading to Athens to attend the University of Georgia. At UGA, Lindsay studied Telecommunications with an emphasis on Broadcast News. During her final year of college, Lindsay was selected as a television anchor for UGA's Georgia Gameday. This award-winning collegiate program was broadcast throughout Athens-Clarke County and into parts of Gwinnett County. Prior to her decision to attend law school, Lindsay worked in Atlanta, most notably as a Senate aide to then-Secretary of the Senate Frank Eldridge. Lindsay chose to continue her education back at the University of Georgia, starting law school in the fall of 2005. During her time back in Athens, Lindsay was active with the prosecutorial clinic and the mock trial team, eventually being elected to the position of Executive Chairman of the Mock Trial Board. She also earned the distinction of being named the 2007-2008 recipient of the Willis J. "Dick" Richardson, Jr. Student Award for Outstanding Trial Advocacy. Also during the 2007-2008 school year, Lindsay was selected as a pupil for the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Inn of Court. Lindsay interned at Stewart, Melvin, and Frost, LLP during the summer of 2007, and was also a UGA School of Law Dean's Ambassador.Email: Lindsay Forlines

J. Paul Mitchell (Associate) born 1977; admitted to bar, 2007, Georgia. Education: Brigham Young University (B.A., International Studies, cum laude with University Honors, 2002); University of Georgia (J.D., cum laude, 2006). Paul graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2006, cum laude, where he served on the Editorial Board of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law. Following law school, Paul clerked for the Honorable John Simpson and the Honorable Dennis Blackmon, and worked as an administrator, instructor, and developer with a test preparation company. Paul joined the Weathington Firm in 2008. Paul is a 2002 University Honors graduate of Brigham Young University. He also taught Japanese classes for two years following a two-year church mission to Tokyo, Japan. Paul and his wife, Sarah, have one daughter, Mary. Member: Atlanta Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia.Email: J. Paul Mitchell

SENIOR ASSOCIATES

Amy M. Hoffman (Senior Associate) born Dunedin, Florida, June 13, 1975; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia; 2002, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 2007, Florida. Education: Georgia Southern University (B.S., 1997); Florida State University (J.D., cum laude, 2001). Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice Defense; Insurance Defense.Email: Amy M. Hoffman

Charles M. Smith (Senior Associate) born Winter Garden, Florida, January 14, 1975; admitted to bar, 2000, Georgia. Education: Davidson College (A.B., with honors, cum laude, 1997); University of Georgia, School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2000). Member: State Bar of Georgia; Equal Justice Foundation. Practice Areas: Litigation; Medical Malpractice Defense; Commercial Litigation; Employment Litigation; General Civil Litigation.Email: Charles M. Smith

Wayne D. Toth (Senior Associate) born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1965; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia; 2002, U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Education: University of Pittsburgh (B.S., Chemistry, 1988); Georgia State University College of Business (M.B.A., 1997); Georgia State University College of Law (J.D., 2001). Member: Atlanta (Member, Litigation Section) and American (Member, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Litigation; Medical Malpractice Defense.Email: Wayne D. Toth