Position: Member

TEL: 770-390-7550

FAX: 770-390-7560

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Admitted: 1965, Georgia; 1966, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1974, U. S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; 1978, U.S. Supreme Court; 1982, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Law School: Mercer University, J.D., 1966

College: University of Georgia

Birth Date and Place: 

Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Negligence; Motor Vehicle Collision; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Civil Litigation

Additional Information:  American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, President, 2006-2010; American Bar Association, 1965—, Trial Techniques Committee, 1971-1972; State Bar of Georgia (General Practice and Trial Section, Chairman, 1979-1980 and Secretary 1977-1978; Medico-Legal Committee, Chairman, 1978-1979; Trial Practice Section, General Advisory Committee, Chairman, 1979-1980; Committee to Reduce Court Costs and Delays; Committee to Preserve Oral Argument and Advocacy; Medico-Legal Conference Committee; No-Fault Automobile Reparations Committee; Standardized Jury Instructions Committee; Supreme Court Special Overview Committee for Mandatory CLE); Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1980-1981; Executive Vice President, 1972-1978; Malpractice Committee - Chairman, 1975-1977, 1984-1986); Southern Trial Lawyers Association (Historian, 2009; President, 1997; Treasurer, 1994; Board of Governors, 1988); Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Vice President, 1974-1977; Atlanta Bar Association; Lawyers Club of Atlanta; Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (Sustaining Founder; Board of Directors 1991-1993) and The Georgia Legal History Foundation.

Best Lawyers in America, 1989—; Georgia's Best Lawyers, Cover Spotlight, 2009; Georgia's Super Lawyers, Cover Spotlight, "The New King of Torts," by Jerry Grillo, 2010; Georgia's Super Lawyers "Top Point Getter," 2009—; Top 10 Super Lawyers, 2009—; Georgia's Top 100 Super Lawyers, 2004—; Georgia State Bar Tradition of Excellence Award, 1999; Georgia Trend Magazine: Top 100 Georgians (1999), Most Powerful and Influential Georgians (1996, 1998), "Legal Elite" (2004-2006); "The Leading Litigators in America," Law Dragon 500, 2006—; Compassionate Gladiator Award, Florida Justice Association, 2009; Mel Award, Melvin M. Belli Society, 2009; The Tommy Malone Great American Eagle Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Initial Recipient, 2007; Pursuit of Justice Award, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, ABA, 2004; Trial Lawyer of the Year, Melvin M. Belli Society, 2001; Pursuit of Justice Award American Bar Association/Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2004; Warhorse Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, 1996; Trial Lawyer of the Year, American Board of Trial Advocacy, Georgia Chapter, 1995; Small Office Hall of Fame, American Trial Lawyers Association Small Office Section, Initial Inductee, 1996; and Mercer University (Board of Trustees, 2007—; Executive Committee, 2008). Author: many articles and two books, including: Voir Dire And Summation, Harrison Co., (2d ed., 1999); Maximizing Damages through Voir Dire and Summation, Harrison Co., (1988); "Structured Settlements," Association of Trial Lawyers of America, TRIAL Magazine, June 2003; "Organizing the Medical Malpractice Case," Tommy Malone on Healthcare Malpractice-Case Evaluation and Review Manual: Intake to Filing, Vol. 1, Ch. 1, 2003 PESI Law Pubs; "Changes in Medical Negligence Cases: An Overview of Handling Medical Negligence Cases for the Past Thirty Years," Journal of the Medical Association of Atlanta, March 2002; "The Law of Managed Care in Georgia," Gazette: NALS of Georgia, Vol. XXVIII, No. 2, August 1999-January 2000. Fellow: International Academy of Trial Lawyers; International Society of Barristers; The Belli Society (President, 1991-1993; Vice President, 1985-86, 1988-1991; Treasurer, 1981-1982); Litigation Counsel of America; Pound Civil Justice Institute; Georgia Bar Foundation.

Reported Cases: Baxley v. Hakiel Industries, Inc., 282 Ga. 312 (2007); Kniphfer v. Memorial Health University Medical Center, Inc., 256 Ga.App. 874 (2002); Enviromediation Services, L.L.C. v. Boatwright, 256 Ga.App. 200 (2002); Kim v. Walls, 275 Ga. 177 (2002); Crafter v. State Farm Ins. Co., 251 Ga.App. 642 (2001); Etkind v. Suarez, 271 Ga. 352 (1999) (amicus curiae); Gaffron v. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, 229 Ga.App. 426 (1997); Moore v. Department of Human Resources, 220 Ga.App. 471 (1996); Johnson v. Gwinnett County, 215 Ga.App. 79 (1994); Landis v. Rockdale County, 212 Ga.App. 700 (1994); McKenna v. Gray, 263 Ga. 753 (1994); Ivey v. First of Georgia Ins. Co., 209 Ga.App. 784 (1993); Austin v. Kaufman, 203 Ga.App. 704 (1992); Moore v. Pope, 201 Ga.App. 123 (1991); Page v. Janko, 200 Ga.App. 547, 409 S.E.2d 48 (1991); Pope v. Moore, 261 Ga. 253 (1991); McGraw v. State, 199 Ga.App. 389 (1991); Atlanta Obstetrics & Gynecology Group v. Abelson, 260 Ga. 711 (1990) (amicus curiae); Patterson v. Douglas Women's Center, P.C., 258 Ga. 803 (1989) (amicus curiae); Glaser v. Meck, 258 Ga. 468 (1988) (amicus curiae); Gay v. Piggly Wiggly Southern, Inc., 183 Ga.App. 175 (1987); Poulnott v. Surgical Associates of Warner Robins, P.C., 179 Ga.App. 138 (1986); Matter of Young, 254 Ga. 645 (1985); Busey v. Perkins, 172 Ga.App. 274 (1984); Riverside Enterprises, Inc. v. Rahn, 171 Ga.App. 674 (1984) (amicus curiae); Singleton v. Georgia Pacific Corp., 252 Ga. 557 (1984) (amicus curiae); Wade v. John D. Archbold Memorial Hosp., 252 Ga. 118 (1984); Reliance Ins. Co. v. Bridges, 168 Ga.App. 874 (1983); Smith v. Hospital Authority of Terrell County, 161 Ga.App. 657 (1982); Buford v. State, 158 Ga.App. 763 (1981); Williams v. State, 158 Ga.App. 384 (1981); American Chain & Cable Co., Inc. v. Brunson, 157 Ga.App. 833 (1981); Ellison v. National By-Products, Inc., 153 Ga.App. 475 (1980); Hill v. Crowell, 152 Ga.App. 698 (1979) (amicus curiae); Department of Natural Resources v. Wilmot, 151 Ga.App. 324 (1979); Hall v. Churchwell's, Inc., 243 Ga. 852 (1979); Hill v. Crowell, 149 Ga.App. 461 (1979) (amicus curiae); Carroll v. Harris, 243 Ga. 34 (1979); Bussel v. Freedman, 148 Ga.App. 661(1979); Keaton v. Fenton, 147 Ga.App. 579 (1978); Brannon v. Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 146 Ga.App. 524 (1978); Thomas v. State, 240 Ga. 441 (1978); Beck v. State, 144 Ga.App. 361 (1977); Alexander v. Harnick, 142 Ga.App. 816 (1977); Keaton v. Kroger Co., 143 Ga.App. 23 (1977); U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Murray, 140 Ga.App. 708 (1976); Alberson v. Alberson, 237 Ga. 622 (1976); Parr v. Palmyra Park Hospital, Inc., 139 Ga.App. 457 (1976); Larkin v. State, 137 Ga.App. 164, 223 S.E.2d 215, Ga.App., (1976); Smith v. State, 135 Ga.App. 424 (1975); Lawson v. State, 234 Ga. 136 (1975); Georgia Northern Ry. Co. v. Dalton, 133 Ga.App. 34 (1974); Choquette v. Choquette, 232 Ga. 759 (1974); Shaw v. Jones, 129 Ga.App. 95 (1973); Builders Homes of Georgia, Inc. v. Wallace Pump & Supply Co., Inc., 128 Ga.App. 779 (1973); Davis v. Pope, 128 Ga.App. 791 (1973); Seaboard Coast Line R. Co. v. Toole, 128 Ga.App. 24 (1973); Malone Const. Co., Inc. v. Westbrook, 127 Ga.App. 709 (1972); Dozier v. Dozier, 229 Ga. 306 (1972); Peterman v. McManus, 125 Ga.App. 827 (1972); Cross v. State, 122 Ga.App. 208 (1970); Carter v. State, 122 Ga.App. 21 (1970); Simmons v. Couch, 226 Ga. 346 (1970); Godwin v. Gibson Products Co. of Albany, 121 Ga.App. 59 (1970); Black v. Aultman, 120 Ga.App. 826 (1969); Heidt v. Heidt, 225 Ga. 719 (1969); Jordan v. Hayes, 225 Ga. 697 (1969); Wheless v. Wheless, 225 Ga. 478 (1969); Adler v. Ormond, 119 Ga.App. 60 (1969); Beck v. Johnston, 118 Ga.App. 541 (1968); Handley v. Limbaugh, 224 Ga. 408 (1968); Adler v. Ormond, 117 Ga.App. 600 (1968); Bowen v. Bowen, 223 Ga. 800 (1967); Peach v. State, 116 Ga.App. 703 (1967); and Hughes v. Reynolds, 223 Ga. 727 (1967).

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