Professional
Over my 23-year career, I have filled many roles in the litigation process. Not only have I served as a trial lawyer for both plaintiffs and defendants, I have been a corporate party representative in both capacities In these roles, I have been involved in 500+ mediations and negotiated thousands of cases to resolution. My practice has primarily been centered around the healthcare industry including Long-Term Care, Hospice, Physician, Nursing, Dental malpractice and accompanying regulations. I also have significant experience in employment matters including Title VII complaints, 1984 Claims, wrongful termination, retaliation, and FMLA/ADA claims. In addition, I have experience in business-related litigation pertaining to breach of contract claims, False Claims Act suits brought by both the U.S. Department of Justice and private relators, and corporate structure and liability disputes.

Most of my career has been spent evaluating cases and doing so from the perspective of both the plaintiff and the defendant. I have been asked to assign value to different sets of facts and have learned case value is not always monetary. To be sure, in our civil court system, matters typically conclude with a monetary exchange. However, in trying to assess what that monetary value should be, one must necessarily look to the non-monetary costs of a decision to proceed with litigation. These costs include business interruption, availability of witnesses, the presentation of those witnesses, emotional costs of testifying and/or sitting through a trial, and societal pressures. I have firsthand experience with how each of these factors, and others, impact the monetary value of a case.

In my experience, most cases are filed as a result of poor or no communication between the parties after the precipitating event that is the subject of the claim. With few exceptions, most parties do not enjoy the litigation process. They understand the time, effort, and delays associated with the process. By the time a lawyer is involved on behalf of a plaintiff, or a lawsuit is filed, both sides are often frustrated by the lack of meaningful conversation that could have brought the dispute to conclusion. This is why mediation is such a valuable tool at our disposal. Mediation is a place where all sides can tell their story, vent their frustrations, and be sure they are heard.

As a result of the confidential nature, mediation is also a place where each side can test out theories, get unbiased feedback of the strength and weaknesses of their position from a neutral party, and better understand the other side’s case. A good mediator inspires trust upon which litigants depend in trying to resolve their disputes. The parties must know that a mediator will keep their conversations confidential and only use approved information that a litigant divulges in seeking to reach a mutually-acceptable resolution. I understand the importance of trust in the mediation process and recognize that approaching dispute resolution with sincerity, strength and fairness to both sides is essential to fostering the cooperation and receptiveness to mediation that is essential to its success. As a mediator, I strive to remain objective and dispassionate in evaluating the information that litigants provide. I believe this is imperative to providing a candid and forthright assessment of each side’s view of their claims or defenses, as well as maintaining proper perspective to aid the parties in identifying opportunities that may help them realize their goals.

I am licensed to practice law in Texas and Georgia and have received a mediation certification from the State of Georgia.

Personal
I have been a practicing lawyer for 23 years and am licensed in Georgia and Texas. I have lived in Atlanta for the past 11 years with my wife, Tammy, and 3 children. Connor is a Marine stationed in California at Camp Pendleton; Afton is a Senior at Marist; and Kennedy is a Junior at Marist.