Submission
If you would like to submit a suggestion for the AJMLS Alumni on the Move series, please complete the form below.
Welcomed submissions include announcements such as: new job placement, new job promotion, new appointment to leadership position, new firm opening, new award, new publication, new public speaking engagement, new professional achievement, new philanthropy news, etc.
Thank you for helping us spread the good news of our alumni!
October 2024
Carl S. Cansino (’95) – Congratulations to Carl on being inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Neera A. Bahl (’01) – Congratulations to Judge Bahl on her reappointment by Governor Kemp to the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
Elizabeth A. Higgins-Brooks (’09) – Congratulations to Judge Higgins-Brooks on her Appointment as Associate Judge at the Fulton County Juvenile Court.
Hali M. Staton (’20) – Congratulations to Hali on her new position as Supply Chain Contracts Manager at Collins Aerospace.
Chauncey A. Graham (’23) – Congratulations to Chauncey on his new position as Legislative Counsel at the Human Rights Campaign.
Katie C. Jett (’24) – Congratulations to Katie on her new position as Assistant Public Defender at the Newton County’s Public Defender’s Office.
September 2024
Kristi L. Bankston (’08) – Congratulations to Kristi on her new position as partner at Lewis Brisbois.
Jaclyn L. Kiger (’10) – Congratulations to Jaclyn on her promotion from Chief Operations Officer to the new Executive Director of Pisgah Legal Service, the nonprofit legal aid agency.
Jennifer B. Gore (’12) Distinguished Alumni – Congratulations to Jennifer and her firm Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group Gore LLC for making the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This is her firm’s third time making the list.
Stephanie G. Thompson (’14) – Congratulations to Stephanie on being sworn in on Monday, August 12, 2024 as the new Hall County Solicitor General.
Kayla V. Kudratt (’18) – Congratulations to Kayla on being selected as a Georgia Southern University Class of 2024 40 Under 40 honoree.
Shauki M. Smith (’19) – Congratulations to Shauki on starting her new role as Contracts Manager at the Washington Spirit.
August 2024
Amanda G. Speights (’09) – Congratulations to Amanda on her recent appointment as judge for the Juvenile Court of Cherokee County, starting in January.
Jeremy A. Robinson (’10) – Congratulations to Jeremy on the publication of his new book, Endure the Anatomy of Resilience.
Luis R. Scot (’11) – Congratulations to Luis on the publication of his new book, Building High Performance Teams.
Jennifer B. Gore (’12) – Congratulations to Jennifer’s firm, Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group, for being recognized as the 2024 Small Business of the Year by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.
Logan F. Dale (’20) – Congratulations to Logan on starting his new position as Associate Attorney at Kibbey | Wagner, PLLC.
Maggie J. Long (’20) – Congratulations to Maggie on starting her new position as Contracts Manager at FiscalNote.
Noelia C. Rivera (’24) – Congratulations to Noelia on accepting the opportunity to join the firm Smith Clinesmith, LLP as an Associate Attorney.
July 2024
Alvin T. Wong (’76) – Congratulations to Judge Wong on being awarded the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor given by the State Bar of Georgia.
Jason M. Shepherd (’10) – Congratulations to Jason on his appointment by Governor Brian Kemp to the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission.
Peter C. Mehravari (’10) – Congratulations to Peter on his appointment as the Director of Policy and Legal Affairs for The International Intellectual Property Alliance.
Adam J. Rozen (’11) – Congratulations to Adam on being sworn in as the new president of the Cobb County Bar Association.
Erik J. Provitt (’16) – Congratulations to Erik on his appointment to the Board of Directors for Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity. He is excited to be a part of such a great organization that aligns with his passion for helping families achieve strength, stability, and generational wealth through home ownership.
Megan A. McCulloch (’18) – Congratulations to Megan on her appointment as Co-Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee with the Georgia Young Lawyers Division.
Breeahna H. Gresham (’20) – Congratulations to Breeahna on starting her new position as an associate attorney at The Felicetti Law Firm.
Lindsey N. Roberts (’23) – Congratulations to Lindsey on her new position as Assistant Solicitor General at the Hall County State Court.
Joy C. Smith (’24) – Congratulations to Joy on receiving the 2024 Real Property Law Institute Scholarship. This scholarship awards recent graduates in Georgia who have been recognized by their professors as exemplary students.
June 2024
Sonya F. Allen (’99) – Congratulations to Sonya, the newly elected Cobb County District Attorney. She is the first African-American woman to to be elected to this position.
Chinny D. Law (’14) – Congratulations to Chinny on receiving the Rising Star Award from the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA). Chinny was recognized for this accomplishment at the 2024 GAPABA Gala on May 29th.
Jenny S. Manzer (’13) — Congratulations to Jenny on starting a new position as Lead Conflicts Partner at Lewis Brisbois.
Jenna Marie Zalis (’18) — Congratulations to Jenna Marie on starting a new position as Senior Director of Compliance at Equifax.
May 2024
Yashica Marshall (’13) — Congratulations to Yashica on starting a new position as an Attorney at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
Nathalie Kanani (’16) — Congratulations to Nathalie for being selected to the Georgia Trial Lawyers Associations’ 2023-2024 LEAD class.
Gulliana Goehring (’21) — Congratulations to Gulliana for being appointed as the Mañanitas Director for the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association. Gulliana will lead quarterly programs promoting Latina attorneys and outreach to local high schools to encourage Latina students to pursue legal careers, a well-deserved honor.
April 2024
Paul Nam (’12) — Congratulations to Paul for earning a coveted spot on the prestigious Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Atlanta 2024. The GC Powerlist recognizes those senior in-house counsel who will shape Atlanta’s legal landscape. Paul is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Bluefin Payment Systems.
Tiffani D. Hawes (’13) — Congratulations to Tiffani on opening her firm’s newest location in Buckhead. Tiffani founded the Hawes Law Firm, LLC in 2014 and their focus is on Real Estate Closings. The other locations include Suwanee, Tucker, and Camp Creek.
Kayla V. Kudratt (‘18 ) — Congratulations to Kayla on recently launching The Kudratt Law Firm where her firm specializes in Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law. Kayla is the former Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Henry County District Attorney’s Office where she worked with the specialized Crimes Against Children/ Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault Unit.
March 2024
Edidiong E. Aaron (’10) — Congratulations to Edidiong on being sworn in as a part-time Magistrate Judge for Clayton County. When not handling her judicial responsibilities, Edidiong manages her law firm, Family Matters Law Group OC.
Megan McClinton (’13) — Congratulations to Megan who after starting her own law firm (The McClinton Firm) and mediation practice in 2022, was chosen as The Best of Gwinnett 2023 for Mediation Services.
Aklima K. Khondoker (’16) — Congratulations to Aklima on starting her new position at Dëmos, an NYC and DC based Think Tank, where she will serve as Chief of Program and Strategy. She will still continue to serve as Senior Technical Advisor, U.S. Programs at the Carter Center.
Erik J. Provitt (’16) — Congratulations to Erik on his promotion to Associate Director at Guidehouse where he will have oversight of Financial Crimes, Fraud, and Investigative Services.
Kenneth L. French (’18) — Congratulations to Kenneth who was appointed as the Associate Regional Director at the Securities and Exchange Commission for the Atlanta Region, overseeing examinations for five southeastern states. In this role he leads a team of 40 in examinations of investment firms and companies throughout the region.
February 2024
Beau A. Worthington (’08) — Congratulations to Beau on his new position as trial attorney at Rector Stuzynski LLC.
Antonio C. Lee (’14) — Congratulations to Antonio on being sworn in as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Candice N. Davis (’17) — Congratulations to Candice on her new position as Associate Attorney at Daniels & Taylor, P.C.
Jennifer C. Cabrera Torres (’22) — Congratulations to Jennifer on her promotion to managing partner transforming Gonzalez Law into Gonzalez Torres Law.
January 2024
Megan T. Hodgkiss (’12) — Congratulations to Megan who recently joined Poston Communications as Vice President of Content!
Stefanie H. Crocker (’14) — Congratulations to Stephanie on her promotion principal counsel at HubSpot!
Valerie A. Lockhart (’14) — Congratulations to Valerie on starting her new position as Vice President at Morgan Stanley!
Kevin O. Fogle (’16) — Congratulations to Kevin on being named on Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite 2023 list for Corporate Law!
Bill J. Black, III (’18), Karyn E. Boothe (’13), Juanicia L. Everett (’17), Julian B. Lane (’15), Lynda L. Parks (’17), and Samantha S. Trippedo (’16) — Congratulations to these six alumni for being sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States Bar during our annual trip!
December 2023
Dorna J. Taylor (’98) — Congratulations to Dorna on her book, Do What You Know How to Do: Lessons on Loss, Love, and Life. Through her memoir and guide, she offers a heartfelt account of resilience and triumph over adversity, inspiring readers to find strength in the face of life’s challenges.
Jennifer B. Gore-Cuthbert (’12) — Congratulations to Jennifer for her book, Tiger Tactics CEO Edition: From ZERO to Law Firm CEO a collaborative book offering readers an inside look into the minds of 13 influential law firm CEOs.
Kevin O. Fogle (’16) — Congratulations to Kevin on being named to the 2023 Lawyers of Color Hotlist and for his inclusion in the fourth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for his expertise in Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law!
Mahham Syed (’21) — Congratulations to Mahham on joining The Law Offices of Julianne M. Holt as an Assistant Public Defender!
Sharon F. Hansrote (’23) — Congratulations to Sharon on joining the Sarah Cornejo Law, LLC as their newest criminal defense attorney!
Austin M. O’Neill (’23) — Congratulations to Austin on joining the Law Office of Tim L. Holman where he will focus on Contract Law, Intellectual Property Law, Business Law, and Estate Planning!
Tishana Springer (’23) — Congratulations to Tishana on joining Samuel Johnson and Associates as their new Personal Injury Attorney and the Head of Litigation!
November 2023
James R. Haug (’09) — Congratulations to James and his firm, Haug Barron Law Group, on winning a $30 Million verdict for a family in a wrongful death case. One of the top ten largest medical malpractice cases in Georgia history.
William “Bill” J. Black, III (’18) — Congratulations to Bill on having his op-ed published in James Magazine Georgia, where he discusses the legal needs of homeless veterans and highlights the AJMLS Homeless Veterans Clinic.
Gandara G. Gallishaw (’23) — Congratulations to Gandara on her promotion to Assistant District Attorney at Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, where she previously served as a legal intern and apprentice prosecutor.
Victor J. Gordon (’23) — Congratulations to Victor on the creation of his new firm The Law Office of Victor Gordon. We wish you and your firm all the best of luck.
Congratulations to all of our alumni who recently passed the July 2023 bar!
Katie Adams, Estibaliz Afanador, Allyssia Andrews, Lauren Briggs, Hanna Canavan, Lance Carruth, Kyra Clark, Keith Collins, Danyelle Davis, Brittany Davis, Mercedes Dickerson, James Dixon, Shane Downard, Beverly Fratto, Donsherrhea Frison, Myah Fuqua, Gandara Gallishaw, Victor Gordon, Chauncey Graham, Jacob Gregory, Sharon Hansrote, Brooke Harrison, MarQuita Jones, Raford Kelly, Bethany Keyes, Esther Ko, Sabrina Leverette, Elizabeth Marra, Daniela Martinez, Katie McClelland, Richard Mejia, Dean Moore, Amy Morris, Austin O’Neill, Russell Preston, Jessica Regalado, Grant Schrantz, Joan Smoot, Lauren Spencer, Tishana Springer, Ashley Starnes, Melanie Stepho, Michael Stewart, Samantha Taylor, Kendall Taylor, Javion Thomas, Clint Tyler, Rochelle Walker, Kya Williams, Shaugnassy Williams-Bryant, and Kris Wright.
October 2023
LaToya A. Hutchinson (’11) — Congratulations to LaToya on starting her new position as Assistant District Attorney at Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. Serving Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Morgan, and Putnam Counties in Child Support Cases.
Fallon E. Brink (’17) — Congratulations to Fallon on joining the Georgia Secretary of State Securities & Charities Division as an Enforcement Attorney.
Andrienne K. McKay (’19) — Congratulations to Andrienne on her recent admission to both the Court of Appeals of Georgia and Supreme Court of Georgia.
Dallas L. Hawkins (’20) — Congratulations to Dallas on joining Garson Johnson LLC as a Civil Litigation Attorney where she is excited to join a team commitment to client success, professional excellence, and personal well-being.
Gulliana L. Goehring (’21) — Congratulations to Gulliana, on winning the 2023 Excellence Award in the Professionals category from TUMI-USA! The Tumi Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of Peruvian immigrants in solidarity, dedication, professionalism, and community service.
September 2023
Kenneth J. Lewis (’11) — Congratulations to Kenneth on receiving recognition from the Supreme Court of Georgia for his noteworthy amicus curiae brief, which contributed to their deliberations in their case. (See Footnote 1: Hamon v. Connell).
La’Porscha T. Smalls (’18) — Congratulations to La’Porscha on her new position as litigation associate at State Farm.
Whitnie C. Riden (’21) — Congratulations to Whitnie on launching her new firm, The Riden Firm. Whitnie is the managing partner and specializes in Intellectual Property, Sports/Entertainment and Estate Planning.
Eddis W. Freeman (’23) — Congratulations to Eddis on joining the Georgia Public Defender’s Council as an Assistant Public Defender I in Clayton County.
August 2023
Ashley S. Murphy (’12) — Congratulations to Ashton as she becomes the new Deputy Director of the Judicial Qualifications Commission of Georgia.
Delenia A. King (’21) — Congratulations to Delenia for starting her new position as Civil Litigation Associate Attorney at Hall Booth Smith, P.C
Jason R. Warren (’22) — Congratulations to Jason for starting his new position as Associate Attorney at The Dennis Law Firm, LLC.
Corey Washington (’22) — Congratulations to Corey as he starts his new firm The Washington Process Law Firm where he will specialize in criminal defense and personal injury.
July 2023
Zach H. French (’12) — Congratulations to Zach for starting a new position as Vice President at SeedTrust Escrow.
Jennifer B. Gore-Cuthbert (’12) — Congratulations to Jennifer and her law firm, Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group, as they celebrate their 10-year anniversary.
Joshua H. Elbaz (’22) — Congratulations to Zach for opening the new law firm of Elbaz & Stimpson, LLC.
Nicole A. Rizza (’22) — Congratulations to Nicole on being appointed as a Board of Directors Member for the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia as well as launching the Nicole A. Rizza, PC, law firm.
May 2023
Jenna Melton Fowler (’13) — We extend a huge congratulations to Jenna for being named partner at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP.
Billy Collins (’17) — Congratulations to Billy on embarking on a new journey as an attorney at Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
Jessica Melgarejo Devins (’20) — Congratulations to Jenna on joining The Manely Firm, as a new associate attorney.
Brittany Larcart (’21) — Congratulations to Brittany for becoming the newest personal injury attorney at Schnyder Law Firm.
April 2023
Randy Fry (’99) — Congratulations to Randy for being selected as a 2023 Georgia Super Lawyer, his fourth straight year in a row!
Jason Shepherd (’10) — Congratulations to Jason Shepherd on his appointment to the Board of the Development Authority of Cobb County by District 1 Commissioner Kelli Gambrill. He was approved by a 5-0 vote by the full County Commission on February 28, 2023, and began his four-year term on March 14, 2023.
Mariette Clardy-Davis (’13) — Congratulations to Mariette on joining the home office of Primerica as the Assistant Vice President, Assistant General Counsel where she provides strategic guidance to support their overall securities business including their broker-dealer and registered investment advisor.
Tom Kirkbride (’19) — Congratulations to Tom B. Kirkbride on his appointment as Municipal Court Judge for the City of Morrow, GA. Judge Kirkbride was sworn in during the Marrow City Council session on March 14, 2023.
March 2023
Adam Malone (’99) — Congratulations to Adam for being ranked as #1 in the 2023 Georgia Super Lawyer’s list. Additionally, Adam was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2023 for his work in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
Alpa Amin (’10) — Congratulations to Alpa on being awarded the Unsung Devotion to Those Most in Need awarded by the Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC) for her work as Executive Director of Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network.
Jenna Fowler (’13) — Congratulations to Jenna Fowler on being named partner at Wood, Smith, Henning and Berman. Jenna works at the Atlanta office of the firm, where she focuses on complex civil litigation.
Bryan Dayton (’19) — Congratulations to Bryan Dayton on joining the firm of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, LLP on February 23, 2023, as an associate attorney. Wilson Elser is a preeminent defense litigation firm in the United States.
Maria McCoy (’19) — Congratulations to Maria for being selected as a 2023 Georgia Super Lawyer’s Rising Star and for making the Best of Georgia’s list in family law.
Renee Richardson (’21) — Congratulations to Renee for being selected as a 2023 Georgia Super Lawyer’s Rising Star. Renee works for the Manely Firm, P.C. where she focuses on family law.
February 2023
Steven V. Bennett (’94) — Congratulations to Judge Bennett for being sworn in on January 3, 2023, as only the third ever “elected” juvenile court judge in the state of Georgia. Floyd County is unique as being the only county in the State that allows citizens to choose their juvenile court judge.
Timothy White (’98) — Congratulations to Timothy on celebrating his 25th year of private practice in Jasper, GA.
Wes McDaniel (’10) — Congratulations to Wes on his recent promotion to equity partner at The Hansford Law Firm. The firm will now be known as Hansford McDaniel, LLC, and will continue to exclusively represent injured workers throughout Georgia and Alabama.
Nick Schnyder (’11) — Congratulations to Nick and his firm, Nick Schnyder Law Firm, on opening their 4th location in Buckhead.
David Windecher (’12) — Congratulations to David for being awarded the very first NFL Inspire Change – Changemaker Award for his work with his non-profit Rehabilitation Enables Dreams (RED). David was presented the award at the annual Falcons Community Honors Dinner, surrounded by his RED staff, board members, and even a few former participants.
Raina Spencer (’16) — Congratulations to Raina and her new firm the Law Office of Raina Spencer, LLC. Her firm’s primary practice area is personal injury representing clients who are involved in car accidents, slip & falls, wrongful death, and catastrophic accidents.
Narissa Juitt-Jackson (’13) — Congratulations to Narissa and her firm, Juitt-Jackson Law Firm, for being named the 2022 Best in Georgia Family Law Firm by the Georgia Business Journal.
Alexandros Cornejo (’17) — Congratulations to Alexandros and his firm, The Cornejo Law Firm, on opening their 4th location in Newnan, GA. Alexandros is excited about this location because it is “literally home and it is an honor and a privilege to help my community in this part of town”.
Shiela Guider (’18) — Congratulations to Shiela on her promotion to Assistant Attorney General at the Georgia Department of Law, representing State Licensing Boards. She previously worked in the areas of Elections, Education, and Local Government as a paralegal for over 17 years.
January 2023
Lisanne Edelman (’17), Meaghan Eustice (’15), Randy Fry (’99), Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert (’12), Fernanda Hottle (’10), Shilpa Jadwani (’12), Megan McClinton (’13), Calina Plotkey (’12), Mary-Anne Uzoka (’14) — Congratulations to these nine alumni for being sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States Bar during our annual trip!
Matthew Momtahan (’09) — Congratulations to Matthew for being selected by the Newspapers of West Georgia as one of the 40 Under 40, West Georgia’s Rising Stars!
Ginger Arnold (’11) — Congratulations to Ginger as she joins the firm of Deming, Parker, Hoffman, Campbell, & Daly, LLC, as Associate Attorney where she will focus on estate planning!
Lauren Boone (’11) — Congratulations to Lauren on her appointment as a Judge to the Cobb County Magistrate Court Bench! Lauren will serve part-time on the bench while still continuing with her corporate practice.
Gulliana Goehring (’21) — Congratulations to Gulliana on being named partner at The Fry Law Firm! The firm will now be known as Fry | Goehring!
December 2022
Boris Milter (’11) — Congratulations to Boris on starting his new position as a Personal Injury Attorney with Bader Scott Injury Lawyers
Alexandria Barron (’22) — Congratulations to Alexandria on starting her new position as an Appellate Division Staff Attorney with the State Board of Worker’s Compensation
Brianna Smith (’22) — Congratulations to Brianna on starting her new position as Associate Attorney with the Arrington & Phillips, LLP.
Mats Rosen (’22) — Congratulations to Mats on his promotion from Legal Extern to Associate Attorney with Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group Gore LLC
November 2022
Beau Worthington (’08) — Congratulations to Beau on starting his new firm The Law Office of Beau Worthington.
Ntazyel Mufwene (’13) — Congratulations to Ntazyel for starting her new position as Assistant Director of Legal Contract Counsel at Ernst & Young.
Nickolas Kitchens (’14) — Congratulations to Nickolas for his promotion to Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at Georgia’s Own Credit Union.
Alix Orlando (’20) — Congratulations to Alix for starting her new position as a law clerk for Leidos. Alix assists the Department of Justice in analyzing representation requests for federal employees.
October 2022
Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert (’12) — Congratulations to Jennifer’s law firm, Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group – for being ranked on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States in 2022!
Stephanie Garner Thompson (’12) — Congratulations to Stephanie for being sworn in as the new Chief Assistant for the Hall County Solicitor’s Office!
Katie Emig Wright (’20) — Congratulations Katie on your new position as Assistant District Attorney at the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office!
Joshua Elbaz (’22) — Congratulations Joshua on your new position as Assistant District Attorney at the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office!
September 2022
Barry Morgan (’87) — Congratulations on retirement! After 25 years as the elected Solicitor General of the Cobb State Court, Barry has announced his retirement as of December 31, 2022. Morgan was appointed in 1998 by Governor Zell Miller and has been re-elected 6 times. In retirement, Barry will teach legal courses/business law/copyright at Troy University and serve as a part-time magistrate judge.
Dr. Megan Hodgkiss (’12) — Congratulations to Megan for being reappointed Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Bar Journal. The Journal, a bi-monthly publication, is circulated to every attorney licensed in the state of Georgia.
Samantha Megan McClinton (’13) — Congratulations! Samantha Megan McClinton is excited to announce the opening of her law firm, The McClinton Firm. Based out of Gwinnett County, Georgia, The McClinton Firm is a general practice committed to swift, compassionate, and client-centered legal services. The McClinton Firm is proud to assist in areas of estate planning, traffic and criminal defense, family law, animal law, and personal injury.
Lance Houston (LL.M ’15) — Congratulations! Lance recently joined Adelphi University as the Title IX coordinator and director of equity and compliance. We wish you the best of luck in your new position.
Stephanie Kozol (’17) — Congratulations to Stephanie Kozol as she joins Troutman Pepper as senior government relations manager in the state attorneys general department.
Elizabeth Chapman (’20) — Congratulations to Elizabeth for her new role as an Assistant District Attorney with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.
August 2022
Ashley Drake (’11) — Congratulations to Judge Ashley Drake for being selected as Vice Chair of the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association for 2022-2023!
David Windecher (’12) — David was recognized as the Lawyer of the Year by the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association. Congratulations David!
Lina Lozano Oviedo (’13) — Congratulations to Lina for being recognized as the In-House Counsel of the Year by the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association!
Imani Redd (’21) — Imani has joined the law firm of Williams Teusink, LLC. Congratulations and best of luck in your new position!
July 2022
Sonja Brown (’04) — Congratulations to Judge Brown on winning her election for Cobb County Superior Court Judge. Judge Brown previously served as a Magistrate Court Judge for the county.
Megan Hodgkiss (’12) — Dr. Megan Hodgkiss has been appointed Secretary of the Atlanta Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Atlanta Bar Association. This is the first year that Secretary has been a standalone role on the Board’s Executive Committee. Congrats and best of luck Megan.
Reece Riden (’18) — Congratulations to Reece on his recent appointment to the Board of the ACLU of Georgia.
Ashley Lewis (’21) — Congratulations to Ashley on joining the law firm of Weinstein & Black, LLC as an associate attorney.
Matthew Repella (’21) — Congratulations to Matthew on joining the law office of Hunter Maclean in Savannah. Matthew’s practice will focus on all aspects of general corporate representation, including business formation, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder rights, and contract drafting/negotiation.
June 2022
Adam Malone (’99) — Adam was sworn in as the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association’s 67th president. Congratulations Adam, we know you will do an amazing job.
Alpa Amin (’10) — Congratulations to Alpa for being recognized by the Georgia Asian Times as one of the 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia. Alpa is the Executive Director of the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (GAIN).
Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert (’12) — Congratulations to Jenn for being selected for The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40! Great work, Jenn!
Marquis L. Malloy (’13) — Congratulations to Marquis for being recently named, for the second consecutive year, a Billboard Magazine Top Music Lawyer.
Kevin Fogle (’17) — Kevin has joined the law firm of Polsinelli PC, M&A Associate, where he focuses on a variety of complex business transactions and corporate matters. Congratulations and best of luck at the new law firm.
Jake Nguyen (’17) — Congratulations to Jake on joining fellow alumnus Ethan Pham (’13) at the Nguyen & Pham LLC. Jake joins the firm after being a prosecutor in Gwinnett County both as an assistant solicitor and assistant district attorney.
May 2022
Ray Farmer (’73) — The South Carolina Governor’s Office has announced the retirement of Ray Farmer, the state’s insurance director. Director Farmer has spent over 53 years in the insurance industry. In 2012, he was appointed as the state’s insurance commissioner. We wish him all the best in his retirement.
Shaun Adams (’11) — Congratulations to Shaun on his new position as counsel at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP. Shaun focuses his practice on state and local government relations, land use and zoning, and commercial real estate.
Vinny Lotti (’12) — We are proud to announce Judge Lotti has been promoted to Chief Judge of Henry County State Court. Congratulations on your promotion.
Andrienne K. McKay (’19) — Congratulations to Andrienne on being selected for The National Trial Lawyer Top 40 under 40 for 2022.
Stephanie Dennis (’20) — We are happy to announce Stephanie has started a new position as Associate Attorney in the Commercial Real Estate group at Andersen, Tate & Carr, P.C.
Renée Richardson (’21) — Congratulations to Renée on joining the The Manely Firm, P.C., where she will focus on Family Law and International Family.
April 2022
David Yount (’06) — We are proud to announce David has recently taken on the position of Vice President and Head of Business Licenses at Wolters Kluwer.
John Ebersbach (’15) — Congratulations to John on becoming Partner at Kam, Ebersbach & Lewis, P.C.
J.J. Poole (’18) — Congratulations to JJ for extending his practice as a newly certified Player Agent for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
February 2022
Hon. Charles M. Williams (‘70) — On January 27, 2022 the Gordon County Bar Association recognized the Honorable Charles M. Williams for his 52 years outstanding service to the legal profession and the community. Thank you Judge Williams for your service, we are honored to have you as an alumnus of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.
Nick Schnyder (’11) — Congratulations to Nick on being sworn into the State Bar of Texas. His admission required a lot of preparation and we salute him on his achievement of adding another state bar to his accomplishments.
Jenna Melton Fowler (‘13) — Congratulations to Jenna on her new role as senior counsel in our Atlanta offices of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman where she focuses her practice on complex civil litigation.
Reece Riden (’18) — Congratulations to Reece on joining the Nick Schnyder Law Firm as their newest Associate Attorney. Nick Schnyder (’11) is also a fellow AJMLS graduate. It is so great seeing two amazing alumni members working together. Reece previously worked for one of the state’s largest insurance defense firms representing various insurance providers and large corporations.
Fall 2020
Diana Simmons, Class of 2009
Diana Simmons (nee Sturgis) won the run-off election on August 11, 2020, becoming the next State Court Judge in Cobb County. She ran against fellow AJMLS alumni, Mazi Mazloom and David Willingham, as well as candidates Trina Griffiths, Scott Halperin, and Joseph Atkins.
Ben Musgrove, Class of 2013
Musgrove was sworn in as a Magistrate Court Judge for Forsyth County on July 16, 2020 by Judge Lynwood D. Jordan, Jr., Probate Judge for Forsyth County. He was appointed by Judge Walker Bramblett, Chief Magistrate, on July 1, 2020 and confirmed by all judges of the Forsyth County Superior Court.
While continuing to serve his clients with their personal injury needs, Ben will be taking on the additional responsibility of holding a seat in the Magistrate Court and will be reviewing warrant applications, and presiding over certain criminal and small claims matters.
Amanda Perez, Class of 2009
Perez was appointed as part-time judge to the Magistrate Court of Cobb County. The appointment was made by Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy and unanimously confirmed by Cobb County Superior Court.
Perez has been practicing law since 2009, with a focus in domestic, civil litigation, immigration and criminal defense work. She has a private practice in which she represents injured people who are seeking to recover payment for work and clients who want to negotiate with creditors.
Rita Cherry, Class of 1996
Cherry was appointed as part-time judge to the Magistrate Court of Cobb County. The appointment was made by Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy and unanimously confirmed by Cobb County Superior Court.
Cherry previously served as a Magistrate Court judge in 2015. She practiced law in employment and labor cases, served as a defense attorney in the Cobb County Circuit Defender’s office, worked as an assistant district attorney in Fulton County and as a senior assistant city attorney for the city of Atlanta.
Neera Bahl, Class of 2004
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced his selection of Neera Bahl to serve on the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
Erik Provitt, Class of 2016
Appointed to the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Bar Association for the 2020-2021 Bar Year.
Kyle M. Moore, Class of 2013
Helped a fellow lawyer obtain a 21 million dollar verdict in north Georgia federal court this year as a first run at being a trial consultant.
Nick Schnyder, Class of 2011
The Nick Schnyder Law Firm is hiring on a monthly basis, is in the third building in only four years of practice, and expanding the parking lot for the growing firm.
Kenneth French, Class of 2018
As Legal Counsel at T. Rowe Price, French was recently appointed to serve as a board member on the University of Maryland’s School of Law’s Diversity Scholars program. This initiative focuses on introducing UM Law students from diverse backgrounds into the day in the life of corporate counsel. In addition to mentoring the students, the students are also brought on site to participate in programs sponsored by participating firms. The students are identified and brought into the program by the Development & Alumni Relations department at the law school during their 1L year and many participate in the program throughout their time in law school.
Wellington Tzou, Class of 2012
Wellington founded Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP) of Georgia, where Taiwanese Americans and Americans, who are interested Taiwanese culture and professional development, joined to support one another. The organization started out with only about a handful of members, but now the Georgia organization proudly has over 100 members. Stemming from this success, Wellington was asked to join the National Taiwanese American Professional, where he now sits as the national President. Further since his tenure, TAP has hosted national conventions in Atlanta and led the initiative with voting rights, national census, and Asian community interests in the justice system. His success still continues on where he is frequently asked to join the Taiwanese government officials in Taiwan and hosts several Taiwanese leaders and politicians to Georgia to enrich the Taiwanese Americans’ lives in the United States and bridge the two nations together closer.
In addition to the development of TAP, Wellington was part of Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, where he served as its Community Service Chair. During his tenure, he led the state-wide effort of serving the community at large by partnering with ServiceJuris, AVLF, Food Bank, and many other non-profit organizations.
Lastly, Wellington has led a successful professional career where he served corporate clients such as IBM, Coca-Cola, and WebMD as their counsel. Currently, he leads a global data privacy compliance team in Deloitte. Prior to COVID19 pandemic, Wellington frequently visited offices in China and New York working on global initiatives for Deloitte.
Fariba Bayani, Class of 2004
Bayani was invited and taught a personal injury CLE at a punitive damages seminar regarding DUI cases that cause accident and thus are subject to punitive damages. After graduating from John Marshal Law, I was immediately hired as a Prosecutor at Fulton County and prosecuted DUI cases, among other kind of criminal cases. After several years, I started Bayani Law Group in Sandy Springs. Since 2010, I have been practicing personal injury cases, criminal defense, and family law.
Michelle Reilly, Class of 2016
Michelle Reilly Law Group LLC – Opened in June 2020
Areas of practice: Personal Injury, Estate Planning, Family Law, Elder Law, General Civil Litigation
Michelle Cross, Class of 2019
Atlanta’s Law Firm – Opened in June 2020
Areas of practice: criminal defense, personal injury, contract dispute, incorporating businesses, and helping people get economic injury disaster loans through the Small Business Administration.
Gabrielle Bloodsaw, Class of 2016
Gabrielle graduated in 2016 and was quickly employed as a public defender for the city of Atlanta. A year later she achieved greater heights as a Public Defender in Fulton County working for the Metro Conflict public defenders. In January of 2019, she was accepted to be a JAG officer in the US Army. After completing basic training in Fort Benning, GA and graduating JAG school in Charlottesville, SC she was sent to Fort Hood, TX for her 3 year term. After only a few months LT Bloodsaw was promoted to CPT. Recently, she was deployed to assist in a mission overseas. In only a few short years since graduation, CPT Bloodsaw has dedicated her time to serving some of this county’s most vulnerable populations.
Mariette Clardy-Davis, Class of 2013
Mariette Clardy-Davis was invited to be a panelists for AwareHealth’s CLOSING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTH AT THE WORKPLACE.
Mariette will share her tips and recommendations as well as her personal journey as a black female attorney living and working with a bipolar depression diagnosis.
Alpa Amin, Class of 2012
Alpa Amin was named the Executive Director for Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network.
Paul Nam, Class of 2012
Job placement at InComm as Associate General Counsel in Oct 2019.
Sara Wardlow, Class of 2016
Cain Injury Law has hired Sara Wardlow as of counsel from the Rebbeca Kay Sapp Law Firm. Wardlow is handling all types of personal injury law at her new firm.
Naja Burroughs, Class of 2019
Job placement at Kenny Leigh and Associates in its Atlanta office.
Taylor Newell, Class of 2019
Job placement at Cohen and Sinowski, a Personal Injury Law Firm in Atlanta.