Acworth Lawyers

Gerry Balboni is an experienced deal lawyer representing growth companies, investors, and buyers and sellers of growth companies. He has distinctive expertise in venture capital, private equity, acquisitions, and licensing and distribution of technology and software. Gerry brings a results-oriented approach to every engagement. He knows what works and what doesn't. Gerry graduated from the University of South Florida in 1975 with a B.A. in English, from the Graduate School of Business of Stetson University in 1977 with an MBA, and from the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in 1984 with a J.D., cum laude....

Jennifer D. Patterson opened her first law firm in 1995 in Cumming, Georgia. Since then, she has enjoyed serving clients in the North Georgia area for the last twenty years. Jennifer focuses her practice on all issues related to families including divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence and contempt issues.

She regularly handles matters which may be high conflict, including cases involving psychological custody evaluations, family owned businesses and retirement division.

As the mother of four children, she has a true understanding of the heart wrenching decisions that have to be made in custody and parenting matters and has guided her...

Philip S. Coe is a trial lawyer and counselor with more than 30 years of litigation experience. Mr. Coe's practice over the years has been wide-ranging, but with major focus on family law, including contested divorce, custody and support modification actions. Although he remains first and foremost a trial lawyer, Mr. Coe is also a registered Mediator and Arbitrator and Neutral Case Evaluator. Most recently, Mr. Coe has become a passionate advocate for and practitioner of Collaborative Divorce Practice.

Philip Stewart is a Partner with Oberman Law Firm in Cumming, Georgia. His extensive experience includes both the acquisition and sale of various companies throughout the country working with strategic, private equity, and venture capital groups as well as representing his clients with other corporate matters. He received his BA in History with a minor in Spanish from Brigham Young University, then graduated magna cum laude from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University where he received the Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement in Legal Writing and was a member of the mock trial team and Dean’s List. Philip...

Brandon strives to be a great listener, counselor, and advocate, in that order. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University, magna cum laude, and then went on to graduate in the top half of his class at the University of Georgia School of Law.

Prior to graduation from law school Brandon excelled in his externship which landed him a job as an Assistant District Attorney for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit. While at the DA’s office, Brandon grew comfortable in the courtroom, successfully obtaining winning jury verdicts in all but his very first trial.

After departing the DA’s office, Brandon spent...

Bankruptcy Attorney Chapter 13 Chapter 7 Stop Garnishments Repossesions Foreclosures

Chuck Witcher’s career in real estate transactions began as a loan originator and promoter for the U. S. Small Business Association Loans and U. S. Economic Administration Loans in Augusta, Georgia during the years 1983-1985. Since his return to his hometown of Newnan in 1985, he has focused upon title examinations and real estate closings pertaining to property throughout the Coweta Judicial Circuit and adjoining counties. His practice also includes probate matters, relating to the preparation of Wills and Trusts and administration of estates. Chuck Witcher is a retired Major from the United States Air Force, having served...

Over the years, I've worked in many different areas of the law. Of all legal practice areas, the work I enjoy most is defending against debt collection efforts and and protecting people against unlawful collection practices. The reason is that it's one of the few areas where a lawyer can not only make clients happy, but exceed their expectations. Sometimes, being a lawyer is little more than "mop up" duty. The damage is already done and the lawyers are just there to help with the clean-up. It can also involve high stakes and place attorneys and their clients under enormous...

I, Johnny Felan Castaneda Sr., have been a proud member of the Georgia Bar since 1990, consistently in good standing. Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to assisting those who require legal help and advocating for victims of wrongdoing. My firm is equipped with a wide range of experience, having handled a multitude of cases successfully. Call us for a free office consultation. I am fluent in both Spanish and English. You can reach out to us via email at officejfc@aol.com or jfcastanedalawfirm@gmail.com.

Bonnie Rich has nearly 30 years of experience in a variety of taxation, estate planning, and business law matters. She has represented individuals, business owners, and local governments and has served as in house counsel for a major financial services corporation. From 2008 until 2018 she taught law students valuable skills in litigation, client counseling, and professional and ethical responsibility by supervising and mentoring those students as they represented clients through a clinical taxation course at the Georgia State University College of Law. Bonnie was a member of the Georgia General Assembly during the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 legislative...

Our clients are innovative 7 and 8 figure companies with national and global reach. They create brands, license software, and distribute content to Fortune 500 enterprises, governmental agencies and strategic partners. The diverse industries we serve include technology, food and beverages, manufacturing, healthcare, finance, consulting and professional services.

We align with middle market business leaders who value agile, responsive legal collaboration, and profit-focused guidance. Many clients are founders, families and friends who've grown their privately held businesses through savvy acumen and faithful perseverance. We commit to your success, and build longstanding relationships as trusted advisors.

Professional History:
> 2005-present: Owner, Bockhop Intellectual Property Law, LLC
> 2002-2005: Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
> 2000-2002: Founding Partner, Bockhop & Reich, LLP
> 1994-2000: Associate, Needle & Rosenberg, PC
> 1988-1991: IBM - Design Engineer (Designed arithmetic logic circuits used in CPU of AS/400 computer)
> 1980-1985: U.S. Naval Officer - Electrical Officer USS Nicholson (DD 982)
Education:
> J.D., University of Georgia School of Law, 1994
> M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, 1988 Research and Thesis: Switching Properties of Non-Linear Optical Interface; Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honors Society
> B.S., General Science, The University of Iowa, 1980
> US Navy Gas...

Kellie comes from a background in law enforcement and working with at-risk youth at a maximum level treatment facility. Kellie has learned first hand the impact litigation can have on your well-being. It is important to have a zealous advocate in your corner. Kellie brings hard work, dedication, integrity and grit to each of her cases. Kellie’s parents divorced when she was seven years old giving her perspective and understanding of the many complexities in dealing with family law, divorce, and custody situations. With this understanding, Kellie is prepared to work with you towards a resolution that serves your...

Joann Brown Williams has been litigating for well over a decade. Joann’s “bread-and-butter” is business litigation, including breach of contract, corporate governance, trade secret, non-compete and non-solicit covenants, employment related disputes in the areas of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Her “chocolate,” however, are claims dealing with First Amendment and defamation. Joann has tried cases throughout Northeast Georgia in both State and Federal Courts and has practiced in State and Federal Courts throughout the country. Joann has been involved in several high profile cases that have been written about in The Los Angeles Times, The National Law...

With a unique focus on real estate and business law, Matt Horne is an attorney with valuable and varied legal practice experience. Having joined the firm in 2001, Matt is charged with representing clients in a variety of areas including debtor and creditor bankruptcy, wills and estate matters. His extensive background in all forms of litigation has Matt often in court handling business matters and domestic cases. As the head of our Newnan firm’s well-established real estate department, Matt and his closing team regularly handle residential and commercial real estate closings, representing buyers, sellers, lenders and developers.

In 2023, David was part of the trial team that obtained a $38.6 million verdict in a complex medical malpractice case. In 2022, he was lead counsel in two medical malpractice jury trials and obtained jury verdicts for his clients in each. In addition to trial work, David is routinely retained to represent clients in complex appellate matters with outstanding results. David has argued, and won, cases at the Georgia Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Georgia Court of Appeals. Before forming starting his own firm, David practiced for a decade at the premier medical malpractice...

Nathan Heber is a highly awarded lawyer with an exceptional background in high-stakes litigation. As a Founding Partner of Heber Han PC, he represents average, everyday people in their fight for justice and fairness—a calling that often involves battling the largest corporations and governmental agencies. Nathan handles federal court appeals for those who have received unfavorable SSA ALJ decisions. He draws from his 11 years of experience as an attorney with SSA, including eight years in the Office of General Counsel, where he played a key role in the development and implementation of programs designed to increase the...

I have represented individuals and businesses as plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts as well as various arbitration forums in such diverse areas of law as banking and finance, labor and employment, professional liability, restrictive covenants, sale of goods, securities, trade secrets and trusts and estates. I focus my practice, however, on franchise and distribution litigation. I have represented clients in various industries, including food and beverage, preschool and daycare and tax consulting services, from the pre-complaint stage through discovery into trial.

Mr. Warncke received his Bachelor of Business Administration, magna cum laude, at Georgia State University in 1988. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law cum laude in 1991. Mr. Warncke was one of three students selected to represent UGA Law School in the American College of Trial Lawyers National Moot Court Competition. The team took second place nationwide in brief writing. The team also advanced to the quarter finals in the national oral argument competition in New York,City.

Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Warncke began working as an associate at Dietrick, Evans, Scholz & Williams, and became...

As a former federal prosecutor and a dedicated criminal defense attorney, Attorney Richard Rice fights diligently to safeguard the rights of his clients. As a member of Mensa International, an organization only open to those persons whose IQ is in the top 2% of world’s population, he uses his considerable experience and knowledge of the law to defend his client’s futures

For his dedication, Attorney Richard Rice has been honored to receive numerous accolades, including:
Being named a “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine
Inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® list
An Avvo Rating of 10.0 Superb
Being named one of the Top 100 Trial...

Cortney has 20 years of litigation experience, serving as lead counsel in over 120 patent-infringement litigations. He also represents clients in proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (e.g., IPR proceedings) and in appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. • S.M.R Innovations v. Apple (W.D. Tex.), Motorola (D. Del.), LG, and Samsung (E.D. Tex.): Lead counsel in cases involving patents for routing multimedia between electronic devices. • POWERbahn (N.D. Ga.): Represented technology innovator in asserting patents related to exercise equipment that better simulated real-life conditions. Claims resolved after district court denied Defendants’ motions for summary...

With a strong focus on the RIA space, I provide valuable counsel to RIAs of all sizes, from start-ups to firms managing billions of dollars in assets. As a Chief Compliance Officer and Securities Attorney, I understand the evolving challenges faced by RIAs and the importance of maintaining compliance. At My RIA Lawyer, we are dedicated solely to serving the RIA community, making us the go-to law firm for RIA compliance and legal matters. Our team of RIA compliance and legal nerds are ready to assist you in navigating the complex legal landscape of the RIA world. We provide tailored solutions...

Glenn graduated summa cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law. He began practicing Workers’ Compensation law in 1999. He came an equity partner at a large insurance defense firm in 2005. In 2014, he, along with Jeff Snell, founded Bobe and Snell, LLC. Glenn has been an active member in the Georgia State Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, North Fulton Bar Association and the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Division. Glenn is licensed in the Georgia Supreme Court, Georgia Court of Appeals, Northern District of the U.S. Federal, as well as all Georgia Superior, State, and Magistrate Courts. Over...

Jess Johnson is one of the best young lawyers in Georgia. He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” in criminal defense and civil litigation by Super Lawyers Magazine for the past several years. While only 2.5% of lawyers in Georgia under the age of 40 receive such an honor, Jess was first named to this list after only 3 years of practice.

Jess has been instrumental in our firm’s success in both trials and appeals. In his very first trial, Jess was awarded an Acquittal Award from the Federal Defender Program for helping our firm win a “not guilty” verdict...

Partner David Messer brings a dynamic courtroom presence and significant trial experience to the firm, which he joined in 2007. As a trial lawyer in Oklahoma for six years, David achieved both legally and socially significant appeals and courtroom victories. His current trial practice focuses on a full spectrum of business law, with an emphasis on all phases of business litigation and dispute resolution, including trials, appeals, mediation, and arbitration. David has been successful in oil and gas litigation, construction and engineering disputes, homeowners' association disputes, election disputes, and business disputes of all kinds, including high net-worth matters involving family-owned...

Ira D. Gingold has been practicing bankruptcy law since 1971. Mr. Gingold is a 1968 graduate of Emory University Business School with a major in Accounting, and a 1971 graduate of Emory University School of Law. In 1971, Mr. Gingold was admitted to practice in Georgia, the Northern District of Georgia including the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals. He represents individuals and businesses in filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and Chapter 13. Mr. Gingold specializes in complicated cases involving businesses, real estate, taxes, and higher income individuals, often times receiving referrals from other commercial and consumer bankruptcy...

“What I love most about my job is helping clients solve their problems, and of course, getting hugs from happy clients.”

Greg is the CEO and Senior Attorney at Dynamic Estate Planning. Greg is also the Managing Member of Jacobs & King. Greg has been practicing law and advising clients for more than 27 years. Greg’s specialties are Trusts and Estates, Probate & Trust Administration, Asset Protection Planning, Business Law, Business Succession Planning and Tax.

Prior to co-founding Jacobs & King, Greg held positions including Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director, Financial Planning at Wachovia Bank; Senior Manager, Private Client Services...