Sumter County Lawyers

Having practiced more than 50 years, I now principally serve as an arbitrator through IACPR and AAA and provide services as an expert witness. I retired from Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan and later from King & Spalding.

Julian A. Fortuna is a at Partner Greenspoon Marder LLP where he practices business and tax law with a focus on tax planning and representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and various other tax authorities. He also handles estate and trust tax matters. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Fortuna was Vice President and General Tax Counsel for InterContinental Hotels Group ("IHG"). During his eleven year tenure at IHG, Mr. Fortuna managed a team of tax professionals responsible for structuring the domestic and international tax impacts of numerous mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and other corporate transactions, as...

John W. Chambers, Jr. is a graduate of Emory University and Emory University School of Law. He graduated with distinction from the Emory University School of Law in 1979 with a Doctor of Law degree and was a member of the Order of the Coif. John W. Chambers, Jr. has an AV (R) Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Rating. ("CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies."

Jeff Bekiares is an attorney with over ten years of experience in general corporate, capital raising and securities laws practice. He began his career at a great Atlanta law firm, practicing there for over six years before leaving large firm life to become the Co-founder, COO and General Counsel of SparkMarket, a Georgia based crowdfunding platform. He has worked with clients at a variety of stages: from start-ups, to emerging growth to exchange listed public companies. He specializes in entity formation, governance, operating and shareholders agreement, commercial contract drafting, mergers & acquisitions, capital raising and all manner of transactional...

Practicing law requires constant focus, resilience, and detailed planning. I have spent years dedicating my career to guiding businesses through critical moments of litigation, providing strategic solutions with a practical, straightforward approach. My experience, both inside and outside the courtroom, allows me to manage client expectations effectively while developing successful legal strategies. As an experienced business litigator, I handle complex disputes that often involve issues related to contracts or business torts—ranging from breach of fiduciary duty and fraud to misappropriation and trade secrets. These cases often overlap with matters concerning property, corporate governance, employment, construction, and securities law. My diverse client...

"Business owners are hard-working, innovative, optimistic, and inspiring people. I take pride in helping business owners resolve the legal disputes that stand between them and their success.”

Michael watched a childhood friend’s four-person start-up grow into a multi-million dollar success story, and has been inspired by the power of small business ever since. Unlike most attorneys, Michael listens more than he talks. He understands that every business is different, and he achieves better results for his clients by taking the time to analyze their unique objectives.

Michael won his first breach of contract case a month after he was admitted to the...

Scott understands that businesses approach the legal world from a different perspective than most people do. Having worked for a mutual fund company before attending law school, Scott was able to learn how businesses approach their legal obligations. While in law school, Scott learned the importance of conveying complex ideas in an understandable manner. During law school Scott learned how to speak to diverse audiences. He competed as a member of the Emory Moot Court Society arguing before judges and attorneys from all over Georgia and completed coursework trying cases before real juries. The combination of Scott’s background in business...

Austin Merck Smith is a personal injury attorney with Merck Law, LLC. He is licensed in Georgia and South Carolina.

Ron is a native of Atlanta and graduated from Emory University and Emory University School of Law. He has practiced for over 30 years in all areas of personal injury including workers' compensation, premises liability, and medical negligence. Ron is one of only handful of attorneys who represent physicians and other professionals to recover Long Term Disability Benefits from Insurance Carriers including Provident, Paul Revere, AIG, MetLife, Liberty Mutual, The Standard Plan, Jefferson Pilot and others. Ron has been lead counsel in trials and appeared in the Georgia Supreme Court, Georgia Court of Appeals, United States Court of Appeals for...

A native of Thomasville, Georgia, Jesse grew up watching his father and grandfather run a small business on the family farm. Jesse learned at a young age that exceptional quality and a friendly, "service first" approach are the keys to making clients happy; that's why client satisfaction is always the top priority at The Law Office of Jesse Adams.

Jesse earned his law degree from Florida State University in 2010. While in law school, he served in student government, worked in the Florida House of Representatives, interned with the Innocence Project of Florida, clerked for a prominent Tampa attorney, and studied...

Howard D. Rothbloom began practicing bankruptcy law in 1986. His practice areas include counseling individual and business clients in debt related matters and the representation of clients in cases filed under chapters 7, 13 and 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Mr. Rothbloom earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia in 1981 and a Law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1984. Mr. Rothbloom is a leading authority on consumer bankruptcy law in Georgia and frequently speaks at lawyer seminars. In 2014, he was selected by his...

M. Brandon Smith is a partner with Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC where his practice focuses on the rights and interests of individuals seriously injured through the negligence and omissions of others. Brandon’s practice is devoted to pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, products liability, and serious personal injury. Following law school, Brandon was an assistant district attorney in the Alcovy Circuit, where he gained valuable trial experience and a desire to help individuals harmed by the careless actions of others. Today Brandon utilizes his skills to help injured victims nationwide, and he is a frequent guest speaker at legal seminars all...

I have over twelve years of experience representing injured workers, accident victims, and people seeking social security disability benefits. I have never represented an insurance company because I want to help people rather than corporations.

Alyssa specializes in the practice areas of product liability, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and sexual assault. She has worked on a number of cases tried to verdict since she began practicing, and has experience in every stage of litigation.

During college, Alyssa volunteered as a crisis hotline responder and at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center. It was these experiences and the desire to help individuals suffering through unspeakable tragedies that drew her to plaintiff’s work. Alyssa has built a reputation of working hard, working fast, and always going the extra mile for her clients, and...

I represent both plaintiffs and defendants in a range of cases involving business and employment disputes. My background in the entertainment industry and work with high-profile clients have equipped me with a unique set of skills for managing complex business issues and sensitive workplace disputes. I concentrate on helping creatives, entrepreneurs, and entertainment-focused small and medium-sized businesses, as well as their employees and contractors. My practice covers various matters such as defamation, contractual torts, sexual harassment, discrimination, payment disputes, and breach of contract.

For the past 35 years, my firm has provided excellent representation of injured workers throughout South Georgia.
I have spoken at numerous legal seminars about Workers' Compensation and helping workers hurt on the job and protecting their rights.

Zack Hendon has more than 35 years of experience in the practice of personal injury and workers' comp law. He has had the highest rating from Martindale Hubbell for over 25 years and a 10.0 rating from AVVO.com.

I'm Maha, a Georgia native born to immigrant parents from Egypt. I went to the University of Georgia where I obtained my B.A. in International Affairs and then Georgia State University for law school. I love cooking, international travel, watching the Dawgs play football, and my dog Janet.

I am David Lunel, Esq., an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States as a member of the State Bar of Georgia and in France through the Paris Court of Appeals. My passion lies in helping clients navigate the complexities of U.S. immigration law. I guide current immigration legislation, assist with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applications, and frequently attend interviews at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). I also represent clients in removal proceedings before immigration courts and advocate for refugees in their asylum applications. Additionally, I litigate cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals and the United...

As a former U.S. Army pilot, special operations soldier, and combat veteran, Tim is a fighter and a steady hand in tumultuous times. His aggressive litigation style has led to client successes in cases ranging from complex multi-party/multi-million-dollar real estate disputes, to disputes with lenders, contractors, and homeowners' associations.

Tim represents real estate investors, developers, private equity, lenders, landlords, homeowner associations, real estate professionals, and small to mid-size businesses throughout Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. His typical disputes include breaches of contract, real estate investor issues, commercial and residential construction issues, homeowner association issues, and commercial collections.

Tom is a former federal prosecutor who represents businesses and individuals in government investigations, False Claims Act litigation, complex civil litigation, and white collar criminal defense. Before founding Griffin Durham Tanner and Clarkson, Tom led a nationally recognized Department of Justice unit responsible for prosecuting complex civil and criminal fraud out of the Southern District of Georgia. In addition to his supervisory responsibilities, he led some of the office’s most complex and significant criminal cases in the office. During his tenure with the Department of Justice, he tried cases involving public corruption, health care fraud, pill mills, wire/mail fraud, and violent...

Almost every company has employees. As a result, unfortunately, almost every company has employee relations issues. I have spent my entire legal career helping employers avoid labor and employment problems by partnering with my clients to provide preventative counseling and training involving discipline, discharge, reductions-in-force and other personnel matters, employee handbooks, employment agreements, and affirmative action plans. On those occasions when litigation has been unavoidable, I have represented my clients in federal and state courts and before government agencies throughout the United States in all aspects of labor law and employment litigation, including allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage...

I work exclusively with start-up and small business owners. I help business owners start a business, buy a business, sell a business and raise capital. I have been practicing corporate law since 1998. I spent the first 10 years of my career working for large law firms, serving as corporate counsel to a venture capital fund, and serving as corporate counsel to a publicly trading company. Now, I serve start-up and small business owners in my office at Atlantic Station.

In 2011, Jim McKenzie was honored by Martindale Hubbell/Lawyers.com for having maintained an “AV” rating for highest or “pre-eminent” legal skills and ethical standards for thirty consecutive years (1980-2010). He continues to achieve that consistent “AV” rating. The significance of the “AV” Rating by Martindale.com and Lawyers.com is described as follows: “The AV preeminent [rating] is a significant rating accomplishment- a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.” www.martindale.com/products-services-peer-review-rating. (Martindale-Hubbell and Lawyers.com are the national legal locator and ranking service). Atlanta native and a Gwinnett...

Mr. Fuller is the managing partner of the firm and oversees the litigation practice. He has been involved in hundreds of large cases and appeals. He ensures that the business-like and hands-on approach used in the business practice is continued in the litigation practice. Mr. Fuller has extensive trial experience with tremendous results in jury verdicts and substantial settlements for both Plaintiffs and Defendants. He has attended numerous hands on seminars conducted by the best trial attorneys in the country.

Historical: Managing Partner at Fuller Sloan LLC from 2019-Present, Local Managing Partner at CKR Law L.L.P. from 2014-2019, Davidson, Fuller...

Chip Gaskill has spent his entire career practicing law in the Metro Atlanta area. He is dedicated to exhibiting professionalism and high ethical standards with a view toward creating a relationship of confidence and trust with his clients. He is an experienced attorney focused on results. His personal interests include marathons, enjoying high school and college football and being a devoted husband and father to two teenage girls.

Paparella & Associates is a law firm specializing in intellectual Property. Namely, Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights, and serves the business community nationwide. By structuring the law firm around, and operating the firm under sound business practices, Paparella & Associates has uniquely positioned itself to deliver the highest quality representation, while utilizing a fee structure that is more in line with the business community’s expectations. Representing clients in all intellectual property matters including, Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Infringement Matters, Clearance Opinions, Freedom to Operate Opinions, Trade Secrets, and Litigation.

I am married with two children and five grandchildren. During my 46 years of experience in business and corporate law, estate planning and probate administration, it has been my objective to provide a combination of expertise, experience and close client relationships, resulting in personalized and innovative legal representation to clients in an efficient and cost effective manner.

David provides high quality, experienced, professional and personal legal services to individuals and small business. In order to devote the utmost attention to each clients, David accepts a limited number of cases focusing on individual serious personal injury, negligence, contract disputes, covenants not to compete, insurance claims, alternative dispute resolution and civil appeals.