ATLANTA, December 16, 2022 — Joe Chancey and Taylor Poncz spoke at the State Bar of Georgia’s CLE on Professionalism, Ethics, and Malpractice discussing the topic of mental health & wellness as it relates to professionalism. Taylor Poncz founded Drew Eckl & Farnham’s Mental Health & Wellness Committee, providing resources and promoting a healthier workplace environment. She was honored as an On The Rise Attorney at the Daily Report’s 2022 Georgia Legal Awards for her continuing efforts on mental health & wellness in the legal industry and beyond. Joe Chancey is the managing partner of Drew Eckl & Farnham. ... Continue Reading
Madalyn Davis and Kristin Miller wrote for the Georgia Bar Journal article, “Irrevocable Trust Modification: Clarifying Georgia Law”.
To understand and evaluate the competing approaches concerning the use of nonjudicial settlement agreements, one must look to the Code sections themselves, the legislative history behind them and the intent of the authors of the revisions to the Trust Code. The 2020 amendments (effective Jan. 1, 2021) to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.), Title 53, Chapter 12, enabled estate planning practitioners in Georgia to more easily modify noncharitable irrevocable trusts, specifically through the use of nonjudicial settlement agreements (NJSAs). Although the new Code sections provide clarity on the use of NJSAs for trust modification, they also establish limitations on their use. ... Continue Reading
Law360 Seeks Comment from Joe Chancey on Why Workplace Proselytizing Can Put Employers In A Bind
September 15, 2022 – The U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has set a clear tone: Workers should be afforded plenty of leeway to express religious sentiments at work. But for employers, figuring out whether an employee who wants to proselytize on the job should be allowed to do so is rarely simple. “Anytime you have to deal with the subjective beliefs of human beings in the workplace, you have the potential for very, very different results. And that really is kind of the ultimate question, ‘How will this work in this particular workplace?’” Joe Chancey, managing partner, Drew Eckl & Farnham Click the link below to read the full article.* Why Workplace Proselytizing Can Put ... Continue Reading
Attorney Will Martin Spoke at the 2022 DRI Retail & Hospitality Litigation Seminar
Partner Will Martin presented at DRI’s Retail and Hospitality Litigation Seminar on June 23, 2022 in Atlanta. Will presented as part of a panel discussing potential claims and developing litigation against hotel owners and operators involving human trafficking. The panel’s paper can be found by clicking on the link below. ... Continue Reading
Attorney William Martin Spoke at the 2021 eMaxx Risk Management Summit
Attorney William Martin spoke at the eMaxx Risk Management Summit in Miami, Florida on October 22nd. Will presented as part of a panel discussing nuclear verdicts and Judicial Hellholes, with a focus on ways businesses and their insurers can more accurately evaluate risk and more effectively suppress potential damages. Will Martin is an experienced trial lawyer representing businesses in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. His practice focuses on all types of premises liability, product liability, and commercial transportation cases. A significant portion of his practice is dedicated to defending clients in the trucking industry following motor vehicle accidents. Mr. Martin has ... Continue Reading
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Drew Eckl & Farnham continues to be recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle for its success as an Atlanta law firm. We are excited to announce that DEF was ranked as the 5th “Fastest-Growing Law Firm by Attorneys” in the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle Book of Lists. This list is determined by a three-year percent change in number of Atlanta attorneys. Additionally, DEF is ranked as No. 14 on the list of Atlanta's Top 25 Law Firms in 2020. Some of the Firm's key practice areas were highlighted including workers’ compensation, corporate defense litigation, insurance defense, general liability, and construction litigation. To view a complete list of practice areas for the firm, ... Continue Reading
Whitney Lay Greene and Melody Kiella Featured in For the Defense
Drew Eckl & Farnham partners Whitney Lay Greene and Melody Kiella were featured in DRI's December edition of "For the Defense" for their article titled "Catch Me If You Can: How to Avoid, Identify, and Combat Commercial Motor Vehicle Accident Fraud." Whitney and Melody discuss the increase of staged accident and fraudulent personal injury claims and provide examples of some of the most popular types. They then offer insight on how to recognize red flags indicating a possible staged accident and how to approach the defense against such claims. To read the full article, click the link below. DRI is a national organization for civil defense attorneys, in-house counsel, and ... Continue Reading
Elissa Haynes Featured in Law360 Article on Biggest Georgia Decisions of 2021
On December 17, 2021, Elissa Haynes was featured in a Law360 article featuring some of the biggest legal decisions in Georgia in the past year. Elissa, chair of the appellate group at Drew Eckl & Farnham, shared her thoughts on Georgia justices' overruling of decades-long rulings that allowed parties to appeal alleged violations of orders limiting what evidence can be presented at trial even if litigants didn't object to those violations during the trial. See below for the full article. ... Continue Reading
Associate Joi Siler Assists in Big Win Nine Days After Passing Georgia Bar Exam
Drew Eckl & Farnham would like to congratulate first-year Associate, Joi Siler, for her outstanding work with Partner Gary Beelen on their recent Gilchrist v. Pickens case. Siler, who is a former 2020 Summer Associate, had only passed the Georgia Bar exam nine days prior. At Drew Eckl & Farnham, we take great pride in ensuring our Associates receive unique, hands-on experience at the very start of their careers. Regarding Joi's impact on their win, Beelen has written the below: "Joi was a Summer Associate last year. She did a bit of work for me and did an excellent job. All the interns we interview are smart, but I was looking for some interesting life experiences when I was ... Continue Reading
Elissa Haynes Discusses Mental Health in Georgia Bar Journal
On December 20, 2021, partner Elissa Haynes was featured in the Georgia Bar Journal's December issue for her article titled "It's OK Not To Be OK." Elissa shares her own experience managing her mental health and discusses her findings when asking several other young lawyers how work is affecting their mental well-being. To read the full article, click on the link below. ... Continue Reading