We are happy to announce that 16 of our lawyers have been listed as the 2022 Best Lawyers in America and six of our attorneys have been recognized as 2022 Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch.
Current Recognized Lawyers
- Paul W. Burke since (2020)
- Insurance Law – Paul has been with Drew Eckl and Farnham since 1983. For the first 25 years of his practice, he focused exclusively on the insurance industry; litigating and lecturing around the country on insurance coverage matters. He also published over 50 articles in Insurance Industry and ABA publications. He obtained his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Reinsurance designations in 2002
- Barbara A. Marschalk since (2018)
- Insurance Law- Barbara A. Marschalk’s practice is devoted to defending a wide range of corporations and individuals in multiple practice areas including the defense of claims involving alleged childhood sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, clergy malpractice, defense of claims against churches, national and local youth serving organizations and other eleemosynary institutions, professional malpractice defense (including medical malpractice, long-term care defense, and legal malpractice), personal injury, premises liability and other general litigation involving catastrophic injuries and/or wrongful death. Barbara also handles significant products liability matters for nationally recognized insurers and their insureds.
- Stevan A. Miller since (2018)
- Insurance Law- Steve Miller has been a trial lawyer in Georgia since 1977. Steve’s practice focuses on the defense of cases involving catastrophic injury in state and federal court. He has a broad range of trial experience and has tried jury verdict cases involving product liability claims, trucking, premises, and professional negligence. His practice is also devoted to advising clients on insurance coverage issues, including the prosecution and defense of declaratory judgment actions.
- Joseph C. Chancey since (2018)
- Litigation – Real Estate- Joseph C. Chancey is the managing partner for all offices of the Firm. In this role, he is responsible for guiding and implementing the strategic vision of the partnership and managing the firm’s C-level executives. Joseph has 35 years of experience serving as counsel for employers and continues to consult on day-to-day employment, business, and compliance issues for his clients. Joseph focuses in the areas of commercial and employment law. He has effectively defended cases that run the gamut of employment laws, including discrimination and harassment claims, wage and hour claims, and claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
- Neil Brunetz since (2021)
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants- Neil has experience working as an outside general counsel for a technology company assisting the company in negotiating and finalizing NDAs, SaaS agreements and technology development agreements as well as many other aspects of the company’s business. His legal experience also includes courtroom representation of clients in civil litigation matters, including personal injury, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, construction, contract, commercial disputes, and malpractice actions. He represents employers in defense of claims in front of OSHA and Other government agencies. Neil has bench and jury trial experience on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in state courts in Tennessee and Georgia and federal courts as well as a diverse appellate practice.
- James P. Anderson since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers James (Jim) P. Anderson has been practicing law for 30 years, with the last 26 of those focused on Workers’ Compensation issues. He has extensive experience in drug cases and death claims in Workers’ Compensation and his strength is in determining the compensability of claims, including dependency issues. He developed his proficiency by trying more than 200 Workers’ Compensation hearings over almost two decades throughout the state of Georgia. With his Engineering degree, earned while also a four year letterman in Varsity football at Georgia Tech, Jim is resourceful in technical environments and is often brought in at the beginning of a claim to consult and determine a strategy and to assist in the investigation.
- H. Michael Bagley since (1995)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Mike Bagley has been practicing for more than 40 years in both First Party Insurance Matters and Workers’ Compensation defense. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage and in representing the health care industry, governmental agencies, and manufacturers. He has tried hundreds of cases around the Southeast and in virtually every county in Georgia, and he has taken and defended thousands of depositions including expert witness statements. Mike has been listed as a Super Lawyer every year since the inception of the honor.
- John C. Bruffey, Jr. since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- John Bruffey has been defending Workers’ Compensation claims for over 37 years. He serves clients in a variety of industries with particular experience in construction, manufacturing, food & beverage, retail, trucking, hospitals, and school boards. He works with In House Counsel, Risk Managers, Adjusters, HR Executives, Third Party Administrators, and Insurers throughout the state. He has tried cases in the defense of Workers’ Compensation claims for self-insured and insured employers throughout Georgia. John has tried hundreds of Workers’ Compensation cases and has taken hundreds of depositions of claimants as well as expert testimony from physicians, chiropractors and other medical professionals.
- Sandra S. Cho since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Sandra Cho’s practice focuses on workers’ compensation defense before the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and in the superior and appellate courts. Sandra is a speaker and author, has co-chaired the annual seminar for the ICLE Workers’ Compensation Law Institute, and is a member of an Advisory Committee for the State Board of Workers’ Compensation. In 2012, she was appointed as Special Master by the Supreme Court of Georgia. She has also received an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell for her high ethical standards and professionalism. In 2018, she was selected by her peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America© 25th edition in the field of Workers’ Compensation in Atlanta.
- John A. Ferguson, Jr. since (2007)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- John Ferguson is a partner with the Atlanta law firm, where he represents employers and insurers in workers’ compensation matters. He received his B.A. degree with distinction from the University of Virginia in 1973 and his J.D. degree from the University of Georgia in 1976, where he was research editor of the Georgia Law Review. John is a member of the American Bar Association Section of Tort and Insurance Practice, the Atlanta Bar Association Litigation Section, and the Workers’ Compensation Section. He was the 1989 Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
- Gary Hurst since (2018)
- Workers’ since Compensation Law – Employers- Gary Hurst has been practicing in Workers’ Compensation law for more than 40 years. His focus is in litigation and he represents insurers and self-insurers before the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation, as well as in state courts. He has significant experience representing governments and municipalities, Boards of Education, construction companies and contractors, the automotive industry, and manufacturers. He had taken and defended hundreds of depositions including expert witness statements. In addition, he has handled numerous complex cases involving subrogation within Workers’ Compensation claims.
- Julie Y. John since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Julie John has been practicing law for over 33 years and concentrates her efforts in the defense of Workers’ Compensation claims for employers, insurers, self-insurers, and self-insured funds throughout Georgia. She serves clients in many industries and has particular experience in city and county government, transportation and carriers, healthcare providers, manufacturing, small entrepreneurial organizations as well as charitable groups. She has taken and defended hundreds of depositions including those of expert witnesses, injured workers, and employer witnesses. During her career, she has also handled hundreds of hearings and mediations throughout Georgia.
- Daniel C. Kniffen since (2012)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Dan Kniffen has been representing employers for over 37 years in the defense of Workers’ Compensation and Employment Law cases. Because of his unique experience in these overlapping areas, Dan specializes in guiding clients through the often complex interactions of these laws in both Litigation and Risk Management. Dan has tried hundreds of Workers’ Compensation cases across the State, and is a frequent speaker and author in the areas of Workers’ Compensation and disability discrimination, for both local and national audiences. In 2009, he was inducted into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, a national organization of attorneys who have made a sustained contribution in the law.
- John P. Reale since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Jack Reale has been practicing law for 45 years and focuses his trial practice on General Liability and represents corporations, insurance companies, and sports venues and arenas. He handles premises liability and general tort cases. For nearly 25 years he has been the Administrator of the Georgia Self-Insurers Guaranty Trust Fund. Throughout this period, he has worked closely with the legislature and the State Board of Workers’ Compensation in drafting legislation regarding self-insurance in Georgia. Jack and his staff have resolved more than 400 claims and provided for nearly $50 million in benefits to injured workers, families and their dependents.
- David A. Smith since (2018)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- David Smith has been practicing workers’ compensation law for more than 38 years. He has now taken “Of Counsel” status with the firm. He has handled thousands of cases for employers and insurers over his career. In recent years, David focused on the retail industry and has extensive experience with a major grocery retailer. He works closely with claims adjusters, risk managers, HR professionals and self-insured companies to help them quickly resolve claims.
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- Meredith Riggs Guerrero since (2021)
- Commercial Litigation– Meredith Riggs Guerrero is an attorney with the Atlanta law firm of Drew Eckl & Farnham. Her practice encompasses counseling and representation of companies in employee and business-related issues. She counsels employers in crafting and implementing legally compliant policies, procedures, and handbooks, and provides training to employees on compliance with federal and state employment laws, including anti-discrimination and wage and hour laws. A significant portion of her practice is devoted to representing companies in employment disputes, as well as disputes related to breach of contract and commercial torts. She also has experience in real estate related litigation, with an emphasis on the representation of brokers and lenders.
- Juliana Neelbauer since (2021)
- Commercial Litigation– Juliana Neelbauer focuses her practice on virtual general counsel for for-profit, non-profit charitable, trade organizations, and high-net worth individuals/families which hail from the consumer tech, commercial tech, health care, industrial/supply chain, finance, government contracting, charitable, and political action industries. Prior to joining DEF, Juliana was the chief operating officer of Ad Hoc LLC, a fast-growth, federal prime contracting company that builds custom web portals to deliver government services more efficiently to millions of Americans by using Agile software development and other modern web development methods. Juliana oversaw the scaling of Ad Hoc from a 9-person small business to a 90-employee mid-market prime contractor with a 10x increase in revenues within a 14-month period.
- Robert Quinn since (2021)
- Commercial Litigation– Robert Quinn focuses his practice on General Liability Defense. Robert has a strong background in representing defendants ranging from large international corporations to small businesses and individuals. He has handled cases involving premises liability, auto liability, transportation law, wrongful death. Robert represents clients in tort and contract defense in State and Federal courts. He has taken and defended nearly 100 depositions, prepared expert witnesses, and handled nearly every aspect of litigated claims, including serving as first chair on jury trials and more than 50 bench trials.
- Gwendolyn D. Havlik since (2021)
- Insurance Law/ Litigation – Construction– Gwen Havlik is a Partner in the Atlanta office and she practices in the area of civil litigation defense with an emphasis in General Casualty Law and Insurance Coverage. She has handled cases involving premises liability, personal and bodily injury, insurance coverage, automobile liability, commercial transportation and wrongful death. Prior to joining the firm Gwen practiced civil litigation defense at a boutique firm in Atlanta.
- Mary Alice Jasperse since (2021)
- Insurance Law– Mary Alice practices in the area of civil litigation defense with an emphasis on First Party Property Defense and Insurance Coverage. She collaborates with clients in the investigation and adjustment of property claims and defends insurers in coverage, bad faith, arson, fraud, and property damage matters. Mary Alice worked as a summer associate for Drew, Eckl & Farnham, LLP in 2014 and joined the firm as a full-time associate in 2015. While in law school, Mary Alice clerked for the Honorable William M. Ray II of the Georgia Court of Appeals and assisted the Fulton County Office of the Solicitor General in the prosecution of misdemeanors under the Third Year Practice Act.
- Chelsea Ivey since (2021)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers- Chelsea Ivey joined Drew Eckl & Farnham in 2018 as an associate, focusing the majority of her practice defending employers and insurers throughout Georgia in workers’ compensation claims. Chelsea assists clients throughout the process of handling the claim and positioning for the best possible defense, from the initial investigation of the claim through the discovery and litigation process to resolution. Prior to joining Drew Eckl & Farnham, Chelsea practiced at another workers’ compensation defense firm in the metro Atlanta area, gaining a foundation for aggressive defense of employers and insurers in various areas of employment, including restaurants, retail, hiring agencies, local schools, and manufacturing and processing warehouses. Working claims in these different fields has provided invaluable, diverse experience which allows Chelsea to cater and fine tune the approach and defense of any given claim for what will best suit the employer’s needs.