We are proud to announce that nine of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2017.
We are proud to announce that nine of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the Georgia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® lists for 2017.
- H. Michael Bagley, Workers’ Compensation. Mike Bagley has been practicing for more than 37 years in both First Party Insurance Matters and Workers’ Compensation defense. Mr. Bagley represents hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, government agencies, manufacturers, and insurance companies from across the country. Mr. Bagley has been listed as a Super Lawyer every year since the inception of the honor.
- Paul W. Burke, Insurance Coverage. Paul Burke has been practicing law for 34 years and has extensive experience in commercial litigation including insurance coverage and bad faith defense, inland marine/cargo litigation and creditor rights litigation. Mr. Burke represents clients throughout the United States.
- John A. Ferguson, Jr., Workers’ Compensation. John Ferguson has been practicing Workers' Compensation law for more than 40 years. Mr. Ferguson represents corporations and insurance companies throughout Georgia.
- Julie Y. John, Workers’ Compensation. Julie John has been practicing law for almost 30 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.
- Daniel C. Kniffen, Workers’ Compensation. Dan Kniffen has been practicing for 33 years focusing his practice on Workers’ Compensation and Employment Law. Because of his extensive experience in both Workers’ Compensation and Employment Law, he specializes in guiding clients through the often complex interactions between the two in both litigation and in risk management. Mr. Kniffen’s clients include many of Georgia’s Cities, Counties and School Systems, as well as Medical Facilities, Insurance Companies and Private Employers. Mr. Kniffen has been elected by his peers as a Super Lawyer every year since it began in 2003.
- Hall F. McKinley, III, Civil Litigation – Defense. Hall McKinley has been practicing for more than 36 years with a focus on trucking companies, the retail industry, general insurance litigation, and larger self-insured companies. He serves General Counsel, in-house Legal Departments, Claims Departments, and Risk Managers in litigating matters in state and federal courts.
Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers. The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters, Legal division based in Eagan, MN. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.
Rising Stars Honorees
- Eric R. Mull, Insurance Coverage. Eric Mull has been practicing for 9 years in insurance defense litigation, with a focus in the areas of construction defect, professional malpractice, and first party property insurance matters. His practice includes handling all aspects of litigation, including conducting examinations under oath, taking and defending depositions, including those of expert witnesses, engaging in motions practice, trying cases, and appellate work.
- David Olson, Personal Injury. David is a passionate trial lawyer who has been focused on helping people when they need it most for over 10 years. He devotes his practice to bodily injury litigation, including general liability, catastrophic injury and wrongful death, inadequate security, premises liability, auto accidents, trucking accidents, slip/trip and falls, civil tort litigation, commercial litigation, and general trial practice. In addition to his injury litigation practice, he has practiced as a criminal defense lawyer with years of experience both prosecuting and defending those accused of a crime.
- Taylor S. Poncz, Workers’ Compensation. Taylor Poncz has been practicing law for nearly 10 years and focuses her practice in the defense of Workers’ Compensation claims for employers, insurers and self-insurers throughout Georgia. She serves clients in many industries, including construction, food & beverage, city and county government and international businesses with local manufacturing plants.
Rising Stars is a listing of exceptional lawyers who are 40 years or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less and have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are honored on the Rising Stars list.