John D. Hadden is a trial and appellate litigator with Penn Law in Atlanta, where he handles catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases across the state. He is author of Georgia Law of Torts - Trial Preparation and Practice and Green's Georgia Law of Evidence, both published by Thomson Reuters. He is also a registered mediator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. John is president of the Atlanta Trial Lawyers Association, a member of the Atlanta Bar Association Board of Directors and past chair of the Atlanta Bar’s Litigation Section, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Atlanta Bar Lawyer Referral and Information Service, and a past chair of the Litigation Committee of the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyers Division. John is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Georgia School of Law, where he was a member of the Georgia Law Review. John has been named one of Georgia’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend, recognized by Atlanta Magazine in its annual list of Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers, and holds an AV/Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been recognized by the Fulton County Daily Report as one of its “On the Rise — Top 40 Under 40.”

M. Brandon Smith

Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC

1932 North Druid Hills Road, Suite 100

Atlanta, Georgia, 30319

bsmith@cssfirm.com

www.cssfirm.com

M. Brandon Smith is a trial lawyer and partner at the law firm of Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia where his practice focuses 100% on of obtaining justice for injured individuals in the areas of pharmaceutical litigation, medical devices, product liability, mass torts, and wrongful death. Brandon represents clients all over the United States in addition to those residing in Georgia. 

Brandon is currently litigating the following mass torts: Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Litigation, Talcum Powder Litigation; Hernia Mesh Litigation; Roundup Litigation; Stryker Hip Implant Litigation; IVC Filter litigation; CPAP Cancer Litigation; and select other single event causes of action stemming from dangerous drugs and/or products including but not limited to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome injuries.

Brandon received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and history at the University of Georgia in 2001. He went on to attend the University of Georgia School of Law, earning his Juris Doctorate in 2004. Immediately after graduation from the University of Georgia School of Law, Brandon became an Assistant District Attorney for the Newton County District Attorney’s Office for the Alcovy Circuit, where he strived to protect the rights and dignity of innocent victims.    

Brandon is an active member of the American Association for Justice; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association; Southern Trial Lawyers Association; Melvin Belli Society; the National Trial Lawyers Association; Elite Lawyers of America; and many other legal groups and civic organizations.

In 2023 Brandon was again selected as a Georgia Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters (mass torts); listed in the Best Lawyers Publication (mass torts); chosen as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the State of Georgia by The National Trial Lawyers. These prestigious honors are reserved for America’s top trial lawyers exemplifying superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership. They are by invitation only, and are based in part on peer nominations from fellow lawyers from all over the United States.

Tedra (pronounced “Tee-dra”) has a practice that focuses on products liability, breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful death, and trucking and automobile wrecks. She has successfully represented people all over the country against corporations, including Fortune 500 Companies and large insurance companies. She is a fierce advocate for her clients, with multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements in cases throughout the southeast.

She lives in Lake Claire with her daughter Ella and her dog Livvy.  In her free time she plans her next trip and is learning to play the piano. 

Kevin is a trial attorney with Penn Law in Atlanta focusing on a wide range of serious injury and wrongful death cases across the state. He has recovered numerous settlements and judgments of a million dollars or more. Kevin’s recent successes include a $345 million judgment on behalf of 20 survivors of childhood sexual abuse against five insurance companies who wrongfully denied coverage, a $21M judgment in a business dispute, a $6M institutional childhood sexual abuse settlement, and a $5M commercial vehicle settlement.

Originally from Fort Mill, South Carolina, Kevin attended Clemson University where he competed as a scholarship athlete on the track and cross-country teams before graduating with a degree in Microbiology in 2015. After working in a genetic toxicology lab, Kevin attended the University of Georgia School of Law where he served as an Articles Editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and actively represented survivors of childhood sexual abuse through UGA Law’s Wilbanks CEASE Clinic.

Kevin is a 2023 graduate of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association’s LEAD Program and has been recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyers’ Rising Star every year from 2023-2025. He has also been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers as one of its Top 40 Under 40 from 2022 to 2024.

Brian Mathis earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University before completing law school at the University of Georgia. Brian specializes in the defense of medical malpractice, hospital law, hospital liability, long term care liability, premises liability, and insurance defense. He represents individuals, corporations, medical practices and insurance companies in state and federal courts, both at the trial and appellate levels. He has successfully defended hundreds of catastrophic and high-exposure cases, including cases involving brain injuries, birth complications, class actions, as well as catastrophic and wrongful death claims.

His ability to handle complex litigation matters has earned him various state and national recognition.  Brian also advises and leads educational sessions on various legal topics.

Prior to his legal practice, he served as a clerk with the Honorable Judge Steve Jones of the Northern District of Georgia.

David Lefkowitz graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and earned his J.D. from Emory University School of Law. The Lefkowitz Firm, LLC, represents individuals and corporations in their claims for legal malpractice (legal negligence) and similar claims such as breach of fiduciary duty, executor misconduct and ethical misconduct by attorneys and other fiduciaries. The firm also represents attorneys and law firms with regard to risk management and attorney’s fee disputes. David is an adjunct professor of legal malpractice law, ethics, and risk management at the University of Georgia School of Law and is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars. David has offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Athens, Georgia.  

Ronnie Mabra, the visionary force behind Mabra Law, has secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for Georgia clients grappling with the aftermath of devastating car wrecks and other catastrophic accidents. 

Ronnie earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia Institute of Technology. There, he was named to the All-ACC Academic Team, showcasing both his academic gifts and athletic talents on the football field. He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

In 2007, guided by his desire to help accident victims and their families secure fair and just compensation, he launched Mabra Law literally from his family’s kitchen table. As the firm has grown, so has the need for space. In 2021 the firm moved into its current award-winning, state-of-the-art headquarters in West Midtown’s historic Blandtown neighborhood. The firm serves all of Georgia, with offices also in Warner Robins (Middle Georgia) and Tifton (South Georgia).

Making good on by his lifelong mission to give back through service, Ronnie served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives (2013-2017.) As a lawmaker, he used his voice and his votes for meaningful changes that improved Georgians’ access to justice. His victories under the Gold Dome included sponsorship of bills that added a much-needed South-Metro judge to Georgia’s judiciary as well as enhanced protections for accident victims (restricting the release of their private information).

In addition to his legislative accomplishments, Ronnie was appointed to the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group, the Georgia Child Support Commission and the High School Athletics Overview Committee. He also served as House Democratic Caucus Deputy Whip and was named Lawmaker of the Year by the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW).

Ronnie is regularly recognized for his achievements as a personal injury lawyer. He has been named to Georgia’s Super Lawyers rankings for more than 10 years. Since 2022, he’s been selected to the Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers. He also was recognized by numerous publications as a 40-under-40 up-and-comer.

Ronnie is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, The Florida Bar, AAJ and GTLA. He lives in Midtown with his wife Dr. Dawn Mabra, sons Ronald E. Mabra III (Remiii) and Riley Mabra and the family’s Goldendoodle Buster.

Joshua Stein is the founder of the J. Stein Law Firm - a boutique personal injury firm located at The Battery Atlanta with the sole focus of representing their neighbors in injury cases arising from car wrecks, truck wrecks, slip and falls, dog bite attacks, negligent security and daycare negligence. Josh is also the host of "Sports 'N Torts," a podcast where he invites guests on the show to explore the intersection of law, sports and business. 

Darl Champion is the founder of The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C., a personal injury practice that focuses on a variety of serious injury and wrongful death cases. The firm has recovered numerous settlements of a million dollars or more in cases involving car crashes and truck wrecks, premises liability claims, and medical malpractice. Darl’s recent successes include a $17 million wrongful death settlement against MARTA, a $10.2 million settlement involving a car wreck, and a $5 million commercial vehicle settlement.

Darl is originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he grew up and attended college at Methodist University. After college, he attended Mercer for law school, where he was a member of the Mercer Law Review, the Moot Court Board, and graduated second in his class. After obtaining his law degree in 2007, Darl spent two years clerking for The Honorable Hugh Lawson in the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

Darl started The Champion Firm in 2014 after spending 4 years at a plaintiff’s firm in Atlanta, where he focused on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. Since 2014, The Champion Firm has recovered over $100 million for its clients. Darl has been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers as a Rising Star and a Super Lawyer, and he has been named to Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite list. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Rebecca Franklin Harris is a seasoned trial lawyer with vast experience in high-exposure, complex litigation, focusing on consumer rights and product safety. She represents the State of Georgia in litigation against drug companies and has helped recover over $1 billion in settlements. Her practice spans product liability, toxic exposures, aviation disasters, medical malpractice, class actions, and unsafe practices in the entertainment industry.

Rebecca has secured substantial jury awards and settlements against major automotive and tire corporations, including Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Kia, Subaru, Honda, Nissan, Michelin, Firestone, Continental, Cooper Tire, and more. She has represented clients exposed to toxic chemicals while working for railroad companies like CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern and has tried complex cases in both federal and state courts.

Rebecca has served as the Chair of the Plaintiffs’ Interim Steering Committee in a class action case against a consumer credit company following a data breach. She has also represented putative class members in a case against a fraudulent drug and alcohol facility. The class action was filed after Rebecca successfully represented the family of a man who died while in the care of the facility. She was awarded the “Courageous Pursuit of Justice Award” by the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association for her efforts.

Rebecca has advanced safety in the entertainment industry, achieving notable jury awards for deaths on the sets of movies and television shows. Her representation includes a jury verdict after the tragic death of camerawoman Sarah Jones on the set of Midnight Rider, a movie about the legendary Greg Allman. She also achieved a victory at trial for the mother of a stuntman who died on the set of The Walking Dead.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism magna cum laude and a Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Georgia. Her legal achievements include induction into the Fulton County Daily Report’s “Verdicts Hall of Fame” and selection as part of the publication’s “40 Under 40.” She has also been recognized as one of the National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Lawyers. She frequently speaks at professional seminars on product liability litigation, pre-trial motions, depositions, and trial advocacy.

Justice Andrew A. Pinson was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor Brian Kemp and was sworn in on July 20, 2022.

Justice Pinson was born in DeKalb County, Georgia, and grew up in Lithonia and Lawrenceville. In middle school, he moved to Lincolnton, and he graduated from Briarwood Academy in Warrenton.

Justice Pinson is a “Double Dawg” with a Finance Degree from the University of Georgia’s Terry School of Business and a law degree from the University of Georgia’s Lumpkin School of Law. He graduated at the top of his class in law school and interned with Governor Sonny Perdue, Jones Day in Atlanta, and Fortson, Bentley, & Griffin in Athens.

After graduating from law school, Justice Pinson served as a law clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for then-Chief Judge David B. Sentelle, and later served as a law clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Clarence Thomas.

In private practice, Justice Pinson has twice worked for Jones Day, once in Washington D.C., between his two clerkships, and later here in Atlanta, after serving with Justice Clarence Thomas. At Jones Day, he was part of the firm’s Issues and Appeals Practice, and he handled a broad range of matters in both trial and appeals courts.

In 2017, Justice Pinson joined the Office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, and in 2018, he was appointed Solicitor General of Georgia. As Solicitor General, he led the State’s appellate and multistate litigation practice and served as the Attorney General’s chief constitutional advisor. He personally handled high-profile and complex appeals, including in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and several other courts in Georgia and across the country. And he oversaw matters of special importance to the State in all phases of litigation, including the successful defense of the State’s water resources in the critical “water wars” litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Justice Pinson currently serves as an advisor to the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. He also serves as a Master of the Clarke-Carley Inn of Court and the Bleckley Inn of Court, and he serves on the Advisory Board for the Atlanta Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.

Justice Pinson and his wife Sara Beth live just north of Tucker in DeKalb County. Sara Beth earned a Ph.D. in Poultry Science from the University of Georgia and now works for a software company and as a professional dog trainer. They enjoy hiking in the North Georgia mountains and playing dog sports like Frisbee and agility with their three dogs (Nimbus, Goomba, and Elphie). They attend Embry Hills United Methodist Church.

Judge Kimberly A. Alexander serves as the Presiding Judge in Division 7 of the DeKalb County State Court, Jury Division.  Judge Alexander was elected to this position on May 24, 2022.  Previously, Judge Alexander was appointed to the court’s Traffic Division on November 1, 2019 by Governor Brian Kemp.  Alexander was subsequently appointed to the court’s Jury Division on June 28, 2021 by Gov. Kemp. 

 Judge Alexander was born in Augusta, Georgia, and she graduated from Lakeside High School in Evans, Georgia.  Judge Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in English from Georgia State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law.  After becoming a member of the State Bar of Georgia in November 2004, Judge Alexander immediately entered public service as a Superior Court Judicial Law Clerk in Richmond County, Georgia and Columbia County, Georgia.

Judge Alexander has experience in criminal and civil trial practice as well as appellate litigation.  Directly preceding her taking the bench, Judge Alexander served as an Assistant County Attorney for the Office of the Fulton County Attorney.  There she provided daily legal advice while handling a substantial number of transactional and litigation matters for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. During her tenure, this legal department was awarded the 2019 In-House Legal Department of the Year. Furthermore, she also provided representation for other departments, boards, and county officials in federal and state courts and served as parliamentarian and legal counsel to the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors.

In addition, as an associate with Brown, Geiger & Associates, Judge Alexander worked as a Fulton County Child Advocate and Legal Officer for the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.  In this role, she represented the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services on behalf of neglected and abused children.  Also, as a practicing attorney, Judge Alexander handled education law cases as an associate with Brock, Clay, Calhoun & Rogers, and served as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Cobb County Solicitor General’s Office.

During her practice, she deeply appreciated the efforts Courts made to be efficient yet familiar with the cases on their calendars.  Therefore, in managing her high-volume dockets, Judge Alexander strives for judicial economy while still studying the pleadings and case law in-depth before any hearings.  In addition to the traditional litigation process, she seeks other creative and effective contributions to the legal system.  She reinitiated the Alternative Path Class in 2024, originally started by Judge Gordon, to encourage young offenders to choose an alternative path.  In addition, each year, Judge Alexander spearheads a service activity around the holidays where she, her colleagues, and the State Court Probation Department provide much needed holiday cheer to children and teens impacted by the court’s Abandonment calendar. 

Judge Alexander was appointed and reappointed to serve on the State Bar of Georgia’s Professionalism committee. This standing committee considers ways to advance the professionalism of members of the bar and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors.  Previously she was appointed and reappointed for several years to serve on the Children and the Courts Standing Committee of the State Bar of Georgia.