CLE Hours: 13 including 13 General, 1 Ethics, 1 Professionalism, 3 Trial Practice
Version 2
Jeremy grew up in the west Cobb county area, and graduated from John McEachern High School in 1997. He then graduated from Morehouse College (Bachelor of Arts, 2001), and Loyola University of New Orleans College of Law (Juris Doctorate, 2005).
Jeremy practices family law at the law firm, Abernathy, Ditzel, Hendrick, LLC. in Marietta, Georgia. Jeremy has been named a Super Lawyer and Georgia Trend Legal Elite Attorney. Jeremy is the vice chair Family Law Section for the State Bar of Georgia. Jeremy also is a municipal court judge in Woodstock, Georgia.
Jonatha Dunn has managed the firm of Jonathan V. Dunn, P.C., since its inception in late 2018. His principal practice areas include Family Law and Criminal Defense. Jonathan currently serves as Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and is a former editor of the Family Law Review.
Jonathan was previously a partner in the firm of Johnson, Kraeuter & Dunn, from 2012-2018, an associate at McCorkle & Johnson, from 2008-2012, and an Assistant District Attorney with the Eastern Judicial Circuit from 2003-2008. Before moving to Savannah in 2003, Jonathan was an associate at the firm of Thompson & Sweeny, in Lawrenceville.
Jonathan was admitted to the practice of law in 2002 after graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Latin at Mercer University, and is privileged to have taught English and coached Wrestling at Landmark Christian School in Fairburn for two years between his undergraduate studies and law school.
Jonathan is pleased to call Savannah his home, where he and his wife, Sharnette, have raised their two sons, Hunter and Stewart, and he enjoys availing himself of volunteer opportunities at Benedictine Military School and Hancock Day School, where his children have attended.
Katie Connell has been practicing family law exclusively since graduating Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2005.
Ms. Connell is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and currently serves as the Georgia Chapter Secretary, as well as a member of the national Board of Governors. She has been a member of the Georgia Commission on Child Support for since her appointment by Governor Nathan Deal in 2013 where she currently co-chairs the Statute Review Committee. Ms. Connell is also on the Executive Committee for the Family Law Section for the State Bar of Georgia.
Ms. Connell has served numerous other committees in a variety of roles including as the past president of the Charles L. Weltner Family Law Inn of Court, past Chair for the Young Lawyers Division, Family Law Section.
She is consistently recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer by her peers, including Top 100 Super Lawyers, and Top 50 Women Lawyers. She has also been named one of Georgia Trend’s “Legal Elite, Georgia’s Most Effective Lawyers.”
Ms. Connell graduated with a B.S.B.A. in Accounting (2001) and Master’s in Accounting (2002) from Auburn University. A native of Savannah, Ga., Katie now lives in Atlanta with her husband and sons.
Elizabeth Green Lindsey is a partner in Harrison LLP and practices exclusively in the area of family law. Ms. Lindsey is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and is a Past President of AAML, a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Past President of the Georgia Chapter of the AAML, a Fellow in the International Academy of Family Lawyers, a Diplomate in The American College of Family Trial Lawyers, a former Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, served on the Rules Committee for the Family Division of the Superior Court of Fulton County and the Task Force for the Family Division, and is a Master in the Charles Longstreet Weltner Family Law Inn of Court. She now serves as President of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is board certified by the NBTA in family law trial advocacy.
Ms. Lindsey was named the “2022 Lawyer of the Year in Family Law in Atlanta” by Best Lawyers in America. She received the AAML Fellow of the Year in 2018. Ms. Lindsey is listed in the 2025 Chambers High New Worth Guide: High New Worth in Georgia, 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, in Atlanta Magazine’s “Georgia Super Lawyers” Top 50 Women Lawyers, Georgia’s Best Lawyers, and in Georgia’s Top Rated Lawyers. In addition, she is a frequent lecturer on family law matters.
Ms. Lindsey attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in Religion in 1982. She double majored in Religion and Psychology. In 1985, she received her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ms. Lindsey was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1985 and to the Georgia Bar in 1989.
Kim Martin is a trusts and estates attorney in Atlanta. Her practice focuses on estate planning for families with a disabled family member. Her areas of expertise also include guardianship/ conservatorship and divorce settlement agreements in cases that involve a child with special needs.
As the mother of two beautiful children, one of whom has Autism, Kim brings to her practice an appreciation for the unique challenges and joys of parenting a special needs child.
Kim was admitted to the practice of law in Georgia in 1999. She earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1999). She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Virginia (1990).
Kim's publications include articles in Trusts and Estates Magazine and Family Lawyer Magazine. She is a frequent speaker on subjects related to special needs issues. Her appearances as a speaker include numerous workshops hosted by Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS); the annual Special Needs Conference at Stetson University (October 2021 and 2022); the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council (October 2021); and the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (December 2019).
Bill King is the Managing Attorney for The Manely Firm, P.C.'s Marietta and Columbus offices. Bill works directly on litigation matters, counseling and representing men, women, and children in state, interstate, and international family law matters. His practice includes divorce, marital property, custody, child support, alimony, and adoptions. Bill is also a key member of the Firm’s estate planning and probate law branch.
Bill has served as a student intern, runner secretary, receptionist, office clerk, paralegal, and law clerk for The Manely Firm, P.C. As a law clerk, he assisted on a number of complex international custody cases including cases in Costa Rica, France, Germany, Mexico, Scotland, and England. Bill also assisted Michael Manely as a law clerk on his United State Supreme Court Appeal.
Bill is a proud graduate of Georgia State University College of Law and completed his undergraduate studies at Reinhardt University where he played on the university's baseball team. Bill is active in his community and serves as a Georgia State University College of Law Alumni Board Member as well as a presenter for the Cobb Bar Association's CLE series on International Family Law views. He is active with the Kiwanis Club of Marietta and was recognized by Cobb Life Magazine as one of 2021, 2022, and 2023's Best of Cobb's "Best Individual Attorney" and 2022 and 2023's "Best Tax and Estate Planning Attorney." Bill was honored by Forsyth County News as 2022's Best of Forsyth's "Best Estate Planning Attorney" and again by Gwinnett Magazine as 2022 and 2023's Best of Gwinnett's "Best Estate Planning Attorney." Bill has also been selected as a Super Lawyer's "Rising Star" 2020-22 and an official Super Lawyer 2023. Finally, Bill was awarded by Savannah Morning News and SavannahNow.com as Best of the Coastal Empire's 2022 "Best Estate Planning Attorney" as well as leading the team to be recognized as a top-three finalists for Best of the Coastal Empire's "Best Law Firm."
Bill lives in Acworth with his wife Allison and their two children. William enjoys cooking, traveling, playing golf, and donating his time to pro bono efforts and non-profits.
Attorney Holcomb is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Born to loving parents, Larry and Linda Grant, also of Atlanta. Attorney Holcomb is a proud “Double Dawg.” She received both her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and her Juris Doctorate in law from the University of Georgia. Attorney Holcomb secured her license to practice in May of 2006.
Attorney Holcomb began her legal career as a Legal Advocate for the Flint Circuit Counsel Against Family Violence. As Legal Advocate she helped victims of domestic violence obtain protective orders against their abusers.
In 2008, Attorney Holcomb hung out her own shingle, The Grant Group. Over the past seventeen years, The Grant Group has continued as a boutique family law practice whereby Attorney Holcomb practices family law exclusively, litigating issues related to divorce, child custody, child support, legitimations, and domestic violence. Between November 2016 and August 2020, Attorney Holcomb had the privilege to serve as Judicial Officer in Fulton County Superior Court's, Family Division.
In addition to practicing and presiding, Attorney Holcomb has continued her early custom of participating in various civic and social organizations. Attorney Holcomb served for two years as Mock Trial Coach at her alma mater Stockbridge High School. She has volunteered for such non-profit parent advocate organizations as the Single Parent Coalition and The Fatherless Generation. She has also routinely volunteered as speaker for pro se Family Law Workshops in both Henry and Fulton counties as well as for World Changers Church's Annual Law Day. Attorney Holcomb is a member of the Magnum Opus Honor Society comprised of University of Georgia School of Law alum. Additionally, Attorney Holcomb currently serves as Member-at-Large of the Family Law Section’s Executive Committee.
Attorney Holcomb has had the privilege of speaking at multiple Continuing Legal Education Conferences and Seminars, most notably, the 2015 & 2022 Family Law Institutes and at the 2016 Superior Court Judges Conference in Athens, Georgia.
When she is not working, Attorney Holcomb enjoys spending quality time with the loves of her life, her husband of 6 years, Allan Holcomb, and her 5-year-old daughter, Allyson Holcomb, as well as other close family and friends. She also enjoys listening to music, taking in the sites of the city, and both interstate and travel abroad.
For over 15 years, Attorney Holcomb was an active member of New Life Church in Decatur, Georgia. There she was a part of the Usher Ministry and the Student Education Support Ministry, where she helped prepare students for the SAT. Last year, Attorney Holcomb joined One Church, in Fayetteville, Georgia where she now serves with the Children's Ministry, One Kids.
Shawn Ellen LaGrua has been a Justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia since January 7, 2021. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice LaGrua was appointed to the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit by then-Governor Sonny Perdue and was sworn in on June 29, 2010. She served on the bench in the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit until January 2021, having been elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016 and 2020. Before serving on the Fulton County bench, Justice LaGrua served as Inspector General for the Georgia Secretary of State and has over 20 years of trial experience, serving as Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney in DeKalb and Fulton Counties, and Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Tallapoosa Circuit. Additionally, she served as the Solicitor General for DeKalb County.
While on the bench in Fulton County, Justice LaGrua initiated and presided over “My Journey Matters,” a pilot accountability program designed to divert young offenders from a lifetime of incarceration, and presided over the Court’s first Re-Entry Court, which worked to integrate prior offenders back into the community using close supervision, substance abuse counseling, job-training, and advancing education. In 2016, Justice LaGrua received the St. Thomas Moore Award from the St. Thomas Moore Society in recognition of “specific actions manifesting a commitment to justice and humanity, especially in difficult circumstances” related in part to her formation of and continued commitment to the My Journey Matters Program.
In May 2020, Justice LaGrua was appointed by then-Chief Justice Harold D. Melton as the Chair of the Supreme Court’s COVID-19 Task Force. In January 2019, she was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to be a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission. She was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal and re-appointed by Governor Kemp to the Georgia Child Support Commission and served as Chair of the Judicial Council’s Process Servers Committee. Justice LaGrua also served as the President of the Council of Superior Court Judges in 2019-2020. She served on the Legislative Support Team, as vice-chair for the Access to Fairness and Justice Committee, and as a member of the Accountability Court and Bench and Bar Committees. She is a former member of the Criminal Justice Reform Sub-Committee, and she has served as the Chair of the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
Justice LaGrua was recently awarded the 2024 Kathleen Kessler Award by the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. In 2022, she was inducted into the Georgia State University College of Law Order of the Barristers. She is a founding member and past Chair of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Judicial Application Review Committee.
She is currently serving as President of the Georgia State College of Law Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court, Chair of the Judicial Council Standing Committee on Judicial Security, co-chair of the Judicial Council Standing Committee on Technology, liaison to the Judicial Workload Assessment Committee, advisor to the Ad Hoc Committee on Judicial Emergency Preparedness, and co-chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Justice LaGrua received her Juris Doctorate from the Georgia State University College of Law. She is the daughter of Brooks and Anne LaGrua, career military parents. She is married to husband Chris and has two step-sons and two Bernese Mountain dog rescues.
Benjamin A. Land was appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeals on July 20, 2022.
A lifelong resident of Columbus, Judge Land graduated with Highest Honors as a First Honor Graduate, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Georgia in 1989, finishing with a 4.0 grade point average. He also graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1992, finishing second in his class of 202 students. While in Law School, he received numerous academic awards, served on the Editorial Board of the Georgia Law Review, clerked for the Georgia Supreme Court, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.
Following Law School, Judge Land had a private law practice in Columbus, focusing on civil litigation and trial practice. During his nearly 26 year career as a private practice attorney, he represented plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of cases, obtained several record setting verdicts, and played a key role in the defense of numerous nationwide class action lawsuits. During those years, Judge Land engaged in significant complex litigation, tried cases to jury verdicts, earned the respect of his colleagues, and thoroughly enjoyed being in the courtroom.
Judge Land left the private practice of law on February 7, 2018 when Governor Nathan Deal appointed him to serve as a Superior Court judge for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Judge Land was elected to continue in that position on June 9, 2020 and continued to serve as a trial judge until his appointment to the Court of Appeals. During his time on the Superior Court bench, Judge Land was known for his fairness and impartiality, his efficiency and work ethic, his courage and compassion, and his unquestioned integrity. While a trial judge, Judge Land served on the Council of Superior Court Judges Budget Committee and Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, and he was asked to speak to his fellow judges at their judicial training conference.
Judge Land has been active in his profession and his community. He has served on numerous community and law-related boards, has spoken on the topic of trial advocacy at statewide continuing legal education seminars, and has spoken to numerous civic groups, bar associations, and legal and judicial conferences. During his law practice, Judge Land was presented with the William B. Spann, Jr. Award for Pro Bono Advocacy for his efforts on behalf of a pro bono client whose case he handled from the trial court level until its successful conclusion in the Georgia Supreme Court. Judge Land is a graduate of Leadership Columbus and has served as the President of the Columbus Bar Association, President of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Bar Association, President of the Columbus Inn of Court, District Representative for the State Bar of Georgia’s Younger Lawyers Division, member of the Clarke-Carley Inn of Court, member of the Bleckley Inn of Court, and member of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta. He currently serves by appointment of the Governor on the Georgia Child Support Commission and served for four years on the Judicial Nominating Commission, the statewide body responsible for providing recommendations to the Governor concerning judicial appointments. At the Court of Appeals, he chairs the Rules Committee and serves on the Legislative Committee.
In addition to his law-related activities, Judge Land has served as a board member for the Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity, a volunteer and board member for the Pine Mountain Trail Association, and a youth sports coach. Judge Land, his wife, and their three children are members of St. Paul Church of Columbus, where Judge Land has served on the Administrative Board, the Finance Committee, and the Staff Parish Relations Committee.
Justice Carla Wong McMillian was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor Brian Kemp, taking office on April 10, 2020. Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, she is the first Asian Pacific American to serve on a state’s highest court in the Southern United States.
Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice McMillian served on the Court of Appeals, where she was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal and took office in 2013. With her election the following year to that court, Justice McMillian became the first Asian Pacific American to be elected to a statewide office in Georgia.
Justice McMillian has also served as the State Court Judge for Fayette County, a position to which she was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue in 2010.
Before her appointment to the bench, Justice McMillian was a partner in the litigation group of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP. Justice McMillian also had the privilege of starting her legal career as a federal law clerk for the Honorable William C. O’Kelley of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Justice McMillian attended law school as a Woodruff Scholar at the University of Georgia School of Law. She also graduated with high honors from Duke University. Justice McMillian has been married since 1997 to her husband Lance, a professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. They have two children and live in Fayette County where they have been long-time members of Dogwood Church.
IAG Forensics & Valuation
Dan Branch (CPA/ABV, ASA, MBA) is a partner with IAG Forensics & Valuation with over twenty years experience. He specializes in and has provided testimony for all aspects of forensic accounting for family law matters, including business valuations. Prior to his work in forensic accounting (aka “sexy accounting”), Dan was an officer in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and nuclear aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65 – yes, the U.S. Navy’s first nuclear aircraft carrier, and no, he does not glow in the dark; usually). He also enjoys having three teenagers -- it's never boring!
Judge Kimberly A. Childs was elected in May 2016, winning a contested three-way race for an open seat on the Cobb County Judicial Circuit Superior Court bench. She was re-elected again in 2020 and qualified in 2024 with no opposition.
Before her election, Judge Childs represented businesses and their owners in a variety of commercial disputes. She routinely litigated complex matters in courtrooms across metro-Atlanta.
Between her undergraduate studies and law school, Judge Childs worked as a guard at the DeKalb County Jail and later as a paralegal at a small law firm in Cobb County. These experiences inspired her to further her education and provided a “real world” foundation for her commitment to our justice system.
Judge Childs has been active in the local bar for many years. She served as President of the Cobb County Bar Association in 2017-20018. Before that, she was the President-Elect, Treasurer,Secretary, Trustee, Business Law & Litigation Section President, Solo/Small Firm Section Secretary, Women of the Bar Section President. In 2015, she received the President’s Award from the Cobb Bar.
Judge Childs is a member of Lawyers Club of Atlanta. She serves on the State Bar of Georgia’s Bench & Bar Committee, Court Technology Justice Committee, and the Uniform Superior Court Rules Committee of the Council of Superior Court Judges. She currently represents the Cobb Judicial Circuit on the State Bar Board of Governors.
Judge Childs presides over the Cobb County Drug Treatment Court. DTC is an accountability court designed to manage individuals with substance addiction by providing an alternative to the traditional justice system. DTC is designed to improve the health of our participants, not only by addressing the immediate symptoms of their addiction but also orienting participants to a new way of healthier living that can be continued for the rest of their life.
Judge Childs graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law. At Georgia State, she was on the editorial board of Law Review and received numerous academic honors. She obtained her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from North Georgia College.
Before serving on the bench, her skills in and out of the courtroom earned her top honors, including being recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer, a Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Star, and one of the Business Law Legal Elite. In 2016, Judge Childs was named to the Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers list, as well as one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in both 2015 & 2016.
On a personal note, Judge Childs is a steadfast and passionate fan of the Atlanta Falcons. She also enjoys watching Atlanta United, the Hawks, and the Braves.
Sean M. Ditzel is a partner with Abernathy Ditzel Hendrick, LLC, a boutique family law firm located in Marietta, Georgia. On top of his metro-Atlanta law practice, Sean is extremely active in leadership positions in various local and statewide organizations, having recently completed Leadership Cobb 2025 through the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce.
Sean and his wife, Robin, make their home in Marietta with their children Xavier and Alexandra, as well as a dog (Max) and cat (Coco).
Alex Cutler specializes in the areas of divorce and family law, including high net worth divorce litigation, child custody litigation, alimony and child support matters, actions for modification of custody and support, and contempt actions. Before joining the firm as a partner, he was previously a partner with the family law firm of Lawler Green Prinz, LLC. Prior to that, he spent seven years as a litigator with a mid-sized Atlanta firm where, in addition to practicing family law, he specialized in the areas of commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and lender/debtor workouts and litigation. Alex puts his diverse legal background to use assisting clients whose cases may involve complex business interests and extensive property holdings.
Alex has been recognized by Super Lawyers in the area of family law every year since 2014 and by Best Lawyers in America since 2021. Alex has been a member of the Georgia Bar since 2004, and is currently a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Alex is very active in the Atlanta Bar Association, where he is the Vice Chair of the Family Law Section. Alex is also a member of the Cobb County Bar Association.
Alice Benton was admitted to the practice of law in the summer of 1994 after graduating cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. She received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University. Prior to be appointed to the bench by Governor Brian P. Kemp in December 2023 and sworn in on January 10, 2024 as the newest Fulton County Superior Court Judge, Judge Benton practiced family law from 2010 until 2024. Judge Benton is also a former Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and former civil litigator.
In addition to litigating family law cases, Judge Benton served as a Guardian Ad Litem for both paying clients and pro bono through A.V.L.F. She has been recognized by her peers as an AV rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, as a Super Lawyer, as a Top 10 Attorney (Nationally), and Top 10 Attorney in Georgia Family Law on numerous occasions.
Judge Benton started a two year term as President of the Weltner Family Inn of Court in May of this year and is involved in many volunteer, civic and bar organizations. Currently, Judge Benton volunteers in Atlanta though the National Charity League and volunteers through her church, the Cathedral of St. Philip. She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Atlanta, Inc.
Judge Benton has called the City of Atlanta home since 1994 where she has reared her three children, Mary Eliza, Wells and Ella.
Judge Julie Adams Jacobs was appointed to serve as a Superior Court Judge in Cobb County on August 15, 2022.
Prior to being appointed to this position, Judge Jacobs served in the Georgia Attorney General’s Office for almost 20 years. She began her legal career in the Criminal Division where she conducted more than 200 bench trials in superior courts across Georgia and personally handled more than 40 criminal appeals in the Georgia Supreme Court, including habeas corpus and murder appeals.
Judge Jacobs subsequently transferred to the Business and Finance Section where she represented the State of Georgia in numerous civil litigation matters in state and federal courts, including trial and appellate litigation. She also provided general representation to state agencies and authorities in the areas of contract disputes, procurement, banking, lottery operations, bankruptcy, securities, hospital acquisitions, and general business litigation matters. As part of her practice, she also assisted the Attorney General with the regulation of charitable and nonprofit entities. In addition, she served as the hearing officer in more than a dozen hospital acquisitions involving the Attorney General’s review under the Georgia Hospital Acquisition Act.
Judge Jacobs became the Section Chief of the Business and Finance Section in 2014, and the Deputy Attorney General of the Commercial Transactions and Litigation Division in 2020. As Deputy Attorney General, Judge Jacobs managed more than 40 attorneys and support staff, and her responsibilities included the management of the financial and property interests of state government in the areas of business and finance, tax, real property, construction, and transportation.
The Fulton County Daily Report recognized Judge Jacobs with its 2016 “On The Rise” award as one of the top 25 attorneys in Georgia under the age of 40. She is a member of the 2019 class of Leadership Cobb and the 2020 class of Honorary Commanders. She is a member of the Cobb Bar Association and the Atlanta Lawyers Club.
Judge Jacobs is a 2003 graduate of Emory University School of Law, and she received her B.A. in political science from Georgia State University. Judge Jacobs is a longtime resident of Cobb County where she lives with her husband Chad and two children.
Judge Shannon Wallace was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Governor Brian Kemp and was sworn in as the 4th Superior Court Judge in Cherokee County on January 30, 2023. Prior to becoming a Superior Court Judge, she was the District Attorney of the Blue Ridge Judicial District, Cherokee County, serving from January 1, 2013, until January 29, 2023.
As the District Attorney, she held numerous statewide leadership roles. She served as the Secretary-Treasurer (2018-19), President-Elect (2019-20), President (2020-21), and Immediate Past President (2021-22) of the District Attorneys’ Association of Georgia and served as the Secretary (2019-2021) and Chairperson (2021-2023) of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia. She was also a co-chair of Governor Kemp’s Judicial Nominating Commission of Georgia from 2018 until October 2022.
Judge Wallace has received numerous awards and recognitions during her career, including: 2022 Friend of U.S. Attorney’s Award, 2021 District Attorneys’ Association District Attorney of the Year, 2020 Robert S. Stubbs II “Guardian of Ethics” Award by the Rotary Club of Canton, 2020 Academy of Women Leaders Honoree by LiveSAFE Resources, 2019 Outstanding Women in Leadership award by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, 2015-2016 W. Lee Arrendale Vocational Excellence Award by the Rotary Club of Canton, 2014 Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, 2014 Cristal Stancil Leadership Award by the Leadership Cherokee Class of 2014, 2014 Forty under Forty by the University of Georgia Alumni Association, 2013 Rising Star by the Fulton Daily Report, and 2013 Georgia’s Top 40 under Forty by Georgia Trend.
Prior to being sworn-in as a judge, Judge Wallace served as board member of the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (2013-2023), the Malon D. Mimms Boys & Girls Club (2013-2023), and Cherokee FOCUS (2013-2023). She is a member of the Rotary Club of Canton (2013-2023).
She graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2002, graduating cum laude. After graduation, she served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit before coming to Cherokee County in 2008. She is married to Kyle Wallace and has two children.
The Honorable LaTisha Dear Jackson was elected Superior Judge of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit in 2018. In both 2021 and 2022, Judge Jackson was selected to serve by designation as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia on two separate cases. Her service in 2022 was historic in that it was the first time the Supreme Court had an all-woman bench preside over oral arguments. After just nine months in office, Judge Jackson began serving as a Presiding Judge over Track 1 of the Circuit’s Drug Court. After a year of service, Judge Jackson was unanimously elected to serve as the Presiding Judge for the Circuit’s four Accountability Courts. In 2022, Judge Jackson was elected to serve as the Chief Judge of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit as well as the Administrative Judge for the Fourth Judicial Administrative District which is comprised of DeKalb and Rockdale Circuits.
Immediately before her election, Judge Jackson was a Senior Associate at Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins, LLP (“TKST”). There, she defended corporate and governmental clients in medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, and insurance matters. She also represented individuals in personal injury and wrongful death matters.
Prior to joining TKST, Judge Jackson served as a full-time judge in the DeKalb County Recorders Court and sat by designation in both the Superior and State Courts of DeKalb County. In 2008, she made history by becoming both the first female and youngest judge to ever serve as a Municipal Court Judge in the City of Stone Mountain. In 2012, she again made history by becoming the first female Chief Municipal Court Judge in the City of Lithonia.
Prior to becoming a member of the judiciary, Judge Jackson was a solo practitioner handling juvenile and family law matters as well as criminal defense. Judge Jackson also served as an Assistant Solicitor General in DeKalb County.
Judge Jackson earned her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University and her undergraduate degree from the prestigious Spelman College.
A native of Los Angeles, California, Judge Jackson is active in numerous professional organizations. She is a current member of both GAWL and GABWA’s Judicial Applicant Review Committees. In 2014, Judge Jackson was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia to serve on its Access to Justice Committee, where she continually works to ensure that there is unfettered access to the courts by litigants and the public as they navigate the judicial system. She is a member of several bar associations which include the Atlanta, DeKalb and Gate City Bar Associations and DeKalb Lawyers Association where she served an unprecedented two-year term as President and currently serves as the Judicial Section and Review Committee Chair. Judge Jackson is the Immediate Past Chair of the State Bar of Georgia’s Judicial Section after serving as Chair for three years. She is also a Past President of the Georgia Council of Municipal Court Judges and a current member of the State’s Judicial Council.
In her community, Judge Jackson has served on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Center for Children and is a 2006 graduate of Leadership DeKalb, where she currently serves as a Board of Director and on the Selection Committee, a committee she’s chaired for over a decade. Judge Jackson currently serves as a DeKalb County Board Member for Boys and Girls Club Metro Atlanta and is a proud twenty-six-year active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Judge Jackson has traveled throughout the Southeastern United States and the State of Georgia presenting on various judicial and legal issues with a passion for professionalism and access to justice. She also speaks at various schools throughout the metro-Atlanta area. As a continued investment to the youth, Judge Jackson created a three-year program in the DeKalb County Public School System entitled I. L.E.A.D. (Interactive Law and Education Development) Program, a program that focused on educating high school students on the law while strengthening their comprehension and writing skills.
Judge Jackson not only works and serves DeKalb County, but she also resides there calling it home with her husband Gari Jackson. She is a member of Ray of Hope Christian Church and served for several years as the co-coordinator for the youth, young adult, and college student ministries.
As a testament to her accomplishments, she has received several honors, been featured in several newspapers and magazines as well as her sorority’s international magazine. She has also been honored by her sorority, several county and city associations and elected leaders including receiving the Council for Municipal Court Judges President’s Award for her commitment to access and fairness in Georgia courts. In all that she does and has accomplished thus far, Judge Jackson remains humbled, inspired, and motivated to continue to seek justice because there are still so many lives left to be touched.
Judge Kellie Hill was elected to serve on the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia in June 2020.
Prior to her election to Superior Court, Judge Hill served four years as a full-time Magistrate and Assisting Superior Court Judge in the Cobb Magistrate Court. As a trial attorney in both the public and private sectors, she established “The Kellie Hill Legal Group”, served as the managing attorney for a personal injury practice, an adjunct professor at the John Marshall School of Law, and served as a lead prosecutor on many complex and notable cases in Fulton and DeKalb Counties.
Judge Hill’s work has been featured on national media outlets. She has appeared as a legal expert on nationally and locally aired programs. Judge Hil was recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives for her work as a trial attorney and has been the recipient of numerous other awards and distinctions.
Judge Hill is a member of The State Bar of Georgia, The Council of Superior Court Judges, The Supreme Court's Committee on Interpreters, The Association of Black Women Attorneys, The Gate City Bar Association, The National Bar Association, The Weltner Inn of Court, The Lawyers’ Club of Atlanta, Leadership Cobb Alumni and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Dr. Howard Drutman, Ph.D.
Atlanta Behavioral Consultants
Dr. Drutman is a psychologist who exclusively practices forensic psychology in family law cases. He provides child custody and parent fitness evaluations, psychological and substance use disorder evaluations, co-parenting counseling, parent coordination, collaborative divorce coaching, parenting plan mediation, expert testimony on issues related to the best interest of children in family law cases, review of mental health professionals' work product, assisting attorneys with understanding the special needs of their clients, assisting Guardians with understanding psychological issues in their cases.
He has testified throughout the State of Georgia and Alabama. He is the author of numerous articles in The Family Law Review and other professional publications. He is the author of the book, “Divorce: The Art of Screwing Up Your Children."
Judge Rob Leonard is the longest-serving active judge on the Cobb Superior Court bench. He has served as the circuit's Chief Judge and helped the entire judicial branch navigate the COVID pandemic through his teaching virtual court to both the bench and bar. He proudly presides over the Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court, which has been recognized as a model court by the State of Georgia. He has been appointed by two different Governors and subsequently elected four times. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky. He is married to a family law attorney, Katie Leonard.
Amanda Moulthrop spent the majority of her career as a civil and family law litigator with Legal Aid of Cobb County, serving as the director of their pro bono project, the Cobb Justice Foundation. Amanda also spent time in private practice, providing legal representation and strategic advice to clients in a wide variety of civil matters, including employment, estate planning and probate litigation. She is the founder of Moulthrop Law & Moulthrop Mediation, where she focuses exclusively on guardian ad litem work in Cobb County, as well as domestic, general civil and probate mediations and arbitrations all over the metro area.
Amanda’s background includes a B.S. in Social Science Education (cum laude) from the University of Georgia, where she studied to become a high school history teacher. Amanda later attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where she graduated with honors.
In addition to being a member of both the State Bar of Georgia and the Cobb Bar Association, where she has held key leadership positions, Amanda is a certified neutral and is registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, with a specialized certification in domestic mediation and domestic violence mediation. She is also a Georgia certified arbitrator. She served for several years as a Member at Large for the Board of Trustees of the Cobb Bar Association and is a founding member and past president of the Guardian ad Litem Section of the Cobb Bar Association. She continues to serve on the executive board of the section in an advisory role.
Richard Sanders is an attorney with Johnson Kraeuter, LLC, whose practice is primarily dedicated to domestic relations and family law. He has been licensed to practice law in Georgia since 2008. He is also a registered general civil, domestic, and domestic violence mediator, and a registered Arbitrator. Presently, he volunteers as a mediator at the Mediation Center in Savannah.
A successful litigator, Richard has handled numerous cases through trial and appeal during his career, including successfully arguing in person at the Georgia Supreme Court and the Georgia Court of Appeals. The expertise he developed as a litigator supported his work in co-authoring the book Divorce in Georgia and delivering a number of lectures on various topics related to family law, personal injury, criminal
defense, ethics, professionalism, general litigation, evidence, and mediation.
Richard is also a renowned leader in Savannah and throughout the state of Georgia. He has served on numerous committees with the State Bar of Georgia and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Savannah Bar Association and the Executive Committee for the Council of Municipal Court Judges. Richard is also the most senior First District Representative.
Richard has been named as a Rising Star with Georgia Super Lawyers every year since 2016 and recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Georgia by the National Trial Lawyers organization. His peer rating on Martindale Hubbell is “Preeminent.” In addition to these accolades, Richard is well-known for his tireless volunteer efforts at Savannah Arts Academy High School where he coached the Mock Trial Team
for 10 years.
Born at Ft. Benning, Richard grew up as a Navy brat. He earned his B.S. Degree in Justice Studies from Georgia Southern University, where he also served as the Vice President of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After completing his undergraduate
degree, Richard earned his juris doctorate, cum laude, from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, in Lansing Michigan. While in law school, Richard served as a Senior Managing Editor of the Law Review and as a Magistrate on the grade appeals board.
Originally from Clinton, Mississippi, Judge David Lyles holds a degree in Accounting from Mississippi College and a Juris Doctorate from Emory Law School. He served from 1998 until 2016 as an Assistant District Attorney in the Atlanta, Bell-Forsyth, and Paulding Judicial Circuits.
Judge Lyles volunteers as a faculty instructor at Emory Law School in their nationally recognized Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program and has spoken statewide at numerous civil, family and criminal law conferences.
A 2016 recipient of the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service, Judge Lyles currently serves on the Board of Directors for CAYA Ministries and as an officer in the Paulding County Rotary Club. He was elected to the bench as a Superior Court Judge in the Paulding Judicial Circuit in May 2016. In addition to his civil and criminal dockets, Judge Lyles started and presides over both the Paulding County Mental Health Court and the Paulding County Parental Accountability Court.
Judge Angela Brown, a native of Philadelphia, is the proud daughter of a public-school teacher and a Tuskegee Airman. She graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1985 and from Brown University in 1989. After being awarded the Dean's Outstanding Scholar Full Academic Scholarship, Attorney Brown attended the University of San Diego Law School where she received her J.D. in 1993. At graduation, she was honored with the Thurgood Marshall Graduation Service Award.
Judge Brown began her professional career as a litigation associate in the prestigious law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine in Seattle, Washington. She has also prosecuted criminals as an Assistant District Attorney in several Prosecutor's Offices located in Washington, New Jersey, and Georgia. Judge Brown was the first female African American District Attorney to serve in Cobb County, Georgia. She has also served as In-House Counsel for ASARCO, Inc. and was responsible for the environmental legal management from Mississippi to the West Coast. She was the first African American lawyer in that company since 1812. Before her appointment to the bench, Attorney Brown successfully ran her own litigation firm, specializing in criminal, family, personal injury, and guardian ad litem law. She has conducted hundreds of trials on all sides of the bench and has taught others how to be an effective, knowledgeable attorney of integrity. Her Mentees can be found in the government sector, the private sector, and even on the bench.
Judge Brown has been honored to serve as a Judge by Designation for several county State and Superior Courts in both DeKalb and Cobb County. Judge Brown is actively involved in legal and community organizations, including the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, the Georgia Association of Black Women Lawyers, the Cobb County Bar Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Judge Sheryl B Jolly serves as the Presiding Judge of Superior Court, Columbia Judicial Circuit. Judge Jolly was elected Superior Court Judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit in 2004 and served in that capacity until the Columbia Judicial Circuit was created in 2021.
In 2023, Judge Jolly was appointed Administrative Judge for the 10th Judicial District of the State of Georgia and Member of the Judicial Council for the State of Georgia.
Judge Jolly's public service began in 1986 in the Office of the District Attorney, Augusta Judicial Circuit where she served as Assistant District Attorney until 1989. She continued her public service as a prosecutor in the State Court of Richmond County, Georgia as Assistant Solicitor General (1989-2003) and subsequently as Chief Assistant Solicitor General (2003-2004). In 2004, Judge Jolly was elected to the Office of Solicitor General of the State Court of Richmond County, Georgia. She served two terms as Solicitor General before seeking election as Superior Court Judge. In addition to her public service as a prosecutor, she served an an Adjunct Faculty Member for Brenau Professional College for over 20 years and taught courses in Criminal Justice, Constitutional Law, and Public Administration for both undergraduate and graduate level courses. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Augusta Bar Association. Judge Jolly has been actively involved in community activities and service boards to include leadership positions in Leadership Augusta, the Greater Augusta Arts Council, Augusta Junior Woman's Club, Columbia Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Task Force, Augusta Child Advocacy Center, Rape Crisis/Sexual Assault Services, The Augusta Partnership for Children and many other local boards.
Judge Jolly has been a frequent lecturer at judicial conferences for Pre-Trial Issues in Death Penalty cases and presentations in the area of family law.
She is married to Edward B. Turner Jr. , and has 3 grown children with 3 grand-dogs and 1 grand-cat.
Robert C. Port is a partner with Gaslowitz Frankel LLC, Atlanta, Georgia. The firm focuses on fiduciary litigation arising from disputes related to trusts, wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, partnerships, closely held corporations, and securities and investment fraud.
Robert is a member of the Georgia and Tennessee Bars. He is admitted in the Northern, Middle, and Southern Federal Districts of Georgia, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Eleventh and Third Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the Georgia Bar, the Atlanta Bar Association, and the American Bar Association (ABA).
Robert is the Editor of “Georgia Business Litigation,” a one-volume, comprehensive guide to many of the issues business litigators often encounter, including officer, director, shareholder, partnership and LLC disputes; securities litigation; non-compete and trade secret issues; RICO; intellectual property issues; business torts; insurance liability; fraudulent transfers; employment litigation; bankruptcy, and the ever-increasing use of arbitration. https://www.lawcatalog.com/georgia-business-litigation.html
Robert has litigated cases in federal and state courts in Georgia and throughout the country, as well as arbitrated before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the American Arbitration Association (AAA). He also serves as a FINRA chair-qualified arbitrator, an arbitrator for both the Consumer and Commercial Panels of the AAA, and serves as an arbitrator for the Georgia State Bar’s Fee Arbitration Program.
Robert is a frequent speaker on estate and trust litigation, securities litigation, and securities arbitration before a variety of audiences, including the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), the Atlanta Bar Association, The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the Georgia Society of CPAs, the National Business Institute (NBI), and the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA). He has also published numerous articles on fiduciary litigation, securities law, and other legal topics in the Georgia Bar Journal and other publications.
Robert attended the University of North Carolina, where he obtained a B.A., with Honors, in 1979, and a J.D., with Honors, in 1983. Following law school, he was a Law Clerk for Hon. Eugene N. Gordon, Senior United States District Court Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Jennifer Brown, an Alabama native, started her mortgage career in Georgia in 1997 after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Auburn University at Montgomery with a B.S. in Business Administration majoring in Finance. She is a Mortgage Consultant, Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), Certified Amicable Divorce Professional and a Certified VA Lending Specialist, licensed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Also, a condominium lending expert, Jennifer partnered with several of metro-Atlanta’s most prestigious developers during the 2002-2008 condo boom, serving as the preferred lender for more than 30 ground up and conversion projects.
In 2019 Jennifer became a partner and co-owner of Neighborhood Mortgage, Inc., founded in 2001 and located in Alpharetta, GA. She takes great pride in her role as Vice President of her organization as well as serving her community and business partners as a trusted mortgage expert.
As a Divorce Mortgage Planning Specialist, Jennifer collaborates with divorce professionals and serves as a financial neutral to help their clients make more informed decisions regarding their financial future. She is a member of the Divorce Lending Association, a board member of the Amicable Divorce Network, Cobb County Bar Family Law Section CLE, OTP CLE and CADP presenter. Jennifer has also been featured on such podcasts as WTF Divorce, Divorce Doesn’t Suck, Divorced Girl Smiling, The Gray Divorce and Crazy Sh??t in Real Estate discussing divorce lending strategies.
Jennifer and her husband Big Ryan of over 20 years reside in Alpharetta, GA with their daughter Little Ryan and Labrador retriever Bear, Jr. In their spare time you can find them hosting or attending a tailgate, at the beach, on the golf course or at the softball fields.
Wendy's journey from a seasoned family law paralegal of 17 years to a thriving force in real estate is a testament to her unwavering determination and belief in her abilities. In 2014, she embarked on her real estate career, undeterred by the skepticism surrounding her introverted nature. Refusing to conform to stereotypes, Wendy set out to carve her own path, leveraging the invaluable skills honed during her years assisting divorce clients.
In 2016, Wendy took a bold step forward by founding her own small team, a decision that laid the groundwork for her future success. By 2021, she had established her own brokerage spanning across Georgia and South Carolina.
Wendy's stellar performance in the real estate arena has earned her accolades, including membership in the prestigious Cobb Association of Realtors "Multi Million Dollar Club" since her inaugural year. Consistently ranked as the #4 agent in Cobb County by sales volume for the past two years, Wendy's expertise and dedication have set her apart as a formidable force in the industry.
Beyond her remarkable sales achievements, Wendy has also made significant contributions to the real estate community through her leadership roles. Since 2018, she has actively served and chaired various committees at the local, state, and national levels. In 2022, Wendy's leadership acumen was further recognized as she assumed the role of President of the Cobb Association of Realtors. Currently, she serves as the chair of the State and Local and Audit committee at the Georgia Association of Realtors, showcasing her ongoing commitment to advancing the profession.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Wendy finds solace in the simple joys of life. An avid reader and enthusiastic traveler, she loves exploring new cultures and experiences around the globe. A sports aficionado, Wendy revels in all things sports-related, with a particular passion for cheering on her beloved Braves baseball team.
Despite her demanding schedule, Wendy remains grounded in her roots, calling West Cobb home for over 25 years. Alongside her supportive husband of 10 years, John Henry, Wendy takes pride in nurturing her family life, which includes her daughter Abby, who recently completed her first year at Georgia State College of Law.
With over 20 years in Atlanta real estate spanning multiple disciplines, Jill is one of only six Master Certified Divorce Real Estate Experts (CDREs®) in the state of Georgia. Specializing in real estate matters in family law cases, Jill is the unbiased, third-party expert deferred to by the family law community to help protect the home equity of the parties, and offers her objective and neutral expert opinion in low and high-conflict divorce matters involving real property.
Jill's deep knowledge and experience in these complex areas through her ongoing training with the Ilumni Institute enables her to provide professional and impartial insights that help her clients navigate the often challenging and emotionally charged terrain of divorce proceedings.
As an accomplished Realtor® who maintains ongoing recognition at national, state, and local levels for her achievements in the real estate industry, Jill draws upon her expertise in listing management, with specific skill sets in pricing and negotiation, to successfully support conflict resolution in divorce situations.
Kevin Rubin graduated from Emory University School of Law in 2008. Kevin received a Master’s of Science in Information Systems Technology (MSIST) and a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) from George Washington University in 2001.
Kevin is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). Kevin has been recognized by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Georgia Trend Legal Elite.
Kevin serves on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia’s Family Law Section, the Board of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Family Law Section, and the Board of the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML).
Annie Jordan is a leader in the legal community and champion for equality in access to justice. As Executive Director, Annie oversees the operations of DeKalb Pro Bono, a non-profit organization that provides free legal assistance to marginalized and low-income populations in DeKalb County. She works to develop new programs to match volunteer attorneys with low-income residents who need representation in civil matters such as domestic relations, bankruptcy, landlord tenant disputes, probate issues, consumer debt and representation for victims of domestic violence seeking civil temporary protective orders.
Prior to her current role, Annie had been with DeKalb Pro Bono as a Staff Attorney since 2019 where she ran the Domestic Violence Project. She served the people of DeKalb County by providing representation to low-income persons seeking civil temporary protective orders. In that role, she also worked with the legal community to facilitate volunteer attorneys in providing pro bono legal services to survivors of domestic violence seeking civil protective orders. In addition, she provided advice and assistance to clients in family law matters. As an expert in domestic violence civil litigation, Annie regularly presents at workshops and trainings to educate lawyers and the community about working with survivors of domestic violence.
Before joining DeKalb Pro Bono, Annie worked in private practice at Knight Family Law and Senterfitt & Knight. Her practice focused exclusively on family law and included a full range of family law matters including divorce, custody, support, family violence and stalking, contempt, and modification cases.
Annie is active in the legal community. She is the President of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers and has served as a Vice President on its Board of Directors since 2015. She has also served on the Family Law Committee of the State Bar of Georgia, Young Lawyers Division and the DeKalb Bar Association, Family Law Section Board of Directors. She is a Barrister in the Cooper Inn of Court and a member of the DeKalb Lawyers Association.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010 with highest honors and a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law in 2013.
Andy Flink is a highly regarded professional in the field of alternative dispute resolution, specializing in family law mediation. As the founder of Flink ADR, based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Andy has dedicated his career to helping individuals and families resolve conflicts amicably through mediation and arbitration services.
Flink ADR was founded with the vision of creating a comprehensive resource for family law ADR in Georgia. The firm is composed of a professional team of skilled neutrals who recognize the unique dynamics of each family. By emphasizing the reduction of emotional and financial strain, Flink ADR offers services such as mediation, arbitration, and hybrid mediation/arbitration, tailored to meet the diverse needs of its clients.
Before transitioning to ADR, Andy enjoyed a successful career in the retail industry, spanning nearly three decades as an entrepreneur, executive, and board member. His extensive business background honed his skills in strategic thinking, effective communication, and results-oriented problem-solving—qualities he now applies to the cases he conducts.
Founded and operated retail businesses, gaining hands-on experience in building and managing companies from the ground up.
Developed expertise in negotiation, decision-making, and communication skills integral to his work in ADR.
Held leadership positions in established retail organizations, contributing to business strategy, operations, and profitability.
Collaborated with diverse teams, solved complex challenges, and thrived under pressure.
Led the Board of Directors in a 25+ location retail chain, offering insights into governance, strategic oversight, and growth planning.
As a registered mediator and arbitrator, Andy focuses primarily on family law, with a particular emphasis on custody matters. His personal and professional experiences enable him to offer empathetic, practical solutions for families facing complex legal challenges. Andy is committed to providing a collaborative and amicable alternative to traditional litigation, prioritizing the well-being of families and empowering them to make informed decisions during difficult times.
Andy actively shares his expertise in mediation and family law through educational programs such as the Family Law Institute. He contributes to discussions on effective mediation strategies and the benefits of ADR in family law cases.
Through blogs, speaking engagements, and other platforms, Andy provides valuable insights into the mediation process. His thought leadership educates individuals and legal professionals on the advantages and challenges of resolving disputes efficiently and amicably through mediation.
Andy's deep understanding of conflict resolution, negotiation, and balancing competing interests made his transition to ADR a natural progression. His personal experiences with family law matters further influenced his decision to focus on family law mediation, giving him a unique perspective and empathy for clients navigating similar challenges.
By combining his business acumen and personal insights, Andy has built Flink ADR into a highly respected mediation and arbitration practice, His dedication to fostering understanding and resolution has solidified his reputation as a leader in helping families navigate difficult processes in a constructive and supportive environment.
Former Chief Judge of the Superior Court of Fulton County when he retired from the bench in late 2022, Chris Brasher served on Georgia’s busiest trial court for nearly seventeen years. During his time on the Superior Court bench, Judge Brasher presided over more than 20,000 cases, ranging from commercial disputes involving hundreds of millions of dollars, to catastrophic injury cases, to professional negligence and malpractice cases, to high-asset divorce cases, to complex and vexing custody matters, to capital murder and other violent felony cases. As a lawyer prior to his service on the bench, Judge Brasher tried cases in more than 130 counties in Georgia, as well as in all of Georgia’s Federal District Courts. As an appellate advocate, Judge Brasher argued more than forty cases in appellate courts, including before Georgia’s Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and in the United States Supreme Court. Judge Brasher has more than 70 reported decisions as lead appellate counsel.
On the bench, Judge Brasher earned a reputation as a hard-working, efficient, and effective jurist who was always prepared, patient, and fair. Judge Brasher’s court was known to be a place where disputes were resolved in an efficient way, where parties and counsel would be heard, and where professionalism and respect were expected and practiced.
As a colleague and in the community, Judge Brasher has served in leadership roles in local, county, and statewide organizations. Teaching and mentoring have always been a part of Judge Brasher’s efforts to equip others in their professional, academic, and personal lives. As a veteran trial judge with over two hundred jury trials, Judge Brasher knows what works and what does not before a jury. As a trained and certified mediator, Judge Brasher has honed the skills needed to assist in resolving disputes.
J. STEPHEN SCHUSTER
SENIOR JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURTS OF GEORGIA
J. Stephen (Steve) Schuster is a Senior Judge of the Superior Courts of Georgia.
Judge Schuster was appointed a Senior Judge by Governor Kemp on January 1, 2021 after serving four terms as a Superior Court Judge. In addition to sitting on the bench Judge Schuster serves as a registered neutral. Judge Schuster focuses on complex civil and domestic mediation, arbitration, and private trials.
Judge Schuster is the Chair of the Uniform Rules Committee of the Council of Superior Court Judges. He worked with the Supreme Court on rewriting the Uniform Rules on virtual proceedings and media access to the courts.
Judge Schuster has served in numerous positions in the Business Law Section of the ABA. He is a past chair of the Judicial Initiative and a past chair of the Dispute Resolution subsection. Judge Schuster is a former president of the American College of Business Court Judges. He has also served as a president of the Cobb County Bar Association and seven terms on the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors.
Judge Schuster may be reached at the following addressed: stephen.schuster@cobbcounty.org or judgeschuster@gmail.com.
Sam Hubbard established Coastal Divorce Advisors, LLC to provide clients with the support and guidance they need to make smart, unemotional financial decisions as they navigate the often-overwhelming divorce process. Prior to founding the firm, Sam was a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in New York City, where he developed financial plans, asset allocation models, and appropriate investment strategies for high-net-worth international and domestic clients.
Born and raised in Savannah, Sam received a BA in Spanish from Furman University, in Greenville, South Carolina, and an MBA, with a dual concentration in finance and management, from Fordham University in New York City.
Sam also earned both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™) designations. He is a member of the CFA Institute, the Atlanta Society of Financial and Investment Professionals (ASFIP), the Association of Divorce Financial Planners (ADFP), and the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA) where he currently serves on the Board of Advisors.
Sam has been published twice in the Divorce Financial Analyst (DFA) Journal, a national publication. He has also been published in the Family Law Review and written several articles for local newspapers and magazines. Sam has presented at the national conference for the Institute of Divorce Financial Analyst (IDFA) and frequently testifies as an expert witness.
David I. Schachter is the Founding Member of The Schachter Law Firm, LLC. He works extensively in all facets of Family Law. Mr. Schachter is regularly retained to represent clients in high-asset divorce cases and complex and highly contested custody and parenting time disputes. He has litigated cases involving high profile individuals and involving cutting edge issues, such as cryptocurrency assets in divorce cases. Mr. Schachter has also testified as an expert witness on legal fees in domestic relations cases. He has been a featured divorce expert on the Buzzcast podcast "Life is Short, Get Divorced," and a featured legal expert in Newsweek Magazine's "What Should I Do?" on multiple occasions.
Mr. Schachter has been named to Georgia Super Lawyers every year since 2018. He is rated “AV – Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, and recognized as one of Georgia’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine. AVVO has awarded David the Client’s Choice Award for Family Law every year from 2012 to 2024. He has also been featured in the best attorney issues of various publications. Mr. Schachter has successfully prevailed in cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals, and established precedent in Leone v. Griffin, 342 Ga. App. 474, 803 S.E.2d 617 (2017).
Prior to founding The Schachter Law Firm, LLC, Mr. Schachter both built and managed the Savannah offices of two other family law firms. David’s extensive background in various legal practice areas prior to focusing on family law gives him a unique understanding of an array of unexpected issues that often arise incidental to divorce cases.
Mr. Schachter attended law school at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. While in law school, David clerked for the Honorable Ann Aldridge, Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, who President Jimmy Carter appointed as the first female ever to the Ohio federal bench. Mr. Schachter was also a member of the Executive Editorial Board of the Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law. Case Western Reserve University School of Law awarded Mr. Schachter multiple CALI Excellence Awards, including in Family Law.
During law school, Mr. Schachter focused much of his studies on family law under the tutelage of his mentor, renowned Ohio family law attorney Andrew Zashin of Zashin Law, an expert who has handled two of the few family law cases ever to come before the United States Supreme Court regarding The Hague Convention. Mr. Schachter also worked on one of the few other family law cases ever to come before the United States Supreme Court. As acknowledged by Mr. Zashin in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Mr. Schachter served as a Major Contributor to his published international family law article “Bus Bombings and a Baby’s Custody: Insidious Victories for Terrorism in the Context of International Custody Disputes.”
Jeffrey Williamson is the founder of J. L. Williamson Law Group, LLC. The firm specializes in elder law, asset protection, tax planning, and tax controversy. Prior to starting his own firm, Jeffrey served as an Internal Revenue Agent, and he is an expert in the audit policies and procedures of the IRS.
A frequent lecturer, Jeffrey has presented many seminars on taxation and estate planning issues to various civic groups, investment professionals, attorneys, and certified public accountants. Jeffrey received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Mercer University and both his Juris Doctor and Master of Accountancy from the University of Georgia.
Jenni is the Founding Partner of Brown Dutton & Crider Law Firm and a dedicated mediator and arbitrator specializing in family law cases, with a focus on divorce, modifications, custody disputes, and various related matters. Since 2011, she has exclusively practiced family law. Jenni has consistently been recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer from 2017 to 2024, an honor bestowed upon fewer than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state. Furthermore, she has been nominated by Georgia’s Trend Legal Elite each year since 2018.
Known for her natural leadership qualities, Jenni is described by her clients as compassionate, confident, and assertive when necessary. She excels in open communication, ensuring her clients understand the complexities of their situations and what to expect throughout the litigation process. Her realistic approach means she provides honest assessments, preparing clients for what lies ahead in court.
Active in her professional community, Jenni is a member of the Cobb Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia. She serves on several boards, demonstrating her commitment to local initiatives through her involvement with the Kennesaw Business Association and the Kennesaw Public Safety Foundation. Since her marriage in 2013, Jenni has been a devoted mother of two. In her spare time, she enjoys family activities, volunteering at her church, exercising, and engaging in outdoor pursuits.
Lance has been a dedicated attorney since 2008. During his time in law school, he served as Class Vice President, excelled in an opening statement competition that earned him a spot on the prestigious Trial Team, and contributed to Law Review, where he was honored for producing the most outstanding article.
Lance began his legal career as a public defender, gaining significant trial experience by successfully managing over 20 jury trials, achieving a remarkable win rate of approximately 75%.
Known for his tenacity, compassion, and unwavering honesty, Lance prioritizes transparency in client communication, ensuring they hear what they need rather than just what they want. He thrives on tackling complex and unique challenges in family and criminal law, relishing the opportunities for legal research, innovative problem-solving, and the intricacies of calculating marital balance sheets in divorce cases.
Outside of his legal practice, Lance remains an avid tennis player, having competed at the collegiate level and ranked as a top junior player in North Carolina and Georgia. He has recently taken up golf lessons, aiming to break 85 in his first round. In his downtime, Lance cherishes moments with his two rescue dogs, Lucky and Foxy, whom he rescued as puppies from the middle of the road. Visitors to the office may occasionally spot these playful pups roaming around.
The State Bar of Georgia has secured a courtesy room block at Courtyard Amelia Island, which is less than ten miles from the Omni Amelia Island Resort.
COURTESY ROOM BLOCK LINK | Courtyard Amelia Island
Start Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
End Date: Sunday, June 01, 2025
There are currently no rooms available at the group rate at the venue. Be sure to join the Family Law Section to get first access to hotel reservations/group rate for next year. As a member benefit, Family Law Section members had the opportunity to reserve rooms at the group rate prior to the general public.
If you have booked lodging and learn that you no longer need it, please contact ICLE (email to icle@gabar.org or call (678) 529-6688) so we can make the room available to your colleagues wishing to stay on-site at the Institute.
There are two different links, one for the hotel and the other for the villas.
OMNI Amelia Island, 39 Beach Lagoon Road, Amelia Island, FL 32034
HOTEL: ICLE Family Law Institute 2025 | Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa | Omni Hotels & Resorts
VILLAS: ICLE Family Law Institute 2025 | The Villas of Amelia Island | Amelia Island Vacation Rentals
There are ten (10) scholarships available for attorneys who need financial assistance to attend the 2025 Family Law Institute. Please click here for information and to apply.
Deadline to apply for a scholarship is March 31, 2025.
Tuggle and Turner Awards
The Family Law Section invites your nominations for recipients of the Joseph T. Tuggle, Jr. Professionalism Award and the Jack P. Turner Award. Please click here for information and to make a nomination.
Nomination deadline is April 15, 2025.
Please be advised that your credit will not be reported to the State Bar of Georgia CLE Regulation Department until after you have completed the steps necessary to earn credit for that program.
Self reporting is required for all other jurisdictions.
The information presented is solely for educational purposes. The opinions expressed by the faculty in their materials and presentations are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the State Bar of Georgia, its officers, directors and/or employees. The faculty is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional advice and these presentations and publications are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. All publications and presentations were created to serve the continuing legal education needs of practicing attorneys.
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