VA Accreditation

Mrs. Kristie Edenfield Piasta Related Seminars and Products

Kristie Piasta joined Piasta Walker Hagenbush LLC as of counsel in 2022.  Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Piasta served as an Assistant General Counsel of a large health care system, advising on regulatory compliance, corporate governance and strategic initiatives.  Ms. Piasta has also practiced with two large law firms in Georgia where she advised on a variety of matters, including multiple acquisitions in the health care area. 

Ms. Piasta is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and served previously on the Executive Committee of the Nonprofit Law Section.  She was also involved in the Nonprofit Section’s Legislative Committee which was responsible for updating the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code in 2023.  

Ms. Piasta graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Finance and also received her juris doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law.  After practicing law for several years, Ms. Piasta attended the University of Washington School of Law where she received her LL.M. in Health Law, focusing her studies on regulatory compliance and risk management.   

Ms. Piasta and her husband, Ed Piasta, live in Sandy Springs, Georgia with their two sons. 

Mr. J. Travis Studdard Related Seminars and Products

Perkins Studdard LLC

Travis Studdard is a partner at Perkins Studdard LLC in Carrollton where he practices workers’ compensation and veterans disability law with his brother-in-law, Jason Perkins.

Travis received his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Georgia, where he was a First Honor Graduate. He went on to receive his law degree with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2004. Upon graduation, Travis returned to the West Georgia area and began representing injured workers with a particular focus on catastrophic designation claims, which are similar to VA individual unemployability cases.

For the past few years, Travis’ practice has focused primarily on veterans disability law. Travis was a founder of the West Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, having served in various roles including President. He has also been very active over the years in the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and in particular the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Claimants Lawyers Organization, having served a number of terms on the Board of Directors and as Education Chair. He is also a sustaining member of the National Organization of Veterans' Advocates.

Outside of work, Travis is active in his local church, including four years as lay leader of the congregation and most recently as chair of a year-long pastor search committee. The rest of his time, he is either at one of his kids’ sporting events, playing pickleball, traveling to a new SCUBA diving locale, or watching the Georgia Bulldogs.

Christopher Campagno Related Seminars and Products

Stevens & Sullivan LLC

Christopher A. Campagno joined Stevens & Sullivan, LLC in June of 2021. His areas of expertise include Veterans Law, Disability Rights, and Military Justice. His current practice focuses on representing disabled Veterans throughout all stages of the VA disability claims process, to include the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans claims.

In 2019, Christopher earned his J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law. In addition to his law degree, he was awarded a certificate from the university’s Disability Law and Policy Program—which is widely considered the most extensive disability-related law school program in the United States.

During law school, Christopher served three semesters as a Student Attorney in the College’s Disability Rights Clinic; completed an internship with the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation as part of its New York City-based litigation team; worked as a research assistant for the director of the Disability Rights Clinic, Dr. Michael Schwartz; spent one semester as the College’s Pro Bono Fellow; and traveled to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France where he studied international disability rights under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

Prior to attending college, Christopher enlisted as a Chemical Operations Specialist in the United States Army where he served as part of a Hazardous Materials Search and Rescue Team. He deployed to Iraq in 2007 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and to Afghanistan in 2012 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His highest enlisted rank earned was Staff Sergeant.

In 2015, Christopher earned his B.A. in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While completing his degree, he served as the Battalion Commander of the University’s Army ROTC Program, eventually earning a commission as an Adjutant General Officer. In 2019, Christopher was selected to attend the Army’s Judge Advocate Basic Course in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he became a JAG Officer upon graduation.

CONTACT: chris@atlantadisability.com

Ms. Patricia Dee Shewmaker Related Seminars and Products

Shewmaker & Lewis LLC

Patty Shewmaker, a native of Nebraska, attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where she earned a bachelor of science in political science and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Military Intelligence. Patty served seven (7) years on active duty in the United States Army and three (3) years in the Georgia Army National Guard. Patty deployed as a Company Commander of a Counterintelligence Company in support of OPERATIONS IRAQI FREEDOM and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Patty received the Bronze Star Medal for her service in a combat theater of operations. With her extensive military background and understanding the unique issues that confront military families, Patty represents many military service members in family law issues.

Patty earned her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law where she graduated with honors. She has an active practice in all areas of family law including divorce litigation, modification of custody, alimony and child support, contempt actions and legitimations and paternity suits.

Patty also specializes in dividing qualified retirement plans incident to divorce and legal separation, including pensions under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), military pensions, private pensions, 401(k)s, Thrift Savings Plans (TSPs), and other qualified retirement plans.

Patty also has extensive experience with cross jurisdictional family law litigation. She represents clients whose cases span across multiple states and foreign countries, be it a divorce, custody action, or a modification. Patty is well versed in the special jurisdictional requirements of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) and the Uniform Family Support Act (UFSA).

Patty is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia. Patty is also a member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, and she is a member of the executive committee of the Military and Veterans Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the DeKalb Bar Association, and a member of the Class of 2012 of Leadership DeKalb.

Patty is admitted to practice with the State Bar of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

Ms. Victoria Helen Watkins Related Seminars and Products

Victoria Watkins Law

Attorney Victoria Watkins was born in the Motor City and raised in sunny Southern California.  Victoria completed her undergraduate coursework at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Reading, England.  She graduated cum laude from the Georgia State University College of Law, where she was a member of the Moot Court Board and interned with the Georgia Council on Aging.

Victoria is a member in good standing of the Georgia Bar and the Cobb County Bar Association, and has served as an Accredited Attorney with the Veterans Administration for over a decade. In addition to helping veterans, her practice encompasses estate planning and guardianship matters. She is a past Board member of the Cobb Services for the Elderly and the Cherokee Services for the Elderly, and currently serves the Cobb County Probate Court as court-appointed counsel and Guardian ad Litem. 

Mr. George Edward Bradford Jr. Related Seminars and Products

George E. Bradford, Jr. was born in Birmingham, Alabama.  He received all of his formal education in the public schools of Texas.  Mr. Bradford received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin’s Plan II Liberal Arts Honors Program.  He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.  Mr. Bradford is licensed to practice law in Maryland, Texas and Georgia. 

For over twenty years George Bradford has presented continuing legal education courses on Veterans Benefits, Veterans Legal Issues, Ethics and Professionalism for the State Bar of Georgia.  During that decade Mr. Bradford was also a leader of the State Bar of Georgia’s Military and Veterans Law Section.  He previously served as the Director of Veterans Legal Issues for the State Bar of Georgia’s Military and Veterans Law Section. 

Mr. Bradford is a Designated Agency Ethics Official for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  And he is founding member to the VA Office of General Counsel’s Ethics Specialty Team where he has nationwide responsible for Ethics education, training and guidance for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Mr. Drew Norman Early Related Seminars and Products

Shewmaker & Lewis LLC

Drew N. Early was born in Harrisonburg VA.  Attended US Military Academy, West Point NY, graduating in 1979.  Served in US Army, to include service with XVIII ABN Corps, Second Infantry Division, Tenth Mountain Division, and Third Army.  Multiple deployments, including Haiti and several to the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, and the Emirates).

Graduate, with honors, US Army Command and General Staff College and follow-on attendance at US Army School of Advanced Military Studies, with an advanced degree in Strategic Planning.  Then multiple planning assignments in the Army, to include Third Army, focusing on the Middle East.  Received separate Master’s Degree in Management while on active duty. 

Graduate JD, cum laude, from Georgia State University and currently of counsel with Shewmaker and Shewmaker for probate and related matters, focused on veterans’ assistance and elder law.  Practicing veterans’ law since 2008.

- Adjunct Professor at Emory University's College of Law

- Executive Director of Emory School of Law’s Volunteer Clinic for Veterans 

Accreditations and Admissions

US Supreme Court
US Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia
US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for State of Georgia
Accredited to practice before the VA
Serving on DeKalb County Probate Court Court-Appointed list
Registered Mediator
 

Published

The Elder Law Journal, Volume 18, Number 1, 2010
Proceedings, US Naval Institute, November 1997
GA Bar Journal
Frequent CLE contributor within GA and to national veterans advocacy groups—CLEs to National Organization of Veterans Advocates conferences in Washington DC, Chicago IL, Las Vegas NV, San Antonio TX, Portland OR, Providence RI, and others.  Separate CLEs in GA and VA.    
 

Awards

2010 Marshall-Tuttle Award from State Bar of Georgia as outstanding lawyer for his service to military and veterans
Numerous US and foreign military awards and decorations
 

Professional Associations

Past Chair, Military and Veterans Section of the State Bar of Georgia
National Organization of Veterans Advocates
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Veterans Benefits Practice and Development Council
 

Expertise

VA cases in multiple US states and possessions, to include Guam and PR.
Expert witness, Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings, 2009.
Nominee, US House of Representatives Veterans Affairs advisory sub-committee, Disability Compensation and Small Business Opportunities

Mr. Eric Alvin Ballinger Related Seminars and Products

The Law Office of Eric A Ballinger LLM PC

Eric Ballinger is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of John Marshall Law School, Atlanta, Georgia, in 1993 and an honors graduate with a Master of Laws in Litigation from Atlanta Law School in 1994.  He has practiced law on Main Street in Canton, Georgia since 1993 as a sole practitioner and “Main Street Lawyer” for nearly thirty years handling cases involving criminal defense, family law, child custody, corporate law, estates, and probate, as well as general litigation.  Mr. Ballinger is rated 10.0 out of 10.0 on Avvo, Av Rated by Martindale Hubble, and a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters. Eric Ballinger has served on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia for the past fifteen years, having served as the Chairman of the Military Legal Assistance Program from 2013 to 2019 as well as the Chair of the Law Practice Management oversight committee, the Member Benefits Committee, the Bench and Bar Committee, and the Wellness Committee.  Eric Ballinger is currently a part-time Judge in the Magistrate Court of Cherokee County.  Prior to attending law school, Eric Ballinger was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps as an Infantry officer and served on active duty as a platoon leader, training officer, company executive officer, and company commander.