Wellness is the New Normal

Ms. R. Javoyne Hicks Related Seminars and Products

Secretary

Magnifying Synergy, LLC

Javoyne Hicks, The Velvet Hammer
Executive Leadership/Life/Mindset Trainer, Speaker, Coach & Mediator
Magnifying Synergy, LLC

Meet Javoyne Hicks, the dynamic owner and CEO of Magnifying Synergy. As a certified executive leadership, life, and mindset coach, experienced speaker, trainer and a certified mediator with a distinguished legal background, Javoyne brings a wealth of experience in leadership roles and a steadfast commitment to wellbeing. She also holds certification in the Tree of Humanity coaching program, aimed at helping individuals attain the life they desire and deserve.

Formerly an Acting District Attorney and Chief Assistant District Attorney for DeKalb County, Javoyne has a profound understanding of the legal system and an unshakeable dedication to justice. Her executive journey extends to roles such as Chief of Staff in the federal government, Associate Magistrate, and Clerk of Court. Throughout these positions, she has spearheaded high-level policy decisions, initiated community engagement projects, and optimized organizational processes to enhance technical, financial, legal, and administrative performance.
Javoyne also chairs the State Bar of Georgia Wellness Committee and recently elected to serve as the Secretary for the State Bar of Georgia as such she is a member of the Executive Committee for the Board of Governors. Her leadership journey has been marked by resilience through personal challenges, including overcoming a husband’s suicide, divorce, the death of a parent, and career transitions, all while raising two exceptional children.

Inspired by her experiences, Javoyne has been a passionate advocate for incorporating wellness—encompassing physical, mental, social, and financial dimensions—into everyday life. Her expertise makes her a highly sought-after speaker, panelist, and keynote presenter at numerous organizations, legal education sessions, and conferences. She has also provided executive leadership training and individual coaching for C-suite executives and staff. In addition to chairing a committee for the State Bar of Georgia, she holds the position of Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Institute for Lawyer Well-Being (IWIL) and serves on the board of the Georgia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

These roles have honed her management skills, enabling her to guide individuals and teams toward success. With a genuine passion for people and deep insights into human dynamics, Javoyne empowers a diverse range of clients, fostering growth and unlocking their full potential. Her unique combination of legal acumen, leadership experience, and personal resilience sets her apart as a trusted coach for attorneys, executives and staff striving to excel in today's complex business environment while maintaining holistic wellness.

Mr. Doug Leonard Related Seminars and Products

Douglas Leonard Consulting

Mrs. Amanda Renee Flora Related Seminars and Products

Henry County Magistrate Court

Amanda is currently serving as the Presiding Magistrate Judge in Henry County Magistrate Court.  Prior to joining the Magistrate Court in Henry County she spent 12 years working in the criminal field as a prosecutor, public Defender and an assistant solicitor general. After being offered an opportunity to take the leap into private practice, in 2016 Amanda joined the firm of Pandora E. Palmer, P.C. where she learned the ins and outs of a private practice which focused on domestic, criminal, personal injury, probate and juvenile court.  This allowed Amanda to expand her knowledge of the law well beyond the criminal field she had been practicing in for so many years.  Amanda currently serves on the Board of Governor’s and is in her second term doing so and is currently serving on the legislative committee.  She also serves on the Magistrate Court Council, as a District 6 Representative while also serving on the curriculum committee, executive committee and legislative committee.  Previously Amanda has served locally for the Henry County Bar Association in the role of President, Vice President, Secretary, and member at large.  Her community involvement included serving on the board of directors for Haven House (a domestic violence women’s shelter), Prevent Child Abuse Henry County and the Southern Crescent Sexual Assault Center.  Currently she serves as Secretary for the Raise Me Up Foundation in Henry County. She lives in Henry County with her husband and their four year old son, Trevor.

Ms. Tara Rice Simkins Related Seminars and Products

Founder

Soul Shine Lab

Ms. Rotsen Dara Diya Law Related Seminars and Products

Claimant's attorney

Ramos & Law

Claimant's attorney

Ms. Alina Lee Related Seminars and Products

Your Ad Attorney, Inc.

Ms. Frederica Joy White Related Seminars and Products

The White Legal Group LLC

Ms. Idara Ekaete Bassey Related Seminars and Products

Mr. Paul Enrique Knowlton Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Stanton Law, LLC

PAUL E. KNOWLTON, J.D., M.DIV.
Partner – Stanton Law LLC, Atlanta, GA
Fractional CEO – Institute for Better Capitalism, Inc, Decatur, GA

Paul brings a unique and hard-fought perspective to the issues of attorney wellbeing and profitability. 

Prior to law school, he managed a busy corporate career as an engineer and construction manager with national builders in the metro-Atlanta and metro-Philadelphia markets, and then as a forensic engineer with a national footprint at Georgia-Pacific. After law school his legal career highlights include six years in BigLaw; co-founding, co-managing, and selling his shares in an IP boutique; being turn-around director for another law firm; being turn-around CEO for a residential foster care agency; and, currently being a partner at Stanton Law. From law clerk to partner, he is no stranger to the stresses of the practice and business of law. 

Co-author of the 2021 Amazon No. 1 new release business ethics book, Better Capitalism: Jesus, Adam Smith, Ayn Rand, and MLK Jr. on Moving from Plantation to Partnership Economics, Paul is now also the fractional CEO of the emerging 501(c)(3) think-tank, Institute for Better Capitalism, Inc.

In addition to being licensed in GA and the 11th Circuit, a registered patent attorney, a Henning trained mediator and arbitrator, a Martindale Hubbell Distinguished attorney, and Georgia Trend Legal Elite, Paul has co-chaired the wellbeing CLE programs for the State Bar of Georgia’s Attorney Wellness Committee since its inception. 

Paul’s earned his Bachelor of Science in engineering from Temple University, his Juris Doctorate from Georgia State College of Law, and most recently his Master of Divinity from Mercer University.  

Ms. Paula J. Frederick Related Seminars and Products

General Counsel

State Bar of Georgia

Paula Frederick is General Counsel for the State Bar of Georgia, a unified bar organization with 54,000 members. As general counsel, Frederick is responsible for interpreting the ethics rules for lawyers, prosecuting lawyer discipline cases, and providing legal advice to the officers and directors of the organization. She has served in the Office of the General Counsel for 35 years, and was Deputy General Counsel for Discipline before assuming the General Counsel role.

Frederick is a 1982 graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Law and a 1979 graduate of Duke University. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, she spent six years as a staff attorney with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society handling civil legal matters for low-income people.

Frederick is a past president of the Atlanta Bar Association and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. She is also an active member of the American Bar Association, where she is chair of the Center for Professional Responsibility.  In the past she has served the ABA as chair of its Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, chair of the Standing Committee on Lawyer Regulation, as a member of the Board of Governors, and as chair of the Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity. 

Hon. Shondeana Crews Morris Related Seminars and Products

Judge

DeKalb County Superior Court

Judge Shondeana Morris was appointed to the DeKalb County Superior Court on June 17, 2019. Prior to Judge Morris’ appointment, she served as a DeKalb County State Court Judge.

Judge Morris earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Georgia and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Albany State University. She graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in 1997 and was admitted to the Georgia Bar that same year.

After graduating from law school, Judge Morris served as an Assistant Solicitor in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1999, she joined the Fulton County Office of the District Attorney and was promoted to Deputy District Attorney. As Deputy District Attorney, Judge Morris provided leadership to the Public Integrity Unit, where she worked to ensure public trust in local government and law enforcement; the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit, where she worked to protect families and children; and the Community Prosecution Unit, where she worked with communities and criminal justice partners to provide safe neighborhoods. In recognition of her outstanding trial expertise, Judge Morris received the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation Trial Advocacy Award in 2009.

Judge Morris is involved with many professional, civic, and religious organizations. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the DeKalb Bar Association, the DeKalb Lawyers Association, the Gate City Bar Association, and the Lawyers Club of Georgia. She serves on several committees for the State Bar of Georgia. Judge Morris also served on the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission, and she is the former chair of the Gate City Bar Association Judicial Section. Judge Morris serves as a proud member of the University of Georgia Alumni Board of Directors and Mercer University Law School Alumni BALSA Council.

An alumnus of Leadership DeKalb, Judge Morris served for nearly a decade as an Executive Board Member of the International Women’s House, a non-profit domestic violence shelter, a member of the Stone Mountain-Lithonia chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and a member of the Lions Club. Committed to the development of young people, she is a member of the Criminal Justice Advisory Board for Atlanta Technical College and frequently serves as a mentor and speaker on topics ranging from law and ethics to mental and physical wellness. Judge Morris is the State Bar of Georgia Suicide Awareness and Prevention committee chairperson and travels the country providing education and awareness to end deaths by suicide. Judge Morris also serves as the past chairperson of DeKalb County CASA.

Hon. Render Max Heard Jr. Related Seminars and Products

Tifton Circuit Juvenile Court

Mr. Matthew Maurice McCord Related Seminars and Products

The Law Office of Matthew M McCord PC

Hon. Alvin T. Wong Related Seminars and Products

DeKalb County State Court

Alvin T. Wong was elected Judge of the State Court of DeKalb County in 1998. He was the first Asian Pacific American (APA) to run for public office in metro Atlanta and the first to be elected judge in the Southeast. Elected in a county where Asians made up less than 2% of registered voters, he has served continuously unopposed for 25 years. He served as Chief Judge in 2023 - 2024.

A former partner at Gambrell and Stolz (now Baker Donelson), Judge Wong had 21 years of experience as a corporate and trial attorney before running for office. He chaired the State Bar’s Investigative Panel for disciplinary action against unethical practices by Georgia attorneys. In 2004, he co-founded a DUI Court designated a model court in 2020.

His heart is in the community. He is past president of the Council of State Court Judges, the first APA president of any judicial council in Georgia history. He serves on the ABA House of Delegates, representing the Georgia Bar. And, he has volunteered on the boards of Fernbank Museum of Natural History, LifeLine Animal Project, and the NAPABA Law Foundation, mentoring future leaders as co-director of its Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition.

In May 2022, the State Bar awarded him its Commitment to Equality Randolph Thrower Lifetime Achievement Award. Other honors include the State Bar’s Tradition of Excellence Award and Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award; the Daily Report’s Professional Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award; and a NAPABA Trailblazer Award. In 2014, GAPABA (the Georgia Asian Bar which he co-founded) established its highest award, the Judge Alvin T. Wong Pioneer Award, in his honor.

Al Wong immigrated to the U.S. from Hong Kong at age 14. He lives in Brookhaven with wife Jeannie Lin, a strategic communications professional, their three cats, and Coco, a special-needs dachshund mix.

Hon. Jaslovelin Lall Related Seminars and Products

The RMN Agency/BAY Mediation and Arbitration

Ms. Candice Devonne McKinley Related Seminars and Products

C McKinley Law & Associates

Hard work, integrity, and a commitment to service are the guiding principles that serve as motivation and inspiration for Candice McKinley. With over 20 years of experience in education, law, and policy, Candice created C. McKinley Law, a black owned, women led law firm to give other minority women the opportunity to learn and grow as litigators while still having a life and family. As a first generation college and law school graduate she is the first lawyer in her family. She is a proud mother of two scholars who received their education in the DeKalb County Public School District. Candice’s family roots and passion for justice, reform, and equity---across racial, economic and quality of life divides---keeps her grounded to stay vigilant in pursuing and obtaining the desired results for her clients.

In 2020, Candice joined the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) as a legal-eagle in the Office of Legal Affairs and then transitioned into DCSD’s Office of School Innovation. This up close and personal experience has reaffirmed Candice’s students, and parents' advocacy, to do more to promote, support, and ensure schools as safe places to learn and thrive for all students. As a civil litigator and armed with her prior experiences in the private sector, specializing in the areas of civil rights, education, employment, and personal injury---Candice remains steadfast in identifying all opportunities to be engaged, an active participant in causing and effectuating change, reform, and activism.

Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Candice worked in the Atlanta Public School System as a first grade teacher in the Bowen Homes housing community. Following teaching, Candice co-developed a community based after-school program in the Vine City area. After leaving the classroom and earning her law degree, she relocated to Washington D.C. to work in the Office of Senator Michael F. Bennet on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)/Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. This experience sealed her fate to forever combine her passions for the law and high quality, sustainable education.

EDUCATION: Candice earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Spelman College, Teacher Certificate from Georgia State University Education Department, and her Juris Doctorate from Florida A&M University College of Law.

HOBBIES & FUN STUFF: Traveling to anywhere in the world is enjoyed by Candice the adventurer. She does, however, prefers destinations that have a warm climate and are near an ocean. Candice is a former triathlete and a current coach of the SBR Triathlon Team. And she is also the Vice Chair of the Georgia Bar Association Wellness Committee, and a certified Pilates instructor.