Did you know that you can access the latest edition of GTLA's award-winning publication - Verdict - online at any time? With the digital edition of Verdict, instantly access any story, interact with clickable links and advertisements, instantly search the entire publication by keyword and so much more! Included in this edition are can't-miss articles like: "The Perils and Pitfalls of Scheduling Orders," "What Counsel Should Know About the Court of Appeals," "Understanding the Mental Health Privilege" and many more! And, you won't want to miss this edition's 'How We Obtained Justice for Our Client' feature article - "Beneath the Veneer: Sexual Assault, Lies, and Videotape."

The GTLA Annual President's Gala was held on Friday, May 1 at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, and more than 250 GTLA members, elected officials, judges and guests were on hand for the celebration. In addition to the passing of the gavel from outgoing President Linley Jones to newly-elected President Darren Penn, attendees also enjoyed a night of camaraderie and dancing to the smooth sounds of Party Nation. It was a great event and we hope to see you next year! Save the date for April 28-29, 2016 back at the Ritz! 

  

 

 

View all of the photos on our Facebook page... 

The Georgia Trial Lawyers Association has announced that State Representative Dusty Hightower (R-Carrollton) has been named as the Association's 2015 Legislator of the Year. This award, which is given on an individual basis to state or federal legislators who have provided exceptional support to Georgia's Civil Justice System, is the highest honor bestowed upon elected officials by GTLA. "It is a distinct honor to be recognized by the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association as their Legislator of the Year," Representative Hightower said. "I take a tremendous amount of pride in the work that I do in the Legislature, and I take very seriously my oath to protect and uphold the Constitution of our great state."

On the morning of Saturday, May 16, members of GTLA's New Lawyers Division offered their time to volunteer with the Piedmont Park Conservancy. The Conservancy, a non-profit whose mission is to preserve and enhance Atlanta's Piedmont Park, has only six employees and thus relies heavily on volunteers.  

Our NLD members worked in the Community Garden and on various other flower beds throughout the park. The members found the experience to be extremely rewarding from start to finish. You can find out more about the Piedmont Park Conservancy at www.piedmontpark.org.

 

Register now for the 2015 AAJ Annual Convention in Montreal, Canada – July 11-15! Meet with national leaders in your practice areas, join in on the lively exchanges during the more than 300 events, 45 Cutting-Edge CLE Programs, 80 Legal Industry Exhibitors and 34 CLE Credits. Register HERE!

For the special convention promotion, $444/$777, visit www.justice.org/444 or contact Regional Membership Manager Ginger Jirik at 202-450-7361 or ginger.jirik@justice.org.

On behalf of the leadership and staff of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, we would like to extend our congratulations to the 2014-2015 LEAD Class. Looking to fill the shoes of the inaugural LEAD Class just one year before them, this year's participants took the challenge head-on and excelled every step along the way. As they graduated at last month's Annual Convention, we were thrilled to recognize their accomplishments and are extremely optimistic for the future of our Association with rising stars like these future (and current) leaders! 

If you are interested in applying for the 2015-2016 LEAD Class, the application process begins Monday, June 1. Stay tuned for more information! 

 (L-R): Trey Underwood, Michelle Izquierdo King, Yvonne Godfrey, Buddy Morrison, Sutton Connelly, Rob Hammers, Dustin Davies, Darren Tobin, Drew Ashby, Josh Carroll, Catherine Gibson McCauley, Jimmy Miller, Ela Orenstein, MJ Blakely, Zach Thomas & Dallas Roper (Not Pictured: Blake Tillery).

Thank You to Our Newest GTLA Champion Members!
Jack Clay & Buck Daniel

Are you ready to Champ up? Contact Brittany Gurley at bgurley@gtla.org. 

Welcome New GTLA Members!
Matthew Henry Barrett, Dennis Brown, Wayne Cartwright, Angela M. Caruso, Jennifer Collins, Brittany Conklin, Caroll Crew, Alonzo J. Davis, Elizabeth Dloughy, Chase Elleby, Shayla Grayson, Caroline Harwell, Matthew John Huster, James Rayburn Kennamer, Jeana H. Kwon, David Lin, Mary Evelyn Loudermilk, Alex Maggioni, Dionne McGee, Matthew Moreno, Paul Oeland, Jacob W. Poole, Deanna R. Smith, Natalie Vickers Teston, Josh W. Thacker, Sydney R. Thaxton, Erica Tuff, Tiffany A. Wills, Brian Wright & Leah Wright.

Get ready to trade-in your dress shoes for flip-flops and head on down to sunny Sandestin, Florida for the 2015 Auto Torts Workshop! A family-friendly seminar that combines half-day CLE sessions with a fun-filled social calendar, Auto Torts is the perfect opportunity to spend a few days at the beach with your family, friends and colleagues in a relaxed environment. This year's Workshop will be held from Thursday, July 30 - Saturday, Aug. 1 and will offer 9 CLE Credit Hours -- including 3 Trial and 1 Ethics. GTLA has secured a block of rooms at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa starting at $299 per night. Please call the hotel directly to book your accommodations at (850) 267-9500. The deadline to book is Friday, June 26, 2015 and the hotel is filling up fast.

CNN - Takata is nearly doubling the size of its already massive recall for faulty airbags, making it the largest auto recall in history. The company has already recalled airbags used in about 18 million vehicles for the problem. This move will bring that number up to about 34 million autos. The recall is one of the largest consumer product recalls ever. At least five deaths have been tied to the faulty airbags. But Takata has previously resisted demands by regulators to get all the affected airbags off the road.