Experience

• Successfully prosecuted and defended numerous complex lawsuits and ADR proceedings, including breach of contract, trade secrets, antitrust, RICO, class actions, and unfair competition claims.
• Drafted many customer-facing forms, loan agreements, online terms, and privacy policies, developing substantive expertise in UCC, privacy, usury, licensing, judgment collection, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) areas.
• Counseled and defended clients in various employee and executive claims (restrictive covenant, discrimination, FLSA, etc.).
• Analyzed and negotiated thorny controversies with various client customers, competitors, manufacturers, lenders, dealers, distributors, employees, landlords, and retail consumers.
• Advised multiple automotive clients on potential anti-competition claims against leading industry technology providers.
• Defended a nationwide customer research management provider in arbitration regarding a software dispute.
• Represented an automotive wholesale inventory lender in a complex, putative class action regarding alleged interest practices.
• Achieved a favorable settlement for an international chemical compounder in a trade secrets matter related to a proprietary chemical recycling process.
• Rewrote a suite of customer purchase agreements and policies for an international automotive remarketer.
• Counsels and defends a professional partnership on a recurring basis in operational and employment claims.
• Advised on and responded to various claims against clients for alleged banning, blacklisting and refusal to deal practices under federal and state antitrust and anti-competition rules.
• Advises an automotive industry client on the potential expansion of its service offerings.

Articles

• "Batten the Hatches: Preparing for an Automotive Dispute," JD Supra (November 14, 2023)
• "Steering Through Privacy: State Law Variation Affecting Auto Dealers," JD Supra (August 3, 2023)
• "Proposed FTC Rule to Prohibit Non-Competes," JD Supra (January 9, 2023)
• "Georgia Direct Sales Bill Could Be Boon to EV Makers," Law360 (March 10, 2022)
• "Georgia Legislature Considers Expanded Franchise Exception for EV Makers," JD Supra (February 4, 2022)
• "Now More Than Ever, Automakers Must Protect Trade Secrets," JD Supra (December 13, 2021)
• "Loss Mitigation Strategies for Commercial Creditors," JD Supra (September 2, 2021)
• "Companies Must Consider Electric Vehicles' Unique Risk Profile," Law360 (June 23, 2021)
• “Legal Alert: Electric Vehicle Incentives – Federal,” JD Supra (March 30, 2021)
• “Legal Alert: Electric Vehicle Incentives in Georgia,” JD Supra (March 3, 2021)
• “Legal Alert: Special treatment for motor vehicle inventory interest under new federal tax law,” JD Supra (January 30, 2018)
• “How Highly Automated Vehicles Will Drive Legal Change,” Law360 (August 2, 2017)
• “Legal Alert: Transportation Disrupted: AI in the Driver’s Seat,” Lexology (June 5, 2017)
• “Auto Companies Should Take Note of Recent DTSA Case Law,” Law360 (December 7, 2016)
• “Remarketing Recalls in a Preregulated World,” Law360 (October 11, 2016)
• “What the Supreme Court Giveth, the CFPB Taketh Away,” New York Law Journal (July 18, 2016)
• “Laying the Groundwork for Automotive E-Titles,” Law360 (May 2, 2016)
• “Potential Impact of CFPB’s Proposed Auto Lender Rule,” Law360 (October 14, 2014)
• “Legal Alert: CFPB Proposes to Examine and Directly Supervise Nonbank Auto Lenders,” JD Supra (September 19, 2014)
• “Legal Alert: CFPB Plans Supervision of Nonbank Automobile Lenders,” JD Supra (June 2, 2014)
• “CFPB Credit Card Crackdown May Carry to Auto Lending,” Law360 (May 29, 2014)
• “Keeping the Lights On,” Auto Dealer Monthly (August 2013)
• “Avoid the Single Entity Test in Corporate Transactions,” Corporate Counsel (July 9, 2013)
• “A Map to the Minefield of Financial Regulations Affecting Car Dealers,” Corporate Compliance Insights (June 2012)
• “Client Alert: Changes to UCC Article 9,” Lexology (January 2011)
• “Client Alert: Red Flag Program Clarification Act,” Lexology (December 2010)
• “Truth in Lending Act Changes: Effects on Private Lenders,” Career Education Review (July 2010)
• “Client Alert: Is Your Telecommunications Company Ready for the Red Flags Rule?” Martindale (March 2009)
• “State Supreme Court Strikes Down Georgia’s Rape Confidentiality Statute,” Libel Defense Resource Center Libel Letter (Oct. 22, 2001)
• “Survey of Georgia and Related Claims Against the Media,” Media Law Research Center 50-State Survey: Media Privacy and Related Law (2001 - 2003)
• “Tapping Officials’ Secrets in Georgia,” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Tapping Officials' Secret (50-State Survey) (2001-2002)

Speaking & Presentations

• “Time to Fight: Prepping for an Automotive Dispute,” National Remarketing Conference - Used Car Week (November 2023)
• "Buckle Up: The Revised FTC Safeguards Rule for Remarketers," National Remarketing Conference - Used Car Week (November 2022)
• 2022 Law School Orientations on Professionalism - University of Georgia School of Law (August 2022)
• "Remarketing Recharged - Insulating Against EV Shocks," National Remarketing Conference - Used Car Week (November 2021)
• "Tempered Enthusiasm - A Survey of Electric Vehicle (EV) Risks," Auto Intel Summit (May 2021)
• “Protecting Your Mobility IP,” National Remarketing Conference – Used Car Week (November 2019)
• “Loss Mitigation for Auctions and Floor Planners,” National Remarketing Conference (November 2018)
• “Eyes on the Road? Data Privacy and Cybersecurity for Highly Automated Vehicles,” Pre-Owned and National Remarketing/National Auto Auction Association Conferences (November 2017)
• “Transportation Disrupted: Artificial Intelligence in the Driver’s Seat,” (May 2017)
• “Remarketing Open Recalls in a Pre-Regulated World,” National Remarketing and NAAA Conference (November 2016)
• “Audits, Inquiries and Questionnaires – Legal Backdrop and Best Practices,” National Remarketing Conference (November 2015)
• “The CFPB and Its Impact on the Automobile Remarketing Industry,” National Remarketing Conference (November 2014)
• “Recurring Legal Issues in Institutional Loans,” So. Assoc. of Student Financial Aid Admins. (February 2013)
• “A Map to the Minefield of Financial Regulations Affecting Car Dealers,” large automotive client (July 2012)
• “The Red Flags Rule as ‘Clarified,’” Commercial Vehicle Training Association, Spring 2011 Conference (March 2011)
• “Webinar: Truth in Lending or Regulation Z: What It Means and Why It Matters to You,” Commercial Vehicle Training Association (February 2010)
• “Georgia Open Records Act and Its Impact on Police Officers,” Georgia Police Officer Safety Training Center (2000 & 2001)

Education

• J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
• B.A., summa cum laude, University of Tennessee

Involvement