Practice Areas:
Complex litigation, transactional law, municipal and local government law, estate planning, and administration.

Mike is a native of Rockmart, Georgia and practices in the firm’s Cedartown office.  He has been lead counsel on numerous matters of complex litigation in federal and state courts, including successful appeals. Since joining the firm in 1999, Mike has successfully tried, mediated or otherwise settled numerous personal injury cases resulting in several million dollars in awards to clients of the firm.  His experience has included class actions, complex litigation, personal injury and wrongful death for both plaintiffs and defendants.  He served as lead counsel in a precedent setting case involving litigation over governmental finance in Regions Bank vs. City of Bremen, [City of Bremen, et al. vs. Regions Bank, et al., 274 Ga. 733, 559 S.E. 2d 440, 02 FCDR 343 (2002)]. He has served as City Attorney for the City of Cedartown and Rockmart for over twenty years.  In addition, he serves as legal counsel for the Polk and Haralson County Water Authorities.  He has been a frequent lecturer and guest speaker in the area of municipal law, especially ethics in government.  He authored and co-founded the Georgia Municipal Association’s Model Code of Ethics.

Mike was the first Chairman of Cedartown’s Community Relations Commission and is a Permanent Life Member and Secretary of the W. D. Trippe Optimist Youth Foundation.  Mike is a Director and Vice-Chairman of the Board of First National Bank of Polk County, and a Director of SouthCrest Financial Group. He has provided pro bono legal services to the United Methodist Church throughout his career and serves as legal counsel for numerous Methodist organizations.  He has served his local Methodist Church in many capacities including Chairman of the Administrative Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of the Staff Parish Relations Committee and in numerous other roles.  He and his wife Beverly have three children and two grandchildren.