April 30, 2018

4-30-18MSP showed support for the Exchange Club Family Resource Center by dressing in blue for “Blue Monday.” The mission of the Family Resource Center is to provide education and support services to families in Rome and Floyd County, Georgia. They work to strengthen parenting and life skills in order to prevent child abuse and neglect, providing safety, permanency, and well being for countless children and families.

This is MSP’s fourth year participating in the Family Resource Center’s Blue Monday awareness campaign.

April 4, 2018

Mike at UGA

MSP Partner and Cedartown City Attorney Michael D. McRae recently had the honor of speaking at the Newly Elected Officials Institute hosted by the University of Georgia. Since 1984 the Institute has introduced incoming city leaders to best practices in local governance. McRae was 2018’s keynote speaker on ethics for municipal officials, having authored and co-founded the Model Code of Ethics for the Georgia Municipal Association. The attached article featured prominently in the February 28, 2018 edition of the Polk County Standard Journal. (Click on picture to expand).

April 2, 2018

4-2-18MSP is proud to announce that partner Virginia Barrow Harman was elected last month to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for The Georgia Conservancy. Virginia is shown above on a paddle trip which the Georgia Conservancy sponsored on Georgia’s great Altamaha River.

The Georgia Conservancy is a statewide, member-supported conservation organization. Founded in 1967, the Georgia Conservancy has a rich history of working with private citizens, business, government and academia to protect and conserve the state’s natural resources. The GC works for land conservation, environmental advocacy, coastal protection, sustainable growth and outdoor stewardship and recognizes the connection between the environment, the economy and our quality of life here in Georgia.

A life-long advocate for conservation and stewardship of our natural resources, Virginia states that she is extremely excited to serve with such a well-respected and effective organization as the Georgia Conservancy.

March 30, 2018

3-30-18Congratulations to MSP attorney Linton S. Johnson, III on his latest success in the courtroom. Lint was recently hired by a client who had been charged with a criminal violation of the Georgia Move-Over Law, which requires Georgia drivers to take certain actions when approaching stopped emergency vehicles. Lint’s client was driving her vehicle in the shoulder lane where two police vehicles had pulled over an 18-wheeler truck. One of the officers immediately got back in his car and pulled over our client to issue her a Move-Over Law citation.

Prior to trial, Lint was able to obtain a dash-cam video of the alleged infraction. After reviewing the tape and other evidence, Lint was able to present his client’s version of events to the prosecuting attorney showing that the officers were hidden from view by the 18-wheeler truck. Lint secured a complete dismissal of all charges without trial and our client was thereby spared from any wrongful court fines, license points, driving record infractions, or insurance premium increases. This case was another example of how a thorough examination of criminal charges through the eyes of trained counsel such as Lint can greatly benefit a criminal defendant.

March 23, 2018

3-23-18Attorney Scott Smith is seen being introduced by David Prusakowksi at this morning’s Downtown Coffee Break sponsored by the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce. MSP hosted the event with around 40 in attendance. Several additional speakers discussed various upcoming community activities and events. Thanks to all who came!

March 18, 2018

3-18-18We had a great time running in the Berry Half Marathon, 10k and 5k race last weekend, with 32 MSP Family and Friends participating. We would like to thank all the supporters and volunteers who helped make it such an incredibly fun and successful event!

3-18-18

March 8, 2018


Partner Virginia Harman has been featured in a video published by the Partnership for Conservation. Virginia added that

“Conservation is a passion of mine. It’s the reason I’ve been in Washington this week to promote conservation easements as a tool to bring public policy and private dollars together to preserve and protect important properties from development.”

The Partnership for Conservation is a coalition that advocates for the interests and rights of land conservation donors and land trusts, as well as provides education and resources to ensure all of those involved in the private conservation of land and natural resources are adhering to a set of best practices and high-quality standards.

March 6, 2018

3-6-18Congrats to Amy and Todd Lander for completing the Disney half marathon in January!

February 28, 2018

2-27-18MSP Associate Ben Stell was recently sworn in to practice law in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. This authorizes Ben to practice in any of the four divisions comprising the Northern District of Georgia, which are the Atlanta, Gainesville, Newnan and Rome divisions. Ben had the distinct honor of being sworn in by Senior Judge Harold Lloyd Murphy (pictured).

Judge Murphy was nominated for his position by President Jimmy Carter, and received his commission on July 29, 1977. Judge Murphy has a long career of public service. Some of Judge Murphy’s many accolades include serving in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946, as a Georgia state representative from 1951 to 1961, as a Superior Court judge for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit from 1971 to 1977, and in his current role as a federal judge from 1977 through the present.

February 17, 2018

2-17-18Congratulations to MSP Partner Scott Smith. As previously posted, Scott has been named by the Heart of the Community Foundation as a 2018 recipient of the Heart of the Community Award. The black tie affair was held on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Forum in downtown Rome. Congratulations again, Scott!

Pictured left to right are Chris Jackson, Lee Niedrach, Scott Smith, Jule Peek, Jordan Knight, and Brian Bojo.