PRACTICE AREAS

Real estate finance and litigation comprises a large part of the firm’s practice.   Our firm handles both commercial and residential real estate transactions.   Legal services include matters such as the closing of title to real estate; refinances; loan modifications; examination of title and the rendering of legal opinions concerning title; issuance of title insurance; preparing contracts to buy and sell property; reviewing contracts to buy and sell property; preparation of deeds, agreements, easements and covenants; tax deferred exchanges (1031 exchanges); preparation of or review of residential and commercial lease agreements.

We work closely with your realtor and lender to make sure you receive the best service and communication.  Buying or selling a home or land is an important legal transaction and you deserve the peace of mind in knowing that it is handled in a professional and competent manner.

If you are a realtor and need a title issue cleared up before you list the property for sale, give us a call.  We are happy to work with your seller to address any title defects or issues so it is ready to close when listed.

Please click here for additional information on the real estate process.

We offer a variety of services for our business clients.

Our firm forms and organizes various businesses from corporations to limited liability companies to general partnership agreements for our clients. We understand that properly forming your business in the beginning goes a long way in avoiding potential personal liability for a poorly or improperly formed business entity.  As a result, filing “papers” with the Secretary of State is only one of several steps involved in the process when our firm is requested to assist a client in setting up a new company. From assisting clients in drafting and reviewing contracts; serving as your company’s registered agent; drafting employment agreements to the purchase of assets, we work closely with our business clients to ensure their needs are met in a timely and professional manner.

If you are a local business owner, you should have an attorney available who understands your business.  This ensures that when questions or issues arise, you do not waste time having to meet and hire an attorney, but are able to make telephone call or send a quick email to “your lawyer”.

We believe a well planned estate could save thousands of dollars in legal fees incurred by the estate or beneficiaries where the deceased died without a will or with a bad will.  When meeting with us, we will determine what your desired end results are and then work out an estate plan that most efficiently and effectively will reach your goal. This includes, in addition to a well drafted Last Will and Testament, the addition of trusts and particularly trusts where there are minor children receiving gifts, health care directives and drafting powers of attorney. Our firm also works closely with certified public accountants and financial advisors to ensure all aspects of your estate plan are addressed in a manner that best suits your needs.

In Georgia, if you die without a will, then the State of Georgia will decide through established laws how your estate will be divided – – not you.  If you want to decide who will inherit your estate, then contact us to discuss all of your options.  In addition, trusts are not just for the wealthy.  There are many ways that a skilled attorney can assist you in ensuring your wishes are clearly defined. Our firm provides zealous representation to protect the interests of our clients and ensure the estate is fairly and properly handled.

Family Law is a broad practice area. Some of the legal services we provide are adoptions and guardianships of minor children; divorces; disputes involving visitation and child support; modifying existing court orders due to changed circumstances; filing contempt actions where one party to a divorce has violated the divorce decree; legitimation and paternity actions; and legally changing the name of an adult or child.

Many times we consult with clients who are not ready to divorce, but need to know their legal rights, responsibilities and reasonable expectations if counseling and other efforts to save the marriage ultimately fail.

Family law cases normally involve multiple issues that must be carefully considered, from visitation arrangements to the amount of child support paid, debt division and domestic violence issues to name a few. Our firm provides clients with a caring and experienced team approach, working closely with the client, to resolve the issues that may arise.

The term “General Civil” practice encompasses an extremely broad range of issues.  In fact “civil” legal matters are nearly everything except for “criminal” legal matters.

Our firm primarily handles matters such as disputes with neighbors; property damage claims; construction litigation; we also represent many local homeowners’ associations in regard to drafting, implementing and enforcing the community’s rules and covenants; we draft contracts and sue over a breach or violation of a contract, to name a few examples.  In addition, we work with clients who were harmed or injured due to the negligence of another, such as slip and fall cases or automobile accidents.

Our firm provides legal services to landlords or tenants in both commercial and residential lease agreements.

We have assisted many clients over the years with various disputes from not maintaining the property in a good condition, wrongful eviction, rent collection and lawsuits to recover monies for property damage.  We believe the key to any good landlord and tenant relationship is a well drafted lease agreement.  In fact, many of the cases we have handled over the years arose out of vague or poorly drafted lease agreements.  Lease agreements should be customized to the specific needs and expectations of the landlord and thoroughly read, understood and, where appropriate, particular terms negotiated.  Having an attorney fully explain the terms of a lease to our tenant clients so he or she understands what is expected under the contract goes a long way in avoiding potential costly and time consuming legal battles later on. Our landlord clients appreciate the value in having an attorney available when questions or issues arise with a tenant as well as to draft customized and specific lease agreements that are appropriate for the needs of the landlord.

If you are negotiating a lease agreement with a potential landlord, give us a call to review the agreement before you sign it.  If you are a landlord and have not updated or reviewed your lease agreement in a while, give us a call.  We will listen carefully to your concerns and past tenant issues and draft a lease agreement designed to address those issues in the future.