Courtney Bahe, Esq. at Goodman McGuffey’s Orlando office is currently serving as co-editor of the News & 440 Report, which is the online newsletter publication for the workers’ compensation section of the Florida Bar. The newsletter has recently been revamped in its format to provide current section information, new features of Health & Wellness and a Section Member Spotlight with planned publication on a quarterly basis.
Great job Courtney!
The Summer Clerk Program at Goodman McGuffey allows law students to be exposed to all aspects of the firm’s practice and our experienced attorney’s across various practice groups and offices. Summer clerks are assigned comprehensive assignments ranging from legal research to drafting and preparing legal briefs, correspondence, and other pleadings. We also strive to provide our summer clerks with firsthand experience to work alongside our attorneys. This summer our clerks attended depositions, hearings, bench trials, and jury trials.
Firm events and outings are also an integral part of Goodman McGuffey’s Summer Clerk Program. The photos below were taken at an associate/clerk outing to an Atlanta Braves game. We believe our firm offers summer clerks professional opportunities and responsibility early on in their career to better them for the future.
“Goodman McGuffey’s summer clerk program is designed to give law students invaluable insight into the daily life of a civil defense attorney. During my summer clerk experience, I got hands-on experience with diverse research and writing projects as well as practical experience by observing the attorneys at trials, depositions, hearings, etc. The attorneys at Goodman McGuffey made me feel like I belonged and that they wanted me to succeed.”
Goodman McGuffey Partner Elissa Haynes and Associate Bert Noble obtained a defense verdict last week following a two-day trial in front of Judge Eric Richardson in Fulton County, Georgia. The case involved a disputed liability car accident that occurred when the Plaintiff (who was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her daughter) and Defendant were merging onto the downtown connector. No citations were issued. Plaintiff, who had extensive pre-existing injuries, claimed new injuries in addition to aggravation of her pre-existing injuries. Plaintiff’s chiropractor appeared live and testified that the accident caused each of Plaintiff’s injuries but was confronted on cross-examination with evidence of bias and attorney-referred treatment. During opening and closing arguments, Plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury to award $135,000.00. The jury deliberated for under two hours before returning a verdict in favor of the defendant.
Goodman McGuffey, LLP’s, Wade McGuffey, will be participating in the panel discussion, “CMS / MSA…. Latest Advice From A Changing Landscape” at the 71st Annual Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA) Convention hosted in Savannah, GA on August 1st, 2019. The panel, moderated by Douglas Holmes, President of UWC, also consists of Rafael Gonzalez, President of Optum Work Comp/Settlement Solutions. Both experts will share ideas and opinions regarding the most recent developments impacting the Medicare Set-Aside, as well as the most current advice, with a focus on the differences between self-administered MSA’s and those workers who seek professional services.
Wade McGuffey is an adept trial attorney and founding partner of Goodman McGuffey, LLP. Wade leads the firm’s multi-state workers’ compensation practice and has substantial experience working with insurance companies, as well as self-insured companies, within Georgia and across the Southeast for over 30 years.
Wade is a certified mediator and has spoken to numerous groups on a variety of legal topics including workers’ compensation, disability discrimination, ethics, personnel law and OSHA and was an instructor in the State Board of Workers’ Compensation Certified Workers’ Compensation Program for many years. He is a member of the Chairman’s Advisory Council, Medical Subcommittee, of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation, and was a member of the Courts Task Force of Citizens for Dunwoody. He was on the Ethics Board, City of Dunwoody and served as the Vice-Chair. He was the Editor, An Employer’s Guide to Georgia Workers’ Compensation Law, Second Edition, and Employee Leasing: An Employer’s Guide. He is an Honorary Life Member, Young Agents Committee, Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia and has been recognized by Atlanta Magazine as a Super Lawyer multiple times.
Wade is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and The Florida Bar; and is active in the Atlanta Bar Association (Director, Workers’ Compensation Section, 1994 to 1996, Secretary/Treasurer 1997, Chair-Elect 1998 & Chair 1999); Defense Research Institute; Georgia Employers Workers’ Compensation Association (formerly Georgia Self-Insurers Association); Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; Atlanta Claims Association; and Lawyers Club of Atlanta.
Recently Robert Luskin, Elissa Haynes, and Matt Matovich (pictured below) traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana where they hosted a seminar for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance. As part of this annual tradition, the team visited a Fort Wayne Tin Caps Baseball game to enjoy some Minor League fun. While the trip was filled with meaningful client visits and interaction, the Tin Caps lost to the visiting South Bend Cubs. Despite the loss, the experience was all smiles for Team Goodman McGuffey!
Goodman McGuffey, LLP is pleased to announce the hiring of five new attorneys across various practice groups and office locations: Paula Smith (Atlanta), Alyce Ogunsola (Atlanta), Andrew Riera (Orlando), Chelsea Salmonsen (Sarasota), and David Wieland (Orlando). The firm is delighted to welcome these new talents and enthusiastic about their future’s here at Goodman McGuffey, LLP.
Paula F. Smith is a partner in Goodman McGuffey, LLP’s Atlanta office and represents primarily self-insured and commercially insured employers across the State in a wide array of workers’ compensation matters. Paula has represented various employer/insurer(s) throughout the state of Georgia becoming acquainted with the multitude of state-wide Administrative Law Judges. She also formed The Law Firm of Paula F. Smith LLC with a “mixed” practice handling worker’ compensation claims on both sides of the aisle and enabling her to gain perspective into the needs and motivations of both the employer/insurer, as well as the injured worker. Ms. Smith was admitted to the Georgia Bar and to the Florida Bar. Paula has been “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is also an active member of the Atlanta Lawyers Club. Paula received her B.A. degree cum laude from the University of Alabama and obtained her law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Alyce B. Ogunsola is an Associate Attorney at Goodman McGuffey, LLP’s Atlanta office and primarily focuses on representing employers in a wide array of employment matters including discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, Family Medical Leave Act, and directors and officer’s liability. Prior to joining the firm, Alyce was as an attorney with the Georgia Department of Community Health, advising the agency on employment and health law matters. She also previously served as the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator for the Federal Housing Finance Agency and worked as an associate at a boutique labor and employment law firm in Washington, D.C. Alyce received her J.D. from Cornell Law School and graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in English. Alyce is licensed to practice law in Georgia, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Andrew R. Riera joined Goodman McGuffey as an associate in the Orlando, Florida office. Andrew focuses his practice primarily in the area of workers’ compensation. Prior to joining Goodman McGuffey, Andrew worked in workers’ compensation risk management for 3 years and graduated from the University of Florida College of Law. Prior to law school, Andrew graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but currently resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife, Petta-Gay, and their two children.
Chelsea V. Salmonsen joined Goodman McGuffey, LLP’s Sarasota, Florida office and primarily focuses her practice in the area of insurance coverage and defense. Prior to joining Goodman McGuffey, Chelsea worked in the Sarasota State Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted in both County and Circuit Court and is a member of the Florida Bar. Chelsea graduated from Stetson University College of Law and interned at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa, as well as the Sarasota and Tampa State Attorney’s Offices, while in law school. She is originally from Massachusetts, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors from Clark University in Worcester with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in Law and Society. Chelsea is a member of the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court and currently resides in Bradenton.
David Boone Wieland joined the Orlando office of Goodman McGuffey, LLP after working as an attorney handling Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability cases, as well as civil litigation matters in both county and circuit courts across Florida. He has extensive experience in the Workers’ Compensation field having grown up in the world of Florida’s Workers’ Compensation with his grandfather, Judge Bill Wieland, serving as a Judge with the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims in Orlando, FL along with his father and brother actively practicing in the field. He is a member of the Florida Bar, Orange County Bar Association, and Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar. David is also an active member of the Worker’s Compensation section of the Florida Bar. David received his law degree from Florida State University’s College of Law. He interned with the Public Defender’s Office for the Ninth Circuit and clerked for a statewide insurance defense firm in Tallahassee while in law school. Prior to law school, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida State University.
Florida Legal Elite List 2019
We are proud to announce that Cathi M. Carson-Freymann, a Partner at Goodman McGuffey, LLP was featured in Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite 2019 list. Cathi has an extensive legal background, including experience as an on-air investigative reporter and legal analyst. During her eight-year tenure as an investigator, Cathi was awarded 1st Place for Investigative Reporting and 1st Place for Individual Achievement by the Florida Associated Press.
About the Achievement
Florida Trend is an online and print publication that covers business, industry, education, and lifestyle news as it relates to the state of Florida. Florida Legal Elite 2019 consists of prestigious individuals chosen by their peers who have demonstrated excellence in their profession.
Congratulations to Cathi!Click here to learn more about the recognition process and the exemplary individuals that were chosen.
Additionally, Morgan Lyndall (Associate) was a recipient of the YLD Award of Achievement for Outstanding Service to the Public for her dedication to the Georgia Legal Food Frenzy to impact hunger by distributing meals across Georgia’s communities. Samantha Dorsey (Associate) received the YLD Award for Service to the Profession for her role as Co-Chair of the YLD Women in the Profession Committee and Jamie McDowell (Associate) was also elected to a two-year term as a Northern District Representative on the YLD Representative Council.
Goodman McGuffey is extremely proud of each of these attorneys’ efforts and their commitment to State Bar leadership.
You can view more pictures of the event below.
More and more young attorneys crave independence and seek less oversight in their day-to-day operations. Whether in the form of additional responsibilities or less supervision from a partner, many young lawyers remain eager to take on more responsibility, and as a result, the legal industry faces turnover. When these young professionals are countered, often they look for other work opportunities as opposed to finding a solution internally that benefits their firm and themselves personally.
Tina Lute, an Associate Attorney at the Atlanta office of Goodman McGuffey LLP, metaphorically illustrates this common phase that many young lawyers face in her short story Tales of a Young Lawyer: The Awkward Years.
Tina compares her experience as a mother to what she notices as a consistent issue in the legal world. Similarly to young professionals, children also crave independence and more responsibility. By acknowledging this critical point in a young lawyer’s career, Tina creatively connects the dots between children and legal professionals as they progress in their lives and career.
You can read Tina’s fascinating and witty story here. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.atlantabar.org/resource/resmgr/docs/litigation_3_–_tales_of_a_y.pdf
Read Tina’s Story included in the YLD Review here.
The fight against fraud is ever changing. Yet in everyday claims investigation, routine can set in and companies can miss the target by failing to focus on the big picture. Staying ahead of the curve is of paramount concern to ensure that we stay updated and one step ahead of those that commit fraud. This presentation seeks to serve as a reset button on major case investigations to ensure that the SIU is contemporary, relevant and effective. We will go through an exhaustive list of items that should be on your checklist to better help strengthen the modern major case posture.
A partial topical list includes best practices, investigative strategies, integration of analytics, bad faith, and litigation solutions. Questions are always welcome and we hope you will join us!