- Wrongful DeathHKW has experienced litigators that have worked in federal and state courts across the county. HKW regularly goes toe to toe with some of the largest law firms in the country on complex commercial litigation, breach of contract disputes, securities litigation, trade secrets litigation and wrongful death and serious personal injury litigation.
- Sex CrimesIn addition to federal discrimination and retaliation work, Julie has extensive experience representing clients in breach of contract, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and privacy invasion lawsuits, among others.
- FraudWhistleblowers who report tax fraud or underpayment to the Internal Revenue Service can be eligible for a reward under the IRS Whistleblower Law. When fraud is reported to the IRS for investigation, the whistleblower may be awarded up to 30% of the tax, penalty, and other amount the IRS collects based on the information provided.
- Assault
- Restraining OrderWe also regularly handle employee contracts, including non-compete contracts, and, as is sometimes necessary in this area, file for temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions. Our experience is very valuable in the areas of these types of agreements, all of which are subject to complex and sometimes not well known Georgia precedent. We both write and review such agreements. Click here to read more about the new Georgia’s non-compete law.
- Corporate LawCorporate governance and secretarial services for parent, and all subsidiaries (i.e., maintain minute books and other corporate records, annual returns, etc.).
- Mergers and AcquisitionsOur outsourced general or corporate counsel function meets virtually all of the client’s ongoing needs – the only matters not included within the flat fee arrangement are non-routine matters, such as major strategic transactions or disputes that cannot be resolved prior to litigation. For example, non-routine equity or debt financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, lawsuits, and arbitration or administrative proceedings are typically not included in the service (except for management of litigation counsel and ongoing general advice of a nature that an inside general counsel would provide to management). Because our firm is a full service corporate law firm, we can also handle matters outside the scope of the flat fee in a very efficient manner. We typically bill projects outside the scope of the monthly flat fee on a one time flat fee basis and at a lower total cost than would be required for an in-house lawyer to engage specialists in a law firm who do not represent the company on a regular basis and must learn about the company while billing on an hourly basis.
- Business DisputesDoug Kertscher is a nationally recognized attorney who represents businesses and individuals in complex litigation involving employment, intellectual property, and other business disputes.
- Business TransactionsScott Wharton leads the firm’s Corporate and Business Transactions Group and is an industry pioneer in the outside general counsel structure of providing legal services.
- Trade SecretsState laws offering trade secrets protection remain in place. DTSA does not eliminate or preempt the the states from also protecting trade secret rights. DTSA adds additional federal protection for trade secrets.
- Intellectual PropertyInter partes review practice. John has effectively litigated cases in courts across the United States; he has been involved in complex matters for clients located across the world, including in Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan. He has served as lead counsel in over 100 intellectual property disputes.
- Unfair CompetitionHKW’s trial work spans a variety of areas of the law. To name a few, we have tried cases involving patent, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, trade secret, RICO, fraud, bribery, breach of contract and other commercial issues, cybersecurity breaches, employment, non-competes, non-solicitation, harassment, whistleblower, franchise rights, and wage-and-hour claims. We are comfortable handling cases regardless of venue, and have deep expertise in federal court, state court, arbitration and mediation proceedings.
- Antitrust
- Workers CompensationHKW lawyers handle Georgia Workers’ compensation matters for both employees and employer/insurers, and understand that these matters are best handled cost efficiently and quickly. We are proud that most of our workers’ compensation matters are resolved in less than six (6) months.
- Employment DiscriminationHKW lawyers regularly handle matters involving employment discrimination (including EEOC filings and responses). This includes Title VII race, sex and national origin discrimination matters, sex harassment matters, retaliation discrimination matters, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) matters, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) matters, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) matters, which include overtime violations and practices.
- Employment ContractWhether you are tasked with drafting enforceable executive employment agreements, or are an executive with questions about a document you have signed (or being asked to sign) it’s very important to proceed with care and caution. Such agreements are a frequent area of expensive litigation, and having the right legal counsel on your side can make a significant difference in the overall outcome.
- Employment LitigationWe often counsel both employees and employers on pre-employment and post employment issues, including help with basic corporate needs like employee handbooks, severance packages, employee complaint reporting and response procedures, and individual complaint investigation and advice.
- Non-compete AgreementFor many years, Georgia was considered one of the most challenging states for employers when it came to enforcement of non-compete agreements. An employer who failed to specify reasonable geographic or length restrictions would void, in its entirety, the non-compete agreement. In 2010, a constitutional amendment was approved by voters, which authorized legislation to uphold reasonable competitive agreements. As a result, relatively minor issues were no longer a void to a non-compete or agreement. The amendment changed how non-compete agreements and restrictive covenants are enforced in Georgia by giving judges some leeway to strike or modify the unreasonable provisions without voiding the complete agreement.
- Severance AgreementIf you are an executive in the process of exiting a company, you will want experienced counsel to examine the severance package offered to determine if it adequately compensates you for any rights you have relinquished, and to negotiate a more favorable agreement on your behalf if the offered agreement is unfair. Our team will also help to ensure that you have a sufficient right to work within your industry so your acquired skills can be utilized to their fullest.
- Sexual HarassmentOver his career in private practice, Doug has effectively represented clients in a wide array of legal matters including wage and hour litigation, whistleblower and sexual harassment claims, and complex business litigation such as corporate dissolution disputes, trade secrets litigation and intellectual property matters.
- Premises LiabilityHunter Delashmit is a trial attorney whose practice is primarily focused on workers’ compensation, premises liability, employment, and commercial litigation. While in law school, Hunter participated in the Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Moot Court Competition, the Community Economic Development Clinic, and the Civil Mediation Clinic. He also earned the CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in the following courses: Intellectual Property, Insurance Law and Regulation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and the Civil Mediation Clinic. Since being admitted to the State Bar of Georgia, Hunter has gained extensive complex civil litigation experience in defending the interests of employers, insurers, and policyholders.
- Construction Litigation
- Real Estate TransactionsLucas Geren works in the firm’s corporate and transactional practice, with a primary focus on assisting small and mid-size companies with general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions and venture capital and private equity transactions. In his corporate practice Lucas has represented both public and private companies in a variety of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, asset sales and stock purchases, various securities matters including private placements, and the drafting and negotiation of a variety of commercial agreements and licenses. Lucas also has experience in matters related to emerging and startup companies, government contracting, intellectual property transactions, general corporate governance and securities compliance, and has assisted various clients in a their day to day legal matters in connection with the firm’s outsourced general counsel offering. In addition to his corporate practice, Lucas has represented both borrowers and lenders in secured and unsecured debt financing transactions, as well representing clients in bridge financing and convertible debt deals. Lucas has also represented various parties in a variety of real estate transactions, including the drafting and negotiation of commercial leases and various matters in connection with both the purchase and the sale of real property. Lucas also has experience in commercial litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants, and in general employment matters representing both employers and employees.
- Personal InjuryBlake Frye is an experienced litigator with impressive results in high-stakes disputes across a wide spectrum of industries and practice areas. Known for representing clients in matters with particularly challenging factual and legal issues, he has secured wins in complex cases involving insurance coverage, intellectual property, securities, personal injury, and professional negligence.