Andrea (“Andee”) focuses solely on the practice of Family Law. She handles divorce, separate maintenance, child custody, and child support, alimony, modification actions, contempt, domestic violence, paternity, and legitimation cases, counsels clients in premarital planning and preparing Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, Settlement Agreements, Separation Agreements, name change, Domestic Partnership Agreements and dissolutions, mediation, case evaluation, and is certified as a Collaborative Law attorney. Andee has significant experience in handling complex domestic litigation cases, and she brings that experience to each and every case she handles, for the benefit of her clients.
Andee is trained as a Guardian ad Litem, specializing in protecting the interests of children who are involved in contested custody matters. Andee is a trained and certified domestic Mediator. She lectures on Family Law issues at events sponsored by the church, civic, and business organizations. Andee also volunteers her time mentoring high school, college, and law school students competing in Mock Trial events and honing their skills as future lawyers and advocates.
Honors and Awards:
- Top 100 Lawyers Award, The National Advocates, 2014
- 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2016
- 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2015
- Top 100 Family Lawyer- State of Georgia, The American Society of Legal Advocates, 2016
- Top 100 Family Lawyer- State of Georgia, The American Society of Legal Advocates, 2015
- Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2017
- Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2016
- Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2016
- Top One Percent, National League of Renowned Attorneys, 2016
- Georgia Trend Legal Elite, 2016
- 10 Best Female Attorneys, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2016-2017
- Global Directory of Who’s Who Top Attorney 2016
- Top 100 Lawyers Award, The National Advocates, 2015
- Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015
- 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2014
- Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2015
- The Order of Barristers, University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
- Georgia Rising Stars, 2011
- Georgia Rising Stars, 2012
- Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2014
- Bachelor of Arts in International Studies/Russian, with highest distinction, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Golden Key National Honor Society
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Recipient, Cody E. Welborn Scholarship
- Delta Phi Epsilon
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Judge, The National Mock Trial Competition, 2012
- Supreme Court of Georgia, 2005
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 2002
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2001
- Georgia Court of Appeals, 1998
- Georgia, 1997
- Executive Committee Member, The National Advocates: Top 100, 2015
- Member, North Fulton Bar Association
- Member, International Association of Collaborative Professionals, 2009-present
- Trained Guardian ad Litem for Children in Contested Custody Cases, 2006 – Present
- Judge, Cobb County High School Mock Trial Competition
- Barrister, The Lamar American Inn of Court
- Judge, National High School Mock Trial Competition
- Judge, J. Melvin England Mock Trial Competition, 1998-2001
- Judge, The National Mock Trial Association, Atlanta Regional Mock Trial Competition, February 2014
- Judge, 2013 Regional Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the University of Georgia School of Law
- Member, Atlanta Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2003 – present
- Member, Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia, 2006-present
- Joseph Henry Lumpkin American Inn of Court
- National Association of Professional Women
- Member, State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section
Scholarly Lectures and Writings:
- Speaker, “Advanced Issues in Divorce”, National Business Institute, 2009
- Guest Lecturer, “The Role of the Child Specialist in Collaborative Law”, Georgia State University School of Law, March 14, 2013
- Speaker, “The Essentials of Adoption Law” at the National Business Institute’s Adoption Law: Start to Finish Seminar, March, 2015
- Speaker/Trainer, Police Officers, Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators in Evidence Gathering and Documentation in Domestic Violence Cases, Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office,1997-2000
- Speaker, “Post-Divorce Considerations” at the National Business Institute’s Advanced Issues in Divorce Seminar, July 2012
- Speaker, “Drafting Common Marital Agreements and Understanding Protective Orders and Domestic Torts”, Oddities and Challenges of Family Law Seminar, National Business Institute, April 2014
- Instructor, Domestic Mediation Training, Resolve to Solve, October 2012
- Speaker/Trainer, Statewide Training of 911 Operators and First Responders in Evidence Gathering in Domestic Violence cases, Georgia Public Safety Training Safety Center, 1997- 2000
- Speaker, “Strategies for Effective Use of Discovery,” Divorce Law From A-Z Seminar, National Business Institute, December 2013
- Guest Lecturer, “Collaborative Divorce,” Georgia State University College of Law, Spring 2012
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- After only one year of practice, as an Assistant District Attorney, I represented the People of the State of Georgia and a victim of repeat instances of domestic violence. Because of the multiple family violence instances between this victim and her spouse, I asked the grand jury to indict the case as a felony “family violence battery”. At the time, the law provided that a “upon second or subsequent conviction of a family violence battery against the same or another victim,” the defendant may be charged with a felony. In the instant case, the defendant’s prior conviction for battery was a family violence battery under the current definition of the statute, but it had not been called a “family violence battery” because that description did not exist in the law at the time of the previous conviction. Defendant moved to dismiss the felony indictment on this basis, and the trial court ruled the previous batteries, although clearly family violence and involving the same parties, would not serve to elevate the then current case to a felony because the previous cases had not been called “family violence battery”. The trial court’s view constituted strict construction of the language of the statute at that time. I felt this construction created a potential loophole in the law for family violence recidivists, violated the true intent of the legislature, and constituted a failiure to properly protect domestic violence victims from repeat offenders. The case was dismissed by the trial court. As the State of Georgia, I appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals. I asked the court to make law on this issue because it was the right this to do. The Court of Appeals agreed. Shortly thereafter, the Georgia Legislature did as well. Given the danger that domestic violence poses to our society, our children, our law enforcement officiials, this was a special and deep personal victory to me, fighting a battle for so many who often are unable to fight for themselves.