AMY B . CHENG Nelson Mullins amy . cheng @ nelsonmullins . com

APPY NEW YEAR TO ALL AND WELCOME TO 2024 !

I hope you all have had a great holiday season with your loved ones . Depending on your holiday traditions – faith based or otherwise – and in the spirit of unity and one Association that welcomes all lawyers , I wanted to highlight a few holiday celebrations that occurred in December 2023 . First , Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1 , culminating in a communal feast called Karamu . Second , the Jewish community annually celebrates Hanukkah , an eight-day celebration , which means “ dedication ”. This Holiday marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC . Lastly , Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ , primarily observed on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world . Whatever your tradition , I hope you enjoyed time off to celebrate with your family . As we all gear to start the New Year and the Georgia General Assembly goes into session , this issue focuses on alternative legal paths , including lawyers who acts as lobbyists . Generally , lobbying refers to the act of influencing and persuading local , state , or federal policymakers that will best align with the interest of the company , organization , or individual the lobbyist is representing . Specifically , local government attorneys will counsel clients in various areas , including but not limited to regulatory compliance , board governance , public bidding , environmental law , land use planning , condemnation , zoning , property tax appeals , public works construction , inter-governmental agreements , employment matters , construction law , complex litigation , financing and real estate matters . In general , these lawyers may appear before planning boards and boards of adjustment . And , they can also handle appeals from decisions of planning boards and boards of adjustment , as well as property tax appeals and condemnation proceedings . Now , when you stay tuned for all the happenings with the Georgia General Assembly , you ’ ll have a greater appreciation for all the “ behind scenes ” hard work our lawyers do !

Amy B . Cheng Atlanta Bar Association , President

4 January / February 2024