SECTION UPDATE
SOLO PRACTITIONER/SMALL FIRM
The Sole Practitioner/Small Firm Section is often
referred to as Atlanta’s largest law firm. Our mem-
bers include transactional attorneys, litigators of all
stripes, and general practitioners – just like many
large law firms. But, our Section members are gen-
erally either solo or members of small law firms.
Despite our disparate practices, all of us experience
the benefits and challenges that come with working
on our own or in a small firm setting.
Our Section’s mission is to serve as a resource for
our members without regard to practice focus or
level of experience. To that end, our Section of-
fers speakers and discussion topics that will help
attorneys manage their practices, including speaker
topics touching on the business of running a prac-
tice, financial planning, effective networking, and
wellness.
We meet twice monthly, for breakfast (usually the
third Thursday of the month) at the Buckhead Club,
and for lunch (usually the fourth Thursday of the
month) at RiRa Irish Pub.
We kicked off our Bar year with our August break-
fast, at which our more seasoned members shared
lessons learned from starting one’s own firm –
which we hope will help newer attorneys avoid
some mistakes. Over lunch - with an eye towards
offering our members an opportunity to help those
who are less fortunate - we invited representatives
of Atlanta Legal Aid to present regarding pro bono
opportunities.
During September, a financial planner provided an
interesting and educational overview of retirement
planning over breakfast. Many of us left with “to
do” lists. Over lunch we had a presentation about
Emory Law’s externship program – an opportunity
to help train the lawyers of the future.
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November 2018
Our October breakfast speakers presented on a very
timely topic of cybersecurity. Over lunch, we had
a presentation on marketing.
While our focus is on meeting the needs of at-
torneys who are either solo or in small firms, all
members of the Atlanta Bar are welcome to join us
for our meetings.
I would like to thank the members of our Board
of Directors for all of their efforts this year. Board
members are: Vice Chair/Chair-Elect William F.
Smith III; Secretary Matthew C. Jordan; Treasurer
Chris Brannon; Immediate Past Chair Rachel Platt;
Members at Large Gene Chapman, Laurie Dugo-
niths Busbee, Michael R. Dunham, John Hadden,
Marcus Keegan, Michael T. Rafi, James M. Sher-
man, Mark W. Thomas, and Jason Wiggam; and
Founders/Life Members Hon. T. Jackson Bedford
and Robert Wellon. Please feel free to contact me
or one of our Board members if you are interested
in becoming involved in our Section.
Mari Myer
The Myer Law Firm