Fain, Major, Brennan, Sanford & Hardee, P.C.

Attorney Thomas E Brennan

Tom received a Business Administration degree from Marquette University. He attended Wake Forest University School of Law where he was elected to the National Moot Court Team and received the Order of Barristers Award upon graduation in 1986.

To date, Tom has been lead counsel in over 100 jury trials in both Federal and State Court defending injury and death claims resulting from product, premises, construction, vehicle, and trucking accidents. Tom also litigates insurance coverage and bad faith claims and has been retained as an expert in bad faith litigation as well.

Tom is frequent CLE speaker. He has also been an instructor with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He is currently a member of the Atlanta and American Bar Associations, Atlanta Claims Association, Georgia Defense Lawyers' Association, Defense Research Institute, and Association of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy.

Tom is an AV rated attorney.

Practice Areas

• Trucking and Transportation
• Products Liability
• Premises Liability
• Construction
• Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 1986

Education

• Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston Salem, North Carolina
  • J.D. - 1986
• Marquette University
  • B.S. - 1983

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Georgia
• Atlanta Bar Association
• Atlanta Claims Association
• The Defense Research Institute
• Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
• Association of Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy

Attorney James W. Hardee

Jim Hardee was raised in Marietta, Georgia and is a 1983 graduate of Walton High School in Marietta. Jim then received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1987 where he was president of the School of Public Administration. He then attended the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama where he was named outstanding trial advocacy board member and was an honor court justice. Jim and his wife, Stephanie currently reside in Marietta with their twin sons.

Upon graduation from law school, Jim accepted a job as a prosecutor from 1990 until 1997. Jim was given the outstanding service award to his community in 1997. In his time as a prosecutor, Jim tried over 100 first chair jury trials, including 8 capital murder cases. During his last 4 years, Jim was felony division chief and assigned to the major crimes unit prosecuting homicide cases.

Since then, Jim has been lead counsel in roughly 80 civil jury trials in both federal and state court, the vast majority of which have resulted in defense verdicts. All but two trials have resulted in a verdict less than the last settlement offer. Jim concentrates on the defense of wrongful death, products liability, premises liability, vehicular, and trucking accidents.  Jim also handles the defense of consumer related claims, particularly as it pertains to the automobile industry.

Jim is a member of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Defense Research Institute, Atlanta Claims Association, Atlanta Bar Association, and recently served an appointment a the Education Coordinator for the Atlanta Claims Association.

As a father of special needs children, Jim devotes pro bono time representing the particular needs of these children and various entities serving this amazing and precious group of kids.

Jim is an “AV” Peer Review Rated Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting a combination of achieving the highest level of professional achievement and excellence in ethical standards and legal ability.

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 2000
• Florida, 1990

Honors

• Distinguished Community Service Award
• Top Rated Lawyer by The Atlanta Journal and Constitution in Insurance Defense field from 2010 to present
• Georgia Legal Leader as recognized by Defense Research Institute

Education

• Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
  • J.D. - 1990
• Auburn University
  • B.S. - 1987

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Georgia
• Florida Bar Association
• Atlanta Bar Association
• Atlanta Claims Association, past GDLA Education Coordinator

Attorney Gene A Major

Mr. Major is an AV rated attorney and Super Lawyer.

Practice Areas

• General Civil Litigation
• Premises Liability
• Motor Vehicle Litigation
• Construction Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 1979

Education

• University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
  • J.D. - 1979
• Michigan State University
  • B.A. - 1975

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Georgia
• Atlanta Bar Association
• Atlanta Claims Association
• The Defense Research Institute
• Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
• Association of Transportation Practitioners 

Attorney Dale C. Ray

Dale C. Ray, Jr. has been a trial lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia since graduating with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1982. His previous college studies had focused on Urban Studies and Criminal Justice, and he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from Georgia State University in 1979.

Mr. Ray has over 30 years of experience in personal injury, construction and business litigation, medical negligence and general insurance defense litigation.

Mr. Ray has served as lead counsel in dozens of Georgia jury trials, and brings to the courtroom broad experience in all manner of civil litigation, representing individuals, insurance companies and other businesses.

Mr. Ray lives with his wife and teenage son in Forsyth County, Georgia and has a daughter in college. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Forsyth County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in all of Georgia's trial and appellate courts as well as the federal courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit US Court of Appeals.

In his spare time Mr. Ray enjoys working with classic automobiles, playing guitar and watching his children compete as year round and collegiate swimmers.

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Construction
• Business Litigation
• Medical Negligence
• General Insurance Defense Litigation
• Civil Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 1982
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1982
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 1996
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Georgia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Georgia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Georgia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Georgia
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2000
• Georgia Court of Appeals, 1982
• Supreme Court of Georgia, 1982

Education

• University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
  • J.D - 1982
  • Honors: cum laude
  • Honors: With Honors
• Georgia State University
  • B.S. - 1979
  • Honors: magna cum laude
  • Honors: With Honors
  • Honors: Roy B. Sewell Award Recipient
  • Honors: Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society

Published Works

• "Bad Faith in Insurance Claim Handling in Georgia - An Overview and Update,", Georgia Bar Journal, Volume 9, Number 2, October, 2003

Professional Associations

• State Bar of Georgia, Member, 1982 to 1982
• Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 1984 to 1984
• American Association for Justice, Member, 1989 to 1989
• Forsyth County Bar Association, Member

Attorney Robyn Melanie Roth

Robyn M. Roth graduated from Emory University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She received her juris doctorate in 2005 from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, graduating with honors. While at the University of North Carolina, Robyn was a part of the Moot Court Team as well as the First Amendment Law Review. Robyn has been licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia since 2005 and was admitted to the State Bar of Florida in 2007.

Robyn's practice focuses on civil litigation through representation of various clients ranging from large corporations to individuals. Robyn's practice includes automobile accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, construction claims, environmental issues, and insurance coverage analysis.

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 2005
• Florida, 2007
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2006

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • J.D. - 2005
  • Honors: With Honors
• Emory University
  • B.A. - 2002
  • Honors: Psychology

Professional Associations

• State Bar of Georgia, 2005
• State Bar of Florida, 2007
• Atlanta Bar Association

Attorney Jessica Elizabeth Sanford

Jessica Sanford, Partner, practices in general civil litigation, with specialization in the area of insurance defense. She is experienced in handling cases involving personal injury, premises liability (including slip & fall and negligent security), products liability, insurance fraud, construction litigation, and wrongful death. Ms. Sanford is a 1997 graduate of New York University, where she graduated with honors. She received her juris doctorate in 2000 from the University of Miami School of Law. During law school, she worked as a law clerk at a medical malpractice defense firm, participated in the school's trial advocacy program, and worked with a Dade County Class A public defender.

Ms. Sanford began practicing law in 2000, working as an associate with an insurance defense firm located in Hollywood, Florida. In 2001, she assisted in the opening of the first satellite office for the firm in Coral Gables, Florida, where she continued to practice in the area of insurance defense and handled all of the firm's Special Investigative Unit (SIU) cases.

In 2004, Ms. Sanford relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, and joined Barrickman, Allred & Young, LLC. She was the lead attorney on hundreds of cases for the firm, practicing in the State and Superior Courts of Georgia, as well as in the United States District Court in the Northern District of Georgia. Ms. Sanford was the principal attorney handling matters for United Services Automobile Association (USAA), a major client for the firm.

Ms. Sanford joined Fain, Major, Brennan, Sanford & Hardee, P.C. in May of 2011, as Of Counsel, and brought her client, USAA, with her.

Ms. Sanford is a member of the state bars of Georgia and Florida, as well as the Washington, D.C. bar. She is also a member of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Practice Areas

• General Civil Litigation - Insurance Defense
• Premises Liability
• Products Liability
• Insurance Fraud
• Construction Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 2004
• Florida, 2000
• District of Columbia, 2002
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2005

Honors

• Ranked AV® Preeminent™ 4.9 out of 5

Education

• University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida
  • J.D. - 2000
• New York University, New York, New York
  • B.A. - 1997
  • Honors: with Honors

Representative Clients

• AAA
• AFBA-5Star
• Auto Owners
• Federated
• First Chicago Insurance
• USAA
• State Farm

Past Positions

• Barrickman, Allred & Young, LLC, Senior Associate, 2004 to 2011
• Tolgyesi, Katz, Hankin & Katz, P.A., Associate, 2000 to 2004

Languages

• English

Professional Associations

• State Bar of Georgia, 2004 to 2004
• Florida State Bar, 2000 to 2000
• District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 2002 to 2002

Attorney James F. Taylor

Mr. Taylor graduated from the University of Georgia with High Honors with a degree in Political Science in 1989. While at Georgia, he was member of the Golden Key Honor Society. He attended the Georgia State University College of Law, graduating in 1993, where he served as President of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.

James F. Taylor, III joined Fain, Major, Brennan, Sanford & Hardee, P.C. in 2005. Jim has represented insurers in first-party and third-party fraudulent bodily injury claims, auto theft, insurance fraud, marine and inland marine cases, subrogation, and commercial and residential property losses. He is also experienced in the handling of general liability claims and representation of insurers and their insureds in cases involving acts of negligence and other tort claims. He is admitted to practice in Georgia, and has served as lead and co-counsel in numerous trials at both the State and Federal levels. Jim is admitted to practice before the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Jim is a member of the Atlanta Claims Association, American Bar Association, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Southern Loss Association and State Bar of Georgia, where he is a member and prior chairman of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section and the Property Insurance Law Committee and St. Thomas More Society.

Practice Areas

• Arson and Fraud
• Insurance Coverage
• Subrogation
• Property Insurance