Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers LLP is pleased to announce the hiring of three lateral partners, all of whom once worked together at the law firm of Hicks, Casey & Foster PC: William T. Casey Jr., Erica Morton and Richie Foster, who most recently worked at Carlock, Copeland & Stair LLP. The new partners will bolster Swift Currie’s practices in trucking, retail and liability insurance litigation. Swift Currie and the new partners have shared clients for years – sometimes in different practice areas – making for an ideal union. Casey, Morton and Foster are bringing with them to Swift Currie six additional attorneys with whom they have worked in the past. To finish out its hiring to start 2018, Swift Currie also has hired eight other attorneys to support a number of practice groups, bringing its total number of first quarter hires to 17.
 
“We have known Bill, Erica and Richie for years and have witnessed firsthand their impressive legal skills and creative advocacy,” Swift Currie Managing Partner Terry O. Brantley said. “Because their practices dovetail so nicely with ours, their additions will be a seamless fit. They will expand our book of business with existing clients, and Swift Currie can offer them the support that comes with the resources of a growing midsized firm.
 
“In addition, the senior attorneys and associates we are adding will help us to maintain the highest level of service, which our clients expect, and to keep up with clients’ continued demands on us to handle more matters.”
 
Casey, Morton and Foster issued a joint statement regarding their reunion and arrival at Swift Currie:
 
“We are excited to join Swift Currie, with all of the resources that a firm of its size will afford us. We look forward to participating in this time of unprecedented growth for Swift Currie and to help strengthen that expansion. We also are happy to be reunited with each other as law partners.”
 
Swift Currie now has 137 attorneys, a net overall increase of 30 since July 2016 and a growth rate of 28 percent during that span. The new attorneys will service all of the firm’s key practice areas of commercial litigation, insurance litigation and workers’ compensation.
 
Casey’s practice has focused on insurance defense litigation for more than 35 years. His experience includes premises liability, product liability, transportation and automobile liability, and construction defect. He has tried over 100 cases to verdict, including wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. He is on the board of directors of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (GDLA) and a faculty member of the GDLA’s Mediation & Trial Academy, which conducts intensive training for young defense lawyers. He is a graduate of Georgia College & State University and received his law degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law. He also has served as president of the Rotary Club of Marietta, chairman of the Cobb County Special Olympics Committee and treasurer of Cobb Family Resources.
 
Morton focuses her practice in the areas of premises liability, automobile liability, product liability, construction law and insurance coverage disputes. She serves as statewide counsel and regional litigation counsel for several national retail clients. She is a member of the National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association, a board member of the GDLA and a member of Defense Research Institute (DRI). She graduated cum laude from the College of Charleston with a degree in marine biology and earned her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.
 
Foster dedicates his practice to motor carrier liability, commercial insurance coverage and general commercial insurance defense. He has acted as lead counsel in more than 50 jury trials, often defending trucking companies in serious accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and death. He has served as national coverage counsel for trucking clients and argued trucking coverage appellate cases before three federal circuit courts. He speaks at national seminars on topics relating to motor carrier liability and insurance coverage issues. He is a member of the Trucking Industry Defense Association; DRI, including its Trucking Law Committee; the GDLA; and the Transportation Lawyers Association. He is a graduate of Georgia College & State University and earned his law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.
 
Swift Currie’s new senior attorneys are:
 
Carl K. “Trey” Dowdey III, a senior attorney formerly with Carr Allison in Birmingham; he joins the firm’s Birmingham office. His practice concentrates primarily on workers’ compensation matters. He defends employers against retaliatory discharge and co-employee liability claims. As a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve JAG Corps, Dowdey serves with the 2nd Legal Operations Detachment, based out of New Orleans. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

Robert Ann (“Bobbie-Ann”) Henderson, a senior attorney most recently with Berkley Southeast Insurance Group, where she worked as corporate claims counsel. Prior to that, she worked at Bovis, Kyle, Burch & Medlin, LLC, where she was litigation and trial counsel for catastrophic torts, automobile accidents, product liability, defective construction, property losses, surety and probate matters. Henderson earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and her law degree cum laude from the University of Florida College of Law.

Monica L. Wingler, a senior attorney formerly with Hicks, Casey & Morton. She practices in the areas of general liability and civil litigation, focusing primarily in automobile and trucking litigation, premises liability, product liability and insurance defense. She earned her undergraduate degree from Auburn University and her law degree at Georgia State University College of Law.
 
The new associates are:
 
A. Warren Adegunle, an associate who formerly worked as an in-house attorney at GEICO, where he litigated first- and third-party automobile insurance liability claims. He earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Sabrina Atkins, an associate formerly with the Atlanta office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, where she practiced a variety of commercial litigation, including financial services litigation, mass tort and complex commercial litigation. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgia College & State University and her law degree at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.

Anna Beaton, an associate formerly with Carlock Copeland where she practiced general liability with an emphasis on transportation law and premises liability. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her law degree at Emory University School of Law.

Seth J. Butler, an associate formerly with Richter, Head, Shinall, White & Slotkin. He will practice primarily in the area of workers’ compensation defense, representing employers, insurers, self-insured parties and other third-party administrators. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and his law degree from Georgia State University College of Law.

Elizabeth L. Bentley, an associate formerly with Carlock Copeland where she practiced insurance coverage law and commercial litigation, including trucking defense. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgia State University, graduating cum laude, and her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law with pro bono honors.

Amy M. Dowis, an associate formerly with Hicks, Casey & Morton where she practiced premises liability and automobile litigation. She earned her undergraduate degree from Furman University, a Master of Education from the University of Virginia and her law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Smita Gautam, an associate formerly with Rubin Lublin LLC where she worked in the firm’s real estate litigation practice. She earned her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University, winning the John B. Gerlach Medalist Scholarship, and her law degree from Emory University School of Law, where she won a merit scholarship.

Marvis Jenkins, an associate formerly with Carlock Copeland where he practiced commercial litigation and transportation liability. He earned his undergraduate degree from Clemson University and his law degree from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center.

Marc Hood, an associate most recently with Cozen O’Connor where he practiced insurance coverage law. He previously worked with Foster from Carlock Copeland. He earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia State University and his law degree at Georgia State University College of Law.

Rachel W. Mathews, an associate who joins the firm after serving as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, where she assisted federal appellate judges in the disposition of both civil and criminal appeals. Matthews also was a law clerk to the Hon. Sul Ozerden of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She earned her undergraduate degree from Auburn University, graduating cum laude, and her law degree from Tulane University Law School, graduating magna cum laude.

Negin Portivent, an associate who formerly worked for Vernis & Bowling of Atlanta, where she practiced general insurance defense litigation. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law, where she won the CALI Award for Highest Grade.
 
These hires come in addition to the 16 attorneys whom Swift Currie hired in 2017.