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The Daily Report
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
In The Trenches: Sutherland stalwart joins Duane Morris
By Meredith Hobbs, Staff Reporter
Litigator William D. Barwick joined Duane Morris as a partner last week, after 23 years at Sutherland.
Barwick, a former president of the State Bar of Georgia and the Atlanta Bar Association, said Duane Morris offered him the opportunity to build up its products liability and toxic tort practice locally.
“That was the lure,” said Barwick, who is 60. “They've got more of an institutionalized practice in those areas and some really remarkable lawyers. … I have enough years left that I thought I could enjoy the practice, contribute to this firm and really have some fun.”
Duane Morris, based in Philadelphia, opened its Atlanta office 10 years ago. “For a firm that continues to try to grow in this market, bringing in someone like Bill is a huge add for us,” said L. Norwood “Woody” Jameson, Duane Morris's local managing partner. “He's got everything you would want in an Atlanta lawyer—the bar work and he's a great trial lawyer, member of the legal community and the community at large.”
Jameson said Barwick is the first toxic tort and products liability lawyer to join Duane Morris' Atlanta office. “The practice is one of the firm's strengths nationwide, so he provides a launching point for that here,” he said.
Mark D. Wasserman, Sutherland's managing partner, said Barwick would be missed. “Bill is a wonderful person, an excellent lawyer and a great contributor to the bar, and we wish him the very best personally and professionally.”
Barwick has tried 40 cases in state and federal courts as first chair or sole counsel. He handles fiduciary litigation, insurance coverage and appellate matters in addition to toxic tort and products cases. He started his career at Smith, Cohen, Ringel, Kohler & Martin (which in 1984 became Smith, Gambrell & Russell), then worked at a small insurance defense firm and briefly ran a solo practice before joining Sutherland.
Barwick said he got involved in bar activities early in his career, as a way to meet other lawyers when he was working at a small firm. “It was a way to learn about the lawyers I was practicing with, to meet people to send cases to and refer me business and to meet the people who were going to become judges. That was the initial goal. I was not planning on running for a lot of offices,” he said.
“I realized that you can know the same five lawyers in your office, which kind of limits your world—or you can get involved in bar activities and get to know the legal community in general,” Barwick said.
During his tenure as State Bar president from 2003 to 2004, Barwick led the push for a specialized business court at Fulton County Superior Court.
Barwick said he brings clients but declined to name them, adding that he still is working on a handful of cases as co-counsel with Sutherland lawyers. “I left a lot of close friends at Sutherland,” he said.
Clients at Sutherland included SunTrust Bank and Security Life Insurance Co., according to published reports.
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John Marshall Law School
On November 19, 2009, 48 John Marshall Law School graduates who passed the July 2009 Georgia bar exam were sworn in to the Georgia Supreme Court by Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein and to the Fulton County Superior Court by Judge Melvin K. Westmoreland. Congratulations to the Class of 2009!
The Champion
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010 • PAGE 3A
Perdue appoints former DeKalb solicitor general to judgeship
Gov. Sonny Perdue recently announced three judicial appointments, including the appointment of former DeKalb County Solicitor General Shawn LaGrua, who was appointed to the Superior Court for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. Stephen Kelley was appointed to the Superior Court for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit and W. Kendall Wynne Jr. was appointed to the Superior Court for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit. The judgeships were created by the General Assembly.
LaGrua has served as the inspector general for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office since January 2007. She served as the DeKalb solicitor general July 2004 - January 2007. LaGrua also has extensive experience as an assistant district attorney in DeKalb and Fulton counties. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Georgia State University School of Law.
Fulton Superior Court Judge Westmoreland Moves to Business Court
Jan. 26, 2010
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melvin K. Westmoreland has moved from the Fulton Justice Tower to the historic Lewis Slaton Fulton County Courthouse.
Westmoreland, a Superior Court Judge in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit since 1988, said he moved to Courtroom 9G in the 136 Pryor St. Courthouse for two reasons.
He recently became the only elected Superior Court Judge serving in the Fulton Business Court and now exclusively hears civil cases. Judge Westmoreland’s new chambers (Room C927) put him on the same floor with Business Court Senior Judges Alice Bonner and Elizabeth Long and Business Court manager Noelle Lagueux-Alvarez.
The move also makes room in the Fulton Justice Tower for newly appointed Superior Court Judge Shawn LaGrua. When LaGrua is sworn in as the circuit's 20th judge she may hear a mixed docket of criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases are restricted to the Tower which has secure holding cells and elevators used to transfer prisoners to and from the Fulton County Jail.
"With only civil cases I don't need holding cells and it helps to be close to the other business court operations," Judge Westmoreland said.
Judge Westmoreland's chambers telephone is 404-612-2570.
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