Hall Booth Smith Hires Five Associates in Georgia as Firm Grows

ATLANTA – Jan. 6, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is pleased to welcome five new associate attorneys to its offices in Georgia as the firm expands to meet the needs of clients across the Southeast.

Paul E. Petersen, III is an Associate in our Atlanta office who defends clients in a wide range of transportation-related litigation. Before joining HBS, he handled numerous automobile, insurance and trucking liability lawsuits from inception to verdict or judgment. Earlier in his career, Paul served as a law clerk to Judge Ernest D. Blount of the State Court of Henry County, worked as a project attorney in the discovery center of a major Atlanta law firm and handled contracts, business matters and real estate litigation at another Atlanta firm. Paul earned a Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a minor in history from the University of Georgia.

Ryland S. Avery is an Associate in our Atlanta office, and he focuses his practice on insurance coverage disputes and general liability matters. He previously worked as a summer associate at HBS, and was a case manager for personal injury lawsuits at a large Atlanta plaintiff’s litigation firm, where he managed more than 100 cases. Avery earned a J.D., cum laude, from Mercer University School of Law, where he worked on the Mercer Law Review, served for two years as the treasurer of the Black Law Student Association and competed in the Charleston School of Law Moot Court Competition. He also completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at Emory University, and charted and served as President of a new chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, one of nine historically African American fraternities and sororities.

Wylly Killorin, III is an Associate in Atlanta, and he defends clients in medical malpractice, transportation, premises liability, negligent security and insurance coverage lawsuits. He was previously a summer associate at HBS, and served as a judicial clerk intern for the Honorable Clay D. Land in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia in Columbus, Georgia, and as a constituent services intern for United States Senator Johnny Isakson. Killorin earned a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he worked on the Georgia Law Review. He also completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, at the University of Mississippi.

William B. Podres, III is an Associate in our office in Brunswick, Georgia, and he defends hospitals, correctional facilities, physicians and other health care providers in medical malpractice and negligence lawsuits. He also defends trucking companies and insurers in transportation-related lawsuits. He was a summer associate at HBS, served as a legal intern with the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and worked in the University of Georgia Veterans Clinic to help veterans obtain benefits. He also worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Podres earned a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Georgia College & State University.

Samia Marino Taufiq is an Associate in our Atlanta office, and she has worked with the firm’s medical malpractice group since 2018 when she was an intern and then later a summer associate. Earlier in her career, Taufiq was an intern in the Gwinnett Medical Center General Counsel’s Office in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and she was a project manager for Herschend Family Entertainment, the largest privately owned entertainment company in the United States. Taufiq earned a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia.

“We are delighted to welcome these five talented attorneys to the HBS family as they begin building their careers and working hard to serve the needs of our clients in Georgia and beyond,” said HBS Managing Partner Alex Booth.

About Hall Booth Smith

Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is a full-service law firm with six regional offices strategically located throughout Georgia, as well as offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville and Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami, Jacksonville, North Palm Beach, Tampa and Tallahassee, Florida; and Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Saddle Brook, New Jersey; and New York City. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.” To learn more, please visit: www.hallboothsmith.com.