Hall Booth Smith Names New Partners in Atlanta, Birmingham, Brunswick, Charleston and Columbus

ATLANTA – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is pleased to announce that it has named eight new partners at its offices across the Southeast, bringing the total to 103 firmwide.

Walter J. Bibbins, Jr. is a Partner in the firm’s Atlanta office whose practice focuses on products liability, medical malpractice, mass torts and transportation litigation.  Litigating in both state and federal courts, Bibbins has more than ten years of experience providing counsel and representation to foreign and domestic companies involved in complex high-exposure cases. As an engineer-turned-lawyer, Bibbins brings both legal and technical skills to bear in the defense of complex product liability matters involving the design, manufacture and field performance of commercial and consumer goods ranging from automotive and asbestos-containing products to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University.

Sean Cox is a Partner in the firm’s Atlanta office, specializing in transportation, data privacy and security, employment, and insurance coverage. He is certified by The International Association of Privacy Professionals and is knowledgeable in the both domestic and global data privacy and security regulation. He also has extensive experience as an employment litigator in both state and federal courts and is well-versed in an array of issues relevant to management side employment litigation, including Title VII, Sec. 1981, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, NLRB, OSHA, and FMLA. Cox was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2017 and 2018. He received a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia.

Crystal Filiberto is a Partner in firm’s Atlanta office, and focuses her practice on the defense of professional and medical malpractice cases as well as general liability cases. She handles cases in all stages of litigation from pre-suit through appeal.  She litigates in both federal and state courts, and represents clients before various licensing boards. Filiberto earned a Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude. She also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and sociology from the University of Georgia, where graduated cum laude.

Lissa F. Klein is a Partner in the firm’s Atlanta office and devotes her practice to the defense of employers, insurers, and self-insurers in workers’ compensation claims.  Klein has a wide variety of experience successfully handling workers’ compensation defense matters, including proactive, pre-litigation measures as well as at all administrative and state appellate levels. She earned a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Texas.

Stephanie Amiotte McDonald is a Partner in the firm’s office in Brunswick, Georgia. She has built a diverse legal practice over the past 17 years consisting of trial work in both state and federal courts and is licensed in South Dakota and Georgia.  Her practice consists of defending professional liability, general liability and long term care cases, as well as federal criminal defense including Medicare fraud.  Amiotte McDonald has extensive pre-trial and jury trial experience having represented a variety of clients throughout her career and presented on Medicare fraud at the Georgia Healthcare Association Convention and the HBS Women’s Forum.  She has received recognition from her peers for her trial work, receiving the Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition; Top 100 Trial Attorneys by the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association; Top 100 Trial Attorneys by the National Trials Lawyers and is named on The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys’ list of top attorneys in South Dakota.  She has served on a variety of federal judicial advisory panels, committees and boards including the Federal Criminal Justice Act Panel District Representative in South Dakota.  She is active in the Federal Bar Association and local bar associations in Georgia.  Amiotte McDonald earned a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Dakota.

Sean Mims is a Partner in the firm’s office in Columbus, Georgia, and he specializes in dental, fiduciary litigation, general liability, insurance coverage, retail and hospitality and workers’ compensation matters. As an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, his experience includes all matters of litigation from pre-suit issues through trial and appeal. He has successfully defended personal injury claims, premises liability claims, transportation, disputes regarding insurance coverage, bad faith claims, breach of contract actions, workers’ compensation claims, employment law claims, education issues and business litigation. Mims has represented clients in both motor vehicle accidents and accidents involving common carriers, and has an active appellate practice in Alabama and Georgia courts. Mims earned a Juris Doctorate from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Derek Newberry is a Partner in the firm’s office in Charleston, South Carolina, with a practice that includes construction, employment, general liability, products liability, professional malpractice and ethics, professional negligence and medical malpractice. Newberry is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating category that organization provides for legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. He is actively involved in the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association and currently serves as the President of its young lawyers division. Newberry earned a Juris Doctorate from the Charleston School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wofford College.

Rhett Owens is a Partner in the firm’s office in Birmingham, Alabama. His practice covers a wide range of professional liability matters, including medical malpractice, elder care abuse and regulatory non-compliance cases.  In 2012, Owens was recognized as a Rising Star of the Birmingham Bar by B-Metro Magazine, and in 2013 and 2015 was named an Alabama Super Lawyers Rising Star. He was recognized as a Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2016 and 2017.  Owens earned a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Cumberland School of Law at Samford and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English, magna cum laude, from Hampden-Sydney College.

“We are excited to welcome these talented professionals as new partners,” said Alex Booth, Managing Partner of HBS. “They bring valuable experience and total dedication to our clients and will help us continue expanding our practice both regionally and nationally.”

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; Jacksonville, North Palm Beach and Tallahassee, Florida; and Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee. 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. Hall Booth Smith maintains the highest commitment to serve its clients ethically and professionally by providing the highest quality legal representation. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.” Learn more at www.hallboothsmith.com.