Ann Baird Bishop
Biography
Ann Baird Bishop graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University in 1973 and from Mercer University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1976. At Mercer, Ann was a member of the Editorial Board of the Mercer Law Review, the Secretary of the Student Bar Association, a member of Phi Delta Phi, and the Phi Delta Phi graduate of the year in 1976 as well as being on the Dean’s List and receiving the American Jurisprudence / Highest Grade Awards in Labor Standards and Administrative Law.
Since 1981, Ann has practiced almost exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation representing employers and insurers. Ann began practicing in the area of workers’ compensation at Swift, Currie, McGhee and Hiers before leaving with 21 other lawyers to form Drew, Eckl and Farnham where Ann was selected as the first female partner. Ann was the founding member of A. B. Bishop & Associates where she worked representing self-insured employers and insurance companies in the area of workers’ compensation before merging with Sponsler, Bennett, Jacobs & Adams on December 1, 2013, and creating Sponsler, Bishop, Koren & Hammer. Ann is delighted to have joined Hall Booth Smith where she continues to represent employers and insurers.
Ann is AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™, the highest rating awarded by Martindale-Hubbell. Ann has served on the Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, was Section Chair for 2007-2008, has served on the Rules and Mediation Committee of the Chairman’s Advisory Council of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation for more than 25 years, and was editor for the biannual newsletter published by the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Bar for three years. Ann has spoken myriad times on a wide variety of topics relevant to the defense of workers’ compensation claims.
Ann was on the Board of Directors for many years and is a past president of the Board of Kids’ Chance of Georgia, Inc., an organization in which she has been active as a volunteer since it began in 1988. Ann also served on the Board of Directors of Kids’ Chance of America and was president of the national organization for 2014-2016. In 2012, Ann was inducted as a Fellow into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers and served on its Board. Ann served on the Board of Visitors for Mercer University School of Law to which she was elected Secretary in 2012 and Chair for 2017-2019. Ann was honored to receive the 2017 Distinguished Service Award from the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia and is a 2018 recipient of the Justice Benham Award for Community Service. In 2019, Ann accepted an invitation to serve on the Board of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Most recently, Ann was selected for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Experience
Since 1981, Ann has almost exclusively focused on all manner of workers’ compensation claims, and she defends employers and insurers in a wide variety of cases.
Ann has over four decades of experience focusing almost entirely on workers’ compensation matters, and she often defends employers and insurers in all manner of workers’ compensation claims.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- Georgia
Education
- J.D., Mercer University, 1976
- B.A., Vanderbilt University, 1973
Memberships
- College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, Board Member
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
- Mercer University School of Law, Board of Visitors; Chair, 2017-2019
- State Board of Workers’ Compensation, Chairman’s Advisory Council
- Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, Executive Committee; Vice-Chair
Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, Best Lawyers®, 2023-2024
- Justice Benham Award for Community Service, 2018
- Distinguished Service Award, Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, 2017
- Fellow, College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
Presentations
- Compensability of Idiopathic and Unexplained Falls
HBS Workers’ Comp Webinar Series; May 24, 2023
Publications
- Mastering Form WC-104
HBS Workers’ Compensation Blog; September 25, 2020 - COVID-19’S Effect On SSDI Status Inquiries
HBS Workers’ Compensation Blog; April 1, 2020 - Forcing Reluctant Claimants To Return To The Doctor: WC-PMT(b)
HBS Workers’ Compensation Blog; October 29, 2019 - July 1, 2019, Amendments To Georgia Workers’ Compensation Law
HBS Workers’ Compensation Blog; July 11, 2019 - Editor of the Newsletter of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia