Jennifer Dorminey Herzog
Biography
Jennifer Dorminey Herzog is a native of Tifton, Georgia, and returned to her home town to practice law in our Tifton office. She graduated summa cum laude from Presbyterian College in 2003 with a double major in English with an emphasis in Creative writing and Religion/Philosophy. In 2006, she graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law. During her time at UGA, Jennifer was a member of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law wherein she received the Notes Editor of the Year Award for 2005-2006.
Jennifer focuses her practice in the area of governmental liability and has represented counties and cities in a variety of settings for over 15 years. She also serves as Hiring Partner for region of South Georgia where she oversees associate attorney hiring endeavors. She currently serves as County Attorney for Berrien County and Assistant County Attorney for Coffee County, Tift County, and Ware County. Jennifer has also represented a number of counties in tax appeal litigation as well as small businesses with employment and contract issues, individuals involved in auto accidents, and individuals and entities involved in general liability matters.
Jennifer maintains an active mediation practice in South Georgia and is trained in general mediation, domestic mediation, and arbitration and is a registered mediator in Georgia. She and her husband, Scott Herzog, reside with their daughters on a farm in Tift County.
Experience
Jennifer is trained in general mediation, domestic mediation and arbitration and is a registered mediator in Georgia. Her practice has included experience in a multitude of mediation settings as an advocate. She has also handled a variety of cases as a mediator. Through those experiences, she is able to offer cost efficient alternatives to litigation in an environment which facilitates effective compromise and decision making empowerment for the parties.
Jennifer assists in local school board matters. She has also served as counsel for school boards in a variety of areas including but not limited to open meetings, open records, freedom of speech and religion, search and seizure, and equal protection.
Jennifer has represented such clients as individuals involved in auto accidents, retail store owners, and other individuals and entities involved in general liability matters.
Jennifer focuses her practice in the area of government liability wherein she serves as County Attorney for Berrien County and daily assists Tony Rowell, managing partner of the Tifton office, with his duties as County Attorney for Coffee County, Tift County, and Ware County. Jennifer brings to these positions extensive experience representing governmental entities in a wide array of liability settings.
She has attended hundreds of county meetings during her time with the firm, including Board of Commissioners, Board of Elections, Board of Tax Assessors, Board of Health, and multiple other similar events. Jennifer has been called upon to address a variety of issues impacting county government, including but not limited to Competitive Bidding, Zoning and Land Use Planning, Inter-Governmental Agreements, Open Meetings, Open Records, Department of Justice Investigations, Human Resource Issues, Tax Equity Issues, Roads/Highways/Paving, SPLOST, TSPLOST, LOST, Local Ordinances, Elections and Election Litigation, Construction Projects, Local Legislation, Code Enforcement, and Tax Appeals.
Jennifer has served as counsel for governmental entities on a variety of issues in litigation including open records, employment, and both state and federal anti-discrimination laws. She has also represented governmental entities in defense of claims alleging constitutional deprivations brought under U.S.C. 1983.
Jennifer is committed to helping employers avoid, resolve, and prevail in employment disputes involving the full range of employment and labor issues. This includes litigation in state and federal courts and the representation of employers before administrative agencies over claims including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodation, and state torts such as negligent supervision and hiring, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, defamation, invasion of privacy, and wrongful discharge allegations.
Jennifer represents local business and industry, as well as governmental entities, in a wide variety of employment related matters including policy and procedure implementation and revision, issues concerning state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and other employment issues. She also represents employers with matters involving the EEOC.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- Georgia
- Court of Appeals, Supreme Court
U.S. District Courts:
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
U.S. Courts of Appeals:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- J.D., University of Georgia, 2006
- B.A., summa cum laude, English, Presbyterian College, 2003
- B.A., summa cum laude, Religion/Philosophy, Presbyterian College, 2003
Memberships
- Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG): Member
- Board of Managers: Member
- County Attorneys Section: President, 2020-2022
- Georgia Association of Women Lawyers
- Tifton Bar Association: Member; President, 2008
Recognition
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™, High Ethical Standing; Martindale-Hubbell
- Georgia Rising Star, Super Lawyers®, 2019-2020
- Prince Business Woman of the Year, Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, 2019
- 40 Under 40, Georgia Trend Magazine, 2016
- Award of Merit, State Bar of Georgia, 2008
- Best New Entry Award, Tifton Judicial Circuit Bar Association
- Top 10 Under 40, Tifton Scene Magazine
Publications
- “How Long Do We have to Keep This?” Record Retention for Local Law Enforcement Documents
Hall Booth Smith Governmental Liability Blog; January 28, 2022 - Insights from a County Attorney: The Privilege of Government Service
Georgia County Government Magazine, Fall 2021 - An Unprecedented Time: De-Carcerating & Other Steps Being Taken in Georgia’s Jails and Prisons as the Result of COVID-19
Hall Booth Smith Correctional Health Care Blog; April 30, 2020