Joel grew up on a peanut, cotton, watermelon, swine and cattle farm in Abbeville, Georgia. Instructed by those experiences on the farm, Joel now leads HBS’s food and agriculture industry group. Joel counsels farm and agribusiness clients, both institutional and family-owned, during every stage of farm land and agricultural operations transactions, including negotiations, due diligence, closing, and post-closing integration and operations. Joel also provides regulatory guidance and litigation services in the food, agriculture, timber, and energy spaces, including representing clients in front of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and the Georgia Public Service Commission.    A member of the firm’s management committee, Joel has also lead commercial and real estate transactions in the healthcare space.

Joel currently serves as the President of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association and is a member of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council. A former State President and National Vice President for the National FFA Organization (formerly Future Farmers of America), Joel was twice appointed by former Governor Sonny Perdue to the Agricultural Education Advisory Commission. In August 2010, Georgia Trend listed him as one of the Movers and Shakers in the Georgia Agribusiness Industry. In 2011, Commissioner Gary W. Black appointed Joel to serve on the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness task force for the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Joel was recognized in 2011 with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Young Alumni Achievement Award.

Joel is active in the Georgia Agribusiness Council, a lifetime member of the National FFA Alumni Association, a member of the American Agricultural Law Association, and a member of the Agriculture Law Section and Animal Law Section of the Georgia Bar Association. Joel has been a guest speaker for the American Agricultural Law Association, the State Bar of Georgia Agriculture Law Section, the University of Georgia School of Law Annual Red Clay Conference, the Georgia Young Farmer Association, Georgia Farm Bureau, the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetables, and the Georgia Agritourism Association.  Joel and his wife are members of Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur, Georgia.

EXPERIENCE

• In re Dell Inc. Appraisal Litigation, Consol. C.A. No. 9322-VCL (Del. Ch. filed Oct. 29, 2013). Co-lead counsel for Dell in largest appraisal case ever tried in Delaware, concerning the value of Dell Inc. stock on the date the going private transaction closed.

• Okada v. Wynn Resorts, Ltd., No. A-12-654-522-B (Clark County Nev. Super. Ct, filed Jan. 11, 2012). Represented a board member and major stockholder in action that established a director’s right to inspect corporate books and records under Nevada law, in action seeking books and records regarding $135 million donation to the University of Macau Development Foundation. Represented the board member in connection with a number of matters, including a proxy contest where the board member sought to nominate independent directors to the Wynn Resorts board of directors.

• Dell/EMC Merger Litigation – Co-lead counsel for Dell Inc. and its affiliates in connection with litigation in state and federal courts in Massachusetts, and Delaware Chancery Court, arising out of Dell’s proposed $67 billion acquisition of EMC Corporation.

ADMITTED

• State of Georgia
  
• Middle District of Georgia
• Northern District of Georgia
• 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
• Southern District of Georgia

(All State and Superior Courts, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court)

EDUCATION

• J.D., cum laude, University of Georgia School of Law
• B.S. in Agriculture, Agribusiness, summa cum laude, Univeristy of Georgia
• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Associate of Science, Highest Honors