HBS Welcomes R. David Ware as Of Counsel to the Atlanta Office

HBS is pleased to welcome R. David Ware as Of Counsel to the Atlanta office. During his multi-faceted, 36-year career, Mr. Ware has represented clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies and large governmental entities to high-profile professional athletes and other high net worth individuals in complex litigation matters and multimillion-dollar negotiations and transactions. A proud son of sharecroppers, Mr. Ware has extensive executive management experience and has played an active and prominent role in numerous professional organizations, civic groups and on legal advisory panels. He also is an ordained minister.

“We are excited and pleased to have David join the firm, his expertise will enhance our ability to serve our clients” said Alex Booth, Managing Partner of Hall Booth Smith.

Prior to Hall Booth Smith, Mr. Ware chose to work in public service and served as the Fulton County Attorney for 7 years, serving Georgia’s largest county. In that role, Mr. Ware led a team of 25 staff attorneys and managed numerous outside counsel who provided legal advice to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and 40 departments and agencies on a range of complex matters including labor and employment actions, catastrophic personal injury suits, wrongful death claims, government contract disputes, taxation controversies, zoning law interpretations, environmental issues, construction litigation, constitutional challenges, First Amendment questions and Section 1983 cases. Mr. Ware’s trial skills have earned him numerous accolades.

Mr. Ware’s litigation work in private practice for corporate clients, insurers, municipalities and counties has covered matters ranging from alleged employment discrimination under Title VII and the ADA to general business disputes and tort defense, as well as issues arising under Section 1983.  A former magistrate court judge who sat by designation in Superior and State Court, Mr. Ware is particularly adept at helping clients resolve complex disputes and provides clients with advice to avoid protracted litigation.

Widely known for his pioneering work as a sports attorney, Mr. Ware has advised and represented professional athletes in negotiations that resulted in record-setting salaries and lucrative rights agreements for his clients. Notably, Mr. Ware became the first African American to represent a Heisman Trophy winner when Oklahoma State running back and eventual NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders hired him after turning professional. Mr. Ware also prepared the groundbreaking petition that forced the NFL to admit college juniors into the draft. He has won Agent of the Year honors and has been featured in and interviewed by numerous national and local print and broadcast media outlets. Additionally, Mr. Ware has provided legal advice and counsel to entertainers and those involved in intellectual property endeavors, including serving as the legal advisor on the award winning movie, Sunday Morning Rapture.

Mr. Ware’s executive management experience includes serving as the Interim County Manager for Fulton County where he successfully balanced a $1 Billion budget and saved the county $24 million.

Mr. Ware earned a J.D. in 1979 from the University of Georgia School of Law. He earned a B.A. in English 1976 from The University of West Georgia.

We warmly welcome Mr. Ware to our firm and are excited to have him representing our clients.

Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is a full-service law firm with eleven  offices in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. For more than thirty years, HBS has delivered quality legal services with a mission “to ethically and professionally serve our clients by providing the highest quality legal representation in a personally satisfying firm environment.” Our promise – “Serving to Achieve Excellence.”