Stites & Harbison Continues Expansion in Atlanta – Lands Commercial Litigation Team of 12 from Copeland, Stair, Kingma & Lovell LLP

ATLANTA—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 12 attorneys from Copeland, Stair, Kingma & Lovell, LLP (CSKL), including named Partner Johannes S. Kingma, Managing Partner Shannon M. Sprinkle and General Counsel William D. Newcomb, have joined Stites & Harbison’s Atlanta office.

Johannes S. Kingma (Joe), Shannon M. Sprinkle, John C. deMoulpied, Matthew Gass, Jennifer M. Guerra, Jeffrey C. Hoffmeyer, Mark D. Lefkow and William D. Newcomb (Billy) join Stites & Harbison as Members (Partners). Daniel B. Millman and Lewis P. Perling join the firm as Counsel while Peter J. Critikos, III and Brandon D. Sartin join the firm as Attorneys.

Kingma explained, “Our team of 12 has historically represented accounting and law firms in professional liability matters across the United States. However, in recent years we have grown into a commercial litigation team handling a variety of complex matters. Stites & Harbison’s platform better suits the growth of our commercial litigation group, and we look forward to the opportunity to practice with some of the finest litigators in the country.”

“The management and administrative support at Stites & Harbison is top-notch,” stated Shannon M. Sprinkle, the former Managing Partner of CSKL and current Member at Stites & Harbison. “It made sense for our group to join a firm with a platform that better suited our expanding litigation goals. It was my great honor to serve as the Managing Partner of CSKL for the last five years. We all have many fond memories and friends who remain at the firm. Our departure was an amicable one and we wish everyone at our prior firm nothing but the best.”

“We were very pleased to have announced the addition of seven attorneys from Owen Gleaton last week,” stated Marjorie A. Farris, Chair of Stites & Harbison. “We are beyond thrilled to have added another 12 excellent lawyers to our Atlanta office in a matter of two weeks. This growth of 19 attorneys in Atlanta allows us to better support our clients and their goals in a very competitive and dynamic legal market. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Joe Kingma is one of the most respected litigators in Georgia and beyond. To add that caliber of litigator to our roster of attorneys is exciting.”

Johannes S. Kingma (Joe) – Member (Partner)

Kingma’s diverse litigation practice involves the representation of international, national and regional accounting firms and law firms. He is highly adept in cases involving audit, secured lending, real estate, corporate governance and tax. He also has significant experience in conservation easement matters, mergers and acquisitions, captive insurance companies, local government and election law contests. Kingma has represented auditors in proceedings before the SEC, the FDIC and the IRS. Kingma is distinguished as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation only fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds from the United States and Canada.

Shannon M. Sprinkle – Member (Partner)

Sprinkle’s practice focus is commercial litigation in state and federal courts. She routinely defends lawyers, accountants, agents and brokers against claims alleging professional negligence, malpractice, fraud and breach of duty. Shannon also defends employment and business-related claims. In addition to her litigation work, Shannon advises clients on compliance and risk management as well as data security and privacy breach response.

William D. Newcomb (Billy) – Member (Partner)

Newcomb concentrates his practice on complex commercial, product liability and general liability litigation. His commercial practice focuses on professional liability. He represents accountants, attorneys, trustees, real estate agents, insurance agents and other professionals against claims such as malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, defamation and fraud. He also represents clients in investigations by professional review boards and agencies. Newcomb’s product liability practice includes representation of designers, manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical, medical device, food and general use products.

John C. deMoulpied – Member (Partner)

deMoulpied’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, including professional liability claims against attorneys, directors and officers, accountants and insurance brokers. He is experienced in the defense of intellectual property claims, franchise disputes and class-action suits involving multi-million dollar corporations. Additionally, deMoulpied represents clients in partnership and LLC member disputes, restrictive covenants, employment law and bank regulatory and compliance matters.

Matthew Gass – Member (Partner)

Matt concentrates his practice on commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He represents international, national and regional law firms and accounting firms as well as trustees, brokers and businesses. Matt has significant experience defending law firms and accounting firms in professional liability claims arising from fiduciary duties, trusts and estates issues, litigation, business disputes, First Amendment claims, family law, real estate transactions, tax matters and audit engagements. He also frequently advises clients on risk assessment, subpoena compliance and contract issues.

Jennifer M. Guerra – Member (Partner)

Guerra’s practice encompasses commercial and business litigation and in particular the counseling and representation of lawyers, accountants and other professionals. Her practice covers real estate, trusts and estates, corporate governance, tax, audit and data privacy and security. Having been a general liability litigator for almost a decade, Guerra is particularly skilled in representing lawyers as plaintiffs or defendants. She also handles product liability, insurance coverage and other substantial litigation matters in both state and federal court.

Jeffrey C. Hoffmeyer – Member (Partner)

Hoffmeyer maintains a broad commercial litigation practice. He helps attorneys, accountants, trustees, bankruptcy trustees, financial advisors and other professionals with fiduciary obligations navigate claims brought against them by former clients and third parties. He also represents major international creditors in recovering multi-million-dollar defaults through negotiation and litigation in state, federal and bankruptcy courts. He assists companies facing cybersecurity claims and represents parties involved in complex business disputes.

Mark D. Lefkow – Member (Partner)

Lefkow represents clients in various areas of civil litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts. He has successfully tried cases to defense verdicts as first chair in federal and state courts. Lefkow’s litigation practice includes defending lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, doctors, nurses and physician assistants in errors and omissions claims, defending products liability claims, defending general liability and premises liability claims, real estate litigation, bankruptcy litigation, business disputes, defending manufacturers in warranty rights cases and prosecuting civil recoveries of fraudulent wire transfers. He also advises business on transactional matters, corporate governance, employment covenants, commercial leases and vendor contracts.

Daniel B. Millman – Counsel

Millman’s practice focus is commercial litigation. He defends directors, officers, accountants, lawyers, financial advisors and other professionals against negligence claims. Millman has significant experience representing employers in ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA and Title VII claims. He has litigated insurance coverage, real estate, breach of contract, FDCPA, TCPA and Voting Rights Act cases. He has represented clients in state and federal district courts, appellate courts and arbitration proceedings.

Lewis P. Perling – Counsel

Perling has more than 20 years of experience in commercial litigation, including legal and accounting malpractice defense, consumer finance law, products liability, class actions and regulatory and compliance matters. He routinely manages highly complex, multi-party litigation while staying current with changes to consumer and business law legislation as well as regulation, including FCRA, FDCPA and TILA. His complex commercial litigation practice includes assisting professionals with fiduciary obligations and navigating claims brought against them by former clients and third parties. Perling has handled or supervised litigation in over 4,000 state and federal matters across the United States, including mass tort and class action suits, many on behalf of Fortune 500 companies.

Brandon D. Sartin – Attorney

Sartin’s practice concentrates on commercial litigation, including professional liability defense of attorneys, accountants and corporate directors and officers across Georgia State Courts and before various professional licensing boards. His past experience includes work as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Office of the Solicitor-General of Henry County, Ga.