As we reflect on 2025, we are grateful for the trust of our clients, who make our work possible. 2025 was a year defined by momentum, from meaningful wins to a new firm identity and website. 

Below are a few highlights from our year.

A NEW LOOK

Bondurant introduced a refreshed brand identity and new website. Building on nearly 50 years of success in high-stakes litigation, the updated brand reflects who the firm is today: a modern, highly skilled boutique that clients trust for their most challenging cases. Read more here.

CHAMPIONING THE RULE OF LAW

The firm joined the amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie’s challenge to Executive Order 14230 alongside hundreds of law firms and legal advocacy groups to safeguard the legal profession’s independence and protect the right to represent clients without fear of retaliation.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT

For the 22nd consecutive year, Bondurant’s commercial litigation and antitrust practices earned Band 1 rankings from Chambers USA, making Bondurant the only Georgia firm with fewer than 800 attorneys to achieve this distinction. Read more here.

Bondurant was recognized among the “most feared” litigation firms nationwide in The BTI Consulting Group‘s 2026 Litigation Outlook, one of just 98 firms to earn this distinction.

Fourteen attorneys were named 2025 Super Lawyers, with two earning Rising Stars recognition. Additionally, Michael Terry secured a place in Georgia’s Top 10 for the third consecutive year.

Jason Carter, Ronan Doherty, Tiana Mykkeltvedt, Michael Terry, and Emmet Bondurant were named to the Legal 500‘s Atlanta City Elite rankings for their outstanding work and achievements in Commercial Disputes.

Frank Lowrey and Michael Terry were named Law360 Legal Lions of the Week following their role in securing a landmark $2.5 billion punitive damages verdict against Ford Motor Co. after jurors found the automaker liable for the wrongful death of a couple who died in a rollover crash involving their Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup.

Juliana Mesa was named a finalist for Most Promising Newcomer, and Matthew Sellers was recognized as an On the Rise honoree in the Southeastern Legal Awards. The firm was also recognized as a finalist for Litigation Department of the Year, General Litigation.

Ten Bondurant attorneys were recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers, including five rising stars named to Ones to Watch in America. Additionally, Frank Lowrey was honored as Atlanta’s “Lawyer of the Year” in both Appellate Practice and Bet-the-Company Litigation.

Four attorneys—Emmet Bondurant, Ben Fox, Frank Lowrey, and Mickey Mixson—were named “Litigation Stars” in the 2026 edition of Benchmark Litigation.

Bondurant was named to the 2026 Best Law Firms list, including Atlanta Tier 1 in Antitrust, Appellate, Bet-the-Company, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation (Antitrust, Banking & Finance, Securities, Trusts & Estates), plus national recognition in five practice areas.

SIGNIFICANT CASES

According to Law360, Bondurant was involved in three of the five “biggest legal developments to come out of Peach State courts in 2025.”

Chris Giovinazzo successfully represented Sovereign Healthcare Holdings’ holding company and its executives in a Georgia Court of Appeals victory that prevented Mariner Healthcare from collecting a $12.1 million judgment.

Robbie Ashe, Jennifer Peterson, and Amanda Bradley secured a win in the Georgia Court of Appeals on behalf of the City of Brookhaven. The Court held that City officials are entitled to official immunity when advocating for the City’s best interests during negotiations with real estate developers.

Michael Terry, acting as appellate counsel, helped secure a $13.7 million attorneys’ fee award in a case linked to a record-setting $45.8 million medical malpractice verdict obtained by Stone Law Group in 2017.

Frank Lowrey served as litigation counsel in the Delta Air Lines lawsuit against CrowdStrike to recover just compensation for the damages inflicted by CrowdStrike’s 2024 faulty software update.

Naveen Ramachandrappa and Matthew Sellers served as appellate counsel, successfully defending the verdict against Sig Sauer’s motions for directed verdict, a new trial, and reduced damages in a product liability case against the firearm manufacturer. The case, which centered on alleged design flaws, was the first jury verdict to find the gunmaker negligent for an unintentional discharge.

Frank Lowrey and Michael Terry played key roles in securing a major jury verdict in Brogdon (Mills) v. Ford Motor Company. A Columbus, Georgia, jury returned a $30.5 million compensatory damages verdict, followed by a $2.5 billion punitive damages verdict. The case stemmed from tragic injuries sustained in a 2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty rollover incident. Lowrey and Terry worked alongside lead counsel Jim Butler and attorneys from Butler Prather LLP and Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker & Ford, P.C. to represent the Mills family.

Chris Giovinazzo and Michael Terry were part of the team to successfully defend a $75 million verdict on appeal for a stroke patient left with locked-in syndrome after an Atlanta-area emergency room failed to diagnose his condition in time. Terry also presented oral argument before the Georgia Court of Appeals.

David Brackett and Kayla Polonsky, together with counsel from Korein Tillery, secured a win on behalf of a class of former NCR executives in an ERISA matter. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s order requiring NCR to pay additional retirement benefits.

Michael Terry was part of the plaintiff’s trial team in a Fulton County wrongful death case that resulted in nearly $100 million in awards across two trial phases, and he will handle the anticipated appeal. The case arose from a fatal head-on collision and alleged post-crash misconduct by the defendant trucking company.

Austin Hollimon achieved an appellate victory after handling the oral argument in McLeod v. BITCO Insurance Companies. The Georgia Court of Appeals reversed the enforcement of a workers’ comp lien where a lump sum settlement did not separate economic and non-economic damages, reinforcing that carriers must prove full compensation.

Michael Terry served as co-counsel at trial, and Terry and Danny Vincent served as appellate counsel for the plaintiff, alongside trial counsel at Brodhead Law, in a case where the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed an $80 million wrongful death verdict.

Amanda Kay Seals negotiated a global settlement for a trust beneficiary who alleged the trustee breached fiduciary duties and violated trust terms by transferring trust assets to an illiquid partnership. With support from Jason Carter and Eliza Taylor, the settlement also resulted in the trustee’s resignation of authority over multiple trusts, including trusts not at issue in the suit.

Naveen Ramachandrappa argued before the Supreme Court of Georgia on behalf of the family of Joshua Chang, a 21-year-old college student who died as a result of the City of Milton’s negligence.

Frank Lowrey argued in the Georgia Court of Appeals over the viability of a $335 million judgment against insurers of a private school liable for repeated instances of sexual abuse of multiple students.

Naveen Ramachandrappa argued the appeal on behalf of a longshoreman injured in a crash at the Port of Savannah, and the Eleventh Circuit has now revived the case. The court held that disputes over the driver’s employment status must be decided by a jury. In a detailed opinion, the panel emphasized that employment status can turn on the realities of daily labor assignments, including whether a worker may be considered “on the job” even before clocking in.

Pat Fagan and Chris Giovinazzo argued against summary judgment in a fiduciary duty and RICO case with over $50 million at stake.

John Floyd briefed and argued the appeal in Steven Wommack and Amy Weaver v. G.S. Construction and Alessandro Salvo, securing the reversal of the dismissal of whistleblower retaliation claims. The Court of Appeals distinguished federal RICO precedent and held the plaintiffs had stated a viable claim for relief.

MAKING AN IMPACT

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals appointed Pat Fagan and Jeff Chen to represent an indigent veteran bringing constitutional challenges regarding veterans’ disability benefits. After the Eleventh Circuit highlighted a circuit split, the firm teamed with the Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic to seek United States Supreme Court review. 

Matthew Sellers and Jeff Chen co-authored a merits-stage amicus brief in Bowe v. United States on behalf of a group of federal courts scholars, including Steve Vladeck, in support of the petitioner. The brief addressed limits on Congress’s power to create “exceptions” to the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction, and it was referenced multiple times at oral argument.

With co-counsel from the Center for Constitutional Rights, Amanda Kay Seals and Matthew Sellers represented a certified class of people in Georgia Department of Corrections custody, leading a federal judge to partially strike down a 2025 law that prohibited the provision of gender affirming healthcare to those experiencing gender dysphoria.

Amanda Kay Seals was elected to the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors, joining a distinguished group of Bondurant attorneys who have served in this capacity.

Ben Thorpe was reappointed to the Board of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Corporate Counsel Section.

The firm hosted the 2025 Board of Directors Retreat for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Georgia Chapter. Partner Naveen Ramachandrappa serves as a board member.

Tiana Mykkeltvedt represented the firm at the 2025 Partners Summit of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Amanda Kay Seals was selected to serve on the Kate’s Club Advisory Board for 2026.

David Brackett was elected Board Secretary by the Board of Directors of Georgia Appleseed for 2026.

Michael Baumrind was elected Vice President of the Federal Bar Association’s Atlanta Chapter.

Bondurant hosted the Georgia Latino Law Foundation‘s Interview Prep Seminar. Students worked with volunteer attorneys on resumes, cover letters, and more. They also participated in mock interviews with attorneys, receiving real-time feedback. The firm’s Juliana Mesa founded and chairs the GLLF’s Office Hours program, which sponsored and organized this event.

Shirley Laboy, Bondurant’s Director of Administration, was appointed to the Board of the Association of Legal Administrators.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

Amanda Kay Seals and Shirley Laboy presented at the State Bar of Georgia’s Update on Georgia Law conference in February. Their panel, titled “Be Your Own COO: Big Lessons for Small Firm Lawyers,” covered essential strategies attorneys can deploy to run their practices more efficiently.

Naveen Ramachandrappa spoke at the Cobb County Trial Lawyers Association on the role and benefits of embedded appellate counsel at trial, highlighting how having an appellate specialist on the trial team can help preserve issues, shape legal strategy, and strengthen the record for appeal.

Ben Thorpe and Frank Lowrey moderated sessions at the State Bar of Georgia Antitrust Law Section’s Deals, Data, and Platforms seminar, which brought together experts from government, private practice, and in-house legal teams to discuss key competition law issues.

Bondurant sponsored the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Georgia Corporate Recoveries group, educating in-house counsel about monetizing the corporate legal department.

Naveen Ramachandrappa spoke to Emory University School of Law’s Advanced Appellate Advocacy class about appellate strategy, including how strong trial-level preparation sets the stage for success on appeal, the relationship between briefs and oral argument in shaping key issues, and how to build a career in appellate practice.

Ben Thorpe moderated the Association of Corporate Counsel, Georgia, webinar on fraud prevention and asset protection.

Michael Baumrind moderated a panel for the Association of Corporate Counsel, Georgia, on maximizing insurance recovery.

Pat Fagan spoke at the Association of Corporate Counsel, Georgia, Business Litigation Summit, presenting on “Who Gets the Check? Recovering Fees & Expenses in Affirmative Litigation.” He also served as a panelist for the Atlanta Bar Association program, “Securing Your Advantage: Pre-Litigation Strategies for Success.”

John Floyd, one of the country’s leading RICO experts, delivered presentations on the subject to a meeting of the Litigation Counsel of America in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and to approximately 100 Metro Atlanta prosecutors and investigators at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

Danny Vincent was a speaker and panelist at a number of leading legal conferences and programs in 2025, including events hosted by the American Association for Justice, Georgia State University College of Law, the Atlanta Trial Lawyers Association, and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, where she addressed jury charges, ethical leadership, trial strategy, and SB 68 appellate and objection-preservation issues.

Jennifer Peterson spoke at the AICPA Forensic & Valuation Services national conference in Colorado on “The Many Sides of RICO” and was a panelist for an Ethics and Professionalism CLE at the Cobb County Bar Association.

Lawsuits say parole board violates Supreme Court rulings that direct teenagers get a path for release.

Bondurant is proud to represent clients in lawsuits challenging the way the Georgia parole board considers juvenile offenders. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that children are different from adults when it comes to culpability for their conduct and when it comes to their potential for rehabilitation.

The firm is pursuing two lawsuits that seek to ensure that Georgia follows the law by treating children differently when it considers them for parole.

Read more here.

Attorney General’s Office argued COVID-era agreement to halt capital punishment until vaccines were available for ‘all’ members of the public is no longer applicable.

The Fulton County Superior Court recently granted summary judgment to Georgia’s capital defense bar, represented by Bondurant and Caplan Cobb LLC, in their suit to enforce a 2021 contract with the Georgia Attorney General’s office regarding the conditions for resuming executions post-COVID.

The court issued a permanent injunction, preventing the state from executing nine death-row prisoners until the contract’s conditions, including vaccine availability for all ages, are met.

Read more here.

As we look back on 2024, we want to thank each of you for your continued trust, support and collaboration. From major case wins to notable new hires, it was a remarkable year for the firm.

Read on to see some highlights from last year.

A LANDMARK YEAR FOR OUR FOUNDING PARTNER
Emmet Bondurant was awarded the prestigious American Bar Association Medal, the organization’s highest honor. This distinction recognizes his contributions to civil rights, legal defense, and upholding democratic values over a distinguished career. He was also recognized by the State Bar of Georgia for his outstanding contributions to antitrust law with the 1890 Award for Excellence in Antitrust.

WELCOME TO THE FIRM
We welcomed three new attorneys to our team in 2024. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences strengthened our ability to serve our clients.

Ben Thorpe, Partner: learn more about Ben and his experience here.

Jeannine Holmes, Associate: learn more about Jeannine and her practice here.

Kyle R. Tau, Associate: learn more about Kyle and his background here.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT
For the 21st year in a row, BME commercial litigation and antitrust practices earned Band 1 rankings from Chambers USA, making BME the only Georgia firm with fewer than 800 attorneys to achieve this distinction. In addition, the firm’s white collar crime and government investigations practice were recognized, as were Frank Lowrey, Emmet Bondurant, Mickey Mixson, Michael Terry, Ronan Doherty, and John Floyd.

The firm was selected as the Litigation Department of the Year, Appellate Winner, by the 2024 Southeastern Legal Awards, and firm partner Tiana Mykkeltvedt was recognized as a Distinguished Leader.

Fifteen of our attorneys were recognized as 2024 Super Lawyers, and one as a Rising Star. Michael Terry was named a Top 10 attorney in Georgia for the second consecutive year, while Frank Lowrey secured a spot in the Top 100 for the sixth time.

Michael Terry was selected for the Tradition of Excellence Award by the State Bar of Georgia for his outstanding work on behalf of plaintiffs. This award is based on a career of consistently excellent advocacy.

Frank Lowrey, Mickey Mixson, and Michael Terry were named 2025 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for Atlanta in their respective practice areas.

Emmet Bondurant, Ben Fox, Frank Lowrey, and Mickey Mixson were named 2025 “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation.

The firm received national and regional recognition in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms, earning top rankings across multiple practice areas.

MAJOR CASES
During 2024, BME argued appeals with more than $3.4 billion at stake, arguing before the Georgia Court of Appeals 13 times, the Georgia Supreme Court six times, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals twice.

In a series of groundbreaking cases, BME represented fifteen survivors of sex trafficking in their claims against hotel operators that profited from their exploitation. This landmark trial is the first of its kind in seeking to hold a hotel brand accountable for sex trafficking occurring at its properties. The plaintiffs were represented by BME attorneys Tiana Mykkeltvedt, Sachin Varghese, John Floyd, Amanda Kay Seals, Michael Baumrind, and Juliana Mesa, and co-counsel, Pat McDonough, Jonathan Tonge, and Jennifer Webster.

BME represented three Cayman Island liquidators in unraveling a massive Ponzi scheme, suing an international bank for its role in enabling the fraud. Led by attorneys Frank Lowrey, John Rains, Amanda Kay Seals, and Juliana Mesa, BME secured a $95 million judgment after a complex three-week jury trial, with the case ultimately settling after the bank appealed the judgment.

Sachin Varghese, Ben Thorpe, Michael Baumrind, Jeff Chen, and Allen Page successfully represented the Democratic Party of Georgia in a series of challenges involving the State Election Board’s last-minute attempts to alter election procedures. Following a bench trial in October, they secured a critical ruling confirming that the certification of election results by election board members is mandatory.

John Floyd and Jennifer Peterson achieved victories in a protracted legal dispute involving the members of a company operating nine hotels across the Southeast, resolving years of contentious litigation and securing a significant ruling from the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Naveen Ramachandrappa, alongside attorneys from Harris Lowry Manton, successfully represented the appellees-plaintiffs in City of Milton v. Chang before the Georgia Court of Appeals, securing affirmation of the jury’s verdict and reversal of the trial court’s omission of prejudgment interest, bringing the total at stake to $37.12 million in a case involving wrongful death of a 21-year-old.

Robbie Ashe, Michael Terry, and Matthew Sellers represented the Medical Center Hospital Authority in a dispute with the Columbus Board of Tax Assessors in Columbus, Georgia. The team argued successfully that the authority’s leasehold interest in a continuing care residential community should be exempt from ad valorem taxes as public property under Georgia law, saving the authority over $150 million.

Naveen Ramachandrappa, alongside attorneys from the Butler Kahn Firm, helped secure a $29.4 million jury verdict against a hotel owner and operator after an employee sexually assaulted a minor female at the hotel.

Robbie Ashe and Jennifer Peterson defended MARTA on appeal in the Georgia Supreme Court in a case brought by a passenger who claimed injuries after a fall while boarding a train.

Frank Lowrey, Josh Thorpe, and their co-counsel obtained the dismissal of a federal class action in which plaintiffs sought tuition refunds from a university arising out of its shift to online education during the pandemic.

Frank Lowrey, Jason Carter, Josh Thorpe, and Amber Greenaway obtained the dismissal of two mass joinder cases in which the plaintiffs asserted civil RICO claims against a major financial services company.

Of course, BME is proud of the many reasonable resolutions it achieved for clients without any publicity.

MAKING AN IMPACT
Amanda Bradley, Jeff Chen, and a Kirkland & Ellis attorney team secured a victory for a Georgia inmate who developed stage 4 hepatitis C after a five-year delay in treatment, highlighting systemic issues in prison healthcare and setting a precedent for future advocacy on constitutional rights and medical access for the incarcerated.

Pat Fagan and Jeff Chen were appointed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to represent an incarcerated veteran in an appeal raising constitutional challenges to service-connected disability law.

Allen Page was appointed by the United States District Court in the Northern District of Georgia to represent a homeless man currently incarcerated in a case alleging that police officers unlawfully arrested him and repeatedly used a taser to force him off the streets.

Danny Vincent was selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow for 2024, while Juliana Mesa and Amanda Bradley were named Pathfinders.

Amanda Bradley was also among 53 young professionals selected to join the prestigious LEAD Atlanta Class of 2025.

The firm is proud to continue supporting the Georgia Latino Law Foundation by hosting and sponsoring various programs, including its annual interview boot camp series, annual awards luncheon, and more. GLLF helps grow the pipeline of Georgia’s Latino, Latina, and Latinx lawyers through its programs for law students.

Naveen Ramachandrappa and lawyers Jeb Butler and Jay Sadd launched Smart Giving, an initiative encouraging fellow attorneys to optimize their charitable donations, ensuring every dollar contributes to charitable programs where it can have the most impact.

Amanda Bradley, alongside a dedicated group of attorney volunteers, led the Therrell High School mock trial team to success at regionals, earning a spot in the district competition, and our firm proudly supported their journey by hosting practice sessions.

We had the honor of hosting the board of directors for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention, Georgia Chapter. BME’s Naveen Ramachandrappa serves on the board.

Amber Greenaway was selected for an Appellate Litigation Fellowship with the D.C. Office of the Solicitor General.

David Brackett represented BME at the International Network of Boutique and Independent Law Firms conference in Washington, D.C.

ADVANCING THROUGH LEARNING
Pat Fagan and Ben Thorpe served as speakers in multiple ACC Georgia seminars on antitrust and corporate recoveries.

Tiana Mykkeltvedt joined leaders from across the country at the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession’s seminar to discuss effective DEI strategies for small to midsize law firms.

Amber Greenaway and Naveen Ramachandrappa were featured speakers at the Emory Law School Supreme Court Advocacy Program seminar: “The Supreme Court in Focus: The Past, Present, and Future of Appellate Litigation.”

Naveen Ramachandrappa joined the Institute for Well-Being in Law as a panelist for the webinar “Suicide Awareness and Prevention: Stories from the Trenches – Continuing the Conversation.”

Bondurant is proud to be named a finalist for Litigation Department of the Year, General Litigation, in the Daily Report’s Southeastern Legal Awards.

We’re grateful to our clients and referral partners whose trust and support make these recognitions possible.

Read more here.

Bondurant has been appointed as co-lead class counsel in the BioLab class action litigation, which stems from a chemical fire at a Conyers, Georgia, plant that forced the evacuation of more than 17,000 residents.

Read more here.