smcginnis@wargofrench.com		Download V-Card		Printer Friendly Page

Practice Areas: Ms. McGinnis litigates in the following areas: Securities Litigation and Arbitration Consumer Financial Services Complex Commercial First Amendment, Media and Defamation Alternative Dispute Resolution

Representative Matters:

• Represented a publicly traded company in multi-million dollar bad faith denial of coverage litigation and obtained summary judgment finding coverage available, which ultimately led to a favorable settlement.
  
  
• Defended national and regional brokerage firms and other financial institutions, as well as registered representatives, in proceedings initiated by and against clients before self-regulatory organizations, including the NASD, and in state and federal courts.
  
  
• Defended national and regional brokerage firms and other financial institutions in disputes with employees and independent contractors.
  
  
• Represented financial institutions in general commercial matters, including Uniform Commercial Code, contract and licensing disputes.
  
  
• Defended national financial services organizations and banks in numerous state and federal court actions asserting violations of various consumer protection statutes, including the Truth-In-Lending Act, Regulation Z, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Fair Credit Billing Act.
  
  
• Represented national financial services organizations and banks in litigation involving mortgage foreclosure, libel, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, deceptive trade practices, successor liability and fraud claims.
  
  
• Represented technology clients, including internet service providers and web-hosting service providers, in general commercial matters, including breach of contract, securities, licensing, and software disputes.
  
  
• Represented investment banking and brokerage firm in software dispute.
  
  
• Represented clients in both defense and prosecution of copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, Lanham Act and state trademark claims in state and federal courts.
  
  
• Defended clients in actions arising from merger and acquisition of certain or all assets, including letter of intent and contract interpretation disputes.
  
  
• Represented billboard companies in First Amendment actions challenging appropriateness of city and county sign ordinances.
  
  
• Defended former President and Board of Director member in federal alter ego trial.

Education:

• Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas
  Juris Doctor, cum laude, 1998
  
  
• Honors:
  • Southern Methodist University Law Review, Articles Editor (1996-1998)
    Order of the Coif
    Best Brief Winner, Jackson-Walker Moot Court Competition
    
    
• University of Southern California School of Journalism, Los Angeles, California
  B.A., 1994
  Major: Broadcast Journalism
  
  
• Honors:
  • Dean's Scholar and Dean's Scholarship Recipient, 1990-1994
    Dean's List - four years

Professional Activities and Publications:

• Member, State Bar of Georgia
  
  
• Member, Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers and Litigation section of the Atlanta Bar Association
• Member, Georgia First Amendment Foundation
  
  
• Admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; United States District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia; the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Georgia Court of Appeals

Published Decisions:

• In re Towne Services, Inc. Securities Litigation, 184 F. Supp. 2d 1308 (N.D. Ga. 2001)