Education:
Columbia Law School
J.D., 1991
Editor, Columbia Law Review
Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
Georgia Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, with highest honor
President’s Scholar
Ward Council
After graduating near the top of my class at an Ivy League law school in 1991, I went to work in very large law firms as a corporate lawyer doing mostly mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings and other corporate transactions. I eventually became a partner in a very large law firm, but my family and I were very unhappy so I changed paths and went in-house as the general counsel of a series of companies ranging from a 6-person startup to a global publicly traded company. I did well when a couple of those companies were sold. I decided to quit practicing law and made my living for years as a private investor using the capital that I had accumulated. Unfortunately, my investment activities were in areas that were hit particularly hard in 2007-2008, and I was totally wiped out. At that point in time, it seemed that the world was falling apart. All types of businesses, including law firms, were failing, splitting up and shedding people at all levels, and definitely not hiring anyone. The only option I had to attempt to prevent homelessness for my family was to create my own job by hanging out my shingle as a solo lawyer. That’s what I have been doing since 2008. It is definitely not a path that I would have designed for myself in advance, but it has worked out unexpectedly well for my family and me, and we are all much happier than we were in my “past lives”.
Speaking Engagements:
“Don’t Try This at Home!: How Do-It-Yourself Contracts Put You at Risk” – Multiple groups and dates
“Prenuptial Agreements for Your Company” – Cobb County Bar Association Legal Education Seminar, 2/7/13
“Business Contracts A-Z” – Commercial Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 11/15/12
“Other Things You Can Do with Shareholder Agreements” – Morgan Stanley, 6/29/11
“Legal Blocking and Tackling for Your Business” – The Buckhead Club, 6/4/10
“Buying or Selling a Private Company” – The Georgian Club, 10/8/09
“10 Business Law Mistakes that Might Surprise You” – The Georgian Club Executive Roundtable, 3/11/09
“10 Things You Might Not Know (But Ought to) from the World of Business Law” – Cobb County Bar Association Sole Practitioner/Small Firm Section, 2/26/09
“Corporate Service Company Scams” – Georgia Association of Business Brokers, 2/24/09
Contact:
T: (678) 472-2484
F: (678) 343-9569
E: ward@wardcouncillaw.com
Memberships:
Metro Atlanta Scotch Club
American Bar Association
Section of Business Law
Committee on Corporate Governance
General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division
State Bar of Georgia
Business Law Section
Corporate Counsel Section
Franchise & Distribution Section
Georgia Tech Bar Association