Represented national and international hospitality franchisor in a consolidated set of putative class actions asserting anti-trust claims, breach of contract, and other deceptive trade practices challenging business decisions and programs implemented by the franchisor across the franchise system. Anne’s legal analysis and written advocacy helped her team secure a complete victory through written motions practice in federal court, defeating all claims without need for trial.
Counseled franchisors and defended claims arising under multiple state franchise relationship and investment laws, including California’s Franchise Investment Law, the Michigan Franchise Investment Law, the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act, Washington’s Franchise Investment Protection Act, and various industry-specific laws.
Represented multiple franchisors and other brand owners in enforcement of trademark rights under the Lanham Act and other state laws, including counseling clients through the investigation of suspected infringement claims to obtaining preliminary injunctions against former franchisees.
Counseled franchisors in business and strategic initiatives, including restructuring or enforcing system standards across their franchise brands, and strategic termination decisions.
Served as first-chair counsel for large securities broker-dealer and its registered financial advisor in a financial industry customer arbitration, successfully obtaining a full defense award following a three-day evidentiary hearing involving examination of multiple fact and expert witnesses.
Part of trial team representing one of the nation’s largest insurance brokerage firms, obtaining a jury verdict in the Northern District of Georgia for over $2 million, plus punitive damages, in a business competition, employment, and restrictive covenant dispute relating to the sudden resignations of specialized aviation insurance brokers for employment with a direct competitor. Trial team also obtained a defense jury verdict in favor of the firm’s client on the competitor’s tortious interference counterclaim.
Represented business seller in earnout dispute under asset purchase agreement, successfully obtaining arbitration decision from neutral accountant adjusting earnout award upward by several million dollars.
Represented business seller in post-closing dispute concerning recovery of hold-back on purchase price provided under terms of stock purchase agreement.
Represented large third-party administrator in coordinating defense of thousands of claims asserting underpayment of workers’ compensation benefits, counseling client with respect to inventory and evaluation of claims, and ultimately assisting client to reach favorable global settlement of portfolio of claims
Successfully overturned a $10 million default judgment on appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals on behalf of a Fortune 50 company.
Represented a Georgia-based manufacturing and technology company in multiple multimillion-dollar commercial disputes (in both offensive and defensive posture) concerning failures of products manufactured and sold for installation in commercial and industrial buildings.
Represented two entrepreneurs in defense of claims for alleged misappropriation of trade secrets, misuse of confidential information, trademark infringement, and related claims. The case involved new, cutting-edge technology relating to small satellites (cube satellites) and the Internet of Things. Obtained summary judgment for the clients on several claims, including on plaintiff's claims for trademark infringement, breach of contractual client and employee non-solicits, and violation of the Georgia computer systems protection statute.
Represented inmate in an appeal to the Eleventh Circuit from adverse judgment on First Amendment retaliation claims against prison officials.
Represented multiple tenants in eviction and housing condition disputes through participation in the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation Saturday Lawyer Program and Eviction Defense Program. In one such matter, successfully vacated a prior writ of possession and won monetary judgment following a bench trial on behalf of a tenant who was wrongfully evicted by former roommate. In another such matter, obtained substantial monetary settlement prior to trial reflecting actual and enhanced damages suffered by tenant.
Assisted the Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation (LCCHP) in drafting an amicus brief in support of a petition for certiorari in the United States Supreme Court in Schoeps v. Free State of Bavaria, Federal Republic of Germany, Docket No. 15-447. The LCCHP argued that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 should be read to permit the heirs of Nazi-confiscated-art victims to bring suit for restitution of those artworks held in foreign public art collections in federal court in New York, a prominent hub in the global art market, consistent with modern personal jurisdiction principles.