Adria Greene is an Attorney in the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture where she is a member of the commercial law group. Adria’s primary area of practice is complex commercial litigation involving government contracts, real estate and employment.

Adria is currently the Secretary of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. She is also a member of the National Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta.

Adria is a dedicated community volunteer. She is a member of The Links, Incorporated, Junior League of Atlanta, National Council of Negro Women, Inc. and the Atlanta Wellesley Club.

Adria earned her juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and her bachelor of arts in International Relations from Wellesley College. She also holds a diploma in Enterprise Management from the University of Cape Town.

With over 10 years of experience as a trial lawyer and an extensive background in advocacy and litigation, Maria expanded her professional sphere to include public policy because that is where, she believes, real change is made. From managing political campaigns to advising elected officials, she has had the opportunity to shape policy at the state and local levels. In addition to her law practice, she serves as the Legislative and Research Analyst for the Georgia Democratic House Caucus and Chief of Staff to State Representative Bee Nguyen.

In working with legislators at the Georgia General Assembly, she has been able to use her real-life experience as a lawyer to bring a practical understanding and much-needed perspective to new, progressive policy-making.

She has learned to look at every case file with an open mind and an open heart. She sees crime as another symptom of a greater problem in this country–one that cannot be solved by the Criminal Justice System alone. She believes that in order to get to the root of the problem, we must invest in our communities and focus on being proactive rather than reactive. This is a philosophy that colored her work as a progressive prosecutor and a public defender.

For six years, she served the DeKalb County community, both in the Office of the DeKalb Solicitor General and the Office of the DeKalb District Attorney. She took on the types of cases that many lawyers shy away from, often representing people who our society looks down upon. Serving in the Special Victim Unit of the Solicitor-General’s Office and Elder Abuse Unit of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, she prosecuted domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, animal cruelty, and elder abuse and exploitation cases. 

Prior to her work as a prosecutor, she served in the Newton County Public Defender’s Office, providing legal representation for individuals accused of a variety of serious crimes. As she sees it, one of the things that really separates America from so many other places in the world, is the belief that every person charged with a crime deserves adequate legal representation. Even when an individual is guilty, we must take care to protect their liberties and provide forward-looking, equitable prosecution.

She earned her Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School, focusing on international human rights and civil rights law. She truly considers herself a citizen of the world and have traveled abroad to study international human rights law, women’s rights, and international trade law in the Isreal/West Bank area and Guadalajara, Mexico. Before that, she attended Agnes Scott College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Africana Studies.

Mystical Studaway has been a proud member GABWA since 2006. She has served in various
capacities over the years including Financial Secretary (2015), Strategic Planning Committee
Member (2015), Membership Committee Chair (2014), Community Service Co-Chair (2010),
Student Programs Committee Co-Chair (2009), and as Student Member-at-Large (2007 & 2008).
She is also a two-time recipient of the GABWA Foundation Scholarship (2006 & 2007).
In addition to serving as the GABWA Community Service Chair, Mystical also serves on the
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) Foundation Board of Directors on the
Community Service Committee and as the Secretary of the Build the Life You Want Foundation.
Additionally, she is member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Paralegal Section. Her
previous memberships include the Georgia Association of Paralegals, Gate City Bar Association
Paralegal Section, New Rock Legal Society, DeKalb Lawyers Association, and the American Bar
Association.

Mystical is a litigation paralegal at Jensen Law, LLC. Her current practice area is personal injury
and premise liability, but her skills and specialties have also included workers’ compensation,
criminal law, and bankruptcy law.

Mystical obtained her B.S. in Criminal Justice and her A.A. in Spanish from Georgia State
University. She also received a certification in paralegal studies from Clayton State University.
Additionally, she attended John Marshall Law School where she served as Secretary of the Black
Law Students Association (BLSA) and as a Student Bar Association Representative. While in law
school, she received her certification in General Civil Mediation. She also received certifications
after volunteering with the Fulton County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and the
Truancy Intervention Project (TIP).

Mystical is originally from Jackson, MS and grew up in Marietta, GA. She loves animals, children
and the elderly. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, writing poetry and
attending poetry readings, concerts, and plays.

A member of GABWA since 2014, Mrs. Marcee L. Campbell has been a consistent presence on GABWA’s Board of Directors and several committees. She currently serves as the Elections Committee Chair and Judicial Review Committee Co-Chair. She has also served as a Sister2Sister Mentor since 2015. Marcee is a proud graduate of Albany State University and Howard University School of Law, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Upon graduating from law school, she commenced a career in education that led to her becoming an Assistant Legal Officer in Legal Affairs and Charter School Coordinator for the DeKalb County School District. Since 2016, Marcee has served as Senior Staff Attorney to the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson in the Superior Court of DeKalb County.  Her experience includes a solid foundation of knowledge in civil and domestic law, legal research and analysis, and policy development and implementation. She has also attained experience in employee relations and conducting internal investigations. Marcee enjoys serving her community, visiting beaches, and spending time with her family and college sweetheart (husband), Elam.

Gillian S. Crowl is a Senior Litigation Associate with Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers, LLP. She focuses her practice primarily in the areas of commercial litigation, trucking litigation, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, insurance coverage, premises liability, bad faith litigation, construction defect, ERISA and other life, health and disability matters. Gillian represents clients throughout Georgia and North Carolina. She also serves on the firm’s community service committee and oversees the firm’s annual food drive for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Gillian is very active within the legal community. In addition to her roles with the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), she serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee for the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division (WLD), and previously served as the Deputy Director of Region XI of the National Bar Association. She also co-chairs the trucking section of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association. She is a member of the Lawyer’s Club of Atlanta, American Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, and North Carolina State Bar Association. She also participates regularly in the community service and social justice ministries at Cascade United Methodist Church.

A transplant to Atlanta, Gillian was born in Jamaica and raised in The Bronx, New York. Gillian earned her undergraduate degree and Master of Public Administration from Cornell University and her law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow is an assistant district attorney for the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office where she is assigned to the Anti-Corruption Unit.  Kimberly oversees the prosecution of complex, high-profile financial cases exceeding $100,000.00 arising out of business crimes and fraud.  Prior to joining the DeKalb County DA’s Office, Kimberly served as chief senior assistant district attorney for Fulton County’s District Attorney Office, and was an associate in the Atlanta office of Schiff Hardin LLP where she practiced in the General Litigation Group and on the firm’s National Appellate Team.  Kimberly began her legal career in public service as a prosecutor, and previously worked at the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Department of Justice, as well as several non-profit policy organizations in Washington, DC before attending law school.

Recently recognized as one who is “On the Rise” by the Fulton Daily Report, Kimberly has developed an expertise in Georgia’s business crimes and financial investigations.  She is an adjunct professor of White Collar Crimes and Trial Practice at the University of Georgia School of Law, and she currently serves on the Consumer Advisory Board for the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia. 

Kimberly is an active volunteer in the community, and she has served in various leadership roles for both professional and non-profit organizations, including the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Gate City Bar Association, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia, the Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta (formerly known as Asian American Legal Advocacy Center), and ChildrenConnect of Newnan.  She is a member of Leadership Georgia’s Class of 2017, LEAD Atlanta’s Class of 2016, the State Bar of Georgia’s Leadership Academy’s Class of 2015, and an active volunteer for high school, college, and law school mock trial programs. 

Although born and raised within the U.S. Army and Korean communities of Seoul, S. Korea during her early formative years, Kimberly calls Atlanta her home.  After graduating high school in Georgia, she went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in English from Howard University in Washington, DC, and her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, Georgia. 

Kimberly currently resides in Newnan, GA with her husband, daughter, and dog.  When she is not working, she enjoys playing tennis, the outdoors, and cooking.

Attorney Fields’ focus is aiding plaintiff’s in auto accidents, nursing home and negligent security cases.
Fields has lived in and served the metropolitan Atlanta area all of her life. She is a litigator with many years of experience in and out of courtroom and in dealing with insurance companies.

Fields was educated at Georgia State University right here in Atlanta and Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, AL. Fields has litigated at large and boutique law firms and also practiced public interest law while serving as an Assistant Attorney General at the Georgia Department of Law. In addition, Fields served as an adjunct professor at Clayton State University where she molded minds for more than eight years.

As you can see, Attorney Fields has a broad base of experience and she uses that experience to help her clients. Fields is focused on helping you if you are injured through no fault of your own. When you become her client, Fields takes it as her duty to seek maximum compensation for you. If you have been injured through no fault of their own, contact Fields today. She will personally speak with you and explain your rights as well as the steps that need to be taken in order to protect those rights.

Shalamar J. Parham is an award-winning attorney providing government relations services. Shalamar obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University.  Shalamar currently serves as a lobbyist at GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group. Prior to joining GeorgiaLink, Shalamar worked in the Office of the House Minority Leader James Beverly as Policy Manager and legal counsel where she was responsible for leading the policy team and her work helped to advance the legislative priorities of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. Shalamar’s career in state politics also includes working as Policy Analyst for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus and Chief of Staff to Representative Erick Allen. 

Prior to working at the state capitol, Shalamar was the founding member of Parham Law Firm, where she passionately served the community and provided pro bono legal services to marginalized communities and survivors of domestic violence. Shalamar was selected for Super Lawyers Georgia Rising Star in 2013-2020 in recognition for her work. Shalamar has also served the community through a range of board appointments, committee leadership roles and grassroots advocacy. 

Shalamar is a member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), Gate City Bar Association, and the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA). Currently, Shalamar serves on the board of Leadership DeKalb. Formerly, Shalamar served as board president of Georgia Legal Services Program, as board member for League of Women Voters Atlanta-Fulton, as board member for the Arc of Justice Institute, as Director of Special Interests on the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division board, and as a board member of Cherokee County Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children.  Shalamar is an alumna of the 2018 Leadership DeKalb class and the 2012 Young Lawyers Division Leadership Academy class. In her free time, Shalamar enjoys traveling and volunteering in the community.

In the words of Dr. Mae Jemison, “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations” has always been the driving force for Elicia Hargrove’s drive and ambition to be successful and help others. Ms. Hargrove is a native of Milledgeville, Georgia and she was a zealous advocate and criminal defense attorney with the Georgia Public Defender’s Council for many years. Ms. Hargrove is currently an Assistant District Attorney with the Henry County’s District Attorney Office located in the Flint Judicial Circuit. 

Elicia Hargrove graduated from the Albany State University with Honors in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She later received her J.D. degree from the Sheppard Broad School of Law at Nova Southeastern University in 2007 and completed her L.L.M in Federal Criminal Practice and Procedure from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2014. Ms. Hargrove is member of the Florida Bar and an active member of the Georgia Bar. Along with Ms. Hargrove’s license to practice law in both Georgia and Florida, she is also a certified Neutral for the State of Georgia. 

As a graduate from the State Bar of Georgia’s Leadership Academy in 2014, she was elected by her peers and served on the Executive Council with the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division from 2013-2015. In 2017, she was also selected to participate in the 2017 National Juvenile Training Immersion Program Summer Academy that was held in Washington, DC at Georgetown University. Additionally, she has honed her litigation skills by completing the Bill Daniels Trial Advocacy program. Ms. Hargrove also continues to serve on the Board of two non-profit organizations, Straight Street Ministries and M.I.A Inc., in Milledgeville, GA that provide much needed resources to people within the community. 

In 2019, Ms. Hargrove was given the honor of being nominated for “40 under 40” with the Albany Chamber of Commerce and the Rural Leader Magazine. In 2021, Attorney Hargrove was also the recipient of the “I’m Every Woman” Award by Woman 9to5. Inc. She is involved in several outreach organizations that provides COVID-19 relief to the community and she has organized youth development programs. Additionally, she advocates for voter rights and stands up against voter intimidation.  Ms. Hargrove continues to pour back into her community that has given so much to her because she agrees wholeheartedly with the words of Shirley Chisholm who often said that service is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.

A graduate of Georgia State University College of Law and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Joycelyn Curry has spent the last 14 years working with individuals and corporations seeking bankruptcy protection along with working with startup and growing businesses to thrive and meet their goals. A former litigator, Ms. Curry recently became a certified mediator and seeks to serve as a registered neutral to further assist parties in resolving their disputes. In her spare time Ms. Curry is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta, a Sister 2 Sister mentor and Fulton County facilitator, GABWA’s Judicial Review Committee and a member of Leadership Dekalb Class of 2019.

Evita L. Gaillard is Associate Attorney at Brown, Geiger & Associates specializing in Family Law cases consisting of Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Legitimation, Alimony, and Property Settlements. She also serves as an Associate Special Assistant Attorney General representing the Fulton County’s Division of Family and Children Services (in cases involving Child Dependency),  the Office of Inspector General’s Electronic Benefits Transfer Unit (in cases involving EBT fraud), and DHS TANF appeals. She is also a Georgia Court Registered Mediator with certifications in Civil, Domestic Relations, and Domestic Violence mediation.

Evita earned her B.A. from Howard University in Washington, DC and Juris Doctorate from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

Evita has been a member of GABWA since 2015 and has served on the leadership team in various roles.  She served as Chair of Historian, Awards and Sponsorship, Newsletter, and Sections. This year she will serve as Chair of Sections.

Trenile Tillman is a Supervising Attorney with the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center (DCCAC).   As a Child Advocate, she represented children and youth who have been abused, abandoned and neglected in dependency proceedings in Juvenile Court.  As a Supervising Attorney, she currently leads a team of Child Advocate Attorneys within DCCAC.  In her time with the Child Advocacy Center, Trenile has been in charge of community outreach and several events including holiday parties, office-wide retreats and team building activities.  She has also served as the DCCAC liaison to the DeKalb County multidisciplinary team.

Before joining DCCAC Trenile practiced criminal law, specifically defense of indigent clients, and in the civil sector, focusing on personal injury and medical malpractice.

Born and raised in Savannah Georgia, Trenile is an alumna of Howard University and The University of Georgia School Law.  Additionally, she holds a Certificate of Hospitality and Tourism Management from Florida Atlantic University.  She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and has previously served as General Counsel for Gamma Xi Phi Professional Arts Fraternity (GXP), where she presently serves as Executive Director.  Within GABWA, Trenile has worked with the Sister 2 Sister Mentoring Program for a number of years.  

In her spare time, Trenile enjoys traveling, cooking and reading.

Rachel D. Caldwell, JD is a Senior Event Manager at the Georgia World Congress Center. 

Deemed a “Customer Service Superhero” by clients, Rachel began her career in hospitality and events at The Walt Disney Company in 2009.  Specializing in Venue Management, she has led the charge on trade shows, conventions, sporting events, executive meetings, and television movie productions. Her events have utilized up to one million square feet of usable meeting space and resulted in an economic impact of over 8-figures to the City of Atlanta and State of Georgia. Standout events include Super Bowl LIII, 2020 Men’s Final Four, Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K, Atlanta Christkindl Market (2019), Chinese Lantern Festival (2019), Microsoft Business Application Summit (2019), Ernst & Young Annual Partners’ Meeting (2018), Mary Kay Leadership Conference (2018), and Rotary International (2017).

During her time with the Albany (GA) Civic Center Complex, Rachel was the co-planner of the Albany Municipal Auditorium’s Centennial Celebration and the annual Mistletoe Market Arts & Crafts Show.

A graduate of UGA Law School (Class of 2012) and Auburn University (Class of 2008), Rachel has a Continuing Education Certificate in Event Planning from Emory University and a certificate in Post-Crisis Hospitality Management from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business. Additionally, Rachel is a registered mediator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. 

An active member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Rachel serves on the Region 5 Board (Newsletter Editor) and the 2021 VenueConnect Program Committee. In 2019, she participated in IAVM’s Venue Management School.

Tia Crosby currently serves as Associate Attorney at The CP Law Group, specializing in personal injury law. An Atlanta transplant by way of North Carolina, Tia is a graduate of University of North Carolina and Florida A&M University College of Law, where she served as Fellow for the Center for International Law and Justice and law clerk for The High Court of Ghana, Commercial Division.

Tia has committed to engaging and educating disadvantaged communities in the realm of legal advocacy. This passion has lead her to intern and volunteer with several non-profit organizations, such as The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia and Atlanta Volunteers Lawyers Foundation (AVLF).

Simone N. Hylton is a Deputy District Attorney with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office under the leadership of District Attorney Fani T. Willis. Ms. Hylton heads the Brenda Baham Domestic Violence Unit. This unit is responsible for the prosecution of intimate partner cases to include battery, aggravated assaults and homicides. Prior to her position in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, she served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney’s Office in the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office in the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault unit and the Sexual Exploitation and Crimes Against Children Unit.  

Ms. Hylton has handled cases ranging from drug offenses to homicide cases.   Ms.  Hylton started her prosecution career in 2010 at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. While at the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, Ms. Hylton received several awards to include the Major Case Rookie of the Year award, the Trial Unit Attorney of the Year award and was selected as a Rising Star in the Fulton County District Attorney’s office in 2012. 

Originally born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. Ms. Hylton made Georgia her home after graduating law school. Ms. Hylton received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Legal Communications from Howard University in 2004. She received her Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2008. Currently, Ms. Hylton serves as the Vice President of Programs for the National Black Prosecutors Association; Past President of the Greater Atlanta Black Prosecutors Association; Vice President of Programs for the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys; and Secretary of the DeKalb Lawyers Association.  Ms. Hylton is an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law where she teaches trial techniques. Ms. Hylton is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and serves her sorority through the Atlanta Suburban Alumnae Chapter. Ms. Hylton is a member of Cascade United Methodist Church in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia. 

Mecca Anderson brings a distinctive skillset to The Cochran Firm’s trial practice. She served the Georgia Supreme Court as a Clerk specializing in Petitions for Certiorari, as the Chief of Staff to Justice Carol W. Hunstein and as a Judicial Intern for Justice Robert Benham. Prior to joining The Cochran Firm, Mecca honed her skills at a boutique litigation firm, The Summerville Firm, renowned for both its trial and appellate expertise. 

Mecca was selected as a 2017 member of the GTLA LEAD Program. She is a 2013 alumna of the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyers’ Division Leadership Academy. She also serves as Dean for the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys’ Professional Development Academy. Mecca has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Mecca’s practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury cases arising from trucking and auto accidents, negligent security, medical malpractice and breaches of civil rights. 

Rita M. Treadwell is a Manager of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Greenberg Traurig, a global law firm. She has previously worked as a Research Attorney and practiced law at a large Atlanta insurance defense firm. Ms. Treadwell is active in her community serving on several boards and holding various leadership positions. A native of Atlanta (Decatur), Ms. Treadwell is passionate about the beloved community and strives to contribute her time and talent to improve the lives of those who call Atlanta home. She has extensive involvement in legal and civic organizations, most recently having served as the Chair of GABWA’s Judicial Review Committee and Chair of the Junior League of Atlanta’s Endowment Fund Board. During her tenure as a JLA Endowment Fund Trustee the first distribution to the Junior League of Atlanta was made in 2018, in the Fund’s 36-year history. While Chair of the Fund she led the Trustees in making a distribution to the Junior League for critical repairs to Headquarters and approving a distribution to JLA’ s community partner, The Atlanta Children’s Shelter. She is currently serving as the Vice President of the GABWA Foundation Board; and member of the DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Druid Hills High School Foundation Board, the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta (Fulton County Advisory Board) and served as the 2018 President of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. She has served as a volunteer with GABWA’s Sister to Sister mentoring program for at risk girls ages 13-18, serving as a Director for two years, helped to create the Junior League of Atlanta’s committee to combat the trafficking of children (CSEC) and served as its first Co-Chair in 2010. Ms. Treadwell is the 2019 recipient of the Spirit of GABWA Award and 2018 Atlanta Business League’s 100 Women of Influence.

Education

• L.I.S., Library Science, Clark Atlanta University
• D., Samford University-Cumberland School of Law, CLEO Fellow
• A., Political Science, Hampton University, cum laude

Bar & Court Admissions, Professional Memberships, and Community Activities

• State of Georgia Bar
• Northern District of Georgia
• American Bar Association, Member
• DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Board Member and Co-Chair Talent Committee
• Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, President, 2018
• Foundation Board, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, Director
• Junior League of Atlanta Endowment Fund, 2017-2020, Chair 2019-2020
• Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta Fulton County Advisory Board, Member
• GABWA/GALP Civil Pro Bono Project, Program Director

Kenya Johnson currently serves as the Chief Judge of the Probate Court of Fulton County. Prior to her historic win in June, 2020, she served as Chief Deputy Solicitor General and Chief Deputy District Attorney in Fulton County. Kenya is a veteran to GABWA’s Executive board, having co-hosted the ground- breaking legal talk show, “Legally Speaking” for several seasons where she worked to train lawyers in legal correspondence. Kenya is a frequent  contributor on CNN and CourtTV and she has earned national accolades for her youth crime prevention programming. Kenya will serve as Co-Director & Dean of President Rankin’s inaugural program, the ‘GABWA Fellowship Institute’ where she will use her talents to develop young lawyers through enriching internships. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Links, Incorporated and resides in the new city of South Fulton.

Bernie Lawrence-Watkins is a seasoned transactional attorney and principal in the law firm of B. Lawrence Watkins & Associates, PC, concentrating in the areas of Entertainment, Digital Media, Licensing, Copyright, Trademark, Business Transactions, and Corporate Formations.  Her clients include Grammy® Award winning music producers and songwriters who reportedly have over 10 million units in sales, artists, music industry executives, independent record labels, managers, music and film /television production companies, screenplay writers, and clothing designers. She has a plethora of experience drafting and negotiating contracts ranging from licensing, employment, corporate transactions, to product endorsement agreements on behalf of corporate and entertainment clients. Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins’ sharp negotiating skills have earned her clients over millions of dollars in royalty income and advances. She periodically appears as a guest lecturer and panelist at colleges, law schools and conferences across the country.

Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins began her legal career as a paralegal in 1996 at the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton LLP formerly known as Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, and later worked as a contract attorney in the litigation department. In 1999, she left the large firm environment to work for the City of Atlanta as the Legal Specialist for the Office of Contract Compliance, while maintaining her legal practice on the side. In late 2002, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins left the City of Atlanta to open her own law firm full time. She served as a federal lobbyist for a period of 8 years representing the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, while building a niche law practice representing platinum-selling music producers and songwriters. Over the years some of her clients composed and produced music for top charting recording artists such as 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin Sean “Puffy” Combs, T.I., Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Usher, and Justin Bieber.  She also represents record executives at some of the top record companies in the entertainment industry.

Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins is a community activist. In 2007 she co-founded Gather For Good, an annual networking and fundraising event seeking to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. From 2009 to 2013, she served as a volunteer lecturer for Literacy Action, a United Way Organization, and taught grooming and interviewing techniques to adults seeking to re-enter the workforce. In 2012, she became a STEM community partner/volunteer to TAG-Ed. In 2015, her firm partnered with the John Marshall School of Law, and currently provides externship opportunities to law students seeking to learn about the practice of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law.

In 2007, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received the Metro Atlanta Community Champion Award from MADD and was honored by Rolling Out Magazine as one of Atlanta’s 25 Most Influential Women.  In 2009, the Supreme Court of Georgia appointed her as a Mentor in the Transition into Law Practice Program to assist newly admitted lawyers to the State Bar of Georgia, and she currently participates as a mentor. During that same year, she also received The Token of Appreciation Award from Music in the Metro, a non-profit organization located in Des Moines, Iowa for bringing youth and the music industry together.  In 2012, she was presented the Entertainment Lawyer of the Year Award by Women of Wealth Magazine and was honored by ASCAP as one of The Women Behind the Music. In 2014, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received the Chairman’s Award from the Entertainment, Sports & Art Law Section of the National Bar Association. In 2015, she was honored with an Icon Award by Writing Sessions America – Atlanta, and Rolling Out Magazine honored her as one of the Top 25 Women of Atlanta for the second time. In August 2017, she was featured in Attorney at Law Magazine as one of the attorneys to watch.  

Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins’ past and present Board affiliations include the United Way-African American Partnership, One Economy Corporation (Advisory Board), Smyrna Basketball Association, Inc. (Co-Founder, Treasurer), Jack and Jill of America-Atlanta Chapter (Parliamentarian, Legislative Chair), The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) – General Counsel, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), and the Black Entertainment Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA) – Secretary, Vice President, Chair of Sponsorship and Board Development). During the years of 2007 to 2011, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins also served as a local advisory board member to Branch, Banking and Trust (BB&T). Throughout the years, she has served as a member of various organizations, including, but not limited to Atlanta Business League, the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences, Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA), the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (Member at Large, Chair of the Entertainment Law Section), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Federal Bar Association.

Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received her Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore, School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Georgia in all lower courts and state and superior courts, the United Stated District Court Northern District of Georgia, Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Georgia. Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins is married with two sons.                                                                                                                                                    

Olivia is a Georgia native and a graduate of Spelman College class of 2004 where she received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science. She is also a 2007 graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Olivia has been practicing law for 13 years starting out in criminal law but transitioning into estate planning and elder law as the result of a personal family experience. She is the owner and partner of SR Law Group, a boutique law firm that focuses on Estate Planning and Elder Law in the black community. She is also the co-host of Black Parents Aging, a podcast that helps children of aging parents navigate the changing landscape.

Olivia is very active and engaged in her church and community from volunteering and assisting candidates running for office to mentoring young girls and women. Olivia enjoys reading, hiking and visiting State Parks, and traveling but the role that she cherishes most of all is auntie. She is on the board of Renewed Beginnings, a non-profit maternity home for teenage girls and is a member of Junior League of Douglas County.

Ms. Willis serves as Corporate Counsel at Carter’s, Inc., the largest branded retailer of children’s clothing in North America. She provides legal support across all distribution centers and retail locations in the United States and also oversees compliance in the areas of privacy and cybersecurity.

Prior to joining Carter’s legal department, Ms. Willis spent close to 10 years as an employment defense litigator, garnering distinction on the National Black Lawer’s Top 100 list, and Super Lawyer’s “Rising Star” list for the past 6 consecutive years.

Ms. Willis obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University and her juris doctorate from Emory University School of Law.  She is a native of Toronto, Canada. Outside of the legal arena, Ms. Willis enjoys sports, volunteering time at a local animal rescue, and serves on the board of Soccer in the Streets (a non-profit geared towards supporting disadvantaged youth in the metro Atlanta area).

Karen Kenner Scott attended the University of Georgia where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 2009. She received her Juris Doctor from the Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in 2012. While pursuing her law degree with a focus in criminal law, Mrs. Scott received several awards such as being a foundation scholarship recipient for the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Scholarship and the National Black Law Students Association Rodney Pulliam Scholarship. She received the Rising Star aware from the New Rock Legal Society as well as the Michael Hancock award from the DeKalb Lawyers Association. She was also a five time recipient for the Deans Award for outstanding community service.

Mrs. Scott has continued her career as a public servant as an Assistant Solicitor General in DeKalb County under the leadership of DeKalb County Solicitor General, Donna Coleman- Stribling. As a part of the Quality of Life Unit, Karen embodies the motto of the office by being a prosecutor who is victim-centered and community-oriented, who pursues justice and not just convictions and who offers solutions over problems. Prior to joining the DeKalb Solicitor General’s office, Mrs. Scott was an Assistant Solicitor General in Fulton County where she prosecuted jury trials. Before becoming a prosecutor, Mrs. Scott served as a conflict attorney for the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council, representing indigent juveniles accused of delinquency and status offenses.

Mrs. Scott has always had a heart for serving her community and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She was selected for the Emerging Leader DeKalb Class of 2018 and is a member of the DeKalb County Junior League. She also serves as a board member of the non-profit More than Conquerors Incorporated.

Mrs. Scott is married to Roderick Scott and the proud mother to two amazing little girls.

Victoria Bethel, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a current 3L at Mercer University School of Law. Victoria graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Fisk University in Nashville, TN and a Master of Social Work from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in the state of Georgia, Victoria has expertise in difficult situations such as child welfare, DFCS/DJJ custody, trauma, family work, adoption, educational programming, appropriate medication management, modalities of therapy, Medicaid and Medicare.

While in law school, Victoria has taken on the roles of BLSA Event Co-Chair and Student Ambassador to provide representation to potential and new students. She has also participated in the Joint Inter-Professional Workshop for Mercer Medical students and Law students to explore important issues of health care access and debt. Always advocating for those that have experienced traumatic situations and discrimination, Victoria has worked with the U.S. Department of Education in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), DeKalb County Juvenile Public Defender’s Office, and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office – Special Victims’ Unit. Upon graduation, Victoria hopes to effect change in a prosecutorial role or at firm that specializes in health or family law.

Victoria met her husband while at Fisk University. They volunteer and give back to their community through their church – The dReam Center Church of Atlanta in Decatur, GA. They have three beautiful daughters and a gigantic German Shepherd puppy named Caesar.

Victoria Hicks serves as an Assistant District Attorney for the Rockdale Judicial Circuit. Victoria is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and was admitted to the Georgia Bar in November 2021. While in law school, Victoria served as the Student Member-At-Large for the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, Vice-President of the Davenport-Benham Black Law Student Association, Executive Vice Chair of the Georgia Law Mock Trial Board, and Executive Editor of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law. Victoria is a native of Stone Mountain, Georgia, and a graduate of Spelman College.