Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC is an Atlanta law firm specializing in medical malpractice defense, professional liability, construction litigation, general liability defense and pharmacy law and regulation.
Founded by Tim Bendin, Roger Sumrall, and David Ladner in 2010, Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC strives to provide clients with individual solutions to their complex legal, business, and regulatory matters.
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About Us
Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC was founded in 2010 by Timothy Bendin, Roger Sumrall, and David Ladner with an emphasis on an active, hands-on, litigation practice and close-knit relationships with each other and the clients we serve. The firm’s philosophy highlights cultivating not just the professional skill sets of its attorneys, but also on cultivating personal and family-oriented activities and interests to ensure balanced and well-rounded lawyers. The firm specializes in medical malpractice defense, healthcare and pharmacy law and compliance, and construction litigation matters. Our clients include hospitals across Georgia, national construction companies, and national retailers and pharmacies.
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March 28, 2018: Kristin Pierson and Paige McKinney file amicus curiae brief in the Georgia Court of Appeals on behalf of the Georgia Defense Lawyers...
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In light of the memos released by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand in recent months indicating that FDA guidance documents...
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On January 25, 2018, Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand issued a memorandum to all United States Attorneys and the Heads of the Department of Justice’s...
Timothy H. Bendin
A founding partner of Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Timothy H. Bendin practices primarily in the areas of medical malpractice and hospital law and liability. Tim is a native of Georgia and has been a member of the Atlanta legal community for nearly 30 years. In his practice, he works closely with Georgia physicians and hospitals. He has tried numerous jury trials, primarily in the metropolitan Atlanta area, and has received statewide recognition for his extensive litigation experience. From 2007 to 2016, Georgia Super Lawyers magazine recognized Tim as being in the top 5% of state attorneys practicing in the area of personal injury and medical malpractice defense. In addition to his trial work, Tim also leads educational seminars on various health care topics; his audiences include attorneys, health care professionals and claims personnel.
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Roger S. Sumrall
After graduating from Duke University, cum laude, and Emory University School of Law, Roger joined Georgia Bar in 1988. A founding partner of BENDIN SUMRALL & LADNER, Roger has devoted his career to complex civil litigation, primarily including medical malpractice, construction law and related insurance disputes, and has tried more than 70 cases to verdict. Roger focuses his practice on the defense of hospitals and their physician employees. He has tried numerous medical malpractice cases in a wide variety of jurisdictions throughout Georgia.
David Ladner
A partner at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, David Ladner’s practice includes the representation of a wide variety of businesses, including hospitals, national product manufacturers, pharmacies and banking institutions. While David’s practice is primarily litigation based, he also advises his clients at a policy level to minimize risk and adopt current practices consistent with the safe and effective operation of their businesses.
Stephen T. Snow
Stephen practices in the areas of construction litigation, insurance coverage, and pharmaceutical regulatory compliance. He is an experienced litigator who has presented cases in court and arbitration and has successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Stephen was honored as a Rising Star in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 by Law & Politics and the publishers of Atlanta Magazine’s Georgia Super Lawyers.
Melanie S. Taylor
Melanie S. Taylor is a partner with Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner and is a 2017 Super Lawyer Rising Star. Melanie’s representation includes corporations, business owners, hospitals and individual medical providers in complex litigation and medical malpractice matters. Melanie volunteers on the faculty of the National Business Institute to publish and teach national continuing education seminars throughout the year for attorneys and paralegals on the topics of medical malpractice defense, how the Affordable Care Act impacts malpractice litigation, best practices for discovery and trial, and defending premises liability cases.
Robert W. Stannard
Robert is a partner at Bendin Sumrall & Ladner with an AV peer rating from Martindale Hubbell. He has a litigation practice which focuses on medical malpractice, general liability, and commercial disputes. Robert also handles regulatory compliance matters on behalf of pharmacies and hospitals involving professional boards and investigations from state and federal agencies.
Kristin L. Pierson
Kristin L. Pierson is a partner in the firm. She received her law degree from the Charleston School of Law in Charleston, South Carolina, where she founded the Health Law & Bioethics Society and served as its President, creating the law school’s annual Bioethics Symposium. Kristin also served as a member of the Moot Court Board and the Charleston Law Review, and she worked with the Medical University of South Carolina to establish a collaborative teaching relationship between the medical school and the law school.
Brian D. Trulock
Brian D. Trulock’s practice concentrates in the areas medical malpractice and general liability. His career began as a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. As a Judge Advocate, he gained significant trial experience serving as lead prosecutor in several felony and misdemeanor jury trials.
Jennifer Bellis
Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree, with honors, in Environmental Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. While at UNC, Ms. Bellis expanded her studies beyond Chapel Hill, researching sustainable development issues while living in the United Kingdom and on the coast of North Carolina.
Matthew F. Branch
Matt Branch’s practice concentrates in the areas of trucking/transportation litigation, construction litigation, insurance coverage, general liability, professional negligence, and premises liability. He has litigated extensively in Georgia state and federal trial courts and has briefed appellate cases before Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court. His clients include a variety of companies, individuals, and insurers facing varied complex issues of liability.
J. Ricky Coates
J. Ricky Coates earned his undergraduate degree in English at The University of Georgia in 2007. While at Georgia, Ricky was an orientation leader, a member of The Arch Society, and was selected as one of twelve outstanding senior leaders chosen by the faculty.
Ricky received his Juris Doctorate from Samford University, Cumberland School of law in 2014. While at Samford, Ricky was a member of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, a public interest fellow, and a member of Cumberland’s National Negotiation team. His article Mims v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC: The Battle Between Exclusive State Jurisdiction and Concurrent Jurisdiction was published in the American Journal of Trial Advocacy in 2014. Ricky was also the scholar of merit for his classwork in real estate transactions, public health law, bioethics and the law, and employment discrimination.
Karen A. Hubbard
Karen joined Bendin Sumrall & Ladner in 2017. Her practice is devoted to civil defense, and focuses primarily on the representation of healthcare providers and hospitals in cases involving allegations of medical malpractice. Karen graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986. After graduating from Georgetown, she worked for a prominent Atlanta law firm, conducting all aspects of civil litigation. Karen has extensive experience in motion and brief writing at all levels, including appellate briefing. Karen also worked in house at Delta Air Lines, Inc., and spent several years assisting smaller litigation firms with legal research and writing.
Anam Ismail
As an associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Anam focuses her practice on hospital liability with a concentration in professional negligence, as well as general liability. Anam received her Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law, where she graduated with honors. While in law school, Anam was a member of the Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Team, serving as a competitor and coach in major intercollegiate competitions. Prior to joining Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Anam worked at a prominent Atlanta civil defense firm in the areas of automobile liability and personal injury.
Paige McKinney
As an associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Paige focuses her practice on medical malpractice and professional negligence. Paige earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from The University of Kentucky and went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where she graduated cum laude. While in law school, Paige was a member of the National Moot Court Team and served as President of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
Carrie Moss
As an Associate, Carrie A. Moss practices in the areas of construction litigation, pharmacy law and regulation, and general liability. Carrie earned her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. She studied international and comparative law through UGA’s Oxford Program at St. Anne’s College, Oxford University during Spring 2014. She also served as the Executive Notes Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and authored a publication on patent subject matter eligibility in the software context. As a third year student, Carrie participated in the Community Health Law Partnership Clinic, representing indigent clients facing legal, medical, and social challenges.
Alan Payne
Alan Payne is an associate at the firm and is a member of the medical malpractice group. Alan earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science at Duke University.
Alan received his Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law. While at Emory, Alan was a student attorney in Emory’s Barton Juvenile Defender Clinic, and an active member of Emory’s International Law Review. Prior to joining the firm, Alan was an associate at a civil litigation firm in Savannah, Georgia.
LaKeisha R. Randall
LaKeisha R. Randall specializes in civil litigation defense and her practice focuses on medical malpractice, trucking litigation, and general liability. A litigator and trial attorney, LaKeisha has bench and jury trial experience, including several defense verdicts. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the District of Columbia.
David Schulte
As an associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, David H. Schulte primarily devotes his practice to hospital liability with a concentration in professional negligence, as well as general liability. David graduated from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business in 2004 with a degree in Finance. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Georgia State University School of Law in 2009. David worked in the workers’ compensation group at a prominent Atlanta civil defense firm prior to joining Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner.