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, Tim Bendin practices in the areas of medical malpractice and hospital liability. Tim is a native of Georgia and has been a member of the Atlanta legal community for over 30 years.
Tim has tried numerous jury trials, primarily in the metropolitan Atlanta area, and has received statewide recognition for his extensive litigation experience. Between 2007 to 2020, 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
A member of the Georgia Bar since 1988, Roger S. Sumrall has tried in excess of seventy cases. Roger’s extensive litigation experience includes construction law, medical malpractice and other complex litigation matters. As leader of the firm’s construction practice, Roger specializes in the defense of construction defect and environmental claims. He has handled a wide variety of cases involving building structure defects, sedimentation and erosion, moisture intrusion, and toxic exposure. Roger has broad experience in the defense of professionals, including insurance brokers and agents, health care providers, architects, engineers, and directors and officers. He represents professionals under insurers’ errors and omissions policies and directly when the professional is self-insured.
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.
David V. Johnson
David has been privileged to represent hospitals, other healthcare entities, and medical providers in defense of professional liability and related matters for the past 30 years. Representative Clients include: WellStar Hospitals and providers, HCA Hospitals and providers, Tenet Hospitals, Centurion, LLC, an industry-leading correctional healthcare company owned by Fortune 50 company Centene Corporation, and providers employed or insured by fine companies in the Georgia market.
Kimberly Logue Woodland
Kimberly Logue Woodland is a partner in the firm. Kim graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science before earning her Juris Doctorate degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law. In law school, she was a member of the intrastate and national moot court teams and served on the law review.
Kristin L. Pierson
Kristin Pierson is a Partner with Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. 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.
Kristin received her undergraduate degree in Health Law & Bioethics from Davidson College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. While at Davidson, she co-founded Davidson’s Bioethics Society and started The Ethical View, a bioethics publication of the Medical Humanities Department. She served on Davidson’s Medical Humanities Advisory Council to Ethics Committees and its Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. She also sat on the Ethics Committee at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina as a consultant and conducted an extensive two-year clinical internship in the Level 1 hospital’s Trauma Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department.
Prior to joining the firm, Kristin served as Trauma & Risk Management Research Specialist at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in North Carolina and then as Research Coordinator at Emory University School of Medicine, where she conducted neurosurgery research on traumatically brain-injured patients at Grady Memorial Hospital under then–Chief of Neurosurgery, Dr. Odette Harris.
Kristin was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and moved to Atlanta in 1996. She enjoys running and cooking Louisiana Cajun and Creole favorites, like gumbo, jambalaya, and etouffé.
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.
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.
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.
Hunter S. Allen Jr.
Hunter S. Allen, Jr. is of counsel with Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner and has specialized in the defense of medical malpractice actions for physicians and hospitals for his entire 45-year legal career. He has represented The Emory Clinic, the 800-plus member physician practice group of The Emory University School of Medicine, since 1977, and has earned an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell in recognition of his commitment to excellence in the practice of law.
Gary R. McCain
Gary R. (“Rusty”) McCain joined the firm in August, 2019 when the firm of Allen & McCain, P.C. joined forces with Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC. Prior to joining, Mr. McCain was partner at Allen & McCain, P.C. an Atlanta defense firm. He has great expertise in the procedural and technical aspects of malpractice cases.
Joscelyn M. Hughes
Joscelyn specializes in the representation of healthcare providers in medical malpractice actions, licensing and credentialing investigations and health care regulatory compliance matters, as well as Medicare self-disclosures and audits. Her clients include hospitals, medical practices, pharmacies, surgery centers, and individual health care providers, including physicians, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, dentists, nurses, medical assistants, respiratory therapists, and more. Joscelyn has been recognized by her peers as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and top lawyer by Georgia Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite for her excellence in the practice of law.
Joscelyn grew up in Fort Recovery, Ohio. She received her bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University while also playing Division I volleyball for the Orange. She served as team captain in 2006 and 2007 and lead the team to three Big East Tournaments. Joscelyn then graduated from the Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law. While in law school, she assisted coaching the Polar Bears women’s volleyball team to an NCAA Final Four appearance in 2008. Joscelyn lives in Brookhaven with her husband and three children.
Evan M. Schrode
Evan earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science and English at The Ohio State University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Evan went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law, where he graduated with honors in 2018.
Evan is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and currently resides in Midtown. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs, reading, and traveling. He is an avid Cleveland sports fan and Real Madrid supporter.
Michael T. Sumner
Michael T. Sumner is a partner at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, LLC and has specialized in the representation of clients in medical malpractice, licensing and credentialing, health care regulatory compliance, and general liability claims and matters throughout his over 15 year legal career. He represents healthcare systems, medical practices, medical facilities and pharmacies, and individual healthcare providers, including physicians, physician’s assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, and therapists, among others, in a wide variety of claims and matters. Michael has always felt it is his privilege to represent these clients in these most important matters and understands the healthcare sector is responsible for preserving the health of our families, communities, and societies at large.
Katie D. Broyles
Katie is an Associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, LLC and practices in the areas of medical malpractice and professional liability. Katie earned her Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law, where she served as the President of the Student Health Law Association and graduated with the Health Law Certificate and Pro Bono Distinction. Katie worked in the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. handling cases for low income clients. During law school, Katie simultaneously attended Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, where she received her Master of Science in Health Administration, with honors. Katie earned her undergraduate degrees in English and Philosophy from the University of Georgia, with honors.
Paige Cobbs
As an associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Paige focuses her practice on construction litigation and general liability. Paige received her J.D. from Tulane University Law School on a Dean’s Scholarship. While in law school, Paige was the Senior Managing Editor of the Tulane Journal of Law & Sexuality, as well as a student attorney in Tulane’s Criminal Litigation Clinic, where she represented indigent defendants charged with felonies and misdemeanors in criminal district court.
Angie Doan
As an associate at Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Angie focuses her practice on medical malpractice, professional negligence, and general liability. Angie received her law degree from Emory University School of Law and her undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, Angie worked at a prominent Atlanta insurance defense firm, where she gained experience in all aspects of litigation, including taking and defending depositions, mediation and trial.
In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, cooking, and outdoor activities with her energetic husky.
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 Justus
Anam Justus is an Associate Attorney with Bendin Sumrall & Ladner, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her law degree from Emory University School of Law, graduating with honors. Anam was a member of the Emory Moot Court Society, where she served as a member and coach on the Phillip C. Jessup International Law Regional Competition, winning the award for First Place Brief. She also served as a Teaching Assistant for the Advanced Legal Writing Course and was an Executive Board Member of the Emory Public Interest Committee.
Anam received undergraduate degrees in Legal Studies and History from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she graduated with high honors. Anam was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and received Honorable Mention for her foreign policy research as part of the 2011 annual Undergraduate Student Symposium.
Anam was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Atlanta in 2011. She enjoys traveling, reading, and learning new languages.
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.
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.