Sarah (Sally) Brown Akins is a partner at Ellis, Painter, Ratterree & Adams in Savannah. Sally has practiced in Savannah since 1993, after practicing in Atlanta, Georgia for two years. Since serving as a judicial clerk after law school graduation, she has been engaged exclusively in civil trial practice. She has handled cases involving premises liability, automobile and truck accidents, professional negligence (medical, legal and pharmaceutical) litigation involving counties and municipalities including civil rights cases and zoning cases, insurance coverage litigation and products liability. Sally is also a registered mediator and arbitrator.
Education
- •University of Florida (B.A., 1987)
- •Mercer University (J.D., 1990)
Bar Admissions
- •All Georgia State and Superior Courts
- •Supreme Court of Georgia
- •Court of Appeals of Georgia
- •U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
- •U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- •U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- •U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- •U.S. Supreme Court
Awards And Honors
- •Top 50 Female Georgia Super Lawyer (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
- •Georgia Super Lawyer (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
- •Georgia’s Legal Elite by Georgia Trend Magazine (2009)
- •The Best Lawyers in America (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
- •Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia (Eastern Judicial Circuit, Post 1, 2010 – present)
- •Appointed by Chief Judge to Local Rules Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, U.S. District Court Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Georgia and to the Planning Committee for 2013 11th Circuit Judicial Conference
- •Litigation Counsel of America – Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
- •Awarded Best Newsletter by State Bar of Georgia during three year tenure as Editor-in-Chief of GDLA’s Georgia Defense Lawyer (2013, 2014, 2015)
Personal/Civil Memberships
- •Board of Bar Examiners, 2014-present
- •American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), S.E. Georgia Chapter ;Charter Member; Vice-President, 2015; Secretary, 2014; Treasurer, 2011-13
- •Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (GDLA) Member, Board of Directors, 2006-present; President-Elect, 2016-present; Treasurer, 2015-2016; Vice-President, 2012-2015; Editor, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Law Journal, 2011; Vice Chair and Faculty, Trial Academy, 2012; Editor-in-Chief, Georgia Defense Lawyer, 2013-2015
- •State Bar of Georgia , Executive Committee, General Practice & Trial Section 1995-present, Chairman 2000-2001; Member, Review Panel of State Disciplinary Board 2000-2006 and 2010-present, Chairman 2002-2003; Member, Disciplinary Rules & Procedures Committee 2005-Present; Chair – Law Practice Management Committee 2011-2012; Member, Advisory Committee on Legislation 2010-2015; Member – Bench & Bar Committee 2010-2015; Judicial Qualifications Committee Legislative Task Force 2016-present
- •Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, President, Savannah Chapter, 1994-1996
- •Eleventh Circuit Historical Society, Inc., Georgia Trustee
- •Savannah Bar Association, Executive Committee 1999-2000; Chairman, Public Relations Committee 2001-2002; Chairman, Public Service Committee 2005-2006
- •American Bar Association, Georgia Delegate, Woman Advocate Committee, Litigation Section
- •National Council of Lawyer Discipline Boards, Treasurer, 2005
- •Defense Research Institute
- •Leadership Savannah Graduate, 2006
- •Lawyers Foundation of Georgia, Fellow
Industries
- Premises liability
- Automobile and truck accidents
- Professional negligence (medical, legal and pharmaceutical)
- Counties and municipalities including civil rights cases and zoning cases
- Insurance coverage litigation
- Products liability.