Atlanta, Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer
PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- Advocate, National College of Advocacy
- Member, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
- Member, Tractor Trailer Litigation Section, GTLA
- Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Member, Motor Vehicle Collision and Premises Liability Section, ATLA
- Member, National Crime Victim Bar Association
- Member, Southern Trial Lawyers Association
EDUCATION
George Washington University (B.S. Finance)
The Dickinson School of Law, Pennsylvania State University (J.D.)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- President of the Atlanta Junior Chamber of Commerce
- President of Church Sunday School Class
- Volunteer, numerous charities
- Frequent guest expert in media interviews for both personal injury and business litigation
MICHAEL LAWSON NEFF
My parents are attorneys. I guess from the beginning, I was either destined or damned to be a lawyer-depending on how you view lawyers. I remember hearing them discuss their cases at the dinner table. In addition, I also spent a lot of time after school hanging around their office waiting to go home. My father also took me to court on occasion.
As a result, the law wasn't as mysterious to me as it was to some people. I was never in awe or intimidated by lawyers. At the time I figured, if my parents could do it, how special could it be?
Through high school and the beginning of college, I didn't have any intention of being a lawyer. In fact, I thought I would get into business. However, one day, I woke up and discovered the stock market had crashed. As a sophomore in college, I wanted to do something where I could be in control of what would happen. Thus, I made the decision that I wanted to be a lawyer.
In law school, I participated in the family law clinic. I was able to practice law as a third year student under the supervision of my professors. I quickly learned that I was mistaken if I thought that I was going to be completely in control as an attorney. Although, an attorney can help clients out significantly, they are only as good as their clients. The client has to understand that the attorney is not superman. attorneys need help with the facts of the case so that they can adequately represent their client.
However, I also realize that being in a position of control has responsibilities as well as results. My fellow students in the law clinic were all very nervous about having to represent real people. We were afraid that we would make mistakes that would cause our clients great harm. However, our professors reminded us that if we didn't help the clients, no one else would.
We were representing folks that didn't have enough money to hire a licensed attorney. Without us, they were on their own. That gave me some comfort. However, I soon realized that my job had a lot of responsibility. I did feel responsible for my client's welfare. I wanted to do my best to make sure the client could resolve their problem as quickly and successfully as possible.
One experience that I will never forget happened when a new client came in to seek help with regard to a divorce. She brought in two little ones, and told them to wait in the waiting room while she spoke to the lawyer. Fortunately our waiting room had coloring books and other things to distract the children. Midway through the interview I had to leave the office to get another note pad. When I walked into the hallway for the pad, I heard the little girl ask her brother, "Where is Mommy?" Her brother, about seven or eight years old pointed at me and said, "She is talking to that man. He is going to help her." At that time, I realized that I had made the right decision to go to law school.
Since I have gotten out of law school, I have formed my own practice. I focus primarily on representing those people that have been injured through no fault of their own. I still feel good when I am able to help someone get through a bad situation and get back on their feet.
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