Cedartown, GA

Stefanie Drake Burford

Stefanie Drake Burford is a personal injury attorney who founded The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group in 2005. She obtained her Juris Doctor Degree from St. Thomas University School of Law in 1999 and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Georgia Southern University in 1996. With over 20 years of experience, she has been recognized as an Outstanding Young Lawyer by Atlanta Magazine and featured in its Super Lawyer and Rising Star Section. She holds superb Avvo ratings and Martindale-Hubbell's Preeminent 5.0 and Client Distinction Award. Stefanie is active in her community, serving as Chairman of the Polk County Board of Commissioners and Solicitor for the Municipal Court for the City of Cedartown. She previously served as Municipal Court Judge for the City of Rockmart for five years. She practices heavily in accident injury cases, including auto, motorcycle, and trucking accidents, wrongful death, and personal injury.

William L. Lundy Jr.

Bill Lundy focuses his attorney services on several practice areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, motor vehicle collisions, tractor trailer collisions, elder and nursing home abuse and negligence, and workers compensation representing injured workers. Three of Bill's most recent jury verdicts were for $9.5 million and $2 million, both involving nursing home and assisted living facilities in the mistreatment of the elderly (both were cases involving the development of pressure ulcers, infection, and death). The cases were tried in Walker State Court and Polk Superior Court. Bill recently jury tried a police misconduct case involving an Anniston, Alabama, police officer who was chasing a speeder without operation of his siren and lights, and which case brought a $500,000 verdict in Calhoun County, Alabama. These are just some of Bill's recent jury verdicts. He has many other settlements and jury verdicts over his career. Bill was born in Marietta, Georgia and his family moved to Cedartown in 1968 for his father to assume his job as the head football coach for the Cedartown High School Bulldogs. Bill graduated in 1977 from Cedartown High School and earned a full football scholarship to Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, playing four years from 1977-81. While playing for the Gamecocks, Bill was a member of three NCAA Division II Playoff teams, two Gulf South Conference Championship teams, and teams that played in the Grantland Rice Bowl and Pioneer Bowl. Bill was Captain for six games his senior year and was a two year letterman. He received the O.C. Ashworth Award his senior season at J.S.U. (Even now Bill stays involved with J.S.U. Football, serving as the attorney for the football letterman’s ".1-Club.") Bill obtained his B.S. Degree in Finance and Real Estate in 1981. Bill obtained his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University (J.D. 1984), earning Dean's List distinction and was a member of the National Trial Client Counseling Team competing nationally. Bill returned to his hometown to practice law beginning in 1985, joining up with the late Senator James I. Parker, a past President of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. The firm has been known as Parker and Lundy since then. Bill's law partners are his brother, Richard, and Chuck Morris, with Georgia State Representative Trey Kelley joining the firm in 2012. Professionally, Bill and his firm won the U.S. Supreme Court case of Easterwood vs. CSX Transportation, 507 U.S. 123; 113 S.Ct. (1993); 933 F.2d 1548 (11th Circuit, Georgia, 1992). This landmark U.S. Supreme Court case involved a citizen of Cartersville, Georgia, struck and killed by a CSX train at an unsafe crossing, and issues of federal pre-emption at a grade crossing. Bill has handled this and many other cases over his 31 year career. Bill has an active practice involving serious injuries as a result of medical malpractice, nursing home malpractice, tractor trailer collisions on our public highways, and representing workers injured on the job. Bill is an active member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA), and the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Bill was recognized in 2015 as the Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year by the General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia, known as the Tradition of Excellence Award. Bill has served as past Chairman of the Disciplinary Board for the State Bar of Georgia, as President of the Tallapoosa Judicial Bar Association, Chairman of the General Practice and Trial Section, and founding member of the Alabama Kids Chance Scholarship, which awards scholarships to seriously injured workers. Related to his law practice, Bill started a Safe and Defensive Driving School in 2004, which instructs teenage drivers on rules of the road and defensive driving skills. This class was born from the fact that Bill has seen many teenage drivers commit careless acts on the road and his efforts have been to educate teenage drivers on many areas of safe driving. No fee is charged for this annual class. Bill is a founding owner and creator of the Cedartown Theatrical Performers Company, LLC, a children’s theatre company he began with his wife, Catharine, and law partner, Chuck Morris. The theatre company produces one show per year, is open to all children, and are known regionally and draw full houses to Cedartown's beautiful 1,000 seat auditorium. No child is charged a fee for participating in these annual shows. Bill recently wrote, produced, and directed the feature film, "A Larger Life," based on a nursing home malpractice trial and other trial experiences. The movie stars former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (Law and Order, The Hunt for Red October). The film is set in the fictional town of Harper, Alabama, and reveals the true efforts and difficulty of bringing a major malpractice case to trial, while highlighting the daily life of a small town lawyer. The film may be viewed on the UP Faith and Family network or on Amazon Prime. It was released in 2015. Bill and his wife Catharine started a Christian Academy to fill a need for a college preparatory education in a Christian environment in Cedartown, Georgia. While small in number, the school boasts graduates who have attended the college of their choice, and has produced lawyers, doctors, engineers, nurses, and educators. Bill has served on the Cedartown civic arts commission, the Cedartown Jaycees, and for 26 years was the color analyst for the Cedartown Bulldog football team. He has broadcast two state championship football games for WGAA RADIO, 1340AM in Cedartown for the Bulldogs. Bill has spoken at many seminars on jury trials, trial practice, mediations, trucking cases, railroad grade crossing cases, and workers compensation claims. Bill believes in individual attention to his clients and his cases. He personally meets with his clients and feels a deep sense of satisfaction helping people in difficult times, and in holding accountable those that engage in harmful and careless conduct. Bill is happily married to the former Catharine Wells of Birmingham, Alabama, and she has served as his paralegal for 31 years of his law practice. She has an Accounting Degree from J.S.U. Bill and Catharine have four children, Laura Wheale, (a practicing attorney and actress), Will, a biology major graduate of Samford University, Lee, a Theatre and English major graduate of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, and Spencer, a rising Junior at Auburn University. Bill worships with his family at the Cedartown Church of Christ.

Brad J. McFall

Experienced Attorney with a demonstrated history of working in the law practice industry. Skilled in Wrongful Death Claims, Slip & Fall, Trials, Workers Compensation, and Personal Injury Litigation. Also skilled in all areas of domestic litigation, including divorce, custody issues, support issues and domestic violence issues. Strong legal professional graduated from Mercer University - Walter F. George School of Law. Following graduation, began practicing in Cedartown, GA in June of 1992. Has served as County Attorney for Polk County since 1998. Also served as Municipal Court Judge for the City of Cedartown from 2001-2013. Presently serves as a Board Member on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit. Special master certified by the Georgia Supreme Court. AV rated attorney by Martindale Hubble, the highest rating available. Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Robert T. Monroe

While in law school, Rob published an article in the Journal of Law and Education entitled “Balancing Individual Privacy with the Public’s Right to Know - Georgia Supreme Court’s Red & Black Ruling Creates Gray Area.” After graduating from law school, Rob went to work with Mike McRae at the firm of York, McRae and York in 1994. Rob became a partner in the firm in 1999 when he and Mike McRae opened the Cedartown location. Rob is a BV rated attorney and his primary practice areas are in real estate closings, workers’ compensation, local government law, personal injury, wrongful death, mediation, and appellate practice. He also represents employers and insurers in workers’ compensation matters, but has recently begun focusing his efforts on representing injured workers as well. He has been involved in numerous areas of local government law for the cities of Cedartown, Rockmart, and Temple, including zoning and land use matters, employment issues, charter and ordinance drafting, and Open Records and Open Meetings questions. He also represents the Polk School District Board of Education in many of its legal issues, including student disciplinary matters and Fair Dismissal Act proceedings involving teachers and administrators. He also represents the Cedartown Housing Authority. In addition to his full-time law practice, Rob served as an Associate Juvenile Court Judge in Polk and Haralson County from 2003-2015. He has also currently served as a Citizen Panel Review Board member in the Juvenile Courts of Haralson and Polk County. He was a member of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. He is a past Board member of the Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia and the Cedartown Kiwanis Club.

Richard J. Lundy

Rick was born in Atlanta, Georgia on December 18, 1961. Rick moved with his family later to Cedartown, Georgia where he attended public school in Cedartown and graduated from Cedartown High School in 1980. After high school graduation, Rick attended Jacksonville State University from 1980 until 1984 where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in April of 1984. He then attended Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and was awarded his Juris Doctor degree in 1987. Rick returned to Cedartown to practice law, joining his brother, William L. Lundy, Jr., and the late Senator James I. Parker (1926-1994). Today, Rick continues to practice law and is partners in the Law Firm of Parker and Lundy with his brother, Bill, with Chuck Morris, who joined the firm in 1998, and attorney Trey Kelley joined the firm in 2014. Among his civic involvements within our community, Rick was elected to the Polk School District Board of Education in 1994 where he served until he voluntarily vacated his seat in 2007. Rick was a member of the Cedartown Jaycees for ten years. He was a member of the Cedartown Kiwanis Club for more than twenty years having served as President from 1992-93. Rick has served as President of the Polk County Bar Association, and served two terms as President of the Tallapoosa Circuit Bar Association. Rick has been licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia since 1987, and is in his 29th year of law practice. He has been admitted to practice law in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, and the Georgia Supreme Court. Rick and Leigh Ann have been married for 26 years and have one child, Grace Ann, age 13. Rick’s concentrated areas of his general trial practice over his 29 years has been personal injury and wrongful death for victims of automobile and tractor trailer wrecks, premises (slip/fall) liability, medical malpractice cases, all cases of family law, and criminal law.

Charles E. “Chuck” Morris Jr.

Chuck grew up Helena, Alabama, and graduated from Pelham High School in 1988. In 1992, Chuck received a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Speech at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1998, Chuck earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, at Georgia State University’s College of Law. While in law school, Chuck was a member of the Student Trial Lawyers’ Association, and competed as a member of Georgia State’s trial team. Chuck served as an intern for Georgia Supreme Court Justice Carol Hunstein, and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Alford Dempsey. Chuck also completed an internship at the Georgia Indigent Defense Council’s Appellate Division, learning appellate law and practice under the mentorship of Appellate Division Director James C. Bonner, Jr. Chuck joined the Law Firm of Parker and Lundy upon graduation from law school in 1998. Chuck has been admitted to practice before all levels of Georgia’s courts, including the United States District Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court. Since beginning his practice, Chuck has worked on his clients’ behalf to obtain substantial six-figure and seven-figure recoveries by litigating their cases to conclusion with jury trials, workers’ compensation trials, and settlement mediations. Chuck is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers’ Association, the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association and the American Association of Justice. In addition to his law practice, Chuck serves as an Associate Judge for the Juvenile Courts of Polk and Haralson Counties. As a part-time judge, Chuck hears cases involving allegations of delinquency and dependency on a weekly basis. Chuck’s work with the Juvenile Court provides opportunities to assist at-risk children and youth by obtaining vital services and support within the community. Chuck has been active in the community since he began his law practice. Chuck has served as chair of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Re-Entry Coalition, served on the Board of the Cedartown Walk of Fame Committee and Downtown Development Association, served as President of the Tallapoosa Bar Association, Campaign Chairman for the Cedartown United Fund, and President of the Cedartown Kiwanis Club. Chuck has also re-kindled his interest in the Theatre, directing, producing and appearing in many productions in Cedartown and Rome. Chuck, his law partner Bill Lundy, and Bill’s wife Catharine founded the Cedartown Theatrical Performers’ Company which provided performing opportunities for Cedartown children and teenagers. In addition to his efforts with Cedartown Theatrical Performers’ Company, Chuck has served as President of the Board of Directors of Rome Little Theatre, Chairman of the Cedartown Civic Arts Commission Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Historic DeSoto Theatre Foundation.

Jule W. Peek Jr.

Jule W. Peek is a partner with McRae, Smith, Peek, Harman & Monroe and practices in the Firm’s Rome office. Jule has been with the firm since 1988 where he has become one of the preeminent domestic relations attorneys in the State of Georgia. Jule has extensive jury and non-jury trial experience in high asset, contested divorce actions. His practice typically involves complex business/asset valuations and the division or allocation of those assets for high-wealth clients. Jule has tried cases in 35 courthouses throughout the State of Georgia during his 27 years practicing law. Jule also has an expansive personal injury practice in catastrophic injury cases, including tractor trailer related claims. He has been successful in obtaining numerous multi-million dollar awards for the firm’s personal injury clients. Through his charismatic approach to litigation and in-depth knowledge of the technical rules of evidence, Jule is able to secure substantial recoveries for clients who have been severely injured as the result of the negligence of third parties. Jule has served as lead litigation co-counsel for Floyd Medical Center, Floyd County’s largest employer, for 27 years. During this time, no judgment has been entered against the hospital in any medical malpractice case. Jule is also a certified mediator. He is available to mediate any civil matter, particularly asset significant domestic matters and personal injury cases.