Chatsworth, GA

Robert H. Smalley III

Robert is an AV Preeminent rated attorney, with a wide range of experience in many areas of the law. Robert excels in wrongful death, personal injury, worker's compensation, local government law, commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Since commencing his practice in 1992 in Georgia and 1993 in Tennessee, Robert has handled countless complex matters, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in difficult and contentious litigation in State and Federal Courts. Due to his diverse practice, Robert has developed a unique understanding of how to manage controversies and how to achieve the right result for his clients. In 2001, Robert was named Whitfield County Attorney and has held that position since. In that capacity Robert represents the County Board of Commissioners and all elected officials, and provides legal advice to many local agencies. In 2002, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia appointed Robert as Liaison Counsel in the nationwide Tri State Crematory Litigation. He was tasked with coordinating nearly 1,500 claimants through the years-long federal litigation. Robert's steady hand, genuine care for the victims and tough strategy led to a stunning multi-million dollar result against the nearly fifty funeral home defendants involved in the class action. In 2007, Robert was again tasked with leadership in a multi-district litigation, regarding tainted Peter Pan peanut butter. In Re: ConAgra Peanut Butter litigation consisted of thousands of injured plaintiffs and approximately 1500 cases. Robert negotiated hundreds of settlements for the victims in the case and was commended by the appointing court for his diligence in the matter. In addition to his complex litigation experience, Robert has handled a number of wrongful death cases and catastrophic personal injury cases to conclusion over his career, including a jury verdict in 1997 that was among the largest personal injury verdicts ever awarded in Whitfield County at the time. Given his extensive experience, even-handed demeanor, and ability to get along with all sides, Robert has built a successful mediation practice in North Georgia and the surrounding areas. Over the last 20 years, Robert has successfully mediated a wide range of cases, including personal injury cases, estate matters, commercial disputes, condemnation matters and domestic relation cases. Robert is particularly proud of his track record of resolving complicated and complex matters brought to him for mediation. In addition to his mediation practice, Robert has been appointed on a number of occasions as an arbitrator or special master, both by Courts and by private attorneys. In addition to his professional experience, Robert has given freely of his time in the local community and to organizations promoting the profession. Robert has served for the past seventeen years on the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation, supporting the local hospital. For the past five years, he has led the organization as Chairman, completing a $6.2 million dollar capital campaign. He presently serves as Chairman of the Signature Gifts Committee of the Foundation as it embarks on an $8 million dollar campaign for a new regional cancer institute. Robert also served as Chairman for the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce for the past two years, leading that thousand member organization and chairing the search committee for a new Chamber President in 2015. Robert has been equally active in his church, First Presbyterian Church of Dalton. He is an elder and recently served as Chairman of the Building Committee. He also serves the larger church on the Synod of the South Atlantic Permanent Judicial Council and he will serve the Cherokee Presbytery in 2017 as Moderator (or Chairman) for all the churches in North Georgia. Robert has been elected three times to represent his local Bar as a member of the State of Georgia Board of Bar Governors and has served in that position since 2011. In 2016 he was named by the judge of the Federal District of Court to serve on the United States Magistrate Committee. Robert graduated from Davidson College in 1989 and continued his education at the University of Georgia School of Law where he graduated with honors in 1992. He is licensed to practice law in Georgia and Tennessee, and is admitted to all appellate courts in Georgia and Tennessee, along with Federal Courts in both states, including the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Stephen A. Williams

Steve "Scoop" Williams is known around the area as one of the premiere criminal defense lawyers in the State of Georgia. As the former elected District Attorney, Steve has tried nearly 400 civil and criminal jury trials to verdict in both State and Federal Courts, and enjoys a reputation for thoroughness in his preparation and aggressiveness in his presentation of cases to juries. He is an AV Preeminent rated attorney who has practiced law since 1976, and represents people who have suffered catastrophic personal injuries, families who have lost loved ones through wrongful death, and those people who have been targeted for criminal prosecution. In the area of personal injury, Steve has handled many car wreck cases as well as a number of premise liability issues, many of which have resulted in settlements of more than $100,000.00 and wrongful death cases in the excess of $1,000,000.00. Steve has been lead defense counsel in criminal cases as small as traffic tickets and as large as capital murder, after leaving the DA's office on January 1, 1985. A graduate of the University of Georgia (B.B.A. in 1973 and J.D. in 1976), Steve has been a lawyer in Dalton, Georgia since 1977. First as an Assistant DA, he was then appointed District Attorney by the Governor to fill a vacancy created when Charles A. Pannell Jr. became Superior Court Judge. Following Steve's appointment he ran for and served a full term as DA. He then left office and began practicing law with the McCamy Law Firm where presently serves as Managing Partner. Steve has been very active in community, civic, and church affairs, and has served on a number of boards and committees as well as having also been elected to the Dalton Board of Education where he served as Chairman for eight years. Steve's term on the Board of Education ends December 31, 2013. Steve also serves as City Attorney for the City of Chatsworth, Georgia.

Samuel Lee Sanders

Sam is an AV Preeminent rated attorney that focuses his practice on personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense and general litigation matters. Over the years, Sam has successfully represented clients who have been injured as a result of the negligence of others. In that regard, Sam recently served as a co-counsel in the catastrophic Bluffton University bus crash at the Northside Drive exit off Interstate 75 in Atlanta, Georgia. Sam is particularly proud of successfully representing a young disabled girl against her school district after she received injuries from a fall from her wheelchair as a result of being left unattended. Additionally, Sam has handled hundreds of criminal matters in North Georgia and the surrounding areas, from jury trials to asset forfeitures. In 2010, Sam helped secure the dismissal of criminal charges against a private investigator who was arrested for witness tampering during his work for the defense team in the matter of State v. Tonya Craft in Catoosa County. In 2011, Sam secured the dismissal of drug charges against his client and recovered her vehicle after it was wrongfully seized by the city police department. In 2012, Sam represented a client charged with armed robbery and related offenses. After negotiations with the State, Sam's client was allowed to plead straight to the court to a lesser crime which ultimately resulted in the service of a 3 month jail sentence while the co-defendant went to trial and received a 55 year prison term. In his last three criminal trials, each of his clients was acquitted. Sam currently serves as the President of the Dalton Education Foundation. In 2011, Sam was appointed by the Chief Judge of the Conasauga Judicial Circuit to the Public Defender's Supervisory Panel. He is the past President of the Conasauga Bar Association and was a member of the Leadership Dalton-Whitfield Class of 2005. He likewise served as Board Chairman of the Dalton-Whitfield Daycare Center and Vice-Chairman of the Dalton-Whitfield Hospital Authority. He served as the local Regional Coordinator of the High School Mock Trial Competition held each year in Dalton, Georgia for many years. Sam joined the firm after graduating from the Tulane University School of Law in 2004. At Tulane Sam tried several civil and criminal trials to verdict in both State and Federal Court. In his final year at Tulane, Sam was inducted into the Order of Barristers, a National Honor Society recognizing the top oral advocates in each graduating class. Prior to law school, Sam completed his undergraduate degree at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas where he graduated summa cum laude in 2001.

Daniel T Strain Jr.

Dan's practice focuses exclusively on real property law (residential and commercial), conveyancing and governmental real estate matters and he is recognized as an authority in this practice throughout the North Georgia area. He joined the firm in 1970 after graduation from the University of Virginia Law School. He is a member of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of Georgia and a member of the Condemnation Section of the Bar. Dan Graduated from Emory University in 1962 (BA, cum laude) where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Chairman of the college's Honor Council. Following graduation from Emory, Dan attended Naval Officer Candidate School and served aboard the USS Farragut (DLG-6) as Gunnery Officer, Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer and Legal officer. Dan has served on the local United Way Board, Dalton College Foundation and advises the local Habitat for Humanity on real estate matters. He is a member of the Whitfield County Law Library Board. He is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Dalton having served as an Elder and Deacon.

Josh Teague

I grew up in Gilmer County Georgia, my family moved into North Georgia in the early 1800s and has called this area home ever since. This close connection with the people of North Georgia has allowed me to be intimately familiar with the local area and values, the attitudes of the local juries, courts, politicians, judges, and prosecutors. I choose to fight, every day, for the injured, the accused, and oppressed - those who cannot fight for themselves. I do this because I have felt powerless, I have needed help, and I have depended on others who stood for me in my life. I attended Kennesaw State University where I graduated Cum Laude with my 4 year degree before attending Florida Coastal School of Law and graduating in the top 20% of my class. Throughout my Senior year of High School and College, I worked for a small law firm. During Law School, I was able to clerk for 2 Superior Court Judges and complete an internship program with a Federal Prosecutor’s Office. I was lucky to have spent a significant amount of time in internship and work-study programs that each offered a different insight and gave me a unique perspective to each case that many lawyers simply don’t have. In fact, I even met my wife, LeeAnn, while she was working for her Grandmother, the Clerk of Superior Court, and I was completing a work-study program. I focus my practice on fighting for people who have been injured or accused of a crime. I represent people who have been injured in a car wreck, on a motorcycle, by a tractor-trailer or have a wrongful death claim due to the loss of a family member. I represent people accused of Arson, Assault, Aggravated Assault, Drug Trafficking, Drug Possession, DUI, DUI Drugs, Murder, Sex Crimes, Theft, and White Collar Crimes. My work is fueled by a deep respect for fairness and a relentless drive to win. I became a lawyer because I believe justice shouldn’t depend on wealth or influence. I’m here to level the playing field-and I don’t back down.

Nathan D. Lock

Nathan graduated from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2012, and was admitted to practice law that same year. During his time at Georgia State, Nathan served as a member of the Moot Court Board where he competed and excelled in the disciplines of brief writing and oral advocacy. Prior to attending law school, Nathan graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism Advertising and a minor in sociology. During his time at the University of Georgia, Nathan was chosen for the William I. Ray Jr. Scholarship from the Grady College of Journalism. Nathan currently practices in the areas of personal injury law, insurance law, corporate litigation, probate litigation, medical malpractice, federal tort litigation, and general litigation. Since 2015, Nathan has served as County Administrator for the Probate Court of Whitfield County where he has gained a diverse knowledge of Probate law. Nathan is also one of only a few local attorneys that practices regularly before the Federal Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In his young career, Nathan has already developed a reputation for his aggressive pursuit of insurance claims, and his success rate has kept him in high demand for motor vehicle injury claims.

Noah Thomas Bledsoe

Noah graduated from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2019 and was admitted as a member of the State Bar of Georgia that same year. He was a recipient of the Dean’s List Award for his academic success at Mercer. Noah was also the vice president of Mercer Law's chapter of Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. Prior to attending law school, Noah graduated from the University of North Georgia with a degree in Political Science with an emphasis in pre-law. For the first three years of his career, Noah practiced as a civil litigation attorney for a defense-focused firm in Dalton, Ga where he provided legal representation to clients across Northwest Georgia. During that time, Noah successfully litigated cases for his clients from intake through the appellate process. Since joining McCamy, Phillips, Tuggle & Fordham, LLP in 2023, Noah's practice now focuses on personal injury, civil litigation, and general practice for both plaintiffs and defendants. Noah's broad practice allows him to handle a wide variety of cases for his clients including car accidents, insurance litigation, probate, estate disputes, landlord/ tenant disputes, slip and fall injuries, judgment collections, worker's compensation claims, and real estate disputes. Noah has developed a reputation for treating his clients with compassion and respect while also providing zealous advocacy in their times of need.