Phillip H. Burrus, IV is the founder of The Burrus Intellectual Property Law Group, LLC. Mr. Burrus worked with Motorola, Inc. from 1997 through 2005. Serving as senior patent counsel, he was solely responsible for the intellectual property prosecution and portfolio management of the Energy Systems Group, a $700 million business. In 2005, to answer the needs of in-house counsel across Atlanta, he founded the Burrus Intellectual Property Law Group. He has extensive experience with intellectual property prosecution, as well as portfolio development and management, for businesses both small and large. With degrees in engineering, business, agriculture, and law, as well as experience as an entrepreneur, Mr. Burrus assists clients with a wide range of intellectual property issues, including patent, trademark, and copyright prosecution, portfolio management, licensing, and opinion work. He is licensed to practice in Georgia; North Carolina; Washington, D.C. and before the US Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Burrus was named a “Rising Star” in 2010, 2011, and 2012 and a “Super Lawyer” in 2019, 2020, and 2021 by Georgia Super Lawyers magazine, and he previously served as the chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of Georgia.

S. Jake Carroll, Attorney, Nelson Mullins
Jake represents and advises clients in the construction, manufacturing, and real estate industries in business disputes, commercial transactions, and related corporate matters. Jake’s construction practice encompasses representation of contractors, subcontractors, public and private owners, architectural and engineering firms, and sureties in a variety of disputes involving contracts, business torts, multi-party construction defects, and in negotiating construction contracts and related agreements. Jake pursues and defends lien, payment bond, and performance bond claims on behalf of owners, contractors, and sureties. Jake co-authored the most recent edition of the Georgia Construction Law Handbook, a leading treatise, and is an active member of the Construction Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. Jake also advises businesses in commercial and financial disputes involving breach of contract, breach of warranty, business torts, and equipment dealer statutes. Jake applies his industry knowledge to also represent construction and manufacturing clients as creditors in insolvency litigation and bankruptcy matters. Recognizing that traditional litigation is not always in the client’s best interest, Jake negotiates pre-dispute settlements and represents clients in mediations, early neutral evaluations, and arbitrations. 

Matthew N. Foree is Of Counsel in the Commercial Litigation and Construction Litigation National Practice Sections of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP and is also a member of the firm’s Data Security, Privacy, and Cyber Liability practice team. His construction law practice includes the representation of design professionals, contractors, owners, and other clients in all types of construction disputes, including breach of contract and design defects. In his data security, privacy, and cyber liability practice, Mr. Foree advises and represents businesses in a variety of matters relating to data security and privacy laws. He has experience helping businesses respond to data breaches and comply with notification laws involving inadvertent disclosure of information. He also represents businesses in litigation matters related to data security and privacy.

Cooper Smith is a CRIS Broker and vice president of Greyling Insurance Brokerage where he negotiates and places coverage for large design firms, contractors, and law firms. He works with mid-sized to large clients, many with global exposure and complex insurance programs. In addition to being well versed in professional liability, property/casualty, and executive risk practice programs, Mr. Smith has negotiated a wide range of large and complex project-specific policies for professional liability, pollution liability, and builders risk programs. He performs risk management consulting for clients including preparation and presentation of educational seminars, compilation and analysis of risk surveys, recommendation of and coordination with legal counsel, and answering various client questions concerning insurance and risk issues impacting the construction and engineering industry. He holds the construction risk and insurance specialist (CRIS) professional designation from the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI). Mr. Smith is a 2005 graduate of the University of Georgia, where he majored in risk management and insurance. He was a member of the Insurance Society and the Gamma Iota Sigma Honors Fraternity.

Richard J. Storrs Attorney, The Storrs Law Firm
Richard J. Storrs practices law and serves as an ADR professional in Atlanta, Georgia, at The Storrs Law Firm. He has practiced construction law and commercial litigation in Atlanta since 1984. Mr. Storrs is known for being a creative and experienced mediator, focusing on resolving construction and commercial disputes. He also serves as a respected arbitrator in construction and commercial matters. Mr. Storrs also continues to represent clients in construction law matters, commercial litigation, and real estate issues. He also assists with forming and structuring organizations, drafting agreements, and avoiding disputes before they arise. Mr. Storrs has taught design and construction law since 2006 at Georgia Tech, and at the law schools at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. He has appeared at numerous seminars and has written extensively about construction law issues. His publications include authoring chapters since 2012 on no damage for delay clauses and surety law in the annual Construction Law Update. Mr. Storrs received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia, where he graduated with honors and served as a notes editor of the Georgia Law Review.

Andrew M. Thompson is a partner in Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP’s the Environmental/Land Use Practice and is a member of the Sustainability Practice Group. His practice includes environmental and commercial litigation in state and federal court, as well as in state administrative court. He has represented and advised clients in connection with a range of environmental and commercial issues, including defending enforcement actions by the U.S. EPA and state environmental agencies, toxic tort litigation, Clean Water Act permitting and compliance, insurance coverage litigation, hazardous waste, groundwater contamination, environmental cleanup and emergency response and other environmental matters. Mr. Thompson serves as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law teaching a course in water law and environmental litigation. He is a board member for the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at the Emory School of Law, a member of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Environmental and Sustainability Committee and a member of the Defense Research Institute Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Section. He is on the advisory board of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Inc. and is a Class of 2012 graduate of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership. Mr. Thompson received his J.D. degree, with distinction, from Emory University School of Law, where he was a notes and comments editor of the Emory Law Journal.