Area of Practice: Complex Litigation J. Thomas Howell was born in Jesup, Georgia, and completed his Bachelor's Degree in business administration with a concentration in international business and corporate law at Mercer University. As a student, he participated in international exchange programs at both Oxford University, in Oxford, England, and Bond University, in Queensland, Australia. Thomas's diligence and commitment to his education led to a Magna Cum Laude graduation and immediate acceptance into Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law. Thomas's exceptional performance in law school was among the top five percent of his class and led to several prestigious honors. In his first year of attendance, he was recognized as the highest-performing student in his class and awarded the CALI Award of Excellence in contract law. In his second and third years, he was invited to, and served on, the Mercer Moot Court Team and Mercer Law Review and went on to become appointed as the University's Student Body Representative to the American Bar Association and earn his Advanced Certification in Legal Writing. In addition, Thomas was granted clerkship positions in the Macon Judicial Circuit Court and United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia; both while working hard to finish his law degree. All of this culminated in a Cum Laude Juris Doctorate and an immediate appointment as an Associate Attorney at Hunton and Williams, LLP, one of the largest international law firms in the country. While at Hunton and Williams, LLP, Thomas immediately began perfecting his practice. In less than two years, he went on to work as a Managing Partner at McCalla Raymer, LLC, one of the largest Regional Law Firms in the United States, where he served as lead counsel in over 500 cases in business and financial services litigation and achieved an over 99% success rate in final rulings. Thomas is licensed to practice law in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. He is admitted to all federal and state courts in those respective states. Thomas has over 14 years of experience representing cases from the district court level to as high up as the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court and has served as first-chair in both civil and criminal jury trials (state and federal). He is also a certified mediator and has successfully mediated numerous cases throughout all facets of the law. A standout in the field of law, Thomas was recognized as an Elite Lawyer in 2021, and still holds this title today. The Elite Lawyer Organization uses a rigorous selection process to ensure that any recipient has demonstrated excellence in the practice of law and shown unwavering commitment to their clients and their communities. Mr. Howell's selection as an Elite Lawyer shows that he is among the top-rated attorneys in the United States and possesses a level of experience and dedication that ensures his clients' legal concerns are handled to their utmost satisfaction. The Elite Lawyer award recognizes exceptional attorneys throughout the United States in a multitude of practice areas. As an Elite Lawyer, Thomas has demonstrated a high degree of skill and success in his career and has been peer-recognized, showing that he has exceptional experience, and is very active in the community. After twelve years in the big city of Atlanta, Thomas's passion for people compelled him to move closer to home and establish his own law firm, Howell Law LLC, in Statesboro, Georgia. With the goal of making reliable and effective legal counsel affordable to all, Thomas now strives to provide unparalleled service through reliable communication, heartfelt compassion, and unyielding determination to get his clients the results they need.

John R. Howie, Jr.is an accomplished trial attorney who focuses his practice on vaccine injury and personal injury cases, including trucking and auto accidents, bad faith insurance practices, product liability, premises liability, medical negligence, nursing home litigation, consumer protection and breach of contract cases. He graduated with a BBA from Southern Methodist University in 1994 and went on to graduate from SMU Dedman School of Law in 2000. During law school, he served as the Notes and Comments Editor (1999) and Co-Managing Editor (2000) of The International Lawyer. John was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2000. He is also a member of the Tarrant County, Dallas County and American Bar Associations, and is admitted to practice before all Texas state courts as well as the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He is a member of the Dallas and Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Associations, American Trial Lawyers Association and Dallas and Tarrant County Associations of Young Lawyers. He is a sustaining member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.

Scott G. Hoy is the owner of Hoy Trial Lawyers. He is a life-long resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1981 and his Juris Doctor in 1984 at the University of South Dakota. He was admitted to the South Dakota State Bar in 1984. Between 2008 and 2010 Scott did extensive training to graduate from the Trial Lawyers College, which is run by world renowned Trial Lawyer, Gerry Spence.

Richard is a regulatory attorney and litigator who helps companies resolve complex gaming law, data privacy and healthcare issues affecting their businesses. Since joining Taft in 2013, Richard has helped casinos, terminal operators, gaming equipment manufacturers, and video game businesses resolve legal matters arising under the Illinois Video Gaming Act and other gaming regulations nationwide. Richard has also helped clients successfully challenge the constitutionality of other local gaming laws. Richard’s comprehensive knowledge of gaming law issues and successful track record assisting terminal operators and gaming companies are among the reasons why he was honored as Top Gaming Litigation Lawyer for Chicago at Corporate LiveWire’s Excellence in Gaming Awards in 2016. Richard was recognized as one of 100 attorneys featured in the Lawyers of Color “Nation’s Best 2020,” which promotes diversity in the legal profession and advances democracy and equality in marginalized communities. In addition to gaming law issues, Richard’s practice also covers data privacy, commercial litigation, labor and employment litigation and compliance, regulatory compliance defense, healthcare regulatory litigation and compliance, and medical cannabis licensing and compliance. Richard uses court-tested strategies to help his clients obtain temporary restraining orders, defeat motions to dismiss, and obtain injunctive and declaratory relief. Richard also has experience using cost-saving eDiscovery tools and tactics that help reduce his clients’ litigation costs without sacrificing results. Richard is also experienced in peer reviews, privacy policies, business associate agreements, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and HIPAA/HITECH issues.