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Good Georgia Lawyers welcomes new associate attorney Shahnaz Uddin!

Shahnaz Uddin is a civil rights Associate Attorney at the law office of Williams Oinonen LLC. She is currently licensed to practice law in Florida and is going to take the Georgia Bar Exam in February. Prior to her work at Williams Oinonen LLC, she worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Broward County, Florida and was a John Due Fellow with the Florida NAACP. At the NAACP she researched issues affecting marginalized populations in the United States including issues regarding discrimination in property taxes and juvenile justice in the education system. She also has worked as a Judicial Intern for the Southern District of Florida where she researched and presented findings on “Compassionate Release” under the First Step Act and the “Qualified Immunity” doctrine in relation to § 1983 claims.

EDUCATION

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Don’t jinx our winning streak! Good Georgia Lawyer obtains yet another win in the State Board of Education.

If you are a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, civil rights violations, or injury/wrongful death to a family member, call us today at 404-654-0288!

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Are you a parent or legal guardian in Georgia who is unable to care for your child for a period of time? Temporary guardianship may be an option for you. In this guide, we will explore the most commonly asked questions regarding temporary guardianship in Georgia.

What is Temporary Guardianship in Georgia?

Temporary guardianship is a legal arrangement that allows a person other than the child’s parent or legal guardian to care for the child for a limited period of time. It is commonly used when a parent or legal guardian is unable to care for their child due to circumstances such as a medical emergency, military deployment, or personal issues.

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Our client Dr. Sherilonda Green prevailed at trial and obtained the original court order which directed the Defendant to assume the cost and directed the E-Discovery company to extract and produce all electronic messages, text and emails, sent between Superintendent Lairsey and Board members amongst others January 1, 2020 to present which pertain to or relate to the topics that included:

* Dr. Sherilonda Green

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Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace are serious issues that can have a devastating impact on victims. It’s important for employers to take proactive steps to prevent these incidents and to provide support for employees who experience them.

First, employers should establish clear policies and procedures for addressing sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. This includes providing training for all employees on what constitutes sexual harassment and assault, how to report incidents, and what steps will be taken to investigate and address reports.

Second, employers should take all reports of sexual harassment and assault seriously and conduct prompt and thorough investigations. This includes providing support for the victim, such as offering counseling services and time off work if needed.

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Attorney Julie Oinonen was recently featured on the news featured here regarding her expertise in educator ethics investigations involving the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) which is the state agency responsible for licensing, certifying, and disciplining educators in Georgia. Among its various functions, one of the PSC’s most important duties is investigating allegations of educator ethical misconduct.

Any individual, including students, parents, colleagues, or administrators, can file a written complaint against an educator for unethical conduct. The PSC’s Investigative Division then conducts a thorough investigation to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support the allegations of misconduct.

During the investigation, the PSC may interview witnesses, review documents and records, and make site visits. The investigation aims to determine whether the educator violated the state’s code of ethics for educators.

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Winning a Georgia Super Lawyer award is a significant accomplishment that only a select few attorneys achieve. In fact, only 5% of attorneys in the state of Georgia are recognized as Super Lawyers. This fact highlights the exceptional skill and dedication required to be named a Super Lawyer.

The selection process for Super Lawyers is rigorous and involves both peer nominations and evaluations, as well as independent research. Attorneys are evaluated based on a variety of factors, including their professional achievements, peer recognition, and community involvement. This process ensures that only the most outstanding attorneys are recognized as Super Lawyers.

Being named a Super Lawyer is not only a personal achievement, but it also reflects on the law firms entire team and the service we are dedicated to providing our clients. It’s a recognition of our firm’s commitment to excellence and the trust that clients have in the firm’s services.

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Esther Moody Graff Radford led oral argument with extremely compelling arguments to her brief. The Court ruled from the bench denying summary judgment on all counts and our client will be now proceeding to trial after this victory.

The Georgia Whistleblower’s Act 45-1-4 is a powerful tool for public employees who report illegal activity in the workplace. Under this law, employees who report or testify about such activity are protected from retaliation by their employers. This means that an employer cannot fire, demote, or otherwise punish an employee for speaking up about illegal activity, as long as the employee has a good-faith belief that the activity is occurring.

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Attached is an Order for Sanctions we recently won in a case regarding the other side’s conduct in discovery. Discovery is a crucial phase in any litigation, as it allows both parties to obtain information and evidence from each other in order to build their case. However, there are instances where one party may engage in discovery abuse, such as through inappropriate deposition conduct or failure to produce requested electronically stored information (ESI).

In Georgia, discovery abuse can result in sanctions, which can include the payment of attorney fees and expenses, the striking of pleadings, and even dismissal of the case. Sanctions may be imposed when a party engages in misconduct during a deposition, such as harassing or abusive conduct, or when a party fails to comply with the rules governing the production of ESI.

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The Charlton County Herald recently featured Dr. Green’s victory in winning her Open Records Act at trial see here for the news story.  

The citations below refer to “T” stand for the trial transcript which can be made available upon request:

Dr. Green contends the school district’s motive to withhold Open Records is to cover up systemic discrimination within the District. Evidence of discrimination is replete in the record and includes the following: For the past 136 years of Charlton County School District’s existence, a Black woman has never been hired as a school Principal or Superintendent despite being the District being approximately one-third African American in demographic. (T-197:1-9; T-426:7-16.) The current Chairman of the Board of Education Matt Sands testified that he did not think its problematic that in the 136 years of public-school existence there has never been a Black female that has been hired as a school principal (T-426:9-25; 427:1-11) stating “it’s just the fact that that’s the way it is.” (T-426:13-14.)

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