(Savannah, Ga.) Urban Hope, a non-profit dedicated to the children of Savannah, will celebrate their 13th Annual Chefs and Chocolates fundraiser on Saturday, March 4, 2023. The popular fundraiser returns to Kehoe Ironworks at Trustees Garden, 660 E Broughton St, Savannah, GA 31401.
The evening features live music, small plates and desserts from celebrated local chefs and artisans, a wine pull and live auction. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Urban Hope Board of Directors President, DeShawn Bell, “We are grateful to Oliver Maner, LLP for their commitment to Urban Hope as our Love Sponsor for the event. We are blessed with many dear sponsors that truly care about the mission of Urban Hope. We are excited to return to Kehoe Ironworks to host Chefs and Chocolates, our biggest annual fundraiser at their impressive venue.
This year, we are excited to announce our first Honorary Chairwoman, longtime Urban Hope supporter, Mrs. Ann Lytle. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect match.”
Bell continues, “We can’t wait to celebrate the amazing stories of Urban Hope as well as the generosity of the Savannah community and our commitment to the success of our children and their families!”
Tickets are available at the door. To purchase tickets in advance, sponsorships or simply donate to Urban Hope, please visit urbanhopesavannah.org for additional information.
ABOUT URBAN HOPE Our mission is to instill hope in the children of Savannah and empower them to inspire positive change in their lives and in our community. Urban Hope helps bring positive change to under-resourced communities through its children, with our after school and summer programs.
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 28 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
(SAVANNAH, Ga.) Oliver Maner LLP, one of Savannah’s most prominent law firms, named I. William Drought, III as a Partner of the firm. Drought practices civil litigation, working on personal injury, medical malpractice, business disputes, and general litigation.
“William’s dedication to professionalism and advocacy has been apparent since he started at Oliver Maner,” said Managing Partner Patrick T. O’Connor. “William has now progressed and developed into a valuable leader in the firm. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving our clients, our community and our profession. I look forward to his contributions and achievements in the years to come.”
“As a Savannah native, being named Partner at a firm like Oliver Maner, with its incredible history and connection to the city, is an overwhelming honor,” Drought said. “I owe so much to the mentors and staff at Oliver Maner, and now it’s my responsibility to work diligently to serve our clients in seeking the most effective and efficient outcomes.”
Drought was recognized by Best Lawyers in America on the Ones to Watch list in 2020. That same year, and again in 2021, Drought was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Georgia Rising Star in the Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense category. This program seeks to identify the top 2.5% of up-and-coming lawyers in Georgia under 40 years old. Additionally, he successfully completed the Leadership Savannah program in 2018.
Drought currently serves on the boards of the MedBank Foundation, a local non-profit that provides access to medications for patients who, for socioeconomic reasons, could not otherwise obtain their medications, and Coastal Georgia Council, Boy Scouts of America. For more information on I. William Drought, III, visit https://olivermaner.com/lawyers/i-william-drought.
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 28 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
ABOTA is an invitation-only national association of more than 6,700 experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to preserving and promoting the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to civil jury trials.
The annual meeting consisted of open discussion on recent topics in law and time for professional networking, followed by a reception.
The Southeastern Georgia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates includes plaintiff attorneys, defense attorneys and judges from the region, including Savannah, Brunswick, Augusta and the Golden Isles. Programming over the year consists of informative monthly webinars, networking events, and Masters in Trial training sessions in conjunction with the national ABOTA office. ABOTA members are required to have at least five years of active experience as trial lawyers, have tried at least 10 civil jury trials to conclusion and have additional litigation experience.
The incoming board of directors includes: Andrew Bowen- President Chris Phillips – VP and President-Elect Beth Boone – Secretary William J. Hunter – Treasurer
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 28 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit http://www.olivermaner.com.
Six attorneys are recognized for the first time on the prestigious legal rating organization.
(SAVANNAH, Ga.)Oliver Maner, one of Savannah’s oldest and most prominent law firms, bolstered its reputation further as rating service Best Lawyers has named 17 Oliver Maner lawyers to its 2023 Best Lawyers list and three to its 2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list.
“We appreciate the recognition from Best Lawyers. To see the hard work and dedication of these talented attorneys is exceptionally gratifying,” said Patrick T. O’Connor, Managing Partner of Oliver Maner. “The recognition is shared with our entire team and reflects the effort we put into serving our clients.”
The Best Lawyers rating system is based entirely on peer review. The process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Nominees are submitted by anyone except the nominee, the information is peer reviewed and feedback is analyzed. If selected and all eligibility requirements are met, the results are published in print and online.
Douglas J. Giorgio IIIGeorge T. Major, Jr.I. Gregory HodgesI. William Drought IIIJames P. GerardLee A. SummerfordPat T. O’ConnorPatricia T. PaulPaul H. ThrelkeldRobert W. SchiveraRyan BeasleyT. Lawrence EvansTimothy D. RobertsWilliam J. HunterWilliam P. Franklin, Jr.Andrew M. WilkesBenjamim M. PerkinsDavid Bobo Mullens IIIBryan A. SchiveraDavid H. Dickey
ABOUT OLIVER MANER
With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner, LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 28 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
(SAVANNAH, Ga.)Oliver Maner LLP, one of Savannah’s oldest and most prominent law firms, hosted its 125th Anniversary Celebration at The Chatham Club, 15 E. Liberty Street, Savannah, Ga.
Oliver Maner was organized as a firm in 1897 when seasoned military and legal veteran Judge Hansford Dade Duncan Twiggs joined in partnership with recent Vanderbilt University graduate Francis McDonald Oliver in Savannah for the general practice of law. Through the years, various partners have joined the firm, with the current iteration of “Oliver Maner LLP” being established in 2009.
In the past decade, the firm’s partners have tackled some of the most significant legal matters in the State of Georgia and the Southeast, including defense of one of the only death penalty cases the federal court in Savannah has seen in the past 30 years to defending and prosecuting civil cases involving precedent-setting legal issues and tens of millions of dollars to providing counsel and advice on complex tax and business matters.
The firm also prides itself on its ongoing involvement in the community, supporting a wide array of nonprofit organizations through sponsorships, donations and service on boards.
Left to right: Mayor Van Johnson and Patrick O’ConnorLeft to right: Mayor Van Johnson and Andrew WilkesLeft to right: Victoria Nease, Joy Bonner, Amelia StevensLeft to right: William Hunter and Sara Jo RowellJoy Bonner (far left), Missy Ann Franklin (center left), Benjamin Johnson (far right)
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner, LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 28 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
Esteemed Savannah law firm earns recognition by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office for its commitment to community service.
(SAVANNAH, Ga.)Oliver Maner, a leading law firm in Savannah, Ga., was presented the Outstanding Georgia Business Award by State Representative Derek Mallow of Georgia House District 163, which includes downtown Savannah where the firm’s offices are located.
State representatives are permitted to request recognition for a business in their district from the Georgia Secretary of State, along with documentation and verification of facts.
Rep. Mallow proposed Oliver Maner for this recognition after reading an article on LinkedIn about the law firm’s work with a local nonprofit. Rep. Mallow investigated further and found that the attorneys and partners at Oliver Maner supported at least 25 more charities and immediately contacted the Secretary of State’s office to begin the proposal for this honor, which was accepted.
“For their contribution to the community, I’m proud to present the Outstanding Georgia Business Award to Oliver Maner,” Rep. Mallow said. “They donate their time, talents and treasures to help so many organizations. It’s only right we recognize their contributions.”
Oliver Maner Managing Partner Patrick O’Connor accepted the award on the firm’s behalf.
“It’s especially gratifying to receive this award during our 125th anniversary year,” said O’Connor. “Oliver Maner has always supported local charities and doing so is a core value of our firm. We’ve been part of Savannah and the state of Georgia for more than a century, and we look forward to another 125 years of giving back and serving our community.”
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner, LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 27 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
Esteemed Savannah law firm makes a substantial gift to scholarship fund for local students
(SAVANNAH, Ga.) Oliver Maner, one of Savannah’s oldest and most prominent law firms, presented $12,500 to the Savannah Bar Association to be allocated toward the Judge Eugene H. Gadsden Scholarship fund.
The Judge Eugene H. Gadsden Memorial Scholarship was established by the Savannah Bar Association to honor the memory and legacy of Judge Gadsden, the first African-American judge in Savannah. Judge Gadsden was well known for his character, integrity and compassion.
Representatives of Oliver Maner were happy to make a donation to the Judge Eugene H. Gadsden Scholarship fund in honor of their 125th Anniversary. This year’s winner of the scholarship is Savannah Country Day School graduate John Neely. From left, Oliver Maner Associate Victoria Nease, Of Counsel William P. Franklin, Jr., Associate Amelia C. Stevens, Partner Paul H. Threlkeld, scholarship recipient John Neely, Partner Andrew M. Wilkes, Savannah Bar Association Scholarship Committee Chair Matthew E. Mills, Associate Joy Bonner, and Managing Partner Patrick T. O’Connor.
This year marks Oliver Maner‘s 125th anniversary and the donation to the Gadsden Scholarship Fund is intended to celebrate the occasion by investing in the education of law students in the local community.
“Judge Gadsden was and still is an inspiration to the legal community in Savannah and as we celebrate the past 125 years of providing legal services in Savannah and around the Southeast, Oliver Maner is proud to support future leaders in the legal profession as they work toward achieving their educational goals,” said Patrick T. O’Connor, Managing Partner of Oliver Maner. “We hope to continue this legacy onward.”
The scholarship provides funds to a graduating senior from a high school in Savannah to attend an accredited college or university. The award may be used for tuition and fees, books, and other academic expenses. This year’s recipient is John Neely.
Oliver Maner was organized as a firm in 1897 when seasoned military and legal veteran Judge Hansford Dade Duncan Twiggs joined in partnership with recent Vanderbilt University graduate Francis McDonald Oliver in Savannah for the general practice of law. Through the years, various partners have joined the firm, with the current iteration of “Oliver Maner LLP” being established in 2009.
In the past decade, the firm’s partners have tackled some of the most significant cases in the State of Georgia and the Southeast, ranging from one of the only death penalty defense cases the federal courts in Savannah have seen in the past 30 years to defending and prosecuting civil cases involving precedent-setting legal issues and tens of millions of dollars. The firm prides itself on its ongoing involvement in the community, supporting a wide array of nonprofit organizations through sponsorships, donations and service on boards.
ABOUT OLIVER MANER
With a history of 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner, LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 27 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
Esteemed local law firm adds yet another honor to its decades of excellence
(Savannah, GA) Oliver Maner LLP, Savannah’s most prestigious law firm, earned another honor as U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers rating entity named the venerable firm to its 2022 list of “Best Law Firms.” This accolade is in addition to multiple attorneys at the firm earning individual awards earlier this year.
Available only in select markets, “Best Law Firm” winners are specific to practice areas. They are determined based on several factors, including feedback from lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers on individual lawyer and firm-wide work, the size and coverage of the firm in a specific practice area, historical analysis of the firm’s “Lawyer of the Year” awards in this area, and research surrounding the firm’s overall scope and areas of expertise.
“It’s gratifying to be recognized like this by such a distinguished publication. I know how hard our people work, because I see what they do day in and day out to serve our clients. We are proud of this honor and will work even harder to justify it,” said Patrick T. O’Connor, a partner at Oliver Maner.
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. The methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. It is a sophisticated, conscientious, rational and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services.
The firm achieved the highest Tier 1 ranking for 12 out of 15 categories:
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
Mediation
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Municipal Law
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Real Estate Law
Tax Law
Trusts & Estates Law
Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.
With a history of almost 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP, has evolved into a full-service law firm capable of handling all areas of civil law and litigation. With a team of 29 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle the most complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical malpractice, product liability, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
Savannah’s top law firm challenged community to help fight homelessness
(SAVANNAH, Ga.) In recognition of National Homelessness Awareness Month in November, Oliver Maner LLP, a leading law firm in Savannah, issued a challenge to the community to raise supplies and support for Union Mission’s newest project, Parker’s House: A Home For Women.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Sara Jo Rowell, Firm Administrator at Oliver Maner; William J. Hunter, a Partner at Oliver Maner and a Board Member of Union Mission; Joy Bonner, Associate at Oliver Maner; Amelia C. Stevens, Associate at Oliver Maner; Victoria Nease, Associate at Oliver Maner; Savannah resident Victoria White and her daughter Alethia Edwards, Michael Traynor, President and CEO of Union Mission, Suzanne Willis, Director of Marketing & Development of Union Mission.
Oliver Maner attorneys Amelia Stevens and Victoria Nease led the efforts and the law firm’s office is overflowing with the results of the generosity of the Savannah community. Representatives of Oliver Maner presented the donations collected during the charity drive at their downtown offices on Dec. 8 and loaded up Union Mission’s van. The items, ranging from soap and toothpaste to sheets and blankets, will stock the shelves of the program for unaccompanied homeless women, set to launch in early 2022. “We want to thank the Savannah community for their incredible generosity. We expected a strong response, but what happened exceeded our expectations,” Stevens said. “We had to continue to make room in our storage area to accommodate all of the items.” One large donation exemplified the spirit of giving that the challenge sought to foster. Savannah resident Victoria White and her daughter Alethia Edwards brought an entire carload of supplies for the women’s shelter. It was such a tremendous amount, the Oliver Maner team couldn’t let them leave without finding out more about their family and the story behind their gift. It was a revelation. As a young mother of seven children, White was tragically widowed. Her family struggled but worked together and with help of the community, they were able to remain intact. Now that her seven children are grown with families of their own, they began a family tradition to pool their resources and make a donation to a local charity rather than buy gifts for each other.
“My daughter saw this organization for homeless women on the news and she asked me, ‘Mom, why don’t we do something for them?’,” White explained. The family talked it over and decided that Parker’s House: A Home For Women was the right choice for their annual gift. “I always said, if it wasn’t for someone else reaching out to help us, we wouldn’t be where we are today, able to help others. It is such a blessing,” White added.
Victoria White and her daughter Alethia Edwards joined the Oliver Maner team during the donation presentation to Union Mission.
Savannah resident Victoria White and her daughter Alethia Edwards join Michael Traynor, President and CEO of Union Mission, and William J. Hunter, a Partner at Oliver Maner, LLP and a Board Member of Union Mission. White and Edwards brought an entire carload of supplies for the women’s shelter.
“Ms. White and her family are the personifications of what Oliver Maner set out to do when it first made the challenge to others to join in and support the fight against homelessness,” said Stevens. “While many local law firms and citizens answered the call, a family joining together to make a difference in lieu of giving each other gifts is a remarkable testament to the generosity of our community. Their heartwarming tale of perseverance, gratitude, love and selflessness is inspiring, and a lesson that extends beyond the spirit of the holiday season.” Statistics show more than 180 women each night are homeless in Chatham County. The Parker’s House: A Home For Women’s renovated space will have 16 bedrooms and eight bathrooms. It’s designed to provide emergency housing and supportive services to 32 unaccompanied, homeless women for up to 90-days at a time, or roughly 100 women annually.
Once completed, Parker’s House: A Home For Women will be the only facility along the I-95 corridor from Florida to South Carolina dedicated solely to unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness.
Union Mission provides basic human needs for the residents, including food, clothing, transportation, access to mental healthcare, employment support and more. The goal of this program is to help residents maintain stable housing and become independent members of the community.
ABOUT UNION MISSION
Union Mission has cared for Savannah’s homeless community for more than 80 years offering emergency, transitional and permanent housing solutions to those in need. Union Mission also collaborates with the community’s network of service providers to make comprehensive, wrap-around supportive services, such as mental health counseling and culinary arts job training available to all homeless persons in the community. The mission of Union Mission is to partner with people to end their homelessness through housing and supportive services. For more information, call (912) 238-2777 or visit www.unionmission.org.
ABOUT OLIVER MANER
With a history of almost 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 29 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
This is the 19th time the magazine has recognized attorneys considered the best in their field.
The lawyers selected this year practice throughout Georgia in markets ranging from large metro areas to smaller rural towns and represent 15 distinct legal practice areas: Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights, Business, Corporate, Criminal, Entertainment & Sports, Family, General Practice/Trial, Healthcare, Immigration, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Personal Injury, Public Finance/Bonds, Real Estate/Construction and Taxes, Estates & Trusts.
The following partners at Oliver Maner were recognized:
To compile this listing, attorneys submitted hundreds of nominations to Georgia Trend’s website. Anyone who is a member of the State Bar and lives and practices in Georgia was eligible to vote and to be voted onto this list. Respondents were not allowed to vote for themselves.
ABOUT OLIVER MANER With a history of almost 125 years of representing clients in Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the United States, Oliver Maner LLP, is a full-service law firm capable of handling a broad range of civil litigation and business law expertise. With a team of 29 of the highest-rated trial and transactional lawyers across the state, Oliver Maner possesses the resources and abilities to tackle complex legal problems, including personal injury, estate law, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, civil rights litigation, real estate, transportation and logistics litigation and more. The law firm is proud to have long-standing relationships with its clients, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, business owners and entrepreneurs. Oliver Maner’s office is located at 218 W. State St., Savannah, GA 31401. For more information, call (912) 236-3311 or visit www.olivermaner.com.
Public Relations Marketing Fundraising 