Announcing Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak LLP

    ATLANTA, GA, June 24, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Law firms change: that is one of life's certainties. This firm is changing. This firm will henceforth be known as Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak LLP.

Robert D. "Bob" Cheeley is rejoining the law firm he helped start in 1988, when the firm was known as Butler Wooten Overby & Cheeley. Bob was co-counsel or lead counsel on many of the firm's greatest victories. For the last 18 years, Bob has focused first on a variety of business pursuits and more recently has returned to law practice, as of counsel to another firm in Atlanta. "We are very excited to have Bob back with us," said Brandon Peak. "His reputation for creativity and skill as a lawyer is unparalleled."

Bob Cheeley said, "I am so excited to be rejoining the firm that I helped found in 1988, and even more excited about renewing strong friendships with its partners and staff. I have the utmost regard for the firm's commitment to excellence in advocating the cause of the everyday American." Bob is a "double dawg," with undergraduate and law degrees from The University of Georgia.

Brandon L. Peak has become a name partner. Brandon joined the firm in 2006 and has been involved in many successes since then, including the False Claims Act cases that settled for over $161 million in 2012 and that continue as to two other banks, a number of automotive defect and tire defect cases and trucking or wreck cases, including one in which he obtained a $2.6 million verdict in Troup County last year. "Brandon is the ultimate go-getter," said Jim Butler, "bright, disciplined, and resourceful." Brandon graduated summa cum laude from The Citadel and was first in his class at the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.

John Coleman "Buddy" Morrison has become a partner of the firm. Buddy joined the firm in 2006 and has worked on a variety of cases, including being very involved in two of the firm's major victories this year - Cohan v. KPMG, a breach of fiduciary duty/accounting fraud and malpractice case, and Miller v. Langdale, a breach of fiduciary duty/breach of trust case. "Buddy is a serious student of the law with an instinctive understanding of business cases," said managing partner Joel Wooten. Buddy graduated magna cum laude from Mercer University with a double major in political science and computer science, and graduated magna cum laude from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.

Michael A. "Mike" Sexton is joining the firm as of counsel. Mike was most recently a partner of the Weinberg Wheeler firm, and before that an associate at King & Spalding. He has an undergraduate degree from Florida State University in economics and a law degree with high honors from the University of Florida College of Law. Mike has had a nationwide practice involving a wide variety of cases, including business disputes, class actions, False Claims Act ("whistleblower") cases, and RICO cases. "Mike is an incredibly talented lawyer and adds considerably to this firm's capabilities," said Brandon Peak.

Our partner of 23 years and friend George W. Fryhofer III has decided to retire from the practice of law after a distinguished career spanning 30 years. "George is a superb lawyer who has been involved in many of our firm's significant cases over the years. More than that, he is a good friend whose wise counsel we will miss," said Joel Wooten.

Butler Wooten Cheeley & Peak LLP will continue to do any and all kinds of litigation cases, just as it has done for the past 26 years - including business torts, products liability, trucking & auto wreck cases, class actions, False Claims Act cases, and environmental torts. "The firm is also expanding its practice, to work more directly on plaintiffs' cases for friends in the corporate sector whom we have assisted for many years," said Joel Wooten.

"We're incredibly excited about the team we are assembling and about the great work we plan to do in the future," said Jim Butler. "We plan to help our clients, do good work for society, and continue our involvement in all activities dedicated to the continued improvement of the legal system and insuring the availability of effective civil justice for all."

Partners: Jim Butler, Joel Wooten, Bob Cheeley, Brandon Peak, Buddy Morrison
Of Counsel: Mike Thurmond, Mike Sexton
Associates: Tedra C. Hobson, Mary J. Weeks, Anna W. Howard, Morgan Duncan, Joseph L. Colwell
Paralegals: Beth Glen, Kim McCallister, Marci Martinez, Cathy Huff
Chief Operating Officer: David Snipes
Investigators: Nick Giles, Danny Agan

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