Dawn Smith Joins Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle as Of Counsel

ATLANTA, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta-based divorce and family law firm Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle announced today that Dawn R. Smith has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Ms. Smith is highly respected throughout the state for her extensive family law acumen and experience.

In joining Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle, Ms. Smith will continue her work on behalf of families and children throughout Georgia. Immediately prior to joining the firm, she served as Deputy Director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), where she directed all of AVLF's family law programs. In this role, Ms. Smith trained and supervised lawyers and worked closely with the judges of the Fulton County Family Court to provide trained Guardian ad Litems to contested custody matters.  

Ms. Smith has trained Guardian ad Litems throughout the state and has lectured on their role nationally. She has served as Guardian on numerous complex family law cases and will continue her Guardian ad Litem work in complex custody cases at the firm. Ms. Smith said the opportunity to be a part of Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle and its future growth was a perfect fit at this pivotal juncture in her career.

"I always have been impressed with the integrity, ethical underpinnings and professionalism of Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle," said Smith. "The firm serves clients with excellence, upholds the best of our profession with a dignified approach, believes in a balanced lifestyle, and has an impeccable and uncompromising reputation."

In addition to her expertise in family law, Ms. Smith is recognized as one of the leading advocates for the educational rights of children with disabilities. She currently serves as Board Chair of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, the national membership organization for special education attorneys and advocates. She has pursued actions on behalf of children in state and federal trial courts as well as in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Smith will continue to provide quality legal services on behalf of children with disabilities and will lend her expertise in this area to all of her family law endeavors.  

"To say we are thrilled to have Dawn at our firm is an understatement," said Richard Nolen of Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle. "She has extraordinary credentials, and her philosophies about the practice of family law match perfectly with our firm's approach. We are fortunate and proud to have Dawn join Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle at this exciting time."

Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle recently moved into 10,000 square feet of new office space at the City View office building in the Cumberland Galleria area. The firm now has a total of 12 attorneys after Bob Boyd, John Collar, Richard Nolen and Jonathan Tuggle teamed up in July 2009 to start the firm.  

"We are growing in a tough economy, and Dawn's arrival further solidifies this growth," said John Collar. "Dawn brings us a strong senior level female litigator who enhances the direction we are heading and the vision we have to be a firm of quality and integrity. Her community work exemplifies this vision."    

Ms. Smith is a frequent national and local speaker at legal education seminars. She has served as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University and as an Administrative Law Judge for the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings.

Ms. Smith was formerly a partner with Zimring & Smith, LLC and served as a law clerk to Federal Judge Marvin H. Shoob upon her graduation cum laude from Georgia State College of Law. Ms. Smith is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta and founder and former Board Chair of Cool Girls, Inc. She has served on numerous other boards and community organizations over the years.

SOURCE Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle, LLC