R. Clay Ratterree
Retired

Mr. Ratterree, a founding partner of the firm, has broad civil litigation experience in a wide range of matters in state and federal courts, including serious personal injury, wrongful death, professional liability (defending physicians, dentists, engineers, architects, accountants, attorneys, realtors, nursing homes, etc.), premises liability, auto and trucking law, construction litigation, toxic torts and general commercial litigation. Mr. Ratterree has also maintained an extensive mediation and arbitration practice, and has been certified in alternative dispute resolution, since 1992.

Mr. Ratterree is a member of the bars of Georgia and Colorado. He is also a member of the Georgia, Colorado, and the American Bar Associations, and is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia, and the Eleventh and Fifth Circuit Courts of Appeals. He has previously served as Chairman of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, as a member of the Professionalism Committee for the State Bar of Georgia, and as an officer of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Georgia.

Mr. Ratterree previously served as a board member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association for eight years and is a member of the Defense Research Institute. He has been elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Since 2002 Mr. Ratterree has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and as a Georgia Super Lawyer since 2004 by Atlanta Magazine.

Education

  • University of Georgia, J.D. cum laude (1977)
  • Undergraduate: University of Virginia, B.A. English (1971)

Selected Experience

  • Formerly represented manufacturers of asbestos-containing fireproofing and insulation materials in hundreds of product liability cases involving personal injury and property damage
  • Represents parties in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death litigation in state and federal courts
  • Represents prominent physicians, lawyers, nursing homes, and other professionals in successful defense of numerous claims for professional liability
  • Appointed to serve on arbitration panels by the American Arbitration Association and private parties for resolution of complex construction and employment-related disputes
  • Successfully mediated over 450 lawsuits and disputes
  • Serves as counsel in major tractor-trailer litigation, claims involving watercraft injuries, and a wide range of product liability claims

Memberships

  • State Certified Mediator and Arbitrator Savannah, Colorado and American Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Georgia (past Chairman, Insurance Law Section; past Member, Professionalism Committee; past ADR Section Board Member)
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
  • International Academy of Mediators
  • Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Georgia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
  • The International Association of Defense Counsel

Ratings

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2002-present
  • Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory’s highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards (AV)
  • 2016 Martindale-Hubbell “Top Rated Lawyer Award”
  • Selected as Georgia “Super Lawyer” by Atlanta Magazine, 2003-present

Court Admissions

  • Georgia State and Superior Courts
  • Court of Appeals of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • United States District Courts, Southern Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia
  • United States Courts of Appeal, Eleventh Circuit and Fifth Circuits

Representative Cases (Client names deleted in some cases)

  • Ida Branch v. David’s Supermarket – Jury trial defense verdict in premises liability case
  • Jacobson v. Vaughn – Jury trial defense verdict in motor vehicle accident case
  • Henry v. (Law Firm) – Summary judgment for defendants granted in legal malpractice case
  • Moody v. Carver – Jury trial defense verdict in motor vehicle accident case
  • Osteen v. Stone Container – Jury trial defense verdict in federal court employment/race discrimination case
  • Stephens v Mock, et al. – Summary judgment granted for defendant in construction matter
  • Towson v. Riverview Health – Jury trial defense verdict in nursing home malpractice case
  • Sawyer v. Knight, et al. – Summary judgment granted in premises liability case
  • Walker v. Howard – Jury defense verdict in motor vehicle accident case
  • McCane v. Ace Pole Company, Inc., et al. – Summary judgment granted in motor vehicle accident case
  • Webber v. Campbell Soup – Jury trial defense verdict in product liability case
  • White v. WGM Safety Products – Jury trial defense verdict in federal court product liability toxic tort case
  • Bush v. Kemira Pigments, Inc. – Jury trial defense verdict in multi-plaintiff federal court employment law/discrimination case
  • Smith v. Dobbs. Williams Co. – Summary judgment granted to defendant in construction defect case
  • Durrence v. Dykes – Summary judgment granted in motor vehicle accident/road construction matter
  • Green v. Kemira Pigments, Inc. – Jury trial defense verdict in federal court employment law case
  • Bell v. Horton Homes – Jury trial defense verdict in toxic tort/product liability case
  • Bryant v. Bradley – Jury trial defense verdict in jet ski watercraft accident
  • Willett v. Cohen – Jury trial defense verdict in legal malpractice case
  • Jones v. Hicks – Summary judgment granted to defendant in motor vehicle accident case

Representative Clients

  • Admiral Insurance Company
  • CNA Insurance Companies
  • Essex Insurance Company
  • Nautilus Insurance Company
  • Safeco Insurance Companies
  • Travelers Insurance
  • Colony Management Services, Inc.
  • Southern Insurance Underwriters
  • Amerisure Companies
  • Great West Casualty Company.
  • Markel Insurance Company
  • Sedgwick CMS
  • FCCI Insurance Group
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Georgia Lawyers/Pro Assurance
  • Colony Group
  • Family Dollar, Inc.
  • Georgia Pacific
  • Secura Insurance Companies
  • Eastman Chemical Company
  • Dulohery, Weeks & Gagliano, Inc.
  • TMC Transportation
  • The Hartford.
  • Dixie Roadbuilders, Inc..
  • AIG Claims Services, Inc.
  • Chartis, Inc.
  • Specialty Risk Services
  • Riverview Health & Rehabilitation Center, Inc.