Lovic Brooks has 30 years of experience advising, counseling, guiding, and representing companies of all sizes and in many different industries in employment and labor matters.

He has handled litigation matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, several U.S. Courts of Appeal, U.S. District Courts and state courts throughout the United States. Lovic has served as lead counsel in class actions with claims of race discrimination, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, age discrimination, and ERISA violations. He has handled several EEOC cases before the courts and the agency involving multiple claimants. His extensive employment litigation work has involved almost every conceivable type of employment claim available under federal and state law.

Prior to joining Helms & Greene in 2004, Lovic was a managing member of Constangy, Brooks & Smith and a founding and managing member of Ellzey & Brooks which merged with Fisher & Phillips in 2004.

Lovic is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctorate in 1977. Lovic is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the State Bar of Georgia, and the American Bar Association. He is a Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals for the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eight, and Eleventh Circuits, and the District Courts for the Districts of South Carolina, Northern Georgia, Middle Georgia, Southern Georgia, and Western Michigan.

Lovic has an AV rating, the highest available, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Devon Decker is a litigator with over 24 years experience in product liability, negligence, maritime, employment, medical, and commercial matters in both state and federal courts. He is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Devon has particular expertise in product liability cases and serves as National Product Liability counsel for some of our clients. He has been admitted pro hac vice to defend their interests in many states of the union including Alabama, Iowa, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Carolina. Devon is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit and the Federal Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims and the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Harris County Bar Association, the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, the Defense Research Institute and the Maritime Law Association of the United States.

Devon received his B.A. degree from Baylor University and his J.D. degree (with honors) from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. While in law school, Devon was a member of several South Texas College of Law moot court teams that won state and national championships competing with other law schools from across the country. He was also a member of the South Texas Law Review and Phi Delta Phi.

Devon has an AV rating, the highest available, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Marian Exall practiced law with leading firms in Atlanta, before becoming the Home Depot’s senior employment counsel, where she served until 1999. She has handled every kind of employment dispute from internal grievances to major class actions. She has been an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association’s Employment Panel since 1992, and is also a certified mediator.

With Helms & Greene, Marian devotes herself to a preventive practice, concentrating on human resources policy and program development, investigations, compliance assessments and dispute resolution. She is a frequent speaker on employment compliance topics, including appearances on CNBC and Fox News. Marian is a graduate of the London School of Economics. She obtained her J.D. with distinction from Emory University of Law, and certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. Marian is licensed to practice law in Georgia.

Stephen J. Fraher has experience in civil litigation, labor and employment law and federal regulatory matters. Before joining Helms and Greene, Steve was employed by Casey Mahon & Rooney, LLP in New York for three years, assisting in the representation of its clients in litigation involving corporate, commercial, insurance, ERISA, and labor law matters.

After receiving his B.A. in English from Suffolk University in 1973, Steve worked as a paralegal in the corporate department of Bingham Dana & Gould in Boston, and later in the General Counsel’s office of Siemens Corporation, handling corporate and employment-related matters. He then attended Brooklyn Law School, where he obtained his J.D. in 1989, and worked for the law firm of Richardson, Mahon & Casey, P.C. in the 1990’s. After that, Steve worked for GE in Stamford, Connecticut for six years, including three years as a Contract Analyst for GE Capital Information Technology Services and three years as a Compliance Analyst for GE Card Services. Steve is admitted to practice before the New York state courts and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Steve Greene specializes in employment matters, particularly the Fair Labor Standards Act. He regularly speaks to employment lawyers and compensation professionals concerning application of these legal standards on behalf of SHRM, CUPA-HR, World at Work, and other national trade groups.

During the past 24 years, Steve has assisted many Fortune 500 companies and educational institutions evaluate overtime exemption compliance and design compliant compensation methodologies. He has also assisted employers manage Department of Labor and state regulatory investigations across the country. Steve represents employers defending litigation brought by individuals and collective actions. His work has also included educating and influencing the DOL and members of Congress to reform the legal standards.

He received his J.D. from Southern Methodist University, and is licensed to practice in Georgia and Texas.

Victoria Helms is a litigator, representing management clients in adversarial proceedings before federal and state courts and enforcement agencies. She handles matters for local, regional and national employers with a special emphasis on defense of discrimination, harassment, benefit and contract claims. Vicki also supports corporate clients in connection with complex commercial disputes in federal court.

After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Marshall University, Vicki served in the U.S. Army for seven years. After leaving the service, she attended St. Thomas University School of Law. Upon law school graduation, Vicki accepted an appointment for two years as a law clerk for the federal district court judge in Arizona.

Since leaving the clerkship, Vicki has devoted her work to representing management clients in employment litigation. She was initially employed at Constangy, Brooks & Smith and then joined Helms & Greene in 1998. She is licensed to practice law in Georgia.

Elizabeth Lanier has 10 years of experience in civil litigation, including insurance defense, commercial and health care litigation. In addition, she represents licensed health care professionals before administrative agencies in adversarial proceedings.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Liz practiced nursing for 17 years. Her background is a valuable asset in defending health care facilities and licensed professionals, as well as in her defense of general liability cases involving personal injuries. She is licensed to practice law in Georgia and in Florida, and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts in the Northern District of Georgia and in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. She is also a Florida Certified Circuit Civil and County Mediator.

She earned her J.D. from Emory University School of Law and received her Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Nursing, from Kennesaw State University.

Laddie Livingston
Laddie Livingston has extensive litigation experience in both insurance defense and commercial litigation. He has served as national counsel and lead trial counsel for a product liability defendant in the federal multidistrict litigation. Laddie has also represented contractors in multiple mass disaster plant explosions. He has represented physicians, nursing homes, insurance agents, insurance companies, construction companies, products manufacturers and he has a toxic tort docket. His practice also includes real estate litigation.

Prior to joining Helms and Greene, LLC, Laddie was a partner in the Houston firm of Hays McConn Rice & Pickering as well as the firm of Neel & Livingston. He has more than 25 years of first chair trial experience. He also taught trial advocacy for six years at the University of Houston Law Center.

Laddie obtained his bachelor of science degree from Kansas State University graduating with honors. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center also graduating with honors where he was a member of the Order of the Barons and the Order of the Barristers.

Laddie has an AV rating, the highest available, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

James J. Mahon has 30 years of experience in complex civil litigation, including securities and employment discrimination litigation. In addition, Jim has represented architects, accountants and other professionals in malpractice actions. Before joining Helms & Greene, Jim was a partner with the firm of Casey Mahon & Rooney, LLP in New York, where his practice involved representation of individuals and corporations in civil and criminal tax litigation and complex commercial litigation, and also included representation of his clients before various state and federal agencies, including the SEC, NASD, EEOC and the NLRB, as well as the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Division of Taxation & Finance.

Jim received his B. A. in History from the College of the Holy Cross in 1969, after which he served in the United States Peace Corps in Panama for two years. He then attended Fordham University School of Law and received his J.D. in 1975. Jim is admitted to practice before the New York state courts, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Vermont, the United States Tax Court and the United States Court of Claims.

Michele Quattlebaum is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has 27 years of litigation experience in all areas of medical, chiropractic, dental, and optometric malpractice, as well as extensive litigation experience in commercial trucking, propane, premises liability (rape, murder, slip and fall) toxic torts, construction, pest control and employment law. She has tried cases to verdict in most areas of Texas, as well as Illinois, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida. She has also handled suits in many other states on a Pro Hac Vice basis. Michele routinely consults with professionals on risk management and employment matters. She represents professionals before their respective board of examiners. She provides a risk management hotline for doctors. She is a member of the litigation and employment law sections of the Houston Bar Association, Texas Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. She is a member of DRI, and the Texas Association of Defense Counsel.

Michele frequently does seminars for insurance claims adjusters for continuing education credit through the Texas Department of Insurance as well as speaks throughout Texas and the United States to professional groups on risk management, employment and business formation issues. She is currently the sponsor/advisor for District 11 of the Texas Chiropractic Association.

Michele was raised in Arkansas and received her B.S from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri (magna cum laude), and received her JD from South Texas College of Law in 1981. She has practiced in Houston since 1981.

Michele has an AV rating, the highest available, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Christopher S. Rooney has 30 years of litigation experience that encompasses most forms of complex civil litigation, ranging from representation of a national brokerage firm in securities and employment-related litigation and arbitration matters to defending attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers and other professionals against malpractice claims. In addition, Chris has represented an oil company in negligence actions involving its barges and delivery trucks as well as its terminal and station premises. Before joining Helms & Greene, Chris was a partner with the firm of Casey Mahon & Rooney, LLP in New York, where his practice focused on representing major life insurance carriers in litigation involving life, health and disability policies, in both ERISA and non-ERISA contexts. He has also represented clients before the SEC, the New York Stock Exchange, the NASD and the New York State Insurance Department.

After receiving his B.A. in Political Science from Fordham University in 1968, Chris served as an officer in the U.S. Army for three years. Upon leaving active duty he returned to Fordham University’s Law School, where he received his J.D in 1975. Chris is admitted to practice in the New York state courts, and is also admitted to practice and has represented clients in matters before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Second and Ninth Circuits, and the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Tammy Savidge-Moore has experience in defense litigation in the areas of medical malpractice, premises liability, business disputes, and commercial litigation. She has also has represented physicians, nurses and nursing homes before their respective state or federal enforcement boards or agencies. Tammy’s practice has also included business entity formation and dissolutions for clients and appellate practice including drafting mandamus’ and appellate briefs.

Tammy received her J.D. from South Texas College of Law, cum laude, where she was admitted to the Order of Lyate, a member of the Law Review and a Moot Court competitor. She also served as an intern for the Honorable David Hitner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Tammy is the author of The Policy of Opting-Out of Fiduciary Duties in a Limited Liability Company: McConnell v Hunt Sports Enterprises, 42 South Texas Law Review 183 (2000).

Barbara Stanley is a commercial litigator focusing on business and employment disputes. She handles professional liability, contract and warranty claims against engineers, environmental consulting firms, and other construction industry employers. Barbara also defends corporations in a wide range of fiduciary duty and director and officer matters. She has both prosecuted and defended a wide range of contract disputes including oil and geophysical, and personnel disputes. She has represented cities, public officials, and corporations in various contract and tort actions.

Prior to joining Helms & Greene, she was employed for 15 years at Gardere Wynne Sewell, and the last 7 as a partner.

Barbara received her B.A. degree from the University of Texas at Austin graduating with honors. She received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1990 where she also graduated with honors, was an associate editor of the University of Houston Law Review and was admitted to the Order of the Coif and Order of Barons. She is admitted to practice in Texas.

Barbara has an AV rating, the highest available, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Stuart Sugarman has 25 years of experience in banking, as both in-house and outside counsel, handling a wide variety of legal matters including regulatory, corporate, contracts, uniform commercial code, real estate, and loan workouts. In addition, Stuart has extensive experience in reviewing, on behalf of insurers, complex insurance claims from financial institutions relating to professional liability insurance and fidelity bond coverage. Stuart has represented banking institutions in matters with the FDIC, the OTS, the Federal Reserve Bank and the New York State Banking Department. Before joining Helms & Greene, Stuart was of-counsel to Casey Mahon & Rooney, LLP in New York, where his practice focused on acting as outside counsel to a regional savings bank, handling a wide variety of litigation, regulatory and internal procedural matters, as well as consulting work for a major international commercial bank on professional liability claims.

Stuart received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1973, and his J.D. in 1976 from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. Stuart is admitted to practice before the New York state courts and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He is also admitted to practice before the New Jersey state courts and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

 

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