D. Dwayne Adams, Attorney

While growing up, I had the opportunity to travel all around the world. My father is a minister, whose work took him to many different countries. We lived in the Philippines for six years, Canada for almost two years, and we have visited Holland, France, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago, and Grenada. As a child, my sister and I would watch and listen with fascination as Dad showed us slides and photos from his trips to still more exotic places.

During my travels, I have met a lot of people from many cultures. My experiences have taught me that despite some cultural differences, people are essentially the same. No matter what we look like, or what language we speak, we want ourselves and our families to be healthy, and to be able to enjoy life.

Before I ever thought of becoming a lawyer, my friends and I would fume over lawsuits we heard about on the news. I would shake my head over some that made the news, and I would wonder: What are they thinking? What happened to common sense and personal responsibility?

I haven't changed. However, there are many "righteous cases" in Georgia that never make it on TV or the newspaper. Frequently, people need help when injured and forced to deal with an insurance company or large business that has money, lawyers, and power. Every day, people are hurt, people are wronged, people are victimized. Every day, someone--be it an individual or a giant corporation--gets away with it, because the victim does not have the knowledge, the resources, or the will to fight back.

Sometimes, the only thing that can make a bad actor change their behavior is a lawsuit. Thanks to lawyers, dangerous car designs have been changed, harmful products pulled off the market, polluters have been stopped, and entire industries have been forced to account for the harm they have done. And in the process, countless victims have received some measure of compensation for what they have suffered.

These things have inspired me; but the truth is, along with my Christian faith, my family is the most important part of my life. My mother was born in Panama, and speaks fluent Spanish. My father was born on the Caribbean island of Grenada. My little sister recently received a doctorate in Psychology. My wife was born in the Bahamas of Haitian parents, and is also an attorney. Together, they have shaped my view of the world.

This is who I am, and this is what I want to do. I want to help people who find themselves in bad situations. Whether someone is facing an insurance company unwilling to pay, a former business partner trying to defraud them, or for some other reason needs someone to fight for them, I want to help. That is why I am a plaintiff's lawyer.

Dwayne Adams

• • Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Oakwood University in 1998, with a B.S. in Business Management, and a B.A. in Communications/Public Relations
• • Worked in Treasury Management at SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, for four years.
• • Graduated from Emory University School of Law in May, 2006. Admitted to the Georgia Bar in November 2006.
• • While at Emory, participated in the Moot Court Society. Member, and later coach of Emory's team in the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
• • Member of Emory's Black Law Students Association.
• • My interests include traveling and outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, and getting outside with nature. At home, my family and my aquariums keep me busy.