Michael C. McGoff | Atlanta Business Lawyer

• Member | State Bar of Georgia
• Member | North Fulton Bar Association

• AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell
  2005 - Present

Specific Performance: We helped a Real Estate Investor pursue a claim for specific performance of a real estate contract when the Seller refused to close. At the end of the lawsuit, the Trial Court granted title to our client, and awarded our client all of his attorneys fees for the Seller's bad faith refusal to close, and we collected those attorneys fees to reimburse the client. Trespass: We helped our client pursue a claim for trespass against a new neighbor who cut down their common fence and erected a new fence 30 feet inside of our client's property. The case settled favorably for our client when the new neighbor agreed the fence would be put back in its original location, and pay damages and attorneys fees to our client for having taken those tortuous actions. Personal Injury: We represented a driver who suffered a hip fracture in a car accident. We located medical records, and documents, 911 records of calls from witnesses, and interviewed those witnesses to establish the other driver was at fault for failing to yield to the oncoming traffic. As a result of this detailed investigation, we obtained a high six figure settlement for the client. Sale of a business / asset sale: Our client was looking to sell his business so he could finally retire. We helped him negotiate and draft a sale agreement so our client could sell his pest control company to a competitor.

We have built a successful practice by focusing on just a few areas of law so that we are knowledgeable counselors and skilled advocates. A lawyer's first role is to wisely advise the client. We spend the time to review matters in detail with our clients before filing a suit so that the client understands his or her situation and the chances of success before choosing to pursue the lawsuit. A lawyer's second role is to be a skilled advocate for the client when pursuing a claim. When it is time to litigate, we do so with the client's best interests firmly in mind. With more than 3 decades of experience as a litigator, I have learned to be a forceful advocate for our clients and in the process, have earned the respect of opposing counsel and the judges before whom I practice.

Clients should look for lawyers with the knowledge and experience to handle their legal matter. They will also want a lawyer willing to learn the facts of the client's case and to work cooperatively with the client to pursue it. And, they should look for a lawyer who has the experience to know when a matter should be litigated and when to consider alternative remedies.

In an initial call, I am glad to have a general discussion about the client's potential case. I can provide a potential client with the information I will need to evaluate their matter. I may even be able to make some preliminary observations about their matter if the client is prepared to make an efficient and succinct presentation of their situation in the first call.

A list of names and contact information is always the first piece of useful information. The next thing I request is a short and succinct presentation of the potential client's issue or question. Often times, a chronology or bullet point summary is helpful.

I have earned the AV rating from Martindale Hubbell Directory. This means that opposing counsel and the Judges on my cases have rated me as having the highest ethics and legal abilities. Additionally, I find it to be an advantage for my clients that I can call on a deep and broad knowledge of legal issues that comes from 35 years of experience as a litigator.

I enjoy helping clients pursue and resolve their claims. For most clients, the hardest part is to believe in their case enough to take the risk of litigation. For clients willing to take that risk, I know how to pursue those claims through the Courts and to serve as a persuasive advocate for them. I also enjoy providing advice to clients on the front end of their business and personal matters in the hope of avoiding legal disputes later. As a long time litigator, most clients only ask for my help after a problem has developed. I have significant experience litigating business disputes and tort claims. Often times I draw on that experience to help clients avoid legal entanglements with good planning and advice on the front end of transactions.

I have been a member of the North Fulton Bar Association; I have served as an adult volunteer in the BSA program for 10 years; I have coached high school mock trial teams; and I am a member of the Mount Pisgah UMC.