State and Local

Melissa Sanford has built her career on helping clients in the areas of family law and criminal defense. By focusing primarily on these two areas in her practice, Ms. Sanford has been able to gain extensive experience in the family and criminal court systems, ensuring each of her clients gets the best possible representation for the legal issues that crop up unexpectedly in their lives. No matter what legal matter crops up in your life, you need representation by someone who understands the rights and processes of the legal system. Based out of Fayetteville, Melissa Sanford provides legal help in the area of family matters, including divorce, child custody, and child support, as well as criminal defense to clients throughout Fayette County, as well as Coweta, Spalding, Pike, Upson, Carroll, Clayton and South Fulton Counties.

Stuart Paynter is an experienced trial attorney specializing in catastrophic personal injury cases, products liability and other complex litigation. Mr. Paynter began his career at one of the nations most prestigious law firms Sullivan & Cromwell before starting in own law firm in 2005. Under his leadership, Paynter Law has obtained over $500 million in verdicts and settlements, including one of the largest verdicts of 2018 in a medical malpractice case. Mr. Paynter believes every client deserves their day in court and fights to make it happen. During the course of his career, Mr. Paynter has taken on and won against Fortune 500 companies and other large institutions--including groundbreaking litigation against the NCAA that resulted in a $60 million settlement for student athletes.

Whether you are just breaking ground or are several years into a build, a dedicated attorney who is experienced in construction law can help ensure that your project goes smoothly, from the contract to the grand opening. The attorneys at the Law Office of Daniel S. Willard, P.C. in Bethesda draw over five decades of combined experience representing and defending suppliers, contractors, owners, engineers and architects in costly claims that threaten to bring projects to a halt. We advocate for our clients in arbitration and litigation to protect their investments and rights. If a dispute threatens your ability to see a project through to completion — or to get the project off the ground — we offer sound advice and seasoned representation.

Attorney Alexis Galindo graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s Degree in real estate and finance in 1982. In 1985 he graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Mr. Galindo also attended Oxford University, Queens College, Oxford, England on a fellowship for International Business Transactions. Mr. Galindo has been a California Real Estate Broker for over 25 years. Mr. Galindo, has been a member of the California State Bar since 1988 and is admitted to practice before the California Supreme court, California Courts, United States District Courts, and U.S. Appeals Court, U.S. Court of Claims. Mr. Galindo is married with three children. When Mr. Galindo is not working he is swimming, scuba diving, boxing, and running.

Mr. Faulkner is an experienced counselor with 19 years of experience, having held bar licenses in four states (Mo, Il, Ct and Ga). He has litigated in state and federal courts with much success. He has also appeared in the Court of Appeal in both Missouri and Illinois. Through is efforts, he has achieved significant results for his clients, including a settlement worth $39 million dollars for the residents of Hartford, Illinois. Mr. Faulkner uses this experience and focuses his skills in the pursuit of assisting individuals in probate (trust and estate) matters, guardianships and conservatorships, estate planning, business disputes and contract disputes. He is tireless in serving the needs of his clients. As a Georgia attorney, Stan manages an active case load and focuses on helping clients achieve their goals through estate planning, business counseling and probate advice. Stan is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and has practiced law in Missouri, Illinois, Connecticut and Georgia. He started his practice in St. Louis and southern Illinois where he helped clients resolve difficult problems in probate, personal injury, business and contractual disputes and environmental law. Outside of the office, you can find Stan spending time with his lovely wife, twin daughters and young son, involved in various activities from cheerleading to baseball. In his free time, Stan stays active in the Crossfit community competing in local and regional events. Stan is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan and enjoys watching and attending college football games in the fall.

Emmanuel E. Edem is a partner in the Oklahoma City law firm of Norman & Edem, PLLC. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Oklahoma City University. He is listed in “Best Lawyers in America”. Mr. Edem has been listed as an Oklahoma “Super Lawyer” every year since the inception of the ranking. He is also rated AV – the highest rating of a lawyer given by the peer-reviewed Martindale reviewing system. During law school, Mr. Edem was the case comment editor of the Oklahoma City University Law Review and a member of the National Moot Court Team. He received the Duane Box Faculty Award for his outstanding work as a student advocate. In 1989, Oklahoma City University recognized Mr. Edem as a Distinguished Law Alumnus. The university conferred on him an honorary doctor of laws degree. He currently serves as a member of the university’s board of trustees and chair of the law school’s executive board. Mr. Edem has provided extensive service to the legal profession. In 1995, he served as president of the Oklahoma Association For Justice (formerly known as the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association). From 1996 to 2000, he chaired the Oklahoma Bar Association Committee on Law Schools. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Master of the William J. Holloway, Jr. American Inn of Court. He serves on the Oklahoma Supreme Court Standing Committee on Uniform Jury Instructions. He was named an Oklahoma Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Mr. Edem is a sustaining member of the American Association For Justice (formerly known as the Association Of Trial Lawyers Of America) and has served as a faculty member at the National College of Advocacy and the Ultimate Trial College at Harvard Law School. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University School of Law. He is a past president of the Civil Justice Foundation and a trustee of the Roscoe Pound Foundation. In 1998, Mr. Edem was one of the few lawyers in the United States selected to participate in the American Bar Association’s Presidential Showcase Program, the “The Trial of the Century-The Sinking of the Titanic,” which took place at the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Edem’s practice is limited to serious personal injury and wrongful death cases, products liability, medical malpractice, and general civil litigation. Mr. Edem is also involved, on a national basis, in cases arising out of the subprime mortgage crisis, and the securitization of mortgage loans by the financial industry.

Joseph Martineau is a practicing lawyer in the state of Arizona. Attorney Martineau received his J.D. from the Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1976.

Our firm’s founder and principal, Jody McKnight is a Personal Injury Attorney and a native of Charleston, S.C. He attended the University of South Carolina, and earned his B.A. in Political Science in 1987; as well as his law degree, Juris Doctorate in 1993. Jody McKnight as well as his entire team at McKnight Law Firm works hard for the people of the State of South Carolina every day to above all, “balance the scales of justice.”

Augustus Claus has been practicing law for almost 2 decades. He started out in the federal system and now practices criminal defense in Nevada. He has successfully defended his clients in every type of criminal case imaginable. In 2022 Mr. Claus won awards for Best Litigation Attorney and was ranked in the top 10 criminal defense lawyers in the Nation! He has defended Death Penalty cases, DUI, Violent Crimes, Gun Crimes, Drug Crimes, Sex Crimes, and any kind of criminal charges the state has ever filed. He has argued at The Nevada Supreme Court and even helped write self-defense law in Nevada.

Seasoned lawyer with more than 50 years experience in a variety of matters. Focus is on personal injury, construction, civil litigation involving contracts, leases, real estate, insurance and business disputes. Licensed in Texas and New Mexico in state and federal courts. Certified Civil Trial Law specialist in the State of Texas.