DEPUTY ATTORNEYS

Larry W. Ramsey Jr.  joined the Office of the County Attorney in December 1997. He presently holds the position of Deputy County Attorney. In that position, Mr. Ramsey is responsible for supervising all legal matters related to Fulton County's interactions with other governments, including cities, counties, the state of Georgia, the federal government, and all state and local authorities. He also supervises all legal matters relating to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Prior to becoming the Deputy County Attorney, Larry Ramsey served as Interim County Attorney in 2008 and previously was the Senior Attorney in charge of the Environment & Land Use Division. He has drafted multiple Fulton County land-use regulations and has authored several papers on zoning and land-use law. In addition, Mr. Ramsey is well known in the legal community for his legal expertise in zoning law, and he has spoken at numerous legal seminars on the topics of zoning, annexation and other development-related topics. Mr. Ramsey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law. He is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in all Georgia trial and appellate courts, the United States Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Kaye Woodard Burwell joined the Office of the County Attorney in August 2009.  She presently holds the position of Deputy Attorney where she is responsible for supervsing all litigation matters for Fulton County.  She also supervises all legal matters relating to the Fulton County courts and clerks of court.  Prior to joining the County Attorney's Office, Ms. Burwell practiced for over 22 years at a large law firm where she specialized in complex commercial litigation.  Ms. Burwell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Arizona State University and received her Juris Doctor from Arizona State University's College of Law.  Kaye also earned an LL.M. in Litigation from Emory University’s School of Law.  She is an active member of the State Bars of Georgia and Arizona and is admitted to practice law in all federal and state trial and appellate courts.

SUPERVISING ATTORNEY

JEROLYN FERRARI joined the Office of the County Attorney in January, 2009 as a Senior Attorney in the Risk Management and Revenue Enhancement Division.  Presently, she is the Supervising Attorney in charge of training, supervising, evaluating, and determining the assignments of attorneys and other staff within the County Attorney's Office.  She provides strategic direction in transactional matters and litigation, manages special projects, and represents/defends the County’s interest in special, complex or high-profile cases.  Prior to joining the County Attorney’s Office, Ms. Ferrari was an in-house Legal Counsel for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Georgia.  Ms. Ferrari earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from Dillard University where she graduated cum laude. She received a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia and is an active member of Georgia Bar.  Ms. Ferrari is admitted to practice law in the federal, state, and appellate courts of Georgia.

STAFF ATTORNEYS

SANDY BURNEY joined the Office of the County Attorney in October 2009 as a Staff Attorney in the Personnel and Human Resources Division. Prior to joining the County Attorney’s Office, Ms. Burney served as a Staff Attorney to the Honorable Albert L. Thompson in the Fulton County State Court.  She was previously employed with Fisher & Phillips and King & Spalding in Atlanta.  Ms. Burney graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Urban Policy and minor in Human Resources.  She earned her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University College of Law, and is an active member of the Georgia Bar and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA).  She is a registered neural with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution and she is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

PAT D. DIXON, JR. joined the Office of the County Attorney in January 2009 as a Staff Attorney in the Risk Management and Revenue Enhancement Division. He started his legal career in the General Counsel Office of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Washington D.C.  For several years he was a partner in an Atlanta firm specializing in civil trial litigation before becoming General Counsel to a national technology company where he practiced in the areas of government procurement law, employment law, and regulatory law.  Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Mr. Dixon served as Of Counsel to the Atlanta law firm of Johnson and Freeman, LLC.  Mr. Dixon earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee State University and Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law in Washington D.C.  He has served as Attorney–Member of the City of Atlanta License Review Board, Judge Pro Hac Vice in the City Court of Atlanta, and as Special Master in the Superior Court of Fulton County.  He is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

FRANK GAITHER, JR. joined the Office of the County Attorney in November 2011 as a Staff Attorney in the Public Safety Division.  He has experience in both criminal and civil trial practice and appellate litigation.  Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Mr. Gaither worked as a trial attorney for the Law Office of Ronnie Moore & Associates, Staff Counsel for Allstate and Encompass Insurance Companies for five years.  He also worked as a an Assistant District Attorney for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and as an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, and he owned and operated his own law practice from 1999 – 2001.  Mr. Gaither graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (pre-law) in 1995.  He obtained his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 1998.  His bar memberships include: State Bar of Georgia/ United States Supreme Court (application in progress)/ 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Northern District of Georgia (application in progress)/ 11th Circuit U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia Supreme Court of Georgia/ Georgia Court of Appeals/ American Bar Association/ Atlanta Bar Association. 

TERRY J. GRANDISON joined the Office of the County Attorney in May 2008 as a Staff Attorney in the Infrastructure and Development Practice Division.  Presently, he works in the Public Safety Division. Prior to joining the County Attorney's Office, Mr. Grandison served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta. He also served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office, and as an Assistant Public Defender with the City of Atlanta’s Public Defender’s Office.  Mr. Grandison served as the Director of Enforcement for the Professional Licensing Boards Division, Office of the Secretary of State.  He also served as an attorney and lobbyist for a national veterans group in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Grandison earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of South Alabama. He earned his Juris Doctor from  Mercer University School of Law.  He is an active member of the Georgia and District of Columbia Bars, and is admitted to practice law in all federal and state trial and appellate courts.  He is also a veteran of the United States Navy.

MARVIN J. HARKINS joined the Office of the County Attorney in September 2009 as a Staff Attorney in the Environment and Infrastructure Division. Prior to joining the County Attorney's Office, Mr. Harkins served as an Assistant County Attorney for Rockdale County, Georgia. Mr. Harkins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Georgia State University where he graduated cum laude. Mr. Harkins received a Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia and is an active member of the Georgia Bar. Mr. Harkins is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

LANNA R. HILL joined the Office of the County Attorney in December 2010 as a Staff Attorney in the Personnel, Courts, and Health and Human Services Division. Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Ms. Hill practiced privately for almost ten years, specializing in Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment matters.  Ms. Hill earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from Vanderbilt University where she graduated magna cum laude and received her Juris Doctor from the Vanderbilt University School of Law.  She and is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in the federal, state, and appellate courts of Georgia.

Y. SOO JO joined the Office of the County Attorney in May 2008 as a Staff Attorney in the Personnel and Human Resources Division. Prior to joining the County Attorney’s Office, Ms. Jo served as a Staff Attorney to the Honorable Alford J. Dempsey, Jr. in the Fulton County Superior Court, and as an Assistant City Attorney in the City of Atlanta Law Department. Ms. Jo graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in Languages and Linguistics. She earned her Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law, and is an active member of the Georgia Bar. She is admitted to practice in all trial and appellate courts of Georgia, and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

LAURA LEWIS joined the Office of the County Attorney in October 2011 as a Research and Trial Assistant.  In March 2012, she became a Staff Attorney in the Risk Management and Revenue Enhancement Division.   Ms. Lewis is a recent graduate with a passion for public service.  Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Ms. Lewis served as an intern with Atlanta Legal Aid and the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence.  Ms. Lewis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a minor in French from the University of Georgia where she graduated cum laude.  She earned her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law.  She is an active member of the Georgia Bar.

SHALANDA MACON-JALIWA MILLER joined the Office of the County Attorney in 2011 as a Staff Attorney in the Finance, Information Technology, and Taxation Division and works primarily with the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors’ Office.  Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, she worked three years as a litigation associate with a midsized Buckhead law firm; her practice included commercial, employment and general civil litigation.  Prior to beginning her legal career, Shalanda worked for six years as a management consultant, specializing in software design, development and implementation and project management.  Shalanda earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar.  Shalanda earned her Juris Doctor from the Emory University School of Law, where she was an active member and competitor in Emory’s Moot Court Society.  Shalanda is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice in all federal and state trial and appellate courts. 

WILLIAM SHANNON SAMS joined the Office of the County Attorney in June of 2008 as a Staff Attorney in the Risk Management and Revenue Enhancement Division. Prior to joining the Office of the Fulton County Attorney, Mr. Sams served as an associate in a private firm in northern Fulton County that specialized in municipal law, community property rights, and environmental law. Mr. Sams earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Georgia in 2000. Mr. Sams earned a Master degree in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2005, and he earned his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University in 2005. He is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice in all federal and state trial and appellate courts.

DENVAL STEWART is a Staff Attorney within the Office of the County Attorney where he presently serves as legal representative within the Finance and Taxation Division.  Mr. Stewart also serves as Fulton County’s legal representative to the Elections and Registration Board as well as Fulton County Purchasing Divison where he negotiates and drafts legislation and complex contracts for major infrastructure projects.  He has also served as Counsel for the Risk Management and Revenue Enhancement Division, Fulton County Sheriff, Fulton County Marshal, and the Public Works Department.  Mr. Stewart earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. He is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in all federal and state trial and appellate courts.

NICOLE M. WARE joined the Office of the County Attorney in March 2011 as a Staff Attorney in both the Personnel and Human Resources Division and the Environment and Infrastructure Division.  Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Ms. Ware worked for the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia.   Ms. Ware earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia where she graduated magna cum laude.  She earned her Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia where she graduated cum laude.  Ms. Ware is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

WALTER B. YARBROUGH joined the Office of the County Attorney in March 2011 as a Staff Attorney in the Public Safety Division primarily handling 42 U.S.C 1983 Civil Rights cases. Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, he worked as a Prosecutor in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and the City of Atlanta Solicitor General’s Office, handling 42 U.S.C 1983 Civil Rights cases. Mr. Yarbrough received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. He earned his Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law.  Mr. Yarbrough is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

KRISTEN WILLIAMS joined the Office of the County Attorney in March 2012 as a Staff Attorney in the Personnel, Courts, and Health and Human Services Division. Prior to joining the Office of the County Attorney, Mrs. Williams specialized in the Education law where she represented parents of special needs children attending public schools and teachers who faced disciplinary issues. Mrs. Williams received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Agnes Scott College.  She earned her Juris Doctor from UGA School of Law.   Ms. Williams is an active member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice law in the federal, state and appellate courts of Georgia.

PARALEGALS

Terry Allen

Wayne Alphonso

Tammy Walton

OFFICE MANAGER

Helen Barrow

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY

Rosemary Shedrick

ADMINSTRATIVE STAFF

TaNiesja Clark

Bessie DeBowles

Jene Gipson

Debbie Harris

Dee Dee Hunter

Danette John

Carmen Sylvester

Tina Wilson