Buckley, C. Robert

Jerry A. Buchanan graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia in 1973, where he was elected to the honor societies of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1976, and was elected a member of the Order of the Coif. During his 34 years of law practice, he has been involved in a broad range of civil litigation mattes, including insurance defense litigation; the representation of banks in cases of alleged fraud, cases involving the Uniform Commercial Code and other banking laws and regulations, and cases involving fiduciary duties, including will contests and guardianship matters; the representation of both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation over insurance policy coverage issues; the defense of wrongful death actions; the prosecution and defense of product liability cases, including cases involving prescription drugs, meat cutting equipment, automobiles, ladders, nail guns, hot water heaters, propane gas, and various other industrial and consumer products; the prosecution and defense of libel and slander actions; the prosecution and defense of construction litigation cases; wrongful termination actions; the defense and prosecution of medical malpractice actions; the defense of public utilities in a variety of litigated matters, including electrical contact cases, natural and propane gas explosion cases, premises liability actions, and cases involving federal law and regulations. He has also been involved in a number of cases involving environmental issues, including both State and Federal laws and regulations. He is licensed to practice in both Georgia and Alabama.

Mr. Buchanan has been actively involved in the community and the Profession, serving at various times as a Director of the Younger Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia; president of the Columbus Bar Association; on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, where he is a past president; the Board of Directors of CADEF, where is he now president; and on the administrative board of his church. He was appointed by the United States District Court to serve as a member of the Civil Justice Reform Act Committee for the Middle District of Georgia in 1995, and subsequently for two years he served by appointment of the Court as Chairman of the then newly created Advisory Group on Civil Justice in the United States Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Mr. Buchanan is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia.

Mr. Buchanan has spoken at seminars on subjects of civil litigation, discovery, and trial practice, and has served both as Chairperson and on the faculty of the Georgia Defense Lawyer's Association Trial Academy for the last ten years. Mr. Buchanan served as co-chair of the pro bono seminar sponsored by the Georgia Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a two day seminar in Atlanta offering trial practice continuing legal education for lawyers serving in the public interest.

Mr. Buchanan has extensive experience as a mediator, having successfully mediated many complex cases.

Sample Representations:

Counsel to Georgia Power Company in a variety of matters, including the defense of electrical contact and explosion cases; defense of premises liability claims against the company.

Counsel to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia in a variety of matters.

Counsel to various insurance companies in class action lawsuits, including Allstate Insurance Company, Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Company, USAA Insurance Company, and others.

Counsel to various insurance companies in the defense of claims of professional negligence.

Counsel to Synovus Trust Company regarding various matters, included contested will and guardianship matters.

Counsel to Columbus Bank and Trust Company in various litigated matters.

Counsel to various corporations for the defense of product liability and other claims, including Mazda Motor Corporation, Motel 6 Corporation, Monaco Coach Corporation, Hornell Brewing Company.

Professional Experience:

Partner with more than 34 years experience in Litigation, mediation, arbitration, and appellate work. Handles all types of litigation matters representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Areas of practice include personal injury claims of all types; electrical contact claims; medical legal and other professional malpractice; wrongful death; class actions; construction cases; and complex products liability cases.