Charles M. McDaniel, Jr.
Partner / Atlanta
Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. is Chair of the Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation practice group. Charlie is an “AV Preeminent” rated lawyer, has over 25 years of experience advising insurers in the management of risk through representation in complex coverage and bad faith litigation, involving both first party and third party insurance policies. He prosecutes and defends insurance coverage and bad faith disputes involving a wide range of policies including first party property, commercial liability, professional liability, directors and officers, employment practices liability, excess and umbrella; he regularly addresses matters involving fraud and arson, coverage exclusions, number of occurrences, trigger and scope of coverage, allocation, property valuation and damages, other insurance provisions and various policy endorsements. This area of practice includes coverage analysis for claims arising from breaches of data security.
In addition to his comprehensive coverage practice, Charlie maintains a complex litigation defense practice involving personal injury and business litigation. The personal injury defense practice focuses on catastrophic bodily injury and wrongful death cases arising out of transportation collisions, including trucking litigation and highway design and defects, construction and negligent or inadequate premises security arising out of criminal attacks and sexual assaults. The business litigation centers on data management and security and addresses breach of contract disputes, as well as various business torts, including claims of nuisance and trespass.
Charlie combines and utilizes his knowledge and experience in insurance coverage and third party defense practices to counsel and advise insurers in favorably resolving multi-party, complex tort and construction litigation.
His representation extends throughout the Southeast, as he has successfully resolved disputes in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as Georgia. He is admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court, the 3rd and 11th Circuit Courts of Appeals and the District Courts of Georgia, Northern and Middle, and New Jersey.
Charlie is an author and lecturer on various insurance coverage and litigation defense topics for clients and various industry based organizations, including NBI’s “Understanding Current CGL Policy in Georgia”, Lorman’s “Litigating the Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claim” and the Georgia Bar’s “31st Annual Insurance Law Institute”.
He previously served on the Editorial Board of the CGL Reporter, and is currently working with Case Finders; these publications offer comprehensive case summaries, published bi-monthly, by the International Risk Management Institute, Inc. He summarizes cases involving professional liability, employers practices liability, commercial property and liability, and umbrella/excess liability cases.
Results
Summary Judgment Affirmed For Property Owner In Premises Liability Action
October 6, 2014
Charlie McDaniel successfully defended a commercial property owner in a premises liability cause of action. The cause of action arose on May 12, 2006; the plaintiff, an HVAC repairman, was seriously injured when he fell 21 feet from the roof of the defendant’s building to the parking lot. A tenant of the property owner hired the repairman to install an HVAC unit on the roof of the building that would service its restaurant. The property owner maintained a separate unit for its convenience store. An exterior ladder affixed to the back wall of the building provided access to the roof. Plaintiff ascended the ladder, along with three co-workers to begin removal of the old HVAC unit. After the old unit was removed and the new unit put in place, the plaintiff descended the ladder, retrieved a part from his truck, and again climbed the exterior ladder to the access the roof. When the plaintiff stepped from the ladder to the roof, the ladder, suddenly and without warning, pulled free from the wall, and the repairman fell to the parking lot below. The repairman sued the property owner and the tenant. The cause of action asserted negligence in failing to properly maintain the ladder, including the failure to properly inspect the ladder for defects. After discovery, McDaniel moved for summary judgment on behalf of the property owner. The evidence established that prior use of the ladder shortly before the fall, and Plaintiff’s use of the ladder immediately preceding the fall, failed to reveal any alleged defects or instability with the ladder, and thus no evidence of actual or constructive knowledge of a dangerous condition associated with the ladder. The State Court of Bibb County entered summary judgment in favor of the property owner and tenant; in addition to finding an absence of knowledge on the part of the defendants, the trial court found that any defect that caused the ladder to suddenly detach from the wall was not discoverable by any reasonable inspection. The court declined to adopt Plaintiff’s argument that periodically removing the ladder from the wall was a reasonable method to detect hidden defects. The Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment on March 24, 2014, and denied Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration. The Supreme Court denied the Petition for Certiorari on October 6, 2014. The plaintiff demanded $1.2 million at mediation and walked away from a $250,000 offer.
For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.
Defense Verdict in Toxic Tort
April 29, 2014
Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. obtained a defense verdict in a toxic tort chemical exposure nuisance cause of action. Twenty-nine residents within three neighborhoods in East Point, Georgia, sued W.C. Meredith Co., Inc. in nuisance and trespass arising out of alleged emissions of toxic chemicals emanating from its telephone pole manufacturing operation. A total of 165 Plaintiffs disbursed among three separately filed lawsuits claimed that the alleged toxic emissions from Meredith’s operation constituted a nuisance and trespass because odors and exposure to the chemicals from the operation allegedly interfered with their use and enjoyment of their property, including fear from exposure to pentachlorophenol (“penta”), a highly regulated chemical used to treat the wooden poles. In addition to monetary damages and injunctive relief, Plaintiffs sought recovery of their attorney’s fees that they claimed to have exceeded $2 million and punitive damages. After 10 days of trial, with over 40 witnesses, including four expert witnesses, the jury deliberated for only three and one-half hours before finding that the plant operation did not constitute a nuisance, nor did it constitute a trespass. Plaintiffs argued that their fear of exposure to a probable human carcinogen was reasonable because air testing demonstrated penta traveled into the neighborhood. However, expert testimony revealed that penta emissions were not detected in the most recent testing and several agencies investigated the complaints and no health risks were found. Moreover, cross examination of Plaintiffs revealed that some of the Plaintiffs were using the litigation to force the company out of business and not merely seeking implementation of air pollution controls as initially suggested.
For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.
Multi-Million Dollar Settlement Secured on Behalf of an Excess Insurer in a Catastrophic Industrial Accident
November 03, 2010
Charles M. McDaniel, Jr., in a case pending in Federal Court in Mobile, AL, secured a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of an excess insurer in a catastrophic industrial accident, which occurred on the insured's premises. The excess insurer settled the claim of a contractor's injured employee, and pursuant to an indemnity agreement between the insured and the contractor, obtained contribution from the contractor's excess insurer for the contractor's share of the loss.
For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.
Summary Judgment in a Declaratory Judgment Action
May 24, 2010
Charlie McDaniel obtained summary judgment in a declaratory judgment action filed in the USDC for the Southern District of Georgia, Savannah Division. The Court ruled the insurer was not obligated to provide a defense or indemnification under a homeowner's policy and an umbrella policy, for a suit filed against the insured arising out of the sale of a house. The Court determined certain allegations contained in the complaint did not arise as a result of an occurrence, and thus coverage was not afforded. Additionally, for the remaining allegations, the policy's business activities exclusion barred coverage.
For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in future cases.
Events
Copeland Stair’s Annual Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar
September 12, 2019
Copeland, Stair, Kingma & Lovell's Annual Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar was held on Thursday September 12, 2019. Located at the beautiful Atlanta Botanical Gardens, this two-track format addressed the emerging issues that keep you up at night. Some session topics included: the rise in tort litigation, putting together the pieces of the wrongful death case, effective use of recorded statements and the material misrepresentation defense, liability exposure in the age of active shooters and the impact bias has on case evaluation and jury deliberations. For more information on this seminar, please contact Michelle Mattox.
Carlock, Copeland & Stair Hosted Their Annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar
August 24, 2017
Carlock, Copeland & Stair hosted their annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar on August 24 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Presentations and Presenters: Have Traditional Rules Gone Up in Smoke? Impact of Growing Legalization of Medical Marijuana - Dave Root and Abby Grozine. Best Practices for Maintaining Your Claims File - Ryan Wilhelm, Jennifer Guerra, and Claire Sumner. Defending the Institutional Bad Faith Claim - Charlie McDaniel and Kathy Carlsten. New Technology, Old Policies: Are Aging Policies Equipped to Handle the Consumer Technology Boom? - Fred Valz and Melissa Bailey. Apportionment: Has It Gotten Insurers Where They Want To Go? - Charlie McDaniel, Graham Thompson, and Kristen Thompson. Additional Insured Jeopardy - Alex Davis, Laura Paton, Sarah Wetmore, Sally Bright and Nick Stewart. Why the Involvement of a Tractor Trailer Escalates a Case - Gary Lovell. Risk-Averse Insurers and the New Juror: Exploring Possible Links Between Fewer Trials, Millennial Jurors, and Seemingly Bigger Verdicts - Doug Smith and Lee Weatherly. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law if you would like our attorneys to present in-house lunch & learn sessions or webinars.
25th Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Midyear Program – Charlie McDaniel attended
February 23, 2017
Charlie McDaniel attended the 25th Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Midyear Program on February 22-25 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.
Charlie McDaniel Attended DRI Southeast Regional Claims Conference
September 28, 2016
Charlie McDaniel attended the DRI Southeast Regional Claims Conference on September, 28, 2016 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Carlock Copeland’s Annual Seminar: Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith for Claims Professionals
September 15, 2016
Carlock Copeland’s Annual Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar for claims professionals serving Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee was held at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on September 15. Melissa Bailey, Jack Daniel, Alex Davis, Charlie McDaniel, David Root, Fred Valz, Lee Weatherly, Sarah Wetmore and Ryan Wilhelm presented. Topics included: • Litigating Coverage Issues Through Appeal • Construction Defect Coverage Issues • Rescinding Policies • Effective Denials and Reservation of Rights Letters • Interplay of Underwriting and Claims • Coverage Issues Involving Additional Insureds • Litigation Coverage Issues In Trucking Policies • Coverage Issues in a Sharing Economy Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law for more information.
Charlie McDaniel attended Emerging Insurance Coverage & Allocation Issues Conference – Philadelphia, PA
May 18, 2016
Charlie McDaniel attended the Emerging Insurance Coverage & Allocation Issues Conference held on May 18, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA.
DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium – December 3-4 – New York
December 3, 2015
Fred Valz, Charlie McDaniel, and Gary Lovell attended the DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium held December 3-4 in New York. DRI Annual Conference Brochure - December, 2015 For more information, please click here.
Real Property Foreclosure CLE – State Bar of Georgia – November 6, 2015 – Shannon Sprinkle & Charlie McDaniel
November 6, 2015
Shannon Sprinkle presented Professional Responsibility, Concerns and Related Judicial Trends as part of the Real Property Foreclosure seminar. Charlie McDaniel presented Client Data Breaches: A First-Response Plan For Lawyers as part of the Real Property Foreclosure seminar. The seminar took place on November 6, 2016 and was broadcasted via videoconference to multiple locations of the State Bar of Georgia. For more information, click here.
Daily Report Corporate Counsel CLE Seminar
April 29, 2015
Charlie McDaniel and Shannon Sprinkle will be presenting "Data Security and Privacy Liability - Advice. Response. Defense. Coverage" at the April 29, 2015 Daily Report sponsored Corporate Counsel CLE Seminar. This seminar is pending approval for CLE credit including one Ethics credit.
Location: Maggiano's Little Italy, 1601 Cumberland Mall, Atlanta, GA 30339 / Event Details/Registration
News
DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium from December 3 – 4 in New York
November 9, 2015
Please join us at the upcoming DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium. Fred Valz, Charlie McDaniel, Gary Lovell will be attending. The event will be held December 3-4 in New York. DRI Annual Conference Brochure - December, 2015 For more information, please click here.
McDaniel Appointed to the Insurance Committee of the State Bar of Georgia
July 28, 2015
Charlie McDaniel has been appointed to the State Bar of Georgia's Insurance Committee. The mission of the committee is to review the Bar’s insurance coverage and offer input and suggestions to the staff and executive committee regarding best practices, types of coverage and necessary coverage limits, and protection and risk management considerations for State Bar policies concerning insurance and liability.
Insurance Coverage Corner Selected as a LexisNexis Top Blogs for Insurance Law 2011
November 11, 2011
We are pleased to announce that the Carlock, Copeland & Stair Insurance Coverage Corner blog has been selected as a LexisNexis Top Blog for Insurance Law - 2011. The Insurance Coverage Corner focuses on legal updates, opinions and other relevant information for Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation. Please subscribe to the Insurance Coverage Corner blog for the latest updates.
Publications and Presentations
Sex Trafficking and the Expanding Liability for the Hospitality Industry – Presentation at Carlock Copeland’s Annual Insurance Coverage Seminar
August 23, 2018
Sex Trafficking and the Expanding Liability for the Hospitality Industry, a presentation at Carlock Copeland's Annual Insurance Coverage Seminar. As social issues merge into the civil arena and into the pockets of insurers, such is the case with the hospitality industry and efforts to combat sex trafficking. Participants will have a better understanding of the implications to the hospitality industry for failing to recognize, intervene and report possible sex trafficking on their premises. This presentation also explores the origins of civil liability arising from sex trafficking and the availability of coverage defenses. Presenters/Co-Authors: Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. and Kristen Thompson. For more information on this presentation, please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law.
Who Wants to be a Coverage Millionaire? – Presentation at Carlock Copeland’s Annual Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar
August 23, 2018
August 23, 2018 several Carlock Copeland attorneys presented Who Wants to be a Coverage Millionaire? at our Annual Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar in Atlanta, Georgia. This fun and audience-interactive program explored constantly evolving coverage issues and allegations of bad faith. The program was designed to offer insight and guidance on effectively identifying and using coverage defenses, as well as providing tools and techniques to resolve potential bad faith claims. Presenters/Co-Authors: Clinton Magill, Alex Davis, Charles McDaniel, Jr., Sarah Wetmore, Abby Grozine, Brian Spitler and Graham Thompson. For more information on this presentation, please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law.
Charlie McDaniel Published in CLM Magazine – “Set-Up” Bad Faith: An Epidemic That Is Not Subsiding
December 4, 2017
Charlie McDaniel published in CLM Magazine. The article is entitled, "Set-Up" Bad Faith: An Epidemic That Is Not Subsiding. The assault on insurers via bad faith continues. Although this article focuses on Georgia law, the bad-faith experience is not unique to that state’s insurers. Over the course of the last several decades, the plaintiffs’ bar, in all jurisdictions, has employed various schemes and methods for securing “additional insurance coverage” through the creation of alleged bad faith. Typically, this tactic is used in cases of clear liability, coupled with significant or otherwise catastrophic injuries and limited insurance coverage. Counsel for the injured party submits convoluted or purposely vague and ambiguous time-limited policy limit demands, with the intent of orchestrating a “denial” of the demand through a failure of acceptance. In these instances, the insurer often feels “set-up” solely to increase the amount of available “coverage” through an extra-contractual, bad-faith cause of action. Please click here to read the entire article. A SPECIAL REPRINT © Entire contents copyright 2017 by CLM magazine, a publication of The CLM. All rights reserved.
Charlie McDaniel and Kathy Carlsten presented Defending the Institutional Bad Faith Claim at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar
August 24, 2017
Charlie McDaniel and Kathy Carlsten presented Defending the Institutional Bad Faith Claim at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar on August 24 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law if you would like our attorneys to present in-house lunch & learn sessions or webinars.
Charlie McDaniel, Graham Thompson, and Kristen Thompson Presented Apportionment: Has It Gotten Insurers Where They Want to Go? at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s Annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar
August 24, 2017
Charlie McDaniel, Graham Thompson, and Kristen Thompson presented Apportionment: Has It Gotten Insurers Where They Want to Go? at Carlock, Copeland & Stair’s Annual Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith Seminar on August 24 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Please contact Michelle Mattox at mmattox@cskl.law if you would like our attorneys to present in-house lunch & learn sessions or webinars.
Beyond Hacking – Anticipating and Handling Claims Arising From Breaches in Data Security
June 10, 2015
Charlie McDaniel presented "Beyond Hacking - Anticipating and Handling Claims Arising From Breaches in Data Security" at Carlock, Copeland & Stair's 7th Annual General Liability and Workers' Compensation Seminar at Turner Field on June 10, 2015.
Preparing and Defending The Claim Professional’s Deposition
September 11, 2014
Charlie McDaniel and Fred Valz presented at the Firm's Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith seminar.
Ethical Considerations in the Tripartite Relationship
September 11, 2014
Charlie McDaniel, Lee Weatherly and Sarah Wetmore gave this presentation at the Firm's Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar.
Fraud, Coverage and the First Party Claim
September 11, 2014
While insurance fraud has a significant financial impact on the insurance industry, insurers must tread carefully in defending a first party property claim under an allegation of fraud. This presentation highlighted how to identify fraud, properly undertake an investigation when fraud is suspected, handle the claim in order not to exacerbate exposure, and address factors to make a determination of coverage and possibly a referral of the matter for prosecution. Charlie McDaniel and Jack Daniel, gave this presentation at the Firm's Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith annual seminar.
Complex Auto Insurance Coverage Disputes: Maximize Recovery Through Stacking Automobile Insurance Policies and Utilizing Uninsured Motorist Offsets
November 05, 2013
post from Charles McDaniel via the Carlock Copeland Insurance Coverage Corner blog Too often there is an absence of adequate insurance coverage to compensate an injured party involved in a motor vehicle collision. This proposition holds true even though Georgia law mandates availability of uninsured motorist coverage; thus, the ability for an injured party to secure adequate compensation in the event of a catastrophic automobile collision, frequently turns on insurance coverage litigation. Read more on the Carlock Copeland Insurance Coverage blog.
Handling Complex Auto Insurance Coverage Disputes
October 24, 2013
Carlock Copeland Attorney Charlie McDaniel spoke at a National Business Institute Seminar on multiple coverage, uninsured motorist offsets, medicare set-asides and more. The seminar was designed for professionals who wanted to develop further proficiency in handling complicated auto insurance coverage situations. The course examined select, sophisticated coverage issues and brought them to life with hypothetical situations and strategies for handling them. Charlie presented “Stacking Insurance Coverage and Uninsured Motorist Claims” and Erica presented "Bad Faith Trends".
Defending Damages in 1st Party Property Claims
September 19, 2013
Charlie McDaniel, Ryan Wilhelm and Sarah Wetmore presented “Defending Damages in 1st Party Property Claims” at the Carlock, Copeland & Stair Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar September 19, 2013 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Shifting Sands – Recent Developments and the Changing Landscape of Insurance Coverage
September 19, 2013
Charlie McDaniel presented Shifting Sands - Recent Developments and the Changing Landscape of Insurance Coverage at the Carlock, Copeland & Stair Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Seminar September 19, 2013 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
CCS Attorneys Presented at NBI’s “The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit” on 5/23/13
May 23, 2013
Carlock Copeland attorney Charlie McDaniel presented at an NBI seminar "The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit " on May 23, 2013. More information about the seminar can be found at The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit.
Beware CSA Scores in Trucking Litigation
February 01, 2013
This article was written by: Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. for the Volume IX - Issue 4 - 2012/2013 of the Carlock Copeland newsletter. In December of 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched its Compliance, Safety, Accountability Program (CSA). According to Ray LaHood, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, “the heart of the CSA is the Safety Measurement System (SMS), which collects safety data from inspections and crash reports, then weighs the severity of violations within seven different categories.”1 The SMS quantifies the carriers to prioritize enforcement resources, determine the safety and compliance problems that a motor carrier may exhibit, and track each motor carrier’s safety. As further noted by Mr. LaHood, “the aspect of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability Program that gives me greatest confidence is its transparency. The data and calculations used by SMS are public. So, if there are problems or errors, carriers and drivers can request a review.”2 However, in the process of publicizing SMS data, the CSA program has created a vast depository of evidence for plaintiffs to potentially exploit in trucking litigation. Anyone involved in handling claims and defending the trucking industry must be aware of and familiar with CSA. Read more from Carlock Copeland's newsletter on: Beware CSA Scores in Trucking Litigation
Litigating the Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Claim
December 06, 2012
Charlie McDaniel presented at the NBI seminar "Litigating the Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Claim," on Friday December 7, 2012.
Are Safe Harbors For Insurers Eroding or Being Obliterated
September 20, 2012
Partner Charlie McDaniel presented "Are Safe Harbors For Insurers Eroding or Being Obliterated," which addressed complicated coverage and bad faith issues for insurers at the 31st annual Insurance Law Seminar hosted by ICLE on September 20, 2012.
What qualifies as an “Occurrence” in South Carolina and Georgia?
June 26, 2012
Charles McDaniel presented What Qualifies as an Occurrence in South Carolina and Georgia? at the General Liability and Workers' Compensation Seminar held on June 26, 2012 in Atlanta, GA.
This can’t be covered – but, what if I am wrong? Safely navigating sometimes conflicting obligations
June 26, 2012
"This can’t be covered - but, what if I am wrong? Safely navigating sometimes conflicting obligations." Charles McDaniel. General Liability and Workers' Compensation Seminar. June 26, 2012. Atlanta, GA.
Charlie McDaniel Presented at a Lorman Coverage Seminar on October 12, 2011
October 12, 2011
Charlie McDaniel presented at the Lorman Coverage Seminar, Understanding the Current CGL Policy, on October 12, 2011. McDaniel spoke on Indemnification and Additional Insured Issues and The CGL Policy and Coverage B during two different seminars titled "When Your Named Insured's Agreements Expand or Contract Your Coverage" and "The Often Forgotten Segment of the Insuring Agreement."
Do Not Detail the Defense with Ethical Lapses
June 22, 2011
Tom Carlock co-presented, with J. Matthew Dwyer of Dwyer Law Group and Judge Patsy Porter from the Fulton County State Court, "Do Not Detail the Defense with Ethical Lapses" at the General Liability and Workers' Compensation Seminar hosted by Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP on June 22, 2011. The panel was moderated by Charlie McDaniel.
Who’s Really on the Hook? Practical Solutions for Resolving Multi-party and Multi-policy Claims
June 17, 2010
Charlie McDaniel presented Who’s Really on the Hook? Practical Solutions for Resolving Multi-party and Multi-policy Claims (a Plaintiff and Defense Perspective) at the General Liability and Workers' Compensation Seminar hosted by Carlock, Copeland & Stair, LLP on June 17, 2010.
Bifurcation: Shift the Focus and Level the Playing Field When Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith are Litigated Together
October 29, 2008
"Bifurcation: Shift the Focus and Level the Playing Field When Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith are Litigated Together." Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. and Ann H. Bracco. Carlock Copeland Quarterly Newsletter. October 2008.
Strategies for Working with Evidence at Trial
December 06, 2007
"Strategies for Working with Evidence at Trial." Charles M. McDaniel, Jr. National Business Institute Seminar. December 6, 2007 (Atlanta, GA).