Verdict Magazine The Journal of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
BY MIKE PRIETO
As I write this, I am reflecting on my year thus far as President of this exemplary association. I am reminded
of how many truly incredible people came before me, and I am encouraged by the profound talent currently
rising in the ranks. As plaintiff’s attorneys, we come from a myriad of backgrounds and ideological
perspectives, but the one issue where we can always find common ground is in our persistent pursuit of
justice for our clients and the preservation of our civil justice system.
Last month, I traveled to Washington D.C. with members of your GTLA staff and Executive Committee to speak
with our Georgia Congressional delegation on issues pertinent to our association and to your practices. Our friends
at the American Association for Justice helped coordinate our trip and their legislative team spent time prepping us
for our meetings on Capitol Hill.
Georgia is fortunate to have representation that understand and appreciate the needs of not only their
constituents but of all our state’s citizens. Over the course of our two days on Capitol Hill, we met with legislators
and staff from 15 of Georgia’s 16-member delegation, all of whom took time out of their hectic schedules to hear
from ordinary citizens about the issues facing Georgians and the Civil Justice System. In a time when partisanship
is at its pinnacle, it is refreshing to witness ideologically diverse individuals address a bipartisan issue in a
collaborative manner.
Much like we enjoyed the spirit of bipartisanship during the meetings with our federal representation, the
members of the Georgia General Assembly exhibit the same pragmatic approach to governing. Thanks to Bill
Clark and his legislative team, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association is well-represented and well-respected by
our legislators under the Gold Dome. Each year, the 40-day session presents our lobbying team with a slew of
legislation aimed at diluting your clients’ rights and access to justice, and in January, they will return to our
State Capitol to protect Georgia’s Civil Justice System from those intending to undermine it.
While we may have one of the best legislative teams fighting for you during the Legislative Session, we can
only be successful with your help! Establishing a relationship with your local state representatives and
senators allows them to receive feedback directly from their constituent while also giving you a voice in the
legislative process. These months leading up to the January start present the perfect opportunity for you to
reach out to your local representation, and one of the easiest ways to engage is to offer to be a resource for
them in their legislative duties. Georgia operates as a citizen legislature, meaning that the vast majority of our
legislators have no formal legal background. Their votes are driven by the interests of their district and by the
information that they are provided, and what better way to ensure that they have the most accurate
information on legislation directly pertaining to Georgia’s judicial system than providing them with the answers
to their questions?
If you do not know who represents your State House and Senate districts, you can easily access them at
www.openstates.org by entering your address. This is the first step toward building a meaningful relationship
with your representation that will undoubtedly benefit you, and our entire association, just as it is beneficial for
them with your aide. Our association is only as persuasive as the individuals with whom we have established
relationships, and the words of a constituent, or a friend, will go much farther when it comes time for their
vote.
