Ted Baggett
Ted Baggett practices law with the firm of Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen, LLP in Lawrenceville, Georgia, primarily representing municipal clients. Ted was recently named city attorney by the Mayor and City Council of Tucker in July of 2022. In addition, Ted assists the firm in representing other municipal clients, including Lawrenceville, Duluth, Sugar Hill, and Grayson.
Ted graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1999 and received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in 1994. After brief stints as a law clerk in the Conasauga Circuit and as an Assistant District Attorney in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, he began working for the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). From 2000 to 2010, he served cities as both GMA Deputy General Counsel and as a lobbyist at the state capitol. After GMA, Ted spent twelve years at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia managing teams of public service faculty and staff that provided technical assistance to local governments, first as a unit manager, and then as an Associate Director.
Ted has a passion for public service and relishes the fact that cities have been at the center of his professional life for more than two decades.
Catherine T. Followill
Catherine Followill is a partner in the firm of Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen LLP. Her practice has been devoted to the representation of public school systems, particularly in matters involving students with disabilities. As part of this practice, Ms. Followill represents school districts during the course of individualized education program (IEP) meetings, early resolution meetings, mediations, and due process hearings. She regularly advises school districts on matters involving Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA.)
Ms. Followill has a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University where she majored in international studies and she earned her law degree from Georgia State University. She is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Dr. Michael Gwatney
Dr. Michael Gwatney joined PKKN in January 2024 as the Firm’s Education Policy Specialist, a non-attorney professional dedicated to serving local school systems and the Georgia School Boards Association with policy development.
Gwatney graduated from Fannin County High School, Blue Ridge, Georgia, in 1991 and went on to serve the Fannin County School System in a variety of roles for over 30 years, including: Substitute teacher, paraprofessional, teacher of elementary and middle grades, assistant principal, principal, Director of Technology & Media Services, and as the Superintendent for six years until his retirement in 2023. Gwatney has received various academic and professional awards, including: Brenau University’s “Outstanding Future Educator”; induction into The University of Georgia Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi; “Educator of the Year” from the Fannin County Retired Educators Association; the “Distinguished Alumni – Crystal Apple Award” from The University of Georgia College of Education; the “Johnnye V. Cox Award” from the Program in Educational Leadership & Policy at The University of Georgia; and the “Pioneer in Education Award” for Fannin County Schools from the Pioneer Regional Education Service Agency. He has earned an Associate in Arts from Truett-McConnell, a Bachelor of Science from Brenau, and three degrees – making him a “Triple Dawg” – from The University of Georgia: Master of Education, Specialist in Education, and the Doctor of Education. Go Dawgs!
Frank Hartley
Frank Hartley is a native Georgian raised in a high-poverty area of rural southwest Georgia. He believes in a fairer and more equitable Georgia where everyone thrives.
Frank was raised as a die-hard UGA fan in hopes of becoming a first-generation college graduate. After earning two degrees from UGA, he obtained his law degree from the University of Mississippi. Immediately following law school, he clerked for an Alabama Supreme Court Justice (when Roy Moore was removed from the Court). In 2004, Frank joined Thompson, Sweeny, Kinsinger & Pereira, P.C. as an associate and was later promoted Partner with the firm. Frank is one of the founding members of PKKN. He works with various local government clients (cities, municipal courts, downtown development authorities, etc.) in Gwinnett County.
In 2014, Frank became an Ironman® after completing a 140.6 mile triathlon. He married his husband following the 2015 SCOTUS ruling in Obergefell v Hodges.
Phillip L. Hartley
Phillip L. Hartley graduated with honors from the University of Georgia in 1976 and then obtained his J.D. degree with honors from the University of Georgia Law School in 1979. He was a member of the Georgia Law Review, Order of the Coif and Phi Beta Kappa. After law school, he immediately began to practice law, including representing school districts, and in 1980, he became a founding partner in the law firm of Harben & Hartley. He has served as lead counsel in numerous cases involving Georgia’s school districts in the federal and state courts. He serves as an officer of the National Council of School Attorneys. In the firm’s capacity as general counsel to the Georgia School Boards Association, he works closely with GSBA, the Georgia School Superintendents Association and the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders to respond to and shape legislative and policy issues that affect public education in the state. Known for presentations on school law to a wide variety of audiences, he has also written extensively on school law topics.
Jaaonne J. Jackson
Jaaonne J. Jackson focuses her practice on providing sound legal advice to Georgia school districts on a variety of employment and student related matters concerning Title IX, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Rehabilitation Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), school board policies and procedures, and personnel matters. Ms. Jackson represents school districts on all aspects of federal litigation in district and appellate courts and defends against federal and/or state agency complaints filed with the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH). Ms. Jackson has also represented school districts at truancy-related court proceedings, student discipline hearings, and hearing appeals before the Georgia Board of Education.
Ms. Jackson earned Bachelor’s degrees in English and Psychology from Spelman College before earning a Master’s degree in Prevention Science and Practice from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law. A member of the State Bar of Georgia, Ms. Jackson is currently admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and all other courts within the State of Georgia.
Elizabeth F. Kinsinger
Elizabeth “Beth” Kinsinger is a partner with Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen, LLP. Her practice focuses on representation of governmental entities primarily in the areas of education and employment law. Beth routinely counsels clients on a variety of issues related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Beth has experience in drafting policies and procedures and providing training regarding equity and compliance. Additionally, Beth routinely serves as lead counsel in litigation in both federal and state courts.
Beth is a 1997 graduate of Florida Southern College where she earned a BA in History. Beth is a 2000 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law where she was a member of the Law Review and participated on several Moot Court teams. Beth has served as a member of the GAWL Foundation Board from 2002-2009 and 2013-2015 and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Gwinnett County Bar Association having held the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President and President (2010-11). She has also served as an adjunct professor of business law at Shorter University and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Beth is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. In 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2017 Beth was named a \”Rising Star\” in the field of Education Law by Georgia SuperLawyers. Beth lives in Gwinnett County with her husband and two children. She devotes her charitable work to raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Cory O. Kirby
Cory O. Kirby graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in History and Religion in 1992 and a M.Ed. in Higher Education in 1995. He received his J.D. degree in 2000 from the University of South Carolina. Before pursuing a legal career, Mr. Kirby worked in higher education, including serving as an Associate Dean for Student Services at Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia. Mr. Kirby joined Harben & Hartley in 2000 and has represented public school districts throughout his legal career. In addition to membership in the National Council of School Attorneys and the Georgia Council of School Attorneys, shared with all other attorneys in the firm, Mr. Kirby is a member of the National Bond Lawyers Association.
W. Creighton Lancaster
Creighton Lancaster is a partner in the firm of Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen, LLP and has practiced education law and municipal law for over seventeen years. During this time, Mr. Lancaster has worked on a broad range of matters ranging from appeals to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to disciplinary tribunals. Mr. Lancaster’s expertise in the area of student discipline was developed representing the local board of education in numerous appeals before the State Board of Education and the superior court. Mr. Lancaster also has extensive experience representing employers in workers’ compensation matters and defendants in personal injury claims. Mr. Lancaster’s experience in federal court has included the successful resolution of claims made pursuant to Title IX, and 42 U.S.C.A.§ 1983.
In addition to handling litigation matters, Mr. Lancaster also provides client guidance in the areas of policy development, governance, open meetings and open records, records retention, purchasing, and contracts. He serves as local counsel in governmental bond offerings and advises clients regarding compliance with state and federal mandates. Mr. Lancaster has served as an approved tribunal training provider for student discipline hearing officers and has been a presenter on a variety of topics including student discipline, conducting discipline hearings, public contract provisions, and legal updates in school law.
Mr. Lancaster graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi. Mr. Lancaster is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Hieu M. Nguyen
Hieu M. Nguyen attended Vanderbilt University and received his B.A. in English and Philosophy in 1994. He later received his M.A. in English in 1997 and then a M.Ed. in 1998, both from Vanderbilt. He taught in the Gwinnett County School System for 5 years before going to law school. He received his law degree from the University of Georgia in 2006 and joined Harben & Hartley after graduation. He manages the firm’s litigation practice and has served as lead counsel in numerous cases involving Georgia’s school districts in the federal and state courts.
Aparesh Paul
Apu primarily focuses on the firm’s federal and state litigation, representing school districts in matters as varied as employment litigation, civil rights cases, contract disputes and personal injury suits. He joined Harben, Hartley and Hawkins in 2018 as a seasoned litigator. Prior to joining the firm, Apu was a partner in a boutique trial practice representing individual and corporate clients in commercial disputes, fiduciary and professional liability cases, securities litigation and civil rights matters in federal and state courts across the country. Apu obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, with a dual major in Philosophy and English. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2002.
Stephen D. Pereira
Stephen Pereira is a partner in the firm of Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen, LLP and since 2004 has focused his practice on education law and municipal law representing the Gwinnett County Board of Education and the City of Duluth on a wide variety of legal issues including general school law, economic redevelopment, real estate, employment law, constitutional law, personal injury, Title IX, and workers’ compensation.
Mr. Pereira graduated from Winthrop University with B.A. degrees in political science and philosophy in 1993. Following undergraduate study, he earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1996. He is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett and currently serves on the Foundation Board of Directors for that organization. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf.
Brian C. Smith
Brian C. Smith is a founding partner with the firm of Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen, LLP. Brian graduated from the University of Georgia in 2001 with a B.A. in criminal justice and sociology, and obtained his J.D. degree from the University of Georgia Law School in 2004 where he served on the Editorial Board and as Senior Articles Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law. He joined Harben & Hartley in 2004 after law school. He has served as lead counsel in numerous cases involving Georgia’s school districts in the federal and state courts and represents school districts in numerous areas, including special education, student discipline, and personnel-related matters.
Melissa Stewart
Melissa K. Stewart is an attorney of counsel with Pereira, Kirby, Kinsinger & Nguyen. She began practice with the firm (then Thompson & Sweeny, P.C.) in 1999. Melissa has practiced local government law for more than 20 years. Her practice has focused largely on all aspects of special education cases including advising the client, attending meetings, and navigating the litigation and appeals processes through administrative, state, and federal courts. She has also handled disciplinary cases, agency investigations, workers’ compensation claims, and general liability issues in the representation of local government entities. She has been privileged to advise and counsel clients in her practice areas and enjoys legal research and writing.
Melissa is a University of Georgia graduate with a BA in philosophy. She attended Georgia State University College of Law. She and her husband now live in Birmingham, Alabama, and are the proud parents of two adult daughters.
Victoria Sweeny
Victoria Sweeny has practiced law in Lawrenceville, Georgia since 1983 with a focus almost exclusively in education law where she has provided legal advice and counsel in every facet of school law. She has successfully tried numerous cases under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, some up to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She has successfully represented superintendents in termination cases and grievance cases involving employees. And, she has represented and defended the school district in student discipline matters. Ms. Sweeny also has extensive experience representing the school district in complaints filed with the EEOC and OCR from investigating discrimination allegations to working with staff tasked with conducting the investigations.
Ms .Sweeny has been a frequent presenter at annual legal updates to school system administrators, Boards of Education and other school law attorneys. She has served as president of the Georgia School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys multiple times and served for decades on its Executive Council.
Ms. Sweeny received a B.S. degree in Education and M.Ed. from the University of Virginia. She received her law degree from the University of Georgia. Prior to earning her law degree, Ms. Sweeny taught high school English. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is admitted to practice law before the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals; the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia; the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Sweeny has been awarded the AV rating by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating for her legal ability and professional ethics since 1986.
Virgil Lee Thompson, Jr.
Lee Thompson has practiced law in Lawrenceville since 1981. He received his undergraduate degree from Mercer University and his law degree from the University of Georgia. Lee has served as City Attorney for numerous cities in the Gwinnett County area for most of his career.
Lee has also represented several small business clients, public and private clients in real estate transactions and real estate litigation, and has handled zoning and land use cases. Lee received his certification as a mediator in 1989 and has mediated numerous cases in the Gwinnett County area. His mediations have included condemnations and land use matters. Lee serves on the Board of Directors of the Justice Center of Atlanta, a non-profit organization that provides mediation services and training.
Lee was a graduate of the first Leadership Gwinnett class in 1986 and has been active in many civic organizations through the years including the Red Cross, the Gwinnett Tech Foundation, and the Central Gwinnett Cluster Foundation. Lee represented the Lawrenceville area in the Georgia House of Representatives in 2009 and 2010.