Matt ColesPhone: 770-995-5578 Email: mcoles@colesbarton.com V-Card
Matt Coles received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in 1984, where he was the recipient of a National Merit Scholarship in each of his four years. He received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1987, where he was the recipient of the Milton Rattner Scholarship for academic achievement. Mr. Coles was also a member of the Moot Court Team, served on the Moot Court Board and was elected to the Order of Barristers.
Mr. Coles practiced in the litigation section of Smith, Gambrell & Russell from 1987 to 2009, where he was an equity partner. While at Smith, Gambrell, Mr. Coles developed a specialty representing hospitals, nursing homes, doctors, and other healthcare professionals in malpractice claims, licensure proceedings and with regard to credentialing issues. In addition Mr. Coles represented a wide variety of entities and individuals in general negligence claims. He also has substantial experience representing clients in courts in other jurisdictions. In 2009, Mr. Coles and his law partner, Tom Barton, left Smith, Gambrell to form the law firm of Coles Barton LLP. Mr. Coles maintains an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Coles has tried to verdict many malpractice claims and has successfully defended on appeal numerous favorable trial victories. He also has substantial experience representing clients in mediations and arbitrations. He is pleased to have been recognized for his outstanding defense work by, among other things, receiving several Defense Counsel of the Year Awards from AAOMS National Insurance Company and numerous Continuing Excellence Awards from OMS National Insurance Company. Mr. Coles was named OMS National Insurance Company and Fortress Insurance Company’s 2016 Attorney of the Year.
Tom BartonPhone: 770-995-5570 Email: tbarton@colesbarton.com V-Card
Tom Barton earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Presbyterian College in 1986. He received his Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia in 1989. He served on the Editorial Board of the Georgia Law Review and was elected to membership in the Order of the Coif.
Mr. Barton spent the first 20 years of his career practicing at Smith, Gambrell & Russell where he was an equity partner and headed one of the firm’s business litigation teams. He co-founded Coles Barton in 2009 with his long-time partner, Matt Coles, who likewise had spent his entire career at Smith, Gambrell & Russell prior to founding Coles Barton. Mr. Barton maintains an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected for several years for inclusion in the Georgia Super Lawyers list.
Mr. Barton continues to focus his practice on a variety of business litigation matters, including shareholder disputes, franchise and distribution disputes, trade secrets and restrictive covenants, trusts and estates litigation, software licensing and project management disputes, business contract, tort and RICO disputes, mortgage fraud-related litigation, special assets and workout litigation, and title and real estate-related litigation.
Mr. Barton is admitted to practice in all Georgia state courts as well as numerous federal district and circuit courts. He also has extensive experience handling arbitrations and mediations before the American Arbitration Association, JAMS and other alternative dispute resolution forums.
Aaron TadyPhone: 770-995-5560 Email: atady@colesbarton.com V-Card
Aaron Tady received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Brigham Young University in 1999 and his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Brigham Young University’s Law School in 2002. Mr. Tady served as the Lead Articles Editor for the BYU Law Review and received the John S. Welch Award for Outstanding Legal Writing. Mr. Tady began his legal career at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, where he practiced in the business litigation section. He joined Coles Barton shortly after its formation in 2009.
Mr. Tady specializes in complex commercial litigation. Mr. Tady has extensive experience litigating business contract disputes, commercial lending and workouts, mortgage fraud, closely-held businesses, insurance coverage, and title and other real property disputes. Mr. Tady has also successfully defended many health care professionals and organizations in various types of professional malpractice lawsuits.
Mr. Tady is a member of the Georgia Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and all Georgia state courts, including the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court.
Jeff BraintwainPhone: 678-822-5445 Email: jbraintwain@colesbarton.com V-Card
Jeff Braintwain attended the University of Virginia from 1994 to 1998 where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. Mr. Braintwain then attended the Wake Forest University School of Law between 1998 and 2001. In law school, Mr. Braintwain’s honors included election to the Chief Justice Joseph Branch Inn of Court and several awards in Moot Court competitions, including at the National level. Since obtaining his law degree, Mr. Braintwain has focused his practice almost exclusively on defending health care providers facing allegations of professional negligence at both the trial and appellate level, as well as representing professionals appearing before licensing boards. In addition, Mr. Braintwain also has experience representing both individual physicians as well as health care systems in credentialing disputes.
Mr. Braintwain successfully has tried dozens of cases to verdict for physicians, nurses, hospital systems, medical practices, as well as long-term care providers in courts throughout Georgia. In addition, Mr. Braintwain has experience defending numerous, similar matters compelled to binding arbitration, including situations in which arbitration agreements must be enforced over opposition.
In his practice, Mr. Braintwain has appeared on behalf of his clients all levels of Georgia’s courts, including trial courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Georgia Supreme Court. He also is licensed to practice and has represented clients in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Middle District of Georgia, as well as the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.