Preparation Is Critical To Your Case

Preparation Is Critical To Your Case

Photo of Randy Edwards, Esq.

Randy Edwards, Esq.

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Practice Areas:

  • Complex Business Litigation
  • Complex Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
  • Franchise Litigation

Biography

Randy is an “AV” rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell and has been practicing law for over 25 years. He spent the first half of his career at two of Atlanta’s premier law firms, Kilpatrick Stockton (now Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton) where he was a partner for 8 years, and Smith Currie & Hancock where he was an associate for 4 years.
 
In 2009, he opted for lower overhead and a shorter commute and formed Cochran & Edwards with his childhood friend and neighbor, Scott Cochran. He is licensed in both Georgia and Alabama. As a former NFL defensive lineman, Randy brings a “unique” attitude to the courtroom.
 
Randy is a trial lawyer and primarily handles the following types of cases:
 
• Business Litigation
With a master’s degree in finance, Randy has unique experience with business cases involving complex damage models. He has handled a wide variety of cases involving unfair competition, “business divorces”, trade secrets, patents, failed business acquisitions, franchise disputes, non-competition agreements, construction disputes (representing contractors, suppliers and owners).

RICO
Many types of business disputes may fall under the Georgia or Federal “RICO” statutes (Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations), depending on exactly what the defendant did, including: larceny, embezzlement and theft, theft of labor or services, mail and wire fraud, health care fraud and various investment scams. Randy has experience on both sides and has obtained several six and seven figure RICO judgments and settlements.

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
Randy has extensive experience with serious personal injury and death cases involving cars, trucks and motorcycles, products liability, road construction, particularly cases against the Georgia Department of Transportation and its contractors, and failed medical devices.

Insurance Coverage/Bad Faith
Randy started his career defending insurance coverage in bad faith cases. He knows how insurance companies approach cases, and where they bury the skeletons when they blow coverage. For over ten years now, Randy has exclusively represented policy holders in disputes with their insurers.
 
Randy was a 4-year letterman and 3-year starter as a defensive lineman for the University of Alabama where he played for legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, and was named a permanent captain by his Alabama teammates. Randy went on to play four years for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He was primarily a “nickel” pass-rusher for the Seahawks, with his best year being 1985 when he had 10.5 quarterback sacks.

Education

  • The University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
    • J.D. - 1992
  • University of Alabama
    • B.A. - 1984
    • Honors: Student-Athlete of the Year, School of Commerce & Business Administration, 1984
    • Honors: Letterman, Varsity Football, 1980 - 1983
    • Honors: Defensive Captain, 1983
    • Major: Corporate Finance
  • University of Alabama Graduate School of Business
    • M.A. - 1992
    • Major: Corporate Finance

Bar Admissions

  • Alabama, 1992
  • Georgia, 1992
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Alabama

Honors

  • AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

Classes & Seminars

  • Maintaining Trade Secrets and Enforcing Non-Competes, Southeast Franchise Forum, Atlanta Georgia, 05/11/2010 to 05/11/2010
  • Much ado about Daubert, Construction Super conference, San Francisco, CA

Representative Cases

  • $12.5 million jury verdict for securities fraud, RICO, breach of contract and fraud, RMNANDCO, Inc. vs. Fitch et al., Superior Court of Monroe County, Georgia 2010-CV-602, 2010
  • Reversal of summary judgment denying insurance coverage for theft of Lamborghini, Byrd vs. USAA, 317 Ga. App. 280 (2012) , 2012
  • Confidential settlement of insurance coverage and conversion claim for theft of Lamborghini, Barry Byrd vs. USAA and Barry Byrd vs. Selena International, Inc.
  • $5.5 Million settlement for former franchisee against Atlanta Bread Company for wrongful termination of multiple Atlanta Bread franchises after Supreme Court affirmed summary judgment in favor of former Atlanta Bread franchisee. , Atlanta Bread Company International, Inc. vs. Lupton-Smith, 285 Ga. 587, 2009
  • $1 million settlement with Georgia Department of Transportation for defective road causing crash which resulted in death of driver that lost control, a young mother with infant in car with her.
  • $340,000 arbitration award for former franchisee against Any Lab Test Now for wrongful termination of franchise and area development agreements.
  • $12.5 Million Jury Verdict Against Suzuki for crash caused by defective front brake. In April of 2013, Suzuki Motor Corporation decided to issue a recall of the defective front brakes on its her performance GSX-R series of motorcycles. They had a meeting with their brake supplier and ordered 200,000 replacement brakes to be ready in July. However, they decided to wait until after the profitable spring and summer selling season to announce the recall. Unfortunately, our client crashed on his way to work one morning when his brake suddenly failed without warning. Although not paralyzed (like other Suzuki brake failure victims), he was declared catastrophically disable by the VA. The jury awarded the rider $10.5 million and his wife was awarded $2,000,000 for loss of consortium.
  • $ 6 Million Settlement for multi-unit Atlanta Bread Company franchisee. A multi-unit franchisee of Atlanta Bread Company was terminated for opening a bar which allegedly violated his non-compete. We filed suit and the trial court, Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court all agreed the clause was void and unenforceable. After the defense changed law firms, we settled on the eve of trial.
  • $5.5 Million Settlement for tractor trailer crash Our clients were stopped for construction on the interstate. The tractor-trailer driver did not. One client life-flighted to hospital. We rejected a $1.2 million pre-suit offer to settle and filed suit. The defense promised they would never pay a penny more. The case settled 6 months later for $5.5 million.
  • $1.5 Million in settlements against Georgia Department of Transportation for negligent maintenance of state road.

Professional Associations

  • Georgia Bar Association, Member
  • Alabama Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Member
  • Cobb County Bar Association, Business Litigation Section, Member

Past Positions

  • Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, Partner
  • Smith Currie & Hancock, Associate
Topps | Randy Edwards | Seahawks | DE