Nicole Iannarone is Of Counsel to the firm. She will be a Visiting Assistant Professor at Mercer Law School during the Fall 2012 term and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Georgia State Law School during the Spring 2013 term. Nicole teaches in the areas of Professional Responsibility, Civil Procedure and Complex Litigation. Her full-time teaching duties limit her private practice availability to selected special matters.
Nicole has represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation, appellate litigation and class actions. Nicole’s practice includes a wide range of business litigation and appeals, including fraud, Racketeered Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO), contract and negligence claims. She also has significant experience in retaining and overturning default judgments for her clients. Nicole has been recognized multiple times as a “Rising Star” by Law and Politics and Atlanta Magazine.
In addition to general business litigation, Nicole’s practice has focused on professional liability cases concerning attorneys and accountants. She has represented companies as well as high net worth individuals and families in litigation involving malpractice claims against major national accounting firms. She is often called upon to counsel attorneys and law firms in all aspects of professional liability matters, including disciplinary inquiries, investigatory subpoenas, ethics questions, drafting of law firm agreements and defending against negligence claims.
Complementing her professional liability work at the firm, Nicole serves as the vice-chair of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Reputation and Public Trust Committee, as a member of the State Bar of Georgia’s Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Committee and previously co-chaired the Young Lawyers Division Ethics and Professionalism Committee. These experiences add substantial strength to her professional liability practice.
Nicole is active in the bar and the community and has been recognized for this service. She has received the Kerry Harike Joedecke Atlanta Young Lawyer of the Year Award and the Brenau Women’s College Young Alumnae Award.
Representative Work
Represented TASER International, Inc. and 40 of its largest shareholders in a lawsuit alleging that eight Wall Street firms, including Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, engaged in naked short selling and illegal conversion and flex option trades that artificially depressed TASER’s stock price. The case was resolved through a confidential settlement.
Certified as class counsel in a case that resulted in an $18 million settlement on behalf of a class of plaintiff factory workers who alleged that their employer depressed their wages by hiring illegal workers.
Successfully represented numerous individuals in the resolution of fraud, RICO and malpractice claims against their accountants and tax preparers.
Represented a national law firm in defending class action claims alleging violations of the Georgia Debt Adjustment Act.
Representation of plaintiff in enforcing multimillion dollar default judgment which lead to successful settlement of matter.
Obtained permanent injunction on First Amendment grounds barring the State of Georgia from enforcing a law. In response to injunction, the Georgia legislature removed the challenged portions of the law from the Georgia Code.
Professional Activities
Adjunct Professor, Professional Responsibility, Georgia State University College of Law
Co-Chair, Reputation and Public Trust Committee, Atlanta Bar Association
Board Member, Women in the Profession Section, Atlanta Bar Association
Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers: Secretary, 2010-2011; Treasurer, 2009-2010; Board of Directors, 2007-2009
State Bar of Georgia: Member, Professionalism Committee; Member, Disciplinary Rules and Procedure Committee; Member, Lawyer Advertising Task Force, 2006-2008; Northern District Representative, Young Lawyers Division (YLD) 2007-2009; YLD Ethics and Professionalism Co-Chair, 2007-2009; Member, YLD Minorities in the Profession Committee, 2006-2009
Member, Lawyers Club of Atlanta
Barrister, Lumpkin Inn of Court, 2005-2007
Board Member, GreenLaw
L.E.A.D. Atlanta, 2008
Georgia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Leadership Academy, Inaugural Class 2006
The Destiny Fund of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, 2007
United Way of Atlanta Volunteer Involvement Program, 2006
American Kidney Fund, Atlanta Division Council Chair, 2009-2010, Member 2006-2009
Emerging Leaders for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (inaugural class)
Publications/Speaking Engagements
Honors and Awards
Kerry Harike Joedecke Atlanta Young Lawyer of the Year Award, 2009
Brenau Women’s College Young Alumnae Award, 2003
Georgia Rising Star, Atlanta Magazine, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
Georgia Local Litigation Star, Benchmark Plaintiff 2012
News
- January 4, 2012
- February 22, 2011Atlanta Magazine
- 2010Atlanta Magazine
Education
Yale Law School, J.D., 2002
- Yale Journal on Regulation
Brenau University Women’s College, B.S, 1999; summa cum laude; high honors in liberal studies
Admissions
- State Bar of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia