Recent News

Bill Nijem is named chair elect of the Greater Valdosta United Way.  Langdale Vallotton, LLP is proud to have a partner serve our community.  The mission of Greater Valdosta United Way is to improve people’s lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community.
United Way initiative goals include:

• Education:  In 2008, United Way launched a 10-year initiative to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. It’s an ambitious goal, but by utilizing our core strengths “” a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity “” we can achieve it.
• Income:  In 2008, United Way initiated an ambitious 10-year plan to cut in half the number of lower-income families who are financially unstable. With your help, we believe that by 2018 we can help 1.9 million working families get on the road to economic independence.
• Health:  Since 2008, we’ve been working to achieve our bold, 10-year goal: to increase by one-third the number of youth and adults who are healthy and avoid risky behaviors by 2018.

For more information on Greater Valdosta United Way, visit their website.

Langdale Vallotton, LLP would like to congratulate associate Katie Gonos in obtaining a $100,000.00 settlement in a wrongful arrest case against a local police department.  Katie’s client was in his yard after work when he noticed several police cars pass by en route to his neighbor’s house.  The police were responding to a 911 call describing a black man armed with a gun who was allegedly making threats.  The man was further described as having dreadlocks and driving a red truck.  The only similarity between Katie’s client and the person described was his race — the client did not have dreadlocks, he did not have a red truck, and he did not have a gun.  Nevertheless, when the police officers did not find a suspect at the neighbor’s home, they proceeded to the client’s home and forcibly arrested him.  During the arrest, the officers realized that they had the wrong person, but, instead of apologizing and releasing him, they charged him with Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer.  Katie represented him on the criminal Obstruction charge, obtaining a dismissal.  She (along with co-counsel James Smith) then pursued certain civil claims, including a federal § 1983 claim, against the local police department, which claims were resolved by the above-referenced $100,000 settlement.

Over Labor Day weekend, partner Pope Langdale attended Free Diving Instructors International Level 2 Free Diver Course and Certification.  Free Diving Instructors International is the leading certification agency in the United States in free diving and was designed by Martin Stepanek, 13-time Free Diving World Record Holder.  Stepanek is a free diving pioneer and a current world record holder, having reached depths of over 400 feet on a single breath of air.  During this four day course, Pope Langdale received a Level 2 Free Diver Certification, reaching a depth of 81 feet and being trained to dive to a maximum depth of 132 feet.  With additional practice and training, Pope hopes to achieve even further depths.

Langdale Vallotton, LLP is pleased to welcome attorney Jennifer C. Monroe to its firm.  Upon her arrival, Jennifer, along with William C. Nijem, Jr., will head up a new health care group at Langdale Vallotton, LLP.  Due to the complexities in federal and state laws applicable to physicians and other health care providers, Langdale Vallotton recognizes the need to have an attorney locally who can assist its clients in this complex area without those clients having to incur the additional cost of retaining health care counsel outside of Valdosta, Georgia.  Prior to joining Langdale Vallotton, LLP, Jennifer practiced law in Atlanta, Georgia, with the health care practice group of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, which is a leading firm in the southeast in health care regulatory matters.  Jennifer gained valuable experience representing physicians, health care systems, and health care facilities in state and federal regulatory matters, including certificate of need and licensure, Medicare and Medicaid compliance, federal privacy and security laws, specifically HIPAA and the HITECH Act.  In addition, Jennifer has advised health care providers on various operational, peer review, medical staff, and contract issues.

Jennifer received her Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Georgia in 1999, and received her Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude, from Georgia State University College of Law in 2004.  During law school, she was a member of Law Review and completed internships with the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission.  She also served for two years as a staff attorney to the Honorable Gail S. Tusan, Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia.  Jennifer is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Valdosta Bar Association.  She has also authored several articles in the health care industry publication, Atlanta Hospital News, regarding changes required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Jennifer is also registered with the Supreme Court of Georgia as an arbitrator and civil mediator.

Pope Langdale was recently elected as Treasurer of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (“GTLA”). GTLA is the largest organization of trial lawyers in the state of Georgia and is dedicated to representing individuals, consumers, businesses, and others who have suffered injury and/or damages due to the wrongful conduct of others.

Tina Folsom, attorney at Landale Vallotton, announced her candidacy for Lowndes County Probate Court Judge on May 17, 2012. Tina has been a practicing attorney at Langdale Vallotton since 2006.