Smith, Welch & Brittain LLP, Attorneys at Law is proud to announce that Katie Fagan, a Clayton College & State University graduate has joined our firm as an associate. Ms. Fagan graduated cum laude from the Mercer University, Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in 2008.

Mrs. Fagan began interning for Smith, Welch & Brittain in the summer of 2006. She is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the Henry County Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers and also coaches for the Eagle’s Landing High School Mock Trial team.

Smith, Welch & Brittain, LLP was established in McDonough in 1873. The firm currently operates offices in McDonough, Stockbridge, Jackson and Barnesville. SWB includes 20 attorneys and more than 50 support staff.

Birmingham, Alabama — Sirote & Permutt Shareholder Daniel J. Burnick has launched the Alabama Employment Law Report , a blog discussing current issues in employment and labor law, with a particular emphasis on the state of Alabama. Mr. Burnick's blog is the first such online resource being offered in Alabama. Mr. Burnick is resident in Sirote's Birmingham office and is the former chair of the firm's Labor & Employment Practice. Initial blog entries have covered such topics as behavior at holiday office parties, military leave and the Family Medical Leave Act, sexual misconduct, and recent changes in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mr. Burnick will post entries on a a regular basis . To visit the Alabama Employment Law Report blog , go to http://www.alabamaemploymentlawblog.com

A lawyer for jailed evangelist Tony Alamo asked a federal court Tuesday to remove religious references from a lawsuit against his client, saying they have the potential to draw the court into theological debate to decide the case.

John Hall of Little Rock said in a court filing that claims made by two former members of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries were based on religious beliefs and not matters for argument in a court of law.

Hall gave as examples claims that Alamo engaged in practices to intimidate church members by withholding food, marrying young girls and performing severe beatings. Hall said Alamo's defense to each of these allegations was based largely on the Bible, and the filing cites numerous biblical passages.

"All of these fall within the ambit of defendant's religious beliefs," the filing says.

The suit, filed Nov. 25 in federal district court at Texarkana, claims that Seth Calagna and Spencer Ondrisek were beaten and subjected to abuse as teenagers in the church. The suit says the former church members, now adults, suffered physical pain, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement. It seeks more than $75,000 in damages.

Scottsdale, AZ – The Maasen Law Firm (MLF) has the perfect gift for those who like to imbibe during the holidays: the MLF Keychain Breathalyzer. Alcohol intoxication is legally defined by the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level and in Arizona, a state with one of the toughest DUI laws in the nation; the legal limit is 0.08 percent. With a simple breath test, the MLF Keychain Breathalyzer immediately indicates a drinker's level of intoxication: a green light signals alcohol level under 0.02 percent; yellow light for over 0.02 percent; and red for over 0.05 percent. According to the American Medical Association, alcohol causes impairment at BAC of 0.05 percent and above.

The unique key ring alcohol breath testers are available on the Maasen Law Firm website (www.maasenlaw.com) for only $10, a small investment when compared to the average cost of a first-time DUI. According to Arizona's DUI task force, first-time offenders can expect to pay about $3,200, including fines, fees and jail costs – not to mention the installation of an ignition interlock system and attorney fees.

"Our message is simple and clear – drink responsibly and know your level of impairment," notes Scott Maasen, Founder of the firm that is AV® rated; the highest possible rating by Lexis Nexis Martindale-Hubbell®. "The MLF Keychain Breathalyzer is a fun way to increase the serious issue of DUI awareness, especially during this season of holiday parties."

The tougher DUI laws seem to be working. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 13,000 deaths involved motorists with a blood alcohol content at or above the .08% legal limit for intoxication. That is about a 4% drop from last year's total of nearly 13,500. Arizona drunk driving fatalities have dropped by 63 deaths.

Since September 26, all persons in Arizona convicted of extreme DUI (.150 or more) will have to serve a minimum of 30 consecutive days in jail. The Judge no longer has the power to suspend any of the 30-day sentence.

"If you're over the limit, expect the max," warns Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "Knowing your level with a green, yellow or red light may save your life, or that of a loved one – and it may also keep you from wearing pink in Tent City."

Dale Cottam has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialties of Administrative Law, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law.

For over a quarter of a century, Best Lawyers has been regarded - by both the profession and the public - as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States. Selection to Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 2.5 million confidential evaluations of the top attorneys in the country.

Mr. Cottam`s practice is focused primarily in the areas of public utilities, energy law, creditors` rights, and real estate. He has extensive experience representing utility clients and consumer groups before the Public Service Commission where he has handled numerous contested case hearings through final decision and appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Mr. Cottam also represents business and real estate clients in numerous arbitrations and bench trials in state courts throughout Wyoming.

Hirst Applegate Website

Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear is proud to announce that Joseph Cianfrani, Don Martens, Joseph Re and John Sganga, all from the firm’s Orange County office, were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2009 in the field of intellectual property.

Best Lawyers is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession. Best Lawyers compiles an annual list of outstanding attorneys by conducting extensive peer-review surveys in which thousands of lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current edition of The Best Lawyers is based on more than two million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

Joseph Cianfrani, a litigation partner, represents various clients in all types of intellectual-property disputes, including those involving patents, trademarks, trade-secrets and copyrights. He is a member of several professional groups and currently serves on the board of the American Intellectual Property Association. Additionally, he has written and spoken extensively on patent law and appellate practice before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Don Martens, a founding partner of the firm, focuses his practice on arbitration. He retired from the partnership in 2004, and is now of counsel to the firm. Martens was named as one of “The Top 10 Patent Lawyers in the World” by PLC Global Counsel Magazine. He is also a member of the mediation and arbitration panels of the American Arbitration Association and the CPR Institute.

Joseph Re, a litigation partner, represents clients in various industries in all types of intellectual property disputes. Named one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal, Mr. Re’s practice is primarily handling high-stake patent cases at both the appellate and trial levels. Re currently serves as President of the Federal Circuit Bar Association and as a member of the Federal Circuit’s Advisory Council.

John Sganga, partner, focuses his practice on the litigation of patent, copyright, trade secret and trademark disputes. His litigation experience in different industries and in various forums enables him to develop litigation strategies that are uniquely suited to each case. He has served in leadership positions in a variety of bar associations within Orange County. Sganga has published and lectured extensively on intellectual property litigation issues, and is also a co-author of the treatise entitled Pre-Litigation Patent Enforcement, published by Thomson West.