JONES CORK - Key Persons
Andrew L. Davidson has practiced with Jones Cork, LLP since graduating from Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law, in 2015.
Mr. Davidson's general trial practice includes litigation through the trial and appellate levels. He defends employers, self-insured employers, and insurance carriers in connection with workers' compensation claims throughout Georgia. Additionally, he represents defendants regarding personal injury claims, including motor vehicle accidents as well as premises liability actions. He also handles probate matters and business disputes.
Along with Jones Cork's Education Law Attorneys, Mr. Davidson handles various litigated matters and advises school districts throughout Georgia. Mr. Davidson also represents financial institutions, as well as individuals, in various matters including foreclosures, loan workouts, dispossessory proceedings, and collections.
As a law student, Mr. Davidson was invited to join the Bootle Inn of Court and remains an active member. He is a member of the Macon Bar Association and is active in the Young Lawyers Division. Since 2016, Mr. Davidson has served as the firm's coordinator for the annual United Way Campaign.
Mr. Davidson is originally from Roberta, Georgia. He is an Eagle Scout, and enjoys spending time outdoors, canoeing and fishing, especially on the Flint River.
Practice Areas
Insurance & Self-Insured Defense
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Partner
- Member of the Bankruptcy
Cater C. Thompson has been with Jones Cork, LLP since 1983. Ms. Thompson has a general practice concentrated in the area of creditors' rights, including bankruptcy and foreclosure, probate, business law, and public finance. Ms. Thompson has served as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, and underwriter's counsel for various public school districts, as well as water and sewer, development and hospital authorities.
Ms. Thompson has been named to the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™, and has received a peer review rating Martindale- Hubbell® rating of AV - Preeminent. She has been selected by Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Banking and Finance. She has been selected by Best Lawyers in America® as the 2021 "Lawyer of the Year" for her work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Macon. She is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and serves as the Chancellor of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Ms. Thompson is a member of the Bankruptcy, Real Property, and Equine sections of the State Bar of Georgia. During law school, Ms. Thompson was a member of the Mercer Law Review and Phi Delta Phi.
Ms. Thompson serves as general counsel and ex-officio member of the Boards of Trustees of the Methodist Home of the South Georgia Conference, Inc. and the Foundation for the Methodist Home of the South Georgia Conference. She has served in many leadership roles at Macon's Mulberry Street United Methodist Church. She is also on the Local Advisory Board for Truist Bank.
Christopher J. Arnold has been with the firm since 2008. Mr. Arnold has specialized primarily in litigation and has gained a broad range of experience in representing individual and corporate clients in business disputes, motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, and other personal injury and wrongful death litigation.
While at the University of Georgia, Mr. Arnold was a member of the Arch Society, the Terry College of Business Real Estate Society, and the Kappa Alpha Order. While in law school, Mr. Arnold was a member of the Moot Court Board, student member of the Bootle Inn of Court, member of the Second Amendment Society, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta. Mr. Arnold is currently an active member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Macon Bar Association, Bootle Inn of Court, and the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association.
Mr. Arnold, and his wife Emily, reside in Macon with their two children. They are active members of Vineville United Methodist Church and in the community.
Eugene S. Hatcher Jr. joined Jones Cork, LLP in 2003. Previously, he served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable John M. Ott, for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit from 1997 to 1999. Mr. Hatcher also worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit from 1999 to 2001. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Hatcher worked as an Assistant Attorney General, Department of Law, State of Georgia.
Since 2017, Mr. Hatcher has been included in Best Lawyers in America for his work in insurance litigation.
Mr. Hatcher previously served as a member of the Vestry at Christ Church, where he acted as treasurer and senior warden. Mr. Hatcher was a member of the Christ Church search committee which recently assisted in the selection of a new rector for Christ Church. He previously served as a member of the board of Vine Ingle Little League. In his spare time, Mr. Hatcher enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, fishing and watching Alabama football.
Howard Jerome Strickland, Jr. has been with Jones Cork, LLP since graduating from the University of Georgia in 1988. His practice primarily focuses on litigation including business and commercial litigation, personal injury, as well as litigation involving real estate. He also practices in eminent domain and condemnation litigation representing both utilities and people whose property is being condemned. Mr. Strickland serves as counsel to Riverside Cemetery, Inc. and as counsel to Covenant Care Services, Inc., a licensed child placement agency with offices around the State.
Mr. Strickland is actively involved at his church, First Presbyterian Church of Macon, PCA, as an elder. He has served on the Board of Trustees for First Presbyterian Day School and has served as chairman of the board. Mr. Strickland has served on the Board of the Hay House, a property of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Cannonball House, a private house museum in Macon.
Mr. Strickland and his wife Lucia are the parents of three adult children. He enjoys hunting, fishing, the outdoors, watching local theater, and historic preservation.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- General Counsel for the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce
Patrick Goff is a partner in the firm, primarily working in the areas of banking and commercial real estate. Mr. Goff's practice focuses on the representation of financial institutions and other creditors in varying types of litigation, commercial loan workouts, non-judicial foreclosures and confirmation proceedings, and collection matters.
Mr. Goff has extensive experience representing various banks and lending institutions in their dealings with their customers and other institutions. This includes negotiation and preparation of documentation for term, revolving credit, secured and unsecured loans, acting as closing agent for commercial loan transactions, perfection of security interests in all types of assets, title examination, and other due diligence activities.
Mr. Goff's practice in the area of commercial real estate includes advice, negotiation, documentation, and due diligence coordination relating to commercial real estate sales and acquisitions. This includes preparation and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements on behalf of buyers and sellers, assisting developers of office, retail, multi-family residential, and industrial properties with all aspects of development, preparation of office and retail leases on behalf of landlords and tenants, and advice on land use and zoning matters.
Mr. Goff serves as general counsel for The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce (2018-Present). He served as the president of the Rotary Club of Downtown Macon (2015-2016). Mr. Goff also served as vice-chairman of the Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation (2011-2017) and currently serves as foundation chairman (2018-present). Also, Mr. Goff has been a board member of the Bibb County Development Authority since 2012.
Patrick was named as a "Rising Star" in 2018 by Georgia's Super Lawyers magazine, an honor achieved each year by less than three percent of Georgia attorneys under the age of forty.
Rhett G. Rycroft is an associate at Jones Cork, LLP and has been gaining experience in insurance defense and business law. His practice covers south, central, and north Georgia.
Mr. Rycroft was born and raised in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He graduated from Tift area Academy in 2016, and attended the University of Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the School of Public and International Affairs. While at UGA, Mr. Rycroft was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and served in the Kappa Alpha Delta pre-law society, UGA Panhellenic Council, and National Collegiate Honor Society.
Upon graduating from the University of Georgia, Mr. Rycroft attended Mercer University Law School where he graduated Cum Laude in 2023. While at Mercer, Mr. Rycroft served as Vice President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society and earned a certificate in the Advanced Legal Writing Program. During law school Mr. Rycroft was a Summer Associate at Jones Cork, LLP. He also served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Jeffrey Hanson of Bibb County State Court and was a member of the Macon, Georgia Bootle Inn of Court.
In his free time, Mr. Rycroft enjoys hunting, traveling, and spending time with his friends, family, and his pet Bulldog, Cooper.
Robert C. Norman has practiced continuously with Jones Cork, LLP since 1982, after serving as a Law Clerk from 1980 to 1982 with the United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia. He is Martindale-Hubble Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent, and has been selected by Best Lawyers in America in the field of Zoning and Land Use Law and Litigation, and as a Super Lawyer in multiple years in the areas of Environmental Law, Zoning/Land Use Law, and Environmental Litigation. He served as a member and vice-chair of the Georgia State Ethics Commission from 1998 to 2002. He was the president of the Macon Bar Association in 2000-2001. Also, Mr. Norman was a member of the William A. Bottle American Inn of Court from 2002-2008.
Mr. Norman was a member of the Leadership Macon Class of 1986 and the Macon-Bibb Economic Development Commission from 2008-2010. He has been involved in charitable work including serving as Professional Chairman for the American Cancer Society and the United Way. Mr. Norman is a member of the Macon Civic Club and the Macon Shield Club. He is an active member of the Vineville United Methodist Church.
Mr. Norman has a wife and two sons. He is an avid hunter, fisherman, golfer and tennis player. Other interests include sports, politics, and investments.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Central Speech & Hearing Center
Rufus D. Sams joined the law firm of Jones Cork, LLP upon graduation from law school in 1971 and he has been a partner since 1975.
Mr. Sams represents employers, self-insured employers, and insurance carriers in connection with the defense of workers' compensation claims in the State of Georgia. This includes offering general advice on defense of workers' compensation claims, providing training seminars to employers and insurers for effective handling of claims and defending of employers, self-insurers and insurance carriers in contested claims at both trial and appellate levels.
Mr. Sams also represents defendants, whether self-insured or through liability insurance carriers in connection with personal injury claims such as motor vehicle collisions and premises liability. He represents insurance carriers on coverage issues involving declaratory judgment actions. His trial experience in these areas includes the defense of cases involving motor vehicle collision, personal injuries and property damages for both automobiles and tractor-trailers, premises defense for slip and falls, dog bites, and other types of personal injuries.
Mr. Sams has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Speech & Hearing Center. He has been active as a Youth Leader with the Explore Scouts and Boys Scouts of America. He is also a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and was selected by that organization as an instructor at the Annual Trial Academy. While in law school, Mr. Sams served as an editor of the Mercer Law Review.
Mr. Sams enjoys spending his free time with his wife, the families of his two children, and his grandchildren. In addition, he is an avid fisherman.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- President of Macon Civic Club
Mr. Wilson has served as president of Macon Civic Club, president of Leadership Macon, president of the Grand Opera House, board member and general counsel for the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, co-chair of the Vineville United Methodist Church Sesquicentennial Building Program, board member of Macon Little Theatre, and is serving as chair of the Board of Trustees of Vineville United Methodist Church.
Mr. Alexander is a member of DRI and was Middle District Representative of the Georgia Defense Lawyer's Board of Directors, 1986-1992, and Amicus Brief Chairman, 1997-2000. The Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, a national association founded in 1941, limits its membership to one member selected from each city and he has been Macon/Bibb County's representative since 1989. In 2016 - 2017, Mr. Alexander was recognized by his peers as Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendant. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is honored as "Lawyer of the Year".
Mr. Alexander has been active in his community and profession, holding leadership roles including President of the Macon Bar Association, 1986; Life Fellow of Lawyers Foundation of Georgia since 1989; peer review Martindale-Hubbell Rating AV since 2001 and Best Lawyers in America in medical malpractice and/or personal injury litigation since 2007; President of Vine Ingle Little League, 1994; President of Stratford Academy Booster Club, 1999/2000and Macon Civic Club. From 2002 through 2010, Mr. Alexander served as community member/attorney for the Medical Center of Central Georgia, Institutional Review Board
Mr. Alexander has been married to Willa since 1974. He has 2 adult children, Ramsey Alexander Martin an architect in Atlanta, and Dr. Thomas C. Alexander, Jr., an orthopedic surgeon in Savannah.
Thomas W. Joyce has a general practice concentrated in the area of general litigation, business litigation, education law and bankruptcy. He was lead counsel in a recent RICO action in which Bibb County School District was awarded in excess of $47,000,000.00. He has been a frequent lecturer on bankruptcy matters for the State Bar of Georgia, the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Law Institute, the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Mr. Joyce has extensive litigation and appellate experience with 27 reported decisions. Mr. Joyce is a member of the Bankruptcy Section of State Bar of Georgia and the American Bankruptcy Institute.
Mr. Joyce has represented such entities as the Bibb County School District, Educational Credit Management Corporation, New York Higher Education Services Corporation, the City of Macon, CIT Financial Services, CIT Group, Premiere Credit, Toyota Motor Company, and American Express. During law school, Mr. Joyce was a member of Mercer Law Review, Brainerd Currie Honor Society, Pi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society.
Mr. Joyce has been active in Little League and American Legion Baseball. He is a past president of the Diamond Club.
Mr. Joyce enjoys baseball, woodworking, gardening and spending time with his grandchildren in his spare time.
Timothy K. Adams, who is Of Counsel, works primarily in the areas of banking, business, estate planning, and estate administration. Mr. Adams is included in the Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Trust and Estates. Mr. Adams is a former President of the Macon Bar Association and former Chairman of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
Mr. Adams is a former President of the Macon Rotary Club, United Way of Macon, and Idle Hour Club. He is a Life Trustee of the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation, and a member of First Presbyterian Church.
Warren Plowden Jr. has been a partner in the firm of Jones Cork, LLP since 1975, having joined the firm in 1971 after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Griffin B. Bell, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Plowden specializes in employment, labor, personnel, and education matters; including litigation in these areas in the state and federal trial and appellate courts in such matters as civil rights damage suits, voting rights claims, employment discrimination cases, and numerous education related claims. He also heads the firms public finance group which has handled bond issues for school districts, cities, counties, water authorities and hospital authorities.
He serves as general counsel for the Baldwin County and Pulaski County School Districts and represents a number of other school districts and their insurers around the State of Georgia. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and serves as the Chancellor of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
In his community, Mr. Plowden has served on the boards of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. and the Central Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He has served as president of the Macon Lions Club and Vine-Ingle Little League, and as scoutmaster for Troop 19 at Vineville United Methodist Church.
Mr. Plowden served as a captain in the United States Army during the Vietnam War when he was assigned as the Adjutant of MACV Advisory Team 56, Phong Dien Province, Republic of South Vietnam. He is a life member of Counterparts Tuong Hu Dong Nam A, an Association of Veterans of the Second Indochina War & Their Foreign Counterparts. He is a member of Vineville United Methodist Church where he has served as Chairman of the Administrative Board and as Chairman of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee.