RADFORD SCOTT - Key Persons
Dan began his career as an attorney representing farmworkers who toiled in orange groves, onion fields and apple orchards. He filed litigation, including several large class actions, against the agricultural employers who routinely underpaid and exploited his clients. Dan developed his cases through community legal education, outreach visits to rural labor camps, in-depth research, and considering all potential legal claims, including novel legal theories. His zealous representation resulted in dozens of damages awards and settlements benefitting thousands of migrant workers in Florida and New York. He also represented immigrant clients in civil rights litigation, including a precedent-setting case the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals called "a paradigmatic case of racial profiling."
Dan went on to receive a prestigious Echoing Green Fellowship and co-founded the non-profit Workers' Rights Law Center of New York. There, he continued to defend the labor and civil rights of exploited immigrant workers and day-laborers. Among his many ground-breaking cases, he successfully led the first-ever lawsuit for labor trafficking survivors under newly-enacted federal anti-trafficking protections. Through that case and others that followed, Dan developed important legal precedent and became a sought-after expert on civil litigation for trafficking survivors, publishing on the subject and lecturing in the United States and internationally. He also was a founding Board member of the non-profit Freedom Network USA, the preeminent human trafficking survivor advocacy organization.
In 2008, Dan joined the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) where he litigated complex workers' rights and civil rights cases, built and led diverse teams, thought creatively about how to effectively serve immigrants in the South, and designed programming to win justice for the most isolated and deserving. For example, he spearheaded a seven-year labor trafficking lawsuit against a Mississippi-based shipyard operator on behalf of hundreds of pipefitters and welders recruited from India to help repair Gulf Coast oil rigs damaged during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The workers paid up to $25,000 for positions based on false promises of green cards. After a six-week jury trial, the first group of five plaintiffs was awarded $14 million in damages. To recognize this groundbreaking win, Dan and his team were named Public Justice Foundation's 2015 Trial Lawyers of the Year. Most recently, Dan pioneered and directed SPLC's Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative, an ambitious project aimed at providing high-quality representation to immigrants detained in the Deep South.
In addition to his work for clients, Dan has extensive experience with international consulting and policy advocacy. For example, as a volunteer with the American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative, Dan advised and trained local governments and community leaders in Mongolia, China, and the Solomon Islands to develop a legal framework for combatting human trafficking and achieving justice for survivors of forced labor. He has testified about migrant labor exploitation in front of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and he traveled to the Russian Federation with representatives of the Obama Administration as part of a Bilateral Presidential Commission addressing forced labor and migration issues.
Dan also is a visiting instructor at Georgia State University, where he teaches Introduction to American Law.
Dan received his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1996. He graduated from Grinnell College with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Spanish in 1991 and was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2017. Dan is currently licensed to practice law in Georgia and New York. In his free time, Dan enjoys photography, caving, running, and cycling. He is proud to have finished multiple ultra-marathons, marathons, half-marathons, century rides, and triathlons. Dan lives in the Atlanta area with his wife, three children, and a cat.
Partner Daniel Werner (U. Buffalo Law, 1996) entered private practice after a long and storied career representing workers on behalf of major non-profit organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, where he was a Senior Supervising Attorney and Deputy Legal Director.
Edna has been in the legal field for 12 years. She is bilingual (Spanish/English) and received her Paralegal certification from the University of Georgia. She is a Notary Signing Agent (NSA), and a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Association (NFPA).
is an employment and civil rights attorney at Radford Scott LLP. Grace advocates for fairness, equity, and respect in every workplace and has represented numerous employees in discrimination and retaliation cases. She believes in a client-centered approach, which allows her to make sound, strategic decisions that achieve the goals of her clients. Grace has been recognized by her peers as one of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in two categories, Labor and Employment Law (Employee) and Litigation (Labor and Employment) for 2023 and 2024.
Before joining Radford Scott LLP, Grace represented employees who faced harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft in their workplace for three years. Prior to representing employees, Grace worked as a staff attorney at the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta.
Grace graduated, magna cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law, where she was in the top 10% of her class. She received several honors and awards during law school, including the Highest Pro Bono and Public Service Distinction, the Excellence in Professional Responsibility Award, the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Professional Responsibility, and the Best Brief Award in Lawyering Advocacy. Grace was a pupil in the Bleckley Inn of Court. As a member of the Georgia State University College of Law Moot Court Team, she competed in Emory's Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition on the 2017 quarterfinalist team and on the 2018 semifinalist team.
As an advocate, Grace organized a grassroots movement at the state and national level focused on lobbying against legislation that would harm sexual assault/gender-based violence survivors. Grace has spoken nationally on the ways in which state and local governments can support survivors of sexual assault through policy. Grace continues to advocate for good public policy in Georgia at the local and state level. Grace has testified before the Georgia Legislature on multiple occasions. Most recently, during the 2022 session, Grace testified in favor of two bills that would expand employee rights in Georgia.
Grace is a proud alumna of Agnes Scott College where she graduated magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and Art History. Grace also graduated from Marist School in Atlanta, Georgia. Grace remains active in the Marist and Agnes Scott communities. Grace currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Marist Alumni Board as a Vice President and volunteers her time at Agnes Scott.
When Grace is not practicing law, she is likely to be found in her garden, reading a book, traveling, or spending time with her family, friends, and pups.
Ila is the Office Manager at Radford Scott and does a little of everything to keep the office running smoothly.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Class Counsel
has represented hundreds of clients in federal and state court, Department of Labor unemployment hearings, private arbitrations, county and city personnel appeals, and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). James's expertise spans many aspects of employment law, including employment discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the rights of public employees, including due process and free speech rights, severance negotiations, and restrictive covenants.
James has experience representing clients who work in an array of positions across numerous sectors of the economy. This experience has taught him a great deal about the types of issues that create disputes between employees and employers across industries. He specializes in trying to resolve those disputes wherever possible, both for the well-being of the employee and the health of the employer. However, when those issues cannot be resolved, his experience in the courtroom comes to bear.
In addition to his work in employment law, James has served as Class Counsel in a number of complex class action lawsuits. He also has extensive knowledge in civil rights law, including constitutional torts and laws prohibiting discrimination in public services.
James is committed to developing a personal relationship with each individual client, understanding their specific need, and working to develop a strategy to attain the needed result.
Prior to launching his first private practice, James practiced for a number of years with Parks, Chesin and Walbert, P.C., one of Georgia's most prestigious civil rights law firms. James also served as a staff attorney for the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, where he advised the Court on a wide array of federal cases.
James received his undergraduate degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where he graduated magna cum laude. He received his law degree from the University of Georgia, where he graduated cum laude. James served on the Editorial Board for the Georgia Law Review.
James is licensed to practice in the Superior Courts of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia, and the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
James lives with his wife and children in the City of Decatur, Georgia.
is a law clerk at Radford Scott LLP and a 3L at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. Before beginning her journey into the legal profession, Jewell received her Associates from Polk State College where she played as a collegiate athlete for the Women's Soccer Team. Jewell then transferred to the University of Central Florida where she graduated with a major in Criminal Justice, minor in Legal Studies, and certificates in Crime Scene Investigations and Criminal Profiling. Jewell entered law school with the intent of becoming a criminal prosecutor but eventually found her passion for employment law through her work with Radford Scott LLP.
When Jewell is not in the office, she enjoys playing recreational soccer, listening to Taylor Swift, reading, snuggling with her two cats, and traveling with her husband.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Employment Lawyer
is a founding partner of Radford Scott LLP. He represents individuals and companies in employment disputes, and provides ongoing employment advice to small businesses.
Justin has been an employment lawyer since 2007. His practice includes active civil litigation in federal and state court as well as negotiating and drafting employment contracts, separation and severance agreements, and employment policies. Justin additionally drafts and litigates the enforceability of restrictive covenants, including non-competition, non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements.
Justin handles a wide-range of employment cases, including wage-and-hour cases involving claims of misclassification, unpaid overtime, unpaid minimum wage, off-the-clock claims, and other related allegations. He has substantial experience litigating such matters on a class, collective and individual basis, both on the plaintiff's and defense side.
Often acting as lead counsel, Justin has litigated tens of class and collective actions and hundreds of individual employment actions.
He also frequently litigates harassment, discrimination, retaliation and failure-to accommodate claims under all major federal employment statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA"), the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), the Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.
Justin M. Scott is a founding partner of Radford Scott LLP. He represents individuals and companies in employment disputes, and provides ongoing employment advice to small businesses.
is an associate attorney at Radford Scott LLP. In 2010, Tierra graduated from Spelman College where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Prior to beginning her legal career and joining the firm as a law clerk in May 2019, Tierra worked as a high school Chemistry Teacher, where she was awarded Teacher of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year.
Tierra graduated cum laude from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School in May 2022. During her time at AJMLS, Tierra served as the Law Journal's Executive Managing Editor and was admitted to the Moot Court Advocacy Board. She additionally received several honors during law school, including the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Legal Writing, Research & Analysis I & III, Criminal Law, Trial Advocacy, Professional Responsibility, Constitutional Law II, and Remedies.
Tierra's passion for employment law sparked while working as a law clerk for the firm. Since then, she has focused her practice exclusively on employment law and related matters. Tierra aims to ensure that each client she works with feels empowered, understood, and supported throughout the legal process.
In her spare time, Tierra enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family, especially her nieces and nephews. On the weekends, Tierra can also be found on the golf course, perfecting her swing, a newfound obsession that she has recently found joy in.
Tierra M. Monteiro is an associate attorney at Radford Scott LLP. In 2010, Tierra graduated from Spelman College where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Prior to beginning her legal career and joining the firm as a law clerk in May 2019, Tierra worked as a high school Chemistry Teacher, where she was awarded Teacher of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year.