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Experience
Jody Rhodes joined SGWM in 2023 as Counsel and practices primarily in civil litigation, commercial and business litigation, and product liability defense.
Ms. Rhodes has represented various individuals and businesses, including automotive, building supply, and medical device manufacturers. She has represented clients in state and federal cases, multi-jurisdictional litigation, regulatory enforcement actions, and government investigations. She takes pride in becoming a trusted partner to each client.
Ms. Rhodes started her career clerking for the Honorable Keith Starrett in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Hattiesburg Division. She also served as Program Director and Staff Attorney of the Fulton County Superior Court’s Business Court Division, specializing in efficiently resolving cases between businesses alleging more than $1 million in damages. Her state and federal courtroom experience has provided her invaluable strategic perspective.
She has also represented regional and international corporate clients while practicing law at Alston & Bird and DLA Piper in Atlanta, Georgia, in the Litigation and Trial Practice, Environmental and Land Use, and Life Sciences practice groups.
Before law school, Ms. Rhodes worked in residential and commercial property management and aviation.
Practice Areas
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Civil Litigation
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Business Litigation
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Product Liability
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Land Use
Education
- University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., 2009
- Georgia Law Review, Notes Editor
- University of Georgia, B.A., Anthropology, 2001
Professional Admissions
- State of Georgia, including State and Superior Courts, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court
- US District Court of the Northern District of Georgia
- US Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
Professional Involvement
- State Bar of Georgia
Community Involvement
- Friends of Moon Lake Library Board Member and Secretary, Mentone, AL (2023)
- Inaugural Mentone Fall Festival Co-Chair (2023), Mentone, AL
- Georgia Shares Board Member (2014- 2021) and Board Chair (2018-2021)
Awards
- 2015 Fulton County Employee (“FOCUS”) Award Winner for Innovation and Ideas for implementing electronic filing in Fulton County Superior Courts.
- 2009 William K. Meadow Award Recipient, recognizing a student who best exemplifies the integrity, sense of responsibility, and high standards of the legal profession and who has a keen sense of humor necessary to afford a proper human perspective to resolve legal problems.
News, Articles, and Presentations
- Social Media’s Impact on the Life Sciences Industry, At the Intersection of Science and Law (DLA Piper Podcast), featuring Sarah Heineman, Bayer Healthcare Senior Assistant General Counsel, Christopher Campbell, DLA Piper, and Jody Rhodes, DLA Piper (Nov. 11, 2021)
- Ensuring Intellectual Rigor: Three Reasons for Amending the Expert Admissibility Standard, American Bar Association (June 22, 2021)
- Overview of Remote Depositions, Internal DLA Piper CLE (Aug. 12, 2020)
- Trying Your Business Court Case in Georgia, National Business Institute Panelist (June 16, 2017)
- Business Law in the 21st Century, Resolving Business Disputes, 2017 Dean Robert J. D’Agostino Symposium, John Marshall Law Journal (March 28, 2017)
- Overview of Fulton County Business Court, Taylor English Duma, LLP Speaking Engagement (Oct. 21, 2015)
- Business Court Update, Ga. Bar Corporate Counsel Section Board of Directors Speaking Engagement (Sept. 16, 2014)
- Business Court Keynote, Association of Corporate Counsel Value Challenge Speaking Engagement (April 22, 2014)
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