Jessica C. Samford

Partner

Atlanta, GA | Savannah, GA
D 770.303.8640
jsamford@fmglaw.com

Education

  • J.D., University of Georgia School of Law, magna cum laude
  • B.B.A., B.A., University of Georgia, summa cum laude

Interdisciplinary Teams

Lawyers Professional Liability

Overview

Jessica Samford is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability National Practice Section, its Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions National Practice Section, and its Appellate Advocacy National Practice Section. Ms. Samford has significant experience representing insurance companies in various liability and bad faith claims in and out of Georgia courtrooms as well as insurance professionals. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Southeast Coverage Practice Team, and a large part of her practice involves insurance coverage analysis and litigation, including declaratory judgment actions and defending against bad faith allegations. She also defends insurance and legal professionals and is a member of FMG’s Lawyers Professional Liability Team. Ms. Samford has some in-house experience as a cyber and media claim manager for an international specialty insurance company in addition to the above.

Read More

Bar Admissions

Georgia

Georgia Court of Appeals

Supreme Court of Georgia

U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia

Publications & Engagements
Representative Cases & Clients
  • Nationwide Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Renaissance Bliss, LLC, 396 F. Supp. 3d 1287 (N.D. Ga. 2019), aff’d 823 Fed. Appx. 815 (11th Cir. 2020)
  • Am. Reliable Ins. Co. v. Lancaster, 356 Ga. App. 854, 849 S.E.2d 697 (2020)
  • Gemini Ins. Co. v. Stafford Transp., Inc., Civil Action No. 3:15-cv-130-TCB (N.D. Ga. 2016), aff’d Gemini Ins. Co. v. Castro, 723 Fed. Appx. 797 (11th Cir. 2018)
  • Popham v. Landmark Am. Ins. Co., 340 Ga. App. 603, 798 S.E.2d 257 (2017)
Affiliations
  • Cobb Chamber of Commerce
    • Leadership Cobb Class of 2018
    • Leadership Cobb Alumni Association
    • Cobb Young Professionals
  • State Bar of Georgia
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Extracontractual Committee member
  • Federal Bar Association (FBA), Atlanta Chapter Executive Committee member
Awards and Recognition
Classes/Seminars Taught
  • “Construction Defects Coverage in Georgia, Parts I and II,” co-presenter (August 2022)
  • “Lawyering & Social Media,” FMG Webinar (September 2018)
  • “Bad Faith Failure to Settle in Georgia and California,” FMG Webinar (October 2017)
  • “Insurance Coverage Fundamentals:  Reservations of Rights and Declaratory Judgment Actions,” co-presenter, (May 2016)
  • “Georgia Insurance Coverage Core Workout,” co-presenter, FMG Seminar/Webinar (2015)