Elissa Haynes is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s Atlanta office where she serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s National Appellate Advocacy practice section. Elissa’s appellate and trial practice is focused primarily on defending claims involving negligent security, premises liability, trucking, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death. She also serves as general counsel for several corporate clients in the convenience store, apartment, towing, and medical billing, coding, and fee analysis expert witness industries. Elissa has served as lead, solo, and embedded appellate counsel in jury trials throughout the state, many of which have ended in defense verdicts. Her background as a former plaintiff personal injury attorney provides her with a unique perspective and leverage to successfully resolve even the most complex cases.
As for her appellate practice, Elissa has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and Georgia Court of Appeals. She routinely consults on appellate matters and often begins her involvement at the trial court level to perfect the record and maximize chances of an advantageous result in any subsequent appeal. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association’s Amicus Curiae Committee where she is tasked with reviewing amicus requests from GDLA members, as well as authoring and submitting briefs on issues that pose particular significance to the defense bar. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel’s Appellate Law Section.
