our team

James Thagard, a partner with the firm, was born in Quitman, Georgia on October 12, 1954and has lived most of his life in the Quitman/Valdosta area.He attended Valdosta State College (B.A. 1976) and Cumberland School of Law (J.D. 1980). He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1980.James is an member of the Valdosta (President, 1995) and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Defense Research Institute; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association; and Association of Defense Trial Attorneys.

After graduating from law school in 1980 James served as a prosecutor from 1980 to 1985 in the Southern Judicial Circuit which is comprised of five counties surrounding Valdosta.In 1985 he began a civil practice in Valdosta and has practiced exclusively in the civil arena for over 38years.James has tried over 100 jury trials in the state and federal courts of Georgia. He is a member of the Georgia Supreme Court, Georgia Court Appeals, United States District Court, Middle Division, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.Since going into civil practice he has primarily defended claims involving insurance coverage, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, premises liability, and governmental liability. James is also involved in the defense of hospitals, doctors, and other professionals. James enjoys an AV, preeminent peer review rating with Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Jay Smith, originally from Tennille, Georgia is a partner with the firm. His practice focuses on extra-contractual liability for insurers and catastrophic injury litigation. He is married with one child and enjoys joggingand cheering the Georgia Bulldogs.

Jay is also a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association.

Leslie Kennerly, a firm partner, is from Gainesville, Georgia and St. Simons Island, Georgia. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2002.She then attended the University of South Carolina School of Law and graduated in 2005.Ms. Kennerly was a member of the South Carolina Law Review.She is currently a member of the Georgia Bar Association and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Bar Association. Her practice focuses on civil litigation including personal injury and premises liability.She is admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Georgia, as well as the Middle District of Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justin Purvis, a firm partner, is originally from Nashville, Georgia.In 2009, he graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Political Science and earned his law degree from Mercer Law School in 2012. Justin focuses his practice on the areas of professional negligence, insurance defense, commercial and business litigation. Since being admitted to the bar, Justin has successfully defended businesses and individuals in jury trials throughout South Georgia. He is a Past President of the Valdosta Bar Association, is a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, and currently serves on the State Bar of Georgia’s Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants.He is admitted to practice in all Georgia State courts as well as the Middle and Southern United States District Courts of Georgia.

Justin is a graduate of Leadership Lowndes Class of 2016, and Leadership Georgia Class of 2022. He currently serves on the Leadership Lowndes Board of Trustees. He and his wife have two children and they are members of Perimeter Road Baptist Church.

Christina Balanis, a partner with the firm, is from Valdosta, Georgia. Mrs. Balanis graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Assistant Studies in 2013. She earned her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2015. While at Florida Coastal, Christina served as the Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Public Interest Research Bureau and was an active member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. She is currently a member of the State Bar of Georgia; Valdosta bar Association; and Georgia Defense Lawyers Association.

Byron D. Watson, apartner with the firm, is originally from Lakeland, Georgia. He is a graduate of Valdosta State University (B.A. 2002) and Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D. 2007). Byron is licensed to practice in Georgia (2007) and Florida (2008).He is admitted to practice in the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Middle District of Georgia,and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Byron is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the Florida Bar and the Valdosta-Lowndes CountyBar Association.Byron and his wife, Marnie, live in Valdosta with their two sons and are members of the Valdosta First United Methodist Church.

J.D. Dean is a partner with the firm. He is a South Georgia native from Ocilla, Georgia. He attended Valdosta State University and graduated in with a bachelor’s degree in History. While at VSU, J.D. was inducted into Phi Alpha Theta and Order of Omega honor societies. He also served as Number 1 and Province Undergraduate Chairman for the Delta Rho chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. J.D. received his Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia. While at John Marshall Law School, J.D. workedat Alston & Bird LLP. J.D. was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2007. He is admitted to practice in the Middle District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia, Eleventh Circuit of Appeals, and All State and Superior Courts of Georgia.

J.D. serves as an active member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Valdosta State University Alumni Board of Directors, Leadership Lowndes, and First Baptist Church in Valdosta, GA. J.D. and his wife Kerri have two boys. In his spare time, he enjoys coaching his sons’ various sports teams and serving as an attorney coach for the Valwood School Mock Trial team.

Lance Stephens, a partner with the firm, is from Valdosta, Georgia. He graduated from Valdosta State University, cum laude, in 2014 with a B.A. in Political Science. He then attended Georgia State University College of Law and graduated in 2018. Lance was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2019. His practice areas include civil litigation. Lance has one dog named Indiana Jones, who is also his best friend. Lance is a member of Perimeter Road Baptist Church.

Scott Greene, a partner at the firm, is a native of Valdosta, Georgia. He graduated from Valdosta State University in 2015 earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He then attended Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law at Barry University in Orlando, Florida where he received his Juris Doctor in 2020. Scott was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2021. His practice areas include civil litigation and insurance defense.