WWHGD Welcomes Eight New Associates

WWHGD is pleased to announce the addition of eight new associates to our firm – each who joined us in 2023. We welcome Laura Bown, Hilliard Burton, Trisha Delos Santos, Seth Golden, Jose Herrera-Paez, Shivam Kumar, Erika Martinez, and Forrest Schrum.

Learn more about our newest associates below:

Laura Bown (University of Nevada; University of Nevada William S. Boyd School of Law). Laura joins us in our Las Vegas office, where her practice is comprised of complex civil litigation including transportation, catastrophic injuries, and construction defect matters. Additionally, Laura is a certified mediator and has experience with transactional areas of law.

Hilliard Burton (University of North Carolina; University of Georgia School of Law). Prior to joining us in our Atlanta office, Hilliard had been defending complex civil litigation cases since 2019. His practice includes the defense of hospitals, physicians, nurses, and long-term care facilities. He also defends individuals and businesses in premises liability, negligent security, and transportation cases with the potential for high damage exposure.

Joining the firm in our Las Vegas office, Trisha Delos Santos (University of Nevada; University of Nevada William S. Boyd School of Law) has a diverse practice including commercial, construction, and consumer litigation matters in both state and federal courts.

Seth Golden (La Grange College; Mercer University School of Law). Seth joins us in our Atlanta office, where his practice focuses on civil litigation including, but not limited to, trucking accidents, premises liability, negligent security, and product liability.

Jose Herrera-Paez (Universidad Catolica Andres Bello: Caracas, Venezuela; IE Law School (Instituto de Empresa) Madrid, Spain; University of Miami School of Law). Joining the firm in our Miami office, Jose’s experience with corporate matters involving private equity, including private placement memoranda, limited partnerships, mergers and acquisitions; and venture capital, including assistance in equity rounds, drafting investment documents, stock purchase agreements, financing documents, Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFE), and stock option plans. He advises clients on risk management and corporate structuring. He also counsels clients in complex commercial litigation, real estate and construction litigation, and general corporate matters such as incorporations, LLC formations, and drafting organizational/incorporation documents.

Joining the firm in our Atlanta office, Shivam Kumar (Emory University, Vanderbilt Law School) focuses his practice on complex civil litigation in premises liability and negligent security and product liability claims. Shivam advises his clients according to the scenarios and facts at hand. He leverages his extensive litigation experience – including taking numerous depositions, preparing case-specific discovery, and drafting dispositive motions – to navigate each case toward the best resolution for the firm’s clients.

Erika Martinez (University of West Florida, Western Michigan University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Emory University School of Law). Erika joins us in the Atlanta office, primarily focusing on real estate transactions, contracts, and bankruptcy matters. Prior to joining WWHGD, Erika represented lenders and title companies in various real estate transactions including purchase and sales agreements, reverse mortgages, refinances, and other transactional matters.

Forrest Schrum (University of Georgia, Mercer University School of Law). Forrest joins the Atlanta office, where his practice focuses on complex civil litigation including trucking accidents, premises liability, negligent security, false imprisonment, contract disputes, and products liability. Additionally, Forrest is developing a specialized practice regarding the right to publicity.