Austell Lawyers

Jeffrey Daxe joined Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele in 1997 and is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Employment Departments. His prime areas of concentration are in employment law and business litigation, as well as HR Consulting.

Born in Augusta, Georgia, Jeff was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1997 after receiving his J.D. degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Jeff graduated in 1994 from the University of Virginia with a major in History. He took a Judicial Clerkship in 1996 for Chief United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, Judge David...

J. Michael Bishop is a partner in the Atlanta firm of Smiley Bishop & Porter LLP. For over 25 years, Mike has practiced extensively in the areas of securities arbitration and litigation, representing investors with securities claims of all types and sizes. Mike and his firm have obtained numerous seven-figure arbitration awards which have included punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs. Many of Mr. Bishop’s clients are elderly investors who have been victims of investment and financial fraud. Mike has successfully represented clients with claims against virtually every major Wall Street firm, including: Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, UBS/PaineWebber, Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter,...

State prosecutor for over 11 years; have tried over 100 felony cases, including 2 death penalty cases. As a defense attorney since then, I have specialized in appeals of criminal convictions, achieving a very high reversal rate. Currently actively engaged in a death penalty appeal, awaiting the docketing notice from the Georgia Supreme Court. Criminal law is all that I have done in my career, and I have a passion for the work I do. I also have a deep commitment to my clients. As I tell all of my clients and potential...

As a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Kevin possesses a very thorough knowledge of the law. Kevin's experience includes representing prominent business clients at a prestigious international law firm. In addition to his business law experience, Kevin has litigated numerous criminal misdemeanor and felony cases, including DUI, drugs, domestic violence and traffic cases. As a trial lawyer, Kevin has successfully attained "Not Guilty" jury verdicts and reductions to lesser charges in front of some of the toughest judges in Georgia. Kevin is a native of Louisville, Kentucky. While in law school, he was a member of the Moot Court Board Managing...

Kate fiercely believes that everyone has the right to a fair trial and an excellent lawyer. She brings an unmatched passion for justice and a discerning academic eye to every case she works on. Beginning her career as a public defender, Kate gained significant experience representing the poor in the State and Superior Courts of Clarke and DeKalb County, Georgia. During her time in public defense, she handled hundreds of cases and spent thousands of hours in the courtroom fighting for her clients. She has argued dozens of pre-trial motions and successfully kept the prosecution from being able to introduce illegally-collected...

Yasha Heidari is a founding member of Heidari Power Law Group LLC (H&P). He is well known both for his litigation focus and for his versatility. Yasha has given lectures and presided over seminars in many areas of the law, including ethics law, administrative and regulatory law, best business practices, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and the role of Intellectual Property in the age of digital media. Moreover, Yasha has presented numerous papers with topics ranging from modern day questions concerning technology to complex game-theory models at the London School of Economics. Yasha holds a juris doctor...

Jon Schwartz has environmental litigation experience in state and federal courts. He has represented clients on matters involving the Clean Water Act, storm water runoff, protection of wildlife and habitat, land use, historic preservation, and injuries caused by exposure to toxic substances. Jon was selected to the Georgia Super Lawyers list and Atlanta Magazine recognized him as a “rising star” in environmental litigation.

Heather Johnston is an Attorney with Meriwether & Tharp, LLC. Born and raised in Blue Ridge, Georgia, Ms. Johnston left the mountains and moved to Atlanta to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, she served on the Undergraduate Judiciary Cabinet, interned on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for a Georgia Congressman, and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Public Policy. In 2023, Ms. Johnston received her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University's College of Law with highest distinctions in the Public Service and Pro Bono program. In addition, Ms. Johnston served as president of the Family Law Society,...