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Court reverses $2.7 million award against lawyer

By Bill Rankin
June 19, 2012

The Georgia Supreme Court has reversed a $2.7 million legal malpractice award in favor of Mary Johnson, a pediatric neurosurgeon, against her former lawyer, Steven Leibel of Dahlonega.

In 1996, Johnson sued her employer, Scottish Rite Hospital, for age and gender discrimination. After a federal judge threw out her case, her appeal was dismissed because Leibel filed it too late. Johnson sued Leibel and prevailed at trial, but the state Supreme Court reversed that verdict, finding the trial judge allowed inadmissible expert testimony on Johnson's behalf.

About the Author

Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.

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