L. Chris Stewart™
Mr. Billion Dollar Justice™, L. Chris Stewart is the CEO of Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, a serious injury and wrongful death law firm. Chris handles a variety of cases including wrongful death, civil rights, premises liability, mass torts and sexual assaults. Chris has won numerous record setting jury verdicts and made U.S history when he won the first billion dollar jury verdict for a rape victim. Chris is also recognized worldwide as one of the top civil rights lawyers of his generation. He has represented some of the most famous civil rights cases of this century including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks. He also represented Walter Scott, who was shot in the back on video by a police officer. The Walter Scott case settled for $6.5 million dollars – the highest in South Carolina history, and the officer received a twenty year prison sentence. Chris also represented Alton Sterling who was held down and killed on video by police in Baton Rouge. Other high profile cases include Gregory Towns of Georgia, which led to a record settlement and two prison sentences for the officers involved; Chase Sherman of Florida who was killed on video which led to a record settlement, and Deaundre Phillips who was shot on video by police which is still in Court.
Attorney Stewart demands not just a monetary award for his clients, but also policing reform to prevent future abuse. Attorney Stewart is one of the most decorated African-American lawyers in the country having received the Julia Humbles’ Civil Rights Award, the Wiley Branton Award for Leadership, the Outstanding Citizen Award for the State of Georgia, the Georgia Senate Outstanding PublicService Proclamation, the Pinnacle Leadership Award, the Georgia Legislative Black CaucusChairman’s Award, the Esquire Award, the R.E. Thomas Civil Rights Award, the first and onlyAfrican-American voted Attorney of the Year for the State of Georgia. Chris has been featured in international media including CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, The New YorkTimes, Fox News, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Forbes and is a contributor on various media outlets.
He travels frequently speaking at a variety of events and schools as the keynote speaker. Born and raised in southwest Atlanta, Chris is extremely active in the Atlanta community and is also a board member of the historic Southern Center for Human Rights. He is a double HBCU alumni, graduating from Xavier University (LA)with honors in English, TulaneUniversity with a Master’s of Science in Public Health, and Howard University School ofLaw. Having overcome reading issues as a youth, Chris embodies his favorite motto “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
Justin D. Miller
Justin D. Miller is a partner at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial lawyers and an advocate who is truly working on behalf of the people. Whether it be by fighting large insurance companies on behalf of his clients, or by doing his part in and around communities in the Atlanta metro area, Justin’s presence can always be felt. Justin graduated from historic Morehouse College and St. John’s University School of Law. To date, Justin has fought and received millions of dollars for his clients and has litigated and won several jury trials on behalf of injured people throughout the state of Georgia.
In 2019, Mr. Miller led the trial team that won a $10 million dollar verdict against an apartment complex for negligent security. Justin is a longtime member of the Gate City Bar Association, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Miller focuses his law practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and civil rights.
Madeleine Simmons
Madeleine Simmons is an equity partner with Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys and a City Councilwoman in the City of Brookhaven. She is dedicated to representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others and holding wrongdoers accountable for their actions. She believes the most important thing a lawyer can do is fight injustice. Mrs. Simmons has tried over 30 personal injury jury trials as lead counsel in 11 different counties within the State of Georgia. She focuses her trial practice on motor vehicle, trucking, premises liability, sexual assault and civil rights cases. She has recovered over $50 million in combined settlements and verdicts for her clients and their families. In 2020, she was selected to the Georgia Rising Stars list, an honor reserved for only 2.5% of attorneys in Georgia.
Mrs. Simmons assists in the management, training, and mentorship of lawyers within her office and early in her career, at Georgia State University College of law, by coaching mock trial for the law school. Currently, she is an executive officer for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and board member of Georgia’s Civil Justice Political Action Committee. Through her involvement with the trial bar and the State Bar, she often speaks at and is featured in Statewide broadcasts, educational seminars and conferences on topics ranging from leadership and management to trial strategy and complex motions and evidentiary practice. Mrs. Simmons is from Southern California and graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. While in college, she was a news anchor for the University of Oklahoma’s daily newscast and an intern for the Oklahoma State Senate. Mrs. Simmons received her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law with High Pro Bono distinction, where she was Vice President of the Student Trial Lawyers Association and Pro Bono Editor for GSU Law’s student newspaper.
Equally important as Mrs. Simmons’ dedication to trial work is her passion for giving back to the community. After serving as a Brookhaven Planning Commissioner, she was elected to City Council by the residents of Brookhaven in 2019, with one of her first actions on council championing and co-sponsoring the passage of Brookhaven’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance. She is currently sponsoring Brookhaven’s initiative to promote and empower minority owned businesses and hosts monthly town halls for community involvement and engagement. Mrs. Simmons truly believes that helping others is her professional and spiritual calling, and she is proud to call herself a trial lawyer on the side of justice.
Memberships and Distinctions:
-Licensed in Georgia and Florida
-2020 Super Lawyers Rising Star
-Former Editorial Chair of Verdict magazine
-Featured in Attorneys at Law Magazine’s Attorneys to Watch
-Featured in Verdict Reporter’s Annual Report
-Georgia Trial Lawyers Executive Officer: Secretary
-Former New Lawyers Division Education Chair
-Former New Lawyers Division Community Outreach Chair
-Alumnae of Georgia Trial Lawyers highly competitive LEAD leadership program
-Georgia’s Civil Justice Political Action Committee Executive Board Member
-Former Equity Partner and Managing Partner at Morgan & Morgan
-Clerked at the US Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor
Daedrea D. Fenwick
Daedrea D. Fenwick is an experienced civil litigator, who has focused her practice on general liability and premises liability cases. Daedrea has handled cases throughout the State of Georgia, in both state and federal court. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced civil defense litigation at mid-sized firms. As such, Daedrea utilizes the specialized knowledge she gained while working as a defense attorney to help her clients win.
Daedrea obtained her J.D. from Texas Southern University, with summa cum laude honors. As a law student, she was an award winning Mock Trial competitor, a member of the Thurgood Marshall Law Review, and served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Vanessa Gilmore at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Daedrea obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in International Business from Clark Atlanta University. She has also studied International Law and Policy as part of a study abroad program at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China.
Daedrea is committed to professional excellence. In 2018, she was chosen as one of the 2018 American Bar Association On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers. The Annual On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers provides national recognition for ABA young lawyer members who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and legal and community service. Daedrea is also an active member of a number of legal organizations, including Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) for the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia – YLD Litigation Section, Gate City Bar Association, and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Daedrea is also active in a number of service organizations, including the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Junior League of Atlanta.
Dianna Lee
Dianna is a Georgia native and graduated from Emory University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and thereafter obtained her law degree from Mercer University School of Law in 2014, graduating magna cum laude and second in her class. While in law school, Dianna was a member of the Mercer Law Review where she was a published student-author; the Habeas Project which provided her with the opportunity to represent a Georgia death row inmate in federal habeas proceedings and thereafter assist in unsuccessful efforts to stop his execution; and received the National Association of Women Lawyers’ Outstanding Law Student Award and the Faculty Legal Writing Award in recognition of her achievements in law school. Dianna also attended a study abroad program in Rhodes, Greece where she gained unique knowledge regarding personal injury under Federal Maritime Law.
Dianna currently focuses her practice on representing victims of police brutality/shootings, deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, false arrest and malicious prosecution, and other civil rights violations in both state and federal courts around the country. Dianna also represents victims who suffered catastrophic injury or death in automobile and trucking accidents, sexual assault, premises liability, and negligent security.
Before joining Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, Dianna gained valuable experience defending governmental entities, police officers, and other public officials in state and federal cases alleging violations of civil rights. This experience provides Dianna with specialized skill and knowledge to resolve complex legal issues relating to constitutional violations, as well as sovereign immunity, official immunity, and qualified immunity, which she now uses to obtain justice for victims of the civil rights violations she used to defend. Dianna also has significant experience defending hospitals, banks, insurance companies, and other corporations in cases involving a number of different areas of law, including cases alleging unlawful employment discrimination, premises liability, breach of contract, fraud, uninsured motorist coverage, and bad faith.
In her free time, Dianna enjoys live music, really good food and wine, hot yoga, reading to further personal and spiritual growth, hiking to chase waterfalls, and hitting the driving range to work on her blossoming golf swing.
Joshua E. Palmer
Joshua E. Palmer was born in Macon, GA and raised in Warner Robins, GA. After graduating from Warner Robins High School, Josh went on to receive his B.A. in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State University and his law degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Over the years, Josh has had the privilege of working on multimillion-dollar cases for some of the top law firms in the country, most notably the Willie Gary Firm. Additionally, Josh had the opportunity to represent several celebrity clients in Atlanta while practicing entertainment law with the Weems Firm. Attorney Palmer has also worked for one of the largest personal injury firms in Georgia, providing service to Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Augusta, Albany, Valdosta, and Athens.
In high school, Josh Palmer was active in many organizations and sports. Most notably, Josh Palmer played middle linebacker for the 2005 Warner Robins State Championship football team. While attending NCCU Law School, Josh was active in its mock trial program. In fact, Josh’s team was a regional finalist in the AAJ Trial Competition, beating all surrounding law schools. Josh was also an active member of the Black Lawyer Association. Today, Josh enjoys mentoring students and teaching them the tools for success. He often serves as a guest speaker for civic and church groups. Currently, Josh is a member of Fellowship Bible Baptist Church, NAACP, and Georgia Bar.
Michael T. Roth
Michael is a trial attorney here at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, LLC where he represents victims of tractor-trailer accidents, auto accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, civil rights, and shootings or sexual assaults. Prior to joining the firm, Michael clerked for a judge in the Superior Court of Fulton County and worked at a plaintiff’s firm representing individuals injured in auto accidents and premises liability cases. Michael has helped obtain over $3 million in total recovery since joining the bar in 2016.
Michael was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 2012. Following undergraduate, Michael earned his J.D. from the Georgia State College of Law in 2016. While in law school, Michael held clerkships at two criminal defense firms, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, and a well-respected plaintiffs firm helping represent victims of tractor-trailer accidents, auto accidents, and premises liability arising out of catastrophic accidents.
Michael has been acknowledged in legal publications including: Trial Practice Manual (2016); Trial Handbook for Georgia Lawyers, 2015-2016 Edition (2015); Carlson on Evidence: Comparing Georgia Rules and Federal Rules, 4th Edition (2015); and the Georgia chapter of a state law compendium for a national truck accident lawyer organization.
Michael takes pride in making sure that his clients receive fair value for their cases and is not afraid to take a case to a jury trial when they do not. When he’s not practicing law, Michael enjoys playing sports, traveling, watching movies, and supporting his Atlanta Braves and Indiana Hoosiers.
L. Chris Stewart™
Mr. Billion Dollar Justice™, L. Chris Stewart is the CEO of Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, a serious injury and wrongful death law firm.Chris handles a variety of cases including wrongful death, civil rights, premises liability, mass torts and sexual assaults. Chris has won numerous record setting jury verdicts and made U.S history when he won the first billion dollar jury verdict for a rape victim. Chris is also recognized worldwide as one of the top civil rights lawyers of his generation. He has represented some of the most famous civil rights cases of this century that were captured on video including Walter Scott, who was shot in the back on video by a police officer. The case settled for $6.5 million dollars the highest in South Carolina history, and the officer received a twenty year prison sentence. Chris also represented Alton Sterling who was held down and killed on video by police in Baton Rouge. Other high profile cases include Gregory Towns of Georgia, which led to a record settlement and two prison sentences for the officers involved; Chase Sherman of Florida who was killed on video which led to a record settlement, and Deaundre Phillips who was shot on video by police which is still in Court.
Attorney Stewart demands not just a monetary award for his clients, but also policing reform to prevent future abuse. Attorney Stewart is one of the most decorated African-American lawyers in the country having received the Julia Humbles’ Civil Rights Award, the Wiley Branton Award for Leadership, the Outstanding Citizen Award for the State of Georgia, the Georgia Senate Outstanding PublicService Proclamation, the Pinnacle Leadership Award, the Georgia Legislative Black CaucusChairman’s Award, the Esquire Award, the R.E. Thomas Civil Rights Award, the first and onlyAfrican-American voted Attorney of the Year for the State of Georgia. Chris has been featured in international media including CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, The New YorkTimes, Fox News, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Forbes and is a contributor on various media outlets.
He travels frequently speaking at a variety of events and schools as the keynote speaker. Born and raised in southwest Atlanta, Chris is extremely active in the Atlanta community and is also a board member of the historic Southern Center for Human Rights. He is a double HBCU alumni, graduating from Xavier University (LA)with honors in English, TulaneUniversity with a Master’s of Science in Public Health, and Howard University School ofLaw. Having overcome reading issues as a youth, Chris embodies.
Madeleine Simmons
Madeleine Simmons is an equity partner with Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys and a City Councilwoman in the City of Brookhaven. She is dedicated to representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others and holding wrongdoers accountable for their actions. She believes the most important thing a lawyer can do is fight injustice. Mrs. Simmons has tried over 30 personal injury jury trials in 11 different counties within the State of Georgia. She focuses her trial practice on motor vehicle, trucking, premises liability, sexual assault and civil rights cases. She has recovered over $50 million in combined settlements and verdicts for her clients and their families. In 2020, she was selected to the Georgia Rising Stars list, an honor reserved for only 2.5% of attorneys in Georgia.
Mrs. Simmons assists in the management, training, and mentorship of lawyers within her office and early in her career, at Georgia State University College of law, by coaching mock trial for the law school. Currently, she is an executive officer for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and board member of Georgia’s Civil Justice Political Action Committee. Through her involvement with the trial bar and the State Bar, she often speaks at and is featured in Statewide broadcasts, educational seminars and conferences on topics ranging from leadership and management to trial strategy and complex motions and evidentiary practice. Mrs. Simmons is from Southern California and graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. While in college, she was a news anchor for the University of Oklahoma’s daily newscast and an intern for the Oklahoma State Senate. Mrs. Simmons received her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law with High Pro Bono distinction, where she was Vice President of the Student Trial Lawyers Association and Pro Bono Editor for GSU Law’s student newspaper.
Equally important as Mrs. Simmons’ dedication to trial work is her passion for giving back to the community. After serving as a Brookhaven Planning Commissioner, she was elected to City Council by the residents of Brookhaven in 2019, with one of her first actions on council championing and co-sponsoring the passage of Brookhaven’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance. She is currently sponsoring Brookhaven’s initiative to promote and empower minority owned businesses and hosts monthly town halls for community involvement and engagement. Mrs. Simmons truly believes that helping others is her professional and spiritual calling, and she is proud to call herself a trial lawyer on the side of justice.
Memberships and Distinctions:
-Licensed in Georgia and Florida
-2020 Super Lawyers Rising Star
-Former Editorial Chair of Verdict magazine
-Featured in Attorneys at Law Magazine’s Attorneys to Watch
-Featured in Verdict Reporter’s Annual Report
-Georgia Trial Lawyers Executive Officer: Secretary
-Former New Lawyers Division Education Chair
-Former New Lawyers Division Community Outreach Chair
-Alumnae of Georgia Trial Lawyers highly competitive LEAD leadership program
-Georgia’s Civil Justice Political Action Committee Executive Board Member
-Former Equity Partner and Managing Partner at Morgan & Morgan
-Clerked at the US Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor
Justin D. Miller
Justin D. Miller is a partner at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial lawyers and an advocate who is truly working on behalf of the people. Whether it be by fighting large insurance companies on behalf of his clients, or by doing his part in and around communities in the Atlanta metro area, Justin’s presence can always be felt. Justin graduated from historic Morehouse College and St. John’s University School of Law. To date, Justin has fought and received millions of dollars for his clients and has litigated and won several jury trials on behalf of injured people throughout the state of Georgia.
In 2019, Mr. Miller led the trial team that won a $10 million dollar verdict against an apartment complex for negligent security. Justin is a longtime member of the Gate City Bar Association, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Miller focuses his law practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and civil rights.
Daedrea D. Fenwick
Daedrea D. Fenwick is an experienced civil litigator, who has focused her practice on general liability and premises liability cases. Daedrea has handled cases throughout the State of Georgia, in both state and federal court. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced civil defense litigation at mid-sized firms. As such, Daedrea utilizes the specialized knowledge she gained while working as a defense attorney to help her clients win.
Daedrea obtained her J.D. from Texas Southern University, with summa cum laude honors. As a law student, she was an award winning Mock Trial competitor, a member of the Thurgood Marshall Law Review, and served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Vanessa Gilmore at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Daedrea obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in International Business from Clark Atlanta University. She has also studied International Law and Policy as part of a study abroad program at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China.
Daedrea is committed to professional excellence. In 2018, she was chosen as one of the 2018 American Bar Association On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers. The Annual On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers provides national recognition for ABA young lawyer members who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and legal and community service. Daedrea is also an active member of a number of legal organizations, including Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) for the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia – YLD Litigation Section, Gate City Bar Association, and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Daedrea is also active in a number of service organizations, including the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Junior League of Atlanta.
Dianna Lee
Dianna is a Georgia native and graduated from Emory University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and thereafter obtained her law degree from Mercer University School of Law in 2014, graduating magna cum laude and second in her class. While in law school, Dianna was a member of the Mercer Law Review where she was a published student-author; the Habeas Project which provided her with the opportunity to represent a Georgia death row inmate in federal habeas proceedings and thereafter assist in unsuccessful efforts to stop his execution; and received the National Association of Women Lawyers’ Outstanding Law Student Award and the Faculty Legal Writing Award in recognition of her achievements in law school. Dianna also attended a study abroad program in Rhodes, Greece where she gained unique knowledge regarding personal injury under Federal Maritime Law.
Dianna currently focuses her practice on representing victims of police brutality/shootings, deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, false arrest and malicious prosecution, and other civil rights violations in both state and federal courts around the country. Dianna also represents victims who suffered catastrophic injury or death in automobile and trucking accidents, sexual assault, premises liability, and negligent security.
Before joining Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, Dianna gained valuable experience defending governmental entities, police officers, and other public officials in state and federal cases alleging violations of civil rights. This experience provides Dianna with specialized skill and knowledge to resolve complex legal issues relating to constitutional violations, as well as sovereign immunity, official immunity, and qualified immunity, which she now uses to obtain justice for victims of the civil rights violations she used to defend. Dianna also has significant experience defending hospitals, banks, insurance companies, and other corporations in cases involving a number of different areas of law, including cases alleging unlawful employment discrimination, premises liability, breach of contract, fraud, uninsured motorist coverage, and bad faith.
In her free time, Dianna enjoys live music, really good food and wine, hot yoga, reading to further personal and spiritual growth, hiking to chase waterfalls, and hitting the driving range to work on her blossoming golf swing.
Joshua E. Palmer
Joshua E. Palmer was born in Macon, GA and raised in Warner Robins, GA. After graduating from Warner Robins High School, Josh went on to receive his B.A. in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State University and his law degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Over the years, Josh has had the privilege of working on multimillion-dollar cases for some of the top law firms in the country, most notably the Willie Gary Firm. Additionally, Josh had the opportunity to represent several celebrity clients in Atlanta while practicing entertainment law with the Weems Firm. Attorney Palmer has also worked for one of the largest personal injury firms in Georgia, providing service to Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Augusta, Albany, Valdosta, and Athens.
In high school, Josh Palmer was active in many organizations and sports. Most notably, Josh Palmer played middle linebacker for the 2005 Warner Robins State Championship football team. While attending NCCU Law School, Josh was active in its mock trial program. In fact, Josh’s team was a regional finalist in the AAJ Trial Competition, beating all surrounding law schools. Josh was also an active member of the Black Lawyer Association. Today, Josh enjoys mentoring students and teaching them the tools for success. He often serves as a guest speaker for civic and church groups. Currently, Josh is a member of Fellowship Bible Baptist Church, NAACP, and Georgia Bar.
Michael T. Roth
Michael is a trial attorney here at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, LLC where he represents victims of tractor-trailer accidents, auto accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, civil rights, and shootings or sexual assaults. Prior to joining the firm, Michael clerked for a judge in the Superior Court of Fulton County and worked at a plaintiff’s firm representing individuals injured in auto accidents and premises liability cases. Michael has helped obtain over $3 million in total recovery since joining the bar in 2016.
Michael was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 2012. Following undergraduate, Michael earned his J.D. from the Georgia State College of Law in 2016. While in law school, Michael held clerkships at two criminal defense firms, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, and a well-respected plaintiffs firm helping represent victims of tractor-trailer accidents, auto accidents, and premises liability arising out of catastrophic accidents.
Michael has been acknowledged in legal publications including: Trial Practice Manual (2016); Trial Handbook for Georgia Lawyers, 2015-2016 Edition (2015); Carlson on Evidence: Comparing Georgia Rules and Federal Rules, 4th Edition (2015); and the Georgia chapter of a state law compendium for a national truck accident lawyer organization.
Michael takes pride in making sure that his clients receive fair value for their cases and is not afraid to take a case to a jury trial when they do not. When he’s not practicing law, Michael enjoys playing sports, traveling, watching movies, and supporting his Atlanta Braves and Indiana Hoosiers.