DARREN SUMMERVILLE
Contact Darren Summerville
Phone 404.881.4143
Fax 404.881.4111
Email summerville@bmelaw.com
Darren Summerville represents both plaintiffs and defendants, in all aspects of civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution. His particular areas of emphasis include business dissolution disputes, consumer and commercial fraud, technology and trade secret disputes, complex civil cases involving medical malpractice and other personal injury claims, and electronic discovery.
At the trial level, Darren has obtained favorable results in numerous plaintiffs’ cases, including multimillion dollar settlements for several clients. Particularly, Darren has spent significant portions of his legal career assisting with complex aspects of plaintiffs’ medical malpractice and personal injury claims, including RICO, fraud, and corporate integrity matters.
While practicing at the trial court level, Darren has gained significant expertise in numerous discovery issues, resulting in invitations to lecture from the Georgia Trial Lawyers’ Association and Atlanta Bar Association. Given his background and litigation experience, Darren was also invited to testify before the Advisory Committee tasked with evaluating proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governing electronic discovery. Darren’s work on electronic discovery, and other legal issues has been quoted, or referenced, in numerous legal publications, including the William & Mary Law Review, the Rutgers Law Review, the New York University Law Journal, the Georgia State University Law Review, and The Pocket Part, a publication of the Yale Law Journal.
At the appellate level, Darren has obtained favorable results in both federal and state courts. His most recent victories include reversals, in favor of plaintiffs, in Groover v. Johnston, 277 Ga. App. 12, 625 S.E.2d 406 (2005), reconsideration denied (Dec. 15, 2005), cert. denied (May 8, 2006) (reversing trial court and holding that defendant was negligent per se under physician delegation statutes); Ward v. Bergen, 277 Ga. App. 256, 626 S.E.2d 224 (2006), cert. denied (May 18, 2006) (reversing grant of defendant’s summary judgment motion); Nevitt v. CMD Realty Investment Fund IV, L.P., 282 Ga.App. 533, 639 S.E.2d 336 (2006), reconsideration denied (Nov. 22, 2006), cert. denied (March 26, 2007) (reversing jury's defense verdict and remanding for new trial); and Doyle v. RST Construction Specialty, Inc., 286 Ga. App. 53, 648 S.E.2d 664 (2007), cert. denied (Nov. 5, 2007) (reversing jury's defense verdict and remanding for new trial).
For the past two years, Darren has been recognized as a Rising Star by other leading lawyers throughout Georgia, indicating a place among the top 2.5% of Georgia lawyers under the age of 40. In addition to serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Bar Association's Council for Younger Lawyers, Darren is a Barrister in the Lamar Inn of Court.
Prior to joining Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, Darren graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law. There, he served as the Managing Editor of the Georgia State University Law Review. Amongst other awards he received in law school, Darren won the First-Year Oral Argument Competition, received the Scribes’ Award for authoring the best student note or comment, was selected for membership in the Outer Barrister’s Guild, and was elected as a Pupil in the Bleckley Inn of Court. Darren completed his undergraduate studies at Emory University, where he was both an Alben W. Barkley Scholar and an Evelyn B. White Scholar. Debating for the Barkley Forum, Emory’s debate organization, Darren routinely won both individual and team awards at tournaments nationwide.
Publications and Speaking Engagements
The Nondelegation Doctrine After Whitman v. American Trucking Associations: Constitutional Precedent Breathes a Sigh of Relief, 18 Ga. St. Univ. L. Rev. 627 (Winter 2001)
Review of Selected 2001 Georgia Legislation," 18 Ga. St. Univ. L. Rev. 305 (Fall 2001) (legislative history surrounding adoption of new Georgia state flag).
The Rule 30(B)(6) Deposition: A “Major Offensive Weapon” In A Plaintiff’s Arsenal, Georgia Trial Lawyer’s Association Continuing Legal Education Curriculum, August 18, 2005.
Taking Your First Deposition: What You Didn’t Learn In Law School; Michael B. Terry & Darren Summerville, Atlanta Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Curriculum, April 25, 2005.
The Rule 30(B)(6) Deposition: The Most Useful Discovery Tool You’ve Never Heard Of; Atlanta Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Curriculum, April 25, 2005.
Position:
Associate
Education & Background:
Emory University (B.A., 1991); Georgia State University College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 2002); Omicron Delta Kappa; Outer Barrister's Guild, Member: 2000-01, and Managing Editor: 2001-02, Georgia State University Law Review; Pupil, Bleckley Inn of Court, 2001-02; Winner: First-Year Oral Argument Competition, 2000; Scribes Award, Best Student Note or Comment, 2001; Outstanding "Peach Sheet" (Georgia legislative history review), 2002; Author: Comment, "The Nondelegation Doctrine After Whitman v. American Trucking Associations: Constitutional Precedent Breathes a Sigh of Relief," 18 Ga. St. Univ. L. Rev. 627 (Winter 2001); "Review of Selected 2001 Georgia Legislation," 18 Ga. St. Univ. L. Rev. 305 (Fall 2001)(legislative history surrounding adoption of new Georgia state flag).
Admitted:
Georgia, 2002
