Ann Baird Bishop
Ann Baird Bishop graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University in
1973 and from Mercer University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1976. At
Mercer, Ann was a member of the Editorial Board of the Mercer Law Review, the
Secretary of the Student Bar Association, a member of Phi Delta Phi and the Phi
Delta Phi graduate of the year in 1976 and well as being on the Dean's List and
receiving the American Jurisprudence/Highest Grade Awards in Labor Standards
and Administrative Law.
Since 1981, Ann has practiced almost exclusively in the area of workers'
compensation representing employers and insurers. Ann began practicing in
the area of workers' compensation at Swift, Currie, McGhee and Hiers before
leaving with 21 other lawyers to form Drew, Eckl and Farnham where Ann was
selected as the first female partner. Ann is the founding member of A. B. Bishop
& Associates where she continues to work representing self-insured employers
and insurance companies in the area of workers' compensation.
Ann served on the Executive Committee of the Workers' Compensation Section
of the State Bar of Georgia, was Section Chairman for 2007-2008, has served on
the Rules and Mediation Committee of the Chairman's Advisory Council of the
State Board of Workers' Compensation for more than 15 years and was editor
for the biannual newsletter published by the Workers' Compensation Section of
the Bar for three years. Ann has spoken myriad times on a wide variety of topics
relevant to the defense of workers' compensation claims.
Ann is an active member of Northside United Methodist Church where she
has taught Sunday school for many years. She has served as a volunteer for
the Muscular Dystrophy Association and as a volunteer at Egleston Children's
Hospital as well as numerous activities associated with the activities of her
children before they graduated from high school. Ann is on the Board of
Directors of Kids' Chance of Georgia, Inc., an organization in which she has been
active as a volunteer for many years and for which currently serves as President
of the Board of Directors. Ann was appointed to the Board of Directors of Kids'
Chance of America in 2010 and to serve as a member of the Board of Visitors for
Walter F. George School of Law of Mercer University in 2010.
p. (770)874-4670
e. abishop@abishoplaw.com
f. (770)874-4675
Ellen Gershon Banov
Ellen Gershon Banov, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, has represented employers, insurers and self-insurers in workers' compensation cases since graduating from Boston College Law School, cum laude, in 1983. Practicing workers' compensation defense in both Massachusetts (1983-1996) and Georgia (1997-date), has given Ms. Banov broad experience in all aspects of client representation. Over the years, Ms. Banov's professional activities have included presentations to employers, risk managers, adjusters and attorneys on a variety of workers' compensation related topics.
Ms. Banov received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders at Northwestern University and her Master of Science degree in Speech/Language Pathology at the University of Michigan. Her work as a Speech/Language Pathologist with neurologically impaired adults at a rehabilitation hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1976-1979 provided her with the strong medical and disability background that has been invaluable throughout her career.
Ms. Banov is very active as a volunteer with Congregation Or Hadash. She is the program coordinator for Greater Atlanta Hadassah's Check it Out! breast health and cancer awareness program, and serves on the Board of Directors for Greater Atlanta Hadassah.
p. (770)874-4670, ext. 30
e. ebanov@abishoplaw.com
f. (770)874-4675
Neil C. Thom
Neil C. Thom received his Bachelor of Arts in political theory and French in 1988 from the University of Georgia as a Foundation Fellow. He served as Chief Justice of the Student Judiciary and student advisor to the University System Board of Regents and was tapped for membership into Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society and Pi Delta Phi national French honor society. His studies included a term at l’Universite de Caen, Normandie, France. He earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Georgia in 1991, where he received the American Jurisprudence/Highest Grade Award in Legal Profession and Ethics. Neil was a member of Phi Delta Phi and was elected to represent the law school in the University’s Student Government Association.
Neil began his legal career in 1991 representing plaintiffs and claimants in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases in Columbus, Georgia. His first courtroom appearance was before the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals arguing federal hearsay evidence issues, leading to a successful brief before the U.S. Supreme Court and the eventual publication of “When the Government Has Investigated Your Case: Federal Rule of Evidence 803(8)(C)” in The Verdict, 1994. He joined his then-employer, Samuel W. Oates, Jr., as special master in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia, to resolve discovery disputes in a high-profile product liability case. In 1995, Neil began representing workers’ compensation and Social Security claimants exclusively.
Over the next nine years, he was responsible for managing a large volume of claim files and enjoyed a very high success rate in litigated claims. In 2004, he moved to Atlanta, since when Ann Baird Bishop has given him the opportunity to offer his experience with claimants to employers and insurers. This extensive experience gives Neil valuable insight into the methods and motivations of claimants and their lawyers.
A native of LaGrange, Georgia, Neil has been a volunteer with Recording for the Blind, the American Heart Association, Georgia Public Broadcasting, the American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity.
p. (770)874-4670, ext. 28
e. nthom@abishoplaw.com
f. (770)874-4675
Judith Ashe Blackwell
Judith Ashe Blackwell graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1981 from the University of
Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Cum Laude in 1984 with
a Juris Doctor. While in law school at the University of Georgia, she served as the
Secretary and the Vice-President of the Student Bar Association.
Judy has emphasized workers' compensation in her practice since 1984. She began
her career in Albany, Georgia with the firm of Hodges, Erwin, and Gray. She moved
Atlanta in 1986, and practiced workers' compensation defense with the law firm of
Shivers and Associates, before being appointed an Administrative Law Judge with the
State Board of Workers' Compensation in 1995, a position that she held for six years.
Her experience as an Administrative Law Judge, gives Judy a unique insight into
the thought processes of Administrative Law Judges and how they might rule on a
particular case. Judy left the State Board in 2000 to join Hollowell, Foster, and Gepp,
where she was a partner and headed the workers' compensation practice group. She
also served as an Assistant General Counsel at Atlanta Public Schools where she
continued to emphasize workers' compensation defense for the school system as well
as practicing general school law. Judy joined A. B. Bishop and Associates in January
2007.
Judy is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Atlanta Bar Association, and the
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. Over the years, she has given numerous
presentations to attorneys, employers, and adjusters on a variety of workers'
compensation topics. She has been an active volunteer at American Heritage
Academy where she served on the media and auction committees, and has assisted
with Jump Rope for the Heart for the American Heart Association.
p. (770) 874-4670, ext.26
e. jblackwell@abishoplaw.com
f. (770)874-4670
Tricia Stevens
Tricia R. Stevens received her Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing
in 1990 from the University of Georgia, graduating with a 4.0 in her major. She
graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1993.
While in law school, Tricia was selected and served as the research assistant for
her labor and employment professor, Rebecca White, and helped to write several
published law review articles which were well received nationally in the area of
employment law. Professor White is now serving as the first woman dean of the
University of Georgia Law School. While in law school, Tricia clerked for Mack
& Bernstein, representing employers in labor and employment disputes. Upon
graduation, she joined the firm as an associate.
Tricia began specializing in workers' compensation when she joined Drew, Eckl
& Farnham in March 1994, working for John Ferguson, Ann Bishop and Gary
Hurst. In 1998, she took a break from the practice of law to raise her two small
children. In 2009, she returned to the practice of law, working for Ann Bishop
and is excited to have the opportunity to once again represent employers and
insurers in workers' compensation claims.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Tricia has been an active volunteer in the
community. She has served as president of the Sarah Smith Elementary PTA,
president and treasurer of her neighbor association, president of Brookhaven
Friends group for Children's' Healthcare of Atlanta, chair of vacation bible school
at the Cathedral of St. Philip, Girl Scout Leader of the Year of the Buckhead
Service Unit, and on numerous committees and team mom positions at NYO
sports and The Lovett School. She has also served on auction committees for
a variety of charitable causes, and has participated in the Susan Komen 3 day
Breast Cancer Walk for a Cure.
p. (770)874-4670
e. pstevens@abishoplaw.com
f. (770)874-4675
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