Adam Ford

Senior Counsel

Adam Ford practices business law, litigation, and consulting, focusing on employment law, commercial transactions, intellectual property, trademarks and brand protection, personal injury, and other areas of law that impact businesses.

During his career he has served national and regional corporations, small businesses, government entities, and non-profits across a diversity of industries.  He especially enjoys working with local companies and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their objectives and sees their success as success for the larger community.

What you can expect from Adam:  Pro-active, cost-effective strategies and empathetic service.

Before joining Baker Jenner, Adam served as senior business counsel in an award-winning general counsel firm serving new and growing businesses.  Before that, he worked as a litigator in a midtown Atlanta law firm, serving private companies, healthcare groups, governmental agencies, and professionals in a variety of commercial, health, and employment matters, including business litigation, EEOC discrimination charges and audits, trade secret litigation, regulatory compliance, and product and premises liability.

Outside of his law practice, Adam stays busy volunteering with local causes and hiking with his dog, Nugget.

Representative Experience:

Employment:

  • Counseled numerous employers through complex personnel risks and successfully resolving volatile and sensitive disputes.
  • Represented regional restaurant chain in a U.S. Department of Labor investigation and audit of wage and hour records and practices across 20 different entities and locations, resulting in minimal liability to the clients.
  • Successful defense of employers in dozens of employee regulatory disputes before the federal EEOC and Georgia Department of Labor.
  • Successful negotiation of claims for overtime resulting from misclassification of worker as independent contractor with minimal payment to client.
  • Management of I-9 audit by U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement of ten restaurant locations for regional chain.

Significant Litigation

  • Defended a national pharmaceutical company in a lawsuit alleging trade secrets misappropriation and breach of contract brought by a competitor, with aggressive counterclaims that resulted in a significant payment to his client.
  • Successful prosecution of trademark infringement claims on behalf of a national health organization resulting in restrictions imposed on other party.
  • Defended a regional medical practice in a trade secrets lawsuit by a competitor and its individual physicians and technicians, resulting in a no-payment settlement.

Business Counseling & Transactions

  • Represented international manufacturing conglomerate in its multimillion-dollar acquisition by a venture capital firm.
  • Represented national clinical research organization in numerous growth transactions, including asset acquisitions and joint ventures.

Community, Pro Bono, and Other Representation

  • Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia, active member; past President, Vice President, Membership Chair, and Board member
  • Emmaus House (community support center of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta), served as Advisory Board member for 10 years
  • Belong.LGBT (Peer coaching program & community activities for members of the LGBT community); former Managing Coach and Peer Coach

Practice Areas

  • Employment & Restrictive Covenants
  • Business & IP Litigation
  • Business Transactions & Operations
  • Emerging Business & Corporate Formation
  • Product Liability & Personal Injury Defense
  • General Counsel

Education

  • Georgia State University College of Law, J.D., Cum laude.
  • Emory University Candler School of Theology, Masters of Theological Studies.
  • Hendrix College, B.A., Magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (Major: Religion; Minor: History)

Admissions

  • Georgia state courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

Honors & Awards

  • Named as Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2016-2020 
  • Atlanta Business Chronicle, Who’s Who in Law and Accounting, 2014

Publications & Presentations

  • “Retaining Diverse Employees: Lessons from Nike” presentation (August 2018)
  • “Recruitment & Restrictive Covenants,” presentation, (January 2018)
  • “The Americans with Disabilities Act & Dentistry,” presented to the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry (January 2013 and October 2010);
  • “Hot Topics Related to Reductions in Force,” published for Eagle International Associates, Inc. (Fall 2010 Conference)
  • “An Introduction to the Medicaid Audit Process: The Dreaded Claim for Recoupment,” published in Georgia Dental Association newsletter “GDA Action,” (April 2012)
  • “Psychiatry Issues in Litigation,” presented to psychiatry residents at the Emory University School of Medicine (November 2012 and September 2011)