(1942-2019)

For more than 50 years, Thomas “Tommy” Malone, the founder of Malone Law, litigated cases involving catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death throughout the State of Georgia. He obtained a multitude of jury verdicts in excess of one million dollars, including a verdict in excess of $49 million for a 23-year-old student who suffered catastrophic traumatic brain injuries as the result of a road wreck involving two commercial truck drivers on a two-lane highway in San Jose, California. His record-setting $49 million verdict changed the way managed care providers operate.

Tommy was the President of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, the official certifying body sanctioned by the American Bar Association for certification of competency in handling professional negligence cases.

Tommy was annually recognized as a member of Best Lawyers, the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession, as well as Super Lawyers, a listing of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Tommy was named a member of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers with Martindale Hubbell, a listing of law practices which have earned the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and have been designated by their colleagues as preeminent in their field.

Our Atlanta medical malpractice attorney Tommy was also named to the LawDragon 500, a selection 500 attorneys across all practice areas, which represents less than 1% of attorneys in the country. He was a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society that is composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellows are selected based upon effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. Tommy was also a member of the Diversity Law Institute and The Trial Law Institute.

Tommy was a pioneer in obtaining just awards for the seriously injured and loved ones of those who lost their lives at the hands of careless physicians, tractor trailer drivers, pilots, as well as the manufacturers of dangerous products.

Tommy was born and raised in the South Georgia city of Albany in Dougherty County. He went to the University of Georgia in Athens from 1960 to 1963. He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1965 and in 1966, he graduated from the Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University in Macon.

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Areas of practice

Honors and awards

  • Tradition of Excellence Award, State Bar of Georgia, 1999
  • Best Lawyers in America, All Editions, 1989 to Present
  • Georgia’s Super Lawyers, Top 100 Super Lawyers, 2004 to present
  • Pursuit of Justice Award, American Bar Association/Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2004
  • Compassionate Gladiator Award, Florida Justice Association, 2009
  • Mel Award, Melvin M. Belli Society, 2009
  • Tommy Malone Great American Eagle Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, February 2007
  • Trial Lawyer of the Year, Melvin M. Belli Society, 2001
  • The Professor W. McKinley Smiley, Jr. Lighthouse Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, 2001
  • Top 100 Georgians, Georgia Trend Magazine, 1999
  • Warhorse Award, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, February 1996
  • Trial Lawyer of the Year, American Board of Trial Advocacy, Georgia Chapter, 1995
  • Small Office Hall of Fame, Initial Inductee, American Trial Lawyers Association

Memberships

  • Southern Trial Lawyers Association, President, 1997
  • Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Treasurer, 1994
  • American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, Board Examiner, 1992 – 1994
  • Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Sustaining Founder, Member, Board of Directors, 1991 – Present
  • Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University, Member, Board of Visitors, 1991 – Present
  • The Belli Society, President, 1991 – 1993
  • The Authors Court, Member, 1988 – Present
  • Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Governors, 1988 – Present
  • The Belli Society, Vice President, 1985-1986, 1988-1991
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., Chairman, Malpractice Committee, 1975-1977, 1984-1986
  • The Belli Society, Member/Treasurer, 1981 – 1982
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., Chairman, Malpractice Committee, 1975-1977, 1984-1986
  • The Belli Society, Member/Treasurer, 1981 – 1982
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Board of Governors, 1980 – 1983
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., President, 1980 – 1981
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., President Elect, 1979 – 1980
  • State Bar of Georgia, Chairman, Medico-Legal Committee, 1978 – 1979
  • State Bar of Georgia, Secretary, 1977 – 1978
  • Dougherty Circuit Bar Association, President, 1976 – 1977
  • Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Vice President, 1974 – 1977
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., Executive Vice President, 1972 – 1978
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, State Committeeman, 1971 – 1975
  • American Bar Association, Member, Committee on Trial Techniques, 1971 – 1972
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Sections of General Practice and Trial, 1965 – Present
  • American Board of Professional Attorneys, Diplomate
  • American Judicature Society, Member
  • American Jury Trial Foundation, Member
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Life Member
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Birth Trauma Litigation Group
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Consumers Coalition
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Highway/Railroad Crossing Derailment Litigation Group
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Small Office Section
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member, Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group
  • Atlanta Bar Association, Member
  • Atlanta Lawyers Club, Member
  • Dougherty Circuit Bar Association, Member
  • Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Charter Member
  • Georgia Legal History Foundation, Inc., Member
  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Inc., Life Member
  • National College of Advocacy, Advocate
  • National Head Injury Foundation, Member, Georgia Chapter
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Committee on No-Fault Automobile Reparations
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Committee to Preserve Oral Argument and Advocacy
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Committee to Reduce Court Costs and Delays
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Committee on Standardized Jury Instructions
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Medico-Legal Conference Committee
  • State Bar of Georgia, Member, Supreme Court Special Overview Committee for Mandatory CLE