Our Client Relationships are Personal relationships.
With us, you can always call and feel comfortable asking any question, no matter how minor. Our team delivers a level of time, attention, and sincerity that’s difficult to find in today’s legal marketplace. The Burkhalter Law team guides you towards a strategic plan that helps you achieve your goals. View our team members below.
BRIAN BURKHALTER, PRINCIPAL + MANAGING PARTNER
Brian specializes in construction / infrastructure law + litigation, business + commercial litigation and partnership + shareholder disputes / litigation. After garnering extensive experience at some of Atlanta’s largest firms, Brian formed Burkhalter Law with the intention of prioritizing meaningful, personal relationships with his clients. The structure of his practice affords him the opportunity to invest as much time and effort he needs to serve as a trustworthy and invaluable advisor for his clients. A graduate of the University of Florida and the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, Brian was recognized as a SuperLawyer in Construction Litigation for multiple years, in addition to Lawyers of Distinction and Leaders in Law. He has served on the Board of Directors and the Small Business Advisory Council for the Atlanta branch of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and enjoys coaching his sons’ baseball teams at Home Plate Baseball. Brian and his wife Lauryn live in Peachtree City, Georgia with their 3 children, Ansley, Braden and Casen.
Key Experience:
- Represented a waterproofing contractor in a complex arbitration concerning construction and design defects of the Atlantic Station project in Atlanta, Georgia with claimed damages exceeding $100 million.
- Assisted a government contractor with submission of Request for Equitable Adjustment relating to undisclosed asbestos exposure by the Army Corp of Engineers and all construction issues resulting from the discovery of asbestos in an active work site.
- Represented a dental practice in litigation to pursue a former member and the business broker concerning claims of fraud, misappropriation, and errors in determining the valuation of the practice.
- Successfully defended claims by an investment banking firm against a client concerning the proper calculation of the investment banking firm’s fee following a merger and acquisition.
- Represented a shareholder of a medical practice in litigation against the other shareholders concerning the propriety of purported corporate governance agreements and the fraud and misappropriation of funds.
Brian Burkhalter
Principal + Managing Partner
APRIL FREEMAN, ATTORNEY
April’s areas of expertise and interest include construction litigation, partnership disputes, landlord-tenant litigation, banking litigation, insurance coverage litigation, collections and foreclosures, antitrust, employment discrimination and commercial litigation involving breach of contract, business torts, insider fraud, and competitor disputes. She has tried cases in state and federal courts in the areas of employment discrimination, antitrust, contract disputes and insurance coverage. April is a native of Alabama and earned her B.A. from the University of South Alabama, double majoring in criminal justice and political science. A graduate of Cumberland School of Law, April was named a Judge Abraham Caruthers Teaching Fellow, was a member of the Cumberland Trial Advocacy Board, and served as Senior Associate Editor for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy. She began her career in banking and commercial litigation in 2002. April is a Member of the Georgia Bar, Alabama Bar, Mississippi Bar and Arkansas Bar and has actively practiced law in all four states simultaneously. She is admitted to practice before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as state and federal courts in all four states. Among her many achievements, April was named as a “Rising Star” among Mid-South SuperLawyers, Mississippi Business Chronicle’s Top 30 Under 30, and is a graduate of the ABA National Trial Academy. April lives with her husband Jay and her three children in Decatur, GA. She enjoys playing ALTA and USTA tennis, travel, cooking, and wine-tasting. April volunteers as a Sunday School teacher at The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Decatur and serves on the Glennwood Elementary PTA Board.
Key Experience:
- Obtained multi-million-dollar payments on fidelity bond claims
- Obtained numerous judgments for financial institutions in collection matters
- Managed complex RICO litigation involving approximately 150 plaintiffs, resulting in favorable settlement for bank client
- Lead defense of multiple corporations in antitrust boycott lawsuitresulting in favorable settlement
- Obtained summary judgment in employment discrimination lawsuit
- Obtained directed verdict on behalf of manufacturer in breach of distributorship agreement
- Litigated favorable outcomes in various commercial contract disputes
- Trials include employment discrimination, antitrust, mortgage fraud, contract disputes and insurance coverage
APRIL FREEMAN
ATTORNEY
CHERISH DE LA CRUZ, ATTORNEY
Cherish’s areas of expertise and interest include comprehensive estate planning services, probate, and business advising + planning. Cherish is licensed in both Florida and Georgia. Additionally, she works in the international and immigrant communities. Cherish grew up in Toronto, Canada and graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in Honors Sociology. She graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 2003 where she was a member with The Journal of Corporation Law. After graduating from law school, she lived in West Palm Beach, Florida and worked at the Office of the Public Defender 15th Judicial Circuit before she relocated back to Georgia. For seven years, she worked as a Senior Counsel for an Insurance and Investment company, acting as their Deputy Anti-Money Laundering Officer, advising the company on regulatory and compliance matters. With her background and expertise in investments and insurance, she works collaboratively with all advisors in helping families, professionals and small businesses develop tailored estate and business plans.
In 2017, the Georgia Asian Times named Cherish as one of the Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia. Cherish and her husband Justin of 17 years, live in Gwinnett County and they have three wonderful children Emma, Sophia and Aidan. Cherish is a parishioner at St. John Neumann at Catholic Church in Lilburn Georgia for the past 25 years, she has volunteered at the Special Meals Ministry and Ruth’s Table, and spoken to the Hilltoppers Ministry about aging issues.
Community Involvement + Leadership:
- Past President of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA-2018),
and is currently a board member - Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (2019)
- A founding Board Member of XPX – The Exit Planning Exchange (2019)
- Legal chapter director of What Women Want Networking (2021-present)
- Graduate of The Atlanta Catholic Charities Leadership (2021)
- Board Member of Mosaic Georgia (formerly the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy
Center)
CHERISH DE LA CRUZ
ATTORNEY
DAVID KING, ATTORNEY
David is a seasoned trial attorney with extensive experience in construction, commercial litigation, government contracting + procurement, contract preparation + negotiation, business formation + governance, suretyship + insurance disputes, commercial real estate, and mediation + arbitration. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Maryville College, he attended The University of Georgia School of Law, where he was the Articles Editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property Law, participated in several moot court and mock trial competitions, and graduated Cum Laude. For the first 15 years of his career, David worked in some of the most well-respected firms in Atlanta and the Southeast litigating insurance coverage and property damage disputes, as well as managing construction litigation, insurance defense and other commercial disputes. He also developed expertise in construction, government contracts, and commercial litigation. David has tried cases in numerous state and federal courts, as well as arbitration forums across the country, for matters including multi-party disputes with millions of dollars in controversy. He has conducted countless mediations, early neutral evaluations, and court mandated settlement conferences to help his clients avoid the risk and expense of continued litigation. David is skilled in transactional and corporate matters and is an expert on the negotiation and drafting of contract documents. He is the author of publications dedicated to the proper alternations needed to AIA contract forms for both contractors and owners. A past President of Insurance Section of the Georgia Bar, David is a Licensed Mediator and Arbitrator in the GA Bar Dispute Resolution Section, GA Bar Construction Section, State Bar of Georgia 1896, Northern District of GA 1996, Middle District of GA 2000, Southern District of GA 2019, 11th Cir 2000 and the Georgia Supreme Court 2000. David lives in Marietta, Georgia with wife, Molly, and their twin boys. He enjoys coaching little league baseball and staying active.
Key Experience:
- Defense verdict for General Contractor in subcontract payment dispute of hotel remodeling case, January of 2018
- Won appeal of same case in 11thCircuit, 2019
- Summary Judgment and Jury trial verdict for government subcontractor on payment claim arising out of Kings Bay Project (2019)
- Directed verdict in payment dispute over Hurricane Katrina clean-up efforts (2015)
- Negotiated international construction contract for $10m factory in South Georgia
- Negotiated real estate sale contracts for simultaneous purchase and resale of $4m residential subdivision development in Cherokee county, GA
- Negotiated sale of $26m shopping center in Cobb County, GA
- Reorganization of 12-member group holding ownership of commercial shopping center in Cobb county, GA
- Prevailed in FINRA Arbitration representing client of Business Broker during commission payment dispute (2017)
- Prevailed in Lien Dispute Jury trial in Cobb County (2018)
- Prevailed in Miller Act claim litigation in Middle District of Georgia (2017)
- Prevailed in Miller Act claim litigation in Eastern District of NC (2018)
DAVID KING
ATTORNEY
ED VINHATEIRO, ATTORNEY
Ed is an estate and tax planning attorney with a focus on asset protection and tax mitigation strategies for closely held business owners and high net worth families. Prior to beginning his career in the legal field, Ed served as an Infantryman in the United States Army and was a successful tax associate with PriceWaterhouseCoopers where he worked in private equity, mergers and acquisitions. Ed is a member of the Connecticut State Bar, Rhode Island State Bar, New Hampshire State Bar and Georgia State Bar. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Political Science and Sociology and received his Juris Doctor from the Loyola University School of Law. Additionally, Ed earned his Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M) from the Boston University School of Law. He originally hails from Stonington, Connecticut and when not assisting his clients, he enjoys spending time with his children and friends, playing tennis, kayaking and skiing.
ED VINHATEIRO
ATTORNEY
MELISSA EWING, ATTORNEY
MELISSA EWING
ATTORNEY
PATRICK EWING, ATTORNEY
Patrick is a civil litigation attorney with experience in construction defect disputes, contract preparation, insurance defense, general liability, and general commercial litigation. Patrick attended Notre Dame Law School where he served as the Executive Solicitations Editors of the Journal of Law, Ethics, & Public Policy. After law school, Patrick clerked for the Honorable Audrey J.S. Carrion in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and then joined a Baltimore personal injury firm. Patrick then moved to a boutique litigation firm focused on construction litigation where he represented contractors and condominium associations involved in a wide array of legal disputes. Patrick negotiated, litigated, and arbitrated numerous complex construction defect disputes, contractor payment disputes, and mechanic’s liens. Patrick moved to the Atlanta area in summer of 2019 and worked at a large insurance defense firm before joining Burkhalter Law.
In his free time, Patrick enjoys playing board games with friends and family and spending time outdoors with his wife and dog.
PATRICK EWING
ATTORNEY
SARAH LOYA, ATTORNEY
Sarah brings over a decade of extensive experience at large law firms in general corporate law with an emphasis in the areas of corporate governance and structure, mergers and acquisitions, capital-raising and finance transactions. Sarah’s practice focuses on acting as general outside corporate counsel for her clients and advising her clients to help them achieve their transactional goals.
Sarah was also previously the chief legal counsel of a health and wellness company, where she led their legal and compliance group with over 25 team members. As a former chief legal counsel, Sarah is able to deliver practical business-oriented advice that focuses on her clients needs.
Sarah earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating cum laude. She received her BA from the University of Virginia, BA Foreign Affairs and Psychology, graduating with distinction. She lives in Decatur, Georgia with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with their new puppy.
SARAH LOYA
ATTORNEY
BRIAN BURKHALTER, PRINCIPAL + MANAGING PARTNER
Brian specializes in construction / infrastructure law + litigation, business + commercial litigation and partnership + shareholder disputes / litigation. After garnering extensive experience at some of Atlanta’s largest firms, Brian formed Burkhalter Law with the intention of prioritizing meaningful, personal relationships with his clients. The structure of his practice affords him the opportunity to invest as much time and effort he needs to serve as a trustworthy and invaluable advisor for his clients. A graduate of the University of Florida and the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, Brian was recognized as a SuperLawyer in Construction Litigation for multiple years, in addition to Lawyers of Distinction and Leaders in Law. He has served on the Board of Directors and the Small Business Advisory Council for the Atlanta branch of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and enjoys coaching his sons’ baseball teams at Home Plate Baseball. Brian and his wife Lauryn live in Peachtree City, Georgia with their 3 children, Ansley, Braden and Casen.
Key Experience:
- Represented a waterproofing contractor in a complex arbitration concerning construction and design defects of the Atlantic Station project in Atlanta, Georgia with claimed damages exceeding $100 million.
- Assisted a government contractor with submission of Request for Equitable Adjustment relating to undisclosed asbestos exposure by the Army Corp of Engineers and all construction issues resulting from the discovery of asbestos in an active work site.
- Represented a dental practice in litigation to pursue a former member and the business broker concerning claims of fraud, misappropriation, and errors in determining the valuation of the practice.
- Successfully defended claims by an investment banking firm against a client concerning the proper calculation of the investment banking firm’s fee following a merger and acquisition.
- Represented a shareholder of a medical practice in litigation against the other shareholders concerning the propriety of purported corporate governance agreements and the fraud and misappropriation of funds.
ALICIA HAMMEL, PARALEGAL
Alicia Hammel has been in the Elder Law + Estate Planning field for over 22 years. Alicia personally knows the struggles of caring for aging parents with terminal illnesses and has made it her personal mission to ease as much of the burden as she can for other people experiencing similar heartache. Prior to moving to Georgia, she lived in New York for 38 years, where she attended Suffolk Community College and obtained her Paralegal Certificate. When Alicia is not spending her spare time making beautiful memories with her family, friends and 3 dogs, she volunteers and raises money for the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center and the Alzheimer’s Association.
ALICIA HAMMEL
PARALEGAL
ALICIA WOOD, FIRM ADMINISTRATOR + CONTROLLER
Alicia has over 17 years of legal experience as a Legal Secretary, Paralegal, Firm Administrator and Controller. She manages the firm’s day-to-day operations, accounting, and various client projects. She attended Georgia State University, holds a Legal Secretary Certificate from the University of Georgia, and is QuickBooks certified. Alicia is a member of the National Association of Legal Administrators + Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. She resides in Smyrna, Georgia with her husband, Clint, and their English Bulldog, Winston.
ALICIA WOOD
FIRM ADMINISTRATOR + CONTROLLER
MELISSA EWING, ATTORNEY
Melissa is a civil litigation attorney with a focus on business litigation, partnership + shareholder/member disputes, contract disputes, negligence (both ordinary and professional), real estate + construction disputes, employment law, and defamation. After obtaining undergrad and legal degrees from the University of Georgia and University of Georgia School of Law, Melissa honed her skills while working at some of the largest and most notable firms in the country. She is a member of the Georgia Bar, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Melissa is a registered neutral with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution for General Civil Mediation and also registered as a Public arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She is also accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as an attorney to assist claimants in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits. A native of Tifton, Georgia, Melissa now lives in Alpharetta, Georgia with 3 cats she rescued from the Atlanta Humane Society. In her free time, she enjoys taking dance classes, abstract painting, antiquing, and creative writing. Melissa is a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (“DAR) Patriots of Liberty Chapter and a member of the Alpha Arts Guild.
SARAH LOYA, ATTORNEY
Sarah brings over a decade of extensive experience at large law firms in general corporate law with an emphasis in the areas of corporate governance and structure, mergers and acquisitions, capital-raising and finance transactions. Sarah’s practice focuses on acting as general outside corporate counsel for her clients and advising her clients to help them achieve their transactional goals.
Sarah was also previously the chief legal counsel of a health and wellness company, where she led their legal and compliance group with over 25 team members. As a former chief legal counsel, Sarah is able to deliver practical business-oriented advice that focuses on her clients needs.
Sarah earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating cum laude. She received her BA from the University of Virginia, BA Foreign Affairs and Psychology, graduating with distinction. She lives in Decatur, Georgia with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with their new puppy.
PATRICK EWING, ATTORNEY
Patrick is a civil litigation attorney with experience in construction defect disputes, contract preparation, insurance defense, general liability, and general commercial litigation. Patrick attended Notre Dame Law School where he served as the Executive Solicitations Editors of the Journal of Law, Ethics, & Public Policy. After law school, Patrick clerked for the Honorable Audrey J.S. Carrion in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and then joined a Baltimore personal injury firm. Patrick then moved to a boutique litigation firm focused on construction litigation where he represented contractors and condominium associations involved in a wide array of legal disputes. Patrick negotiated, litigated, and arbitrated numerous complex construction defect disputes, contractor payment disputes, and mechanic’s liens. Patrick moved to the Atlanta area in summer of 2019 and worked at a large insurance defense firm before joining Burkhalter Law.
In his free time, Patrick enjoys playing board games with friends and family and spending time outdoors with his wife and dog.
ALICIA HAMMEL, PARALEGAL
Alicia Hammel has been in the Elder Law + Estate Planning field for over 22 years. Alicia personally knows the struggles of caring for aging parents with terminal illnesses and has made it her personal mission to ease as much of the burden as she can for other people experiencing similar heartache. Prior to moving to Georgia, she lived in New York for 38 years, where she attended Suffolk Community College and obtained her Paralegal Certificate. When Alicia is not spending her spare time making beautiful memories with her family, friends and 3 dogs, she volunteers and raises money for the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center and the Alzheimer’s Association.
ED VINHATEIRO, ATTORNEY
Ed is an estate and tax planning attorney with a focus on asset protection and tax mitigation strategies for closely held business owners and high net worth families. Prior to beginning his career in the legal field, Ed served as an Infantryman in the United States Army and was a successful tax associate with PriceWaterhouseCoopers where he worked in private equity, mergers and acquisitions. Ed is a member of the Connecticut State Bar, Rhode Island State Bar, New Hampshire State Bar and Georgia State Bar. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Political Science and Sociology and received his Juris Doctor from the Loyola University School of Law. Additionally, Ed earned his Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M) from the Boston University School of Law. He originally hails from Stonington, Connecticut and when not assisting his clients, he enjoys spending time with his children and friends, playing tennis, kayaking and skiing.
DAVID KING, ATTORNEY
Key Experience:
- Defense verdict for General Contractor in subcontract payment dispute of hotel remodeling case, January of 2018
- Won appeal of same case in 11thCircuit, 2019
- Summary Judgment and Jury trial verdict for government subcontractor on payment claim arising out of Kings Bay Project (2019)
- Directed verdict in payment dispute over Hurricane Katrina clean-up efforts (2015)
- Negotiated international construction contract for $10m factory in South Georgia
- Negotiated real estate sale contracts for simultaneous purchase and resale of $4m residential subdivision development in Cherokee county, GA
- Negotiated sale of $26m shopping center in Cobb County, GA
- Reorganization of 12-member group holding ownership of commercial shopping center in Cobb county, GA
- Prevailed in FINRA Arbitration representing client of Business Broker during commission payment dispute (2017)
- Prevailed in Lien Dispute Jury trial in Cobb County (2018)
- Prevailed in Miller Act claim litigation in Middle District of Georgia (2017)
- Prevailed in Miller Act claim litigation in Eastern District of NC (2018)
ALICIA WOOD, FIRM ADMINISTRATOR + CONTROLLER
Alicia has over 17 years of legal experience as a Legal Secretary, Paralegal, Firm Administrator and Controller, she manages the firm’s day-to-day operations, accounting, and various client projects. She attended Georgia State University, holds a Legal Secretary Certificate from the University of Georgia, and is QuickBooks certified. Alicia is a member of the National Association of Legal Administrators + Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. She resides in Smyrna, Georgia with her husband, Clint, and their English Bulldog, Winston.
APRIL FREEMAN, ATTORNEY
Key Experience:
- Obtained multi-million-dollar payments on fidelity bond claims
- Obtained numerous judgments for financial institutions in collection matters
- Managed complex RICO litigation involving approximately 150 plaintiffs, resulting in favorable settlement for bank client
- Lead defense of multiple corporations in antitrust boycott lawsuitresulting in favorable settlement
- Obtained summary judgment in employment discrimination lawsuit
- Obtained directed verdict on behalf of manufacturer in breach of distributorship agreement
- Litigated favorable outcomes in various commercial contract disputes
- Trials include employment discrimination, antitrust, mortgage fraud, contract disputes and insurance coverage
CHERISH DE LA CRUZ, ATTORNEY
Cherish’s areas of expertise and interest include comprehensive estate planning services, probate, and business advising + planning. Cherish is licensed in both Florida and Georgia. Additionally, she works in the international and immigrant communities. Cherish grew up in Toronto, Canada and graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in Honors Sociology. She graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 2003 where she was a member with The Journal of Corporation Law. After graduating from law school, she lived in West Palm Beach, Florida and worked at the Office of the Public Defender 15th Judicial Circuit before she relocated back to Georgia. For seven years, she worked as a Senior Counsel for an Insurance and Investment company, acting as their Deputy Anti-Money Laundering Officer, advising the company on regulatory and compliance matters. With her background and expertise in investments and insurance, she works collaboratively with all advisors in helping families, professionals and small businesses develop tailored estate and business plans.
In 2017, the Georgia Asian Times named Cherish as one of the Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia. Cherish and her husband Justin of 17 years, live in Gwinnett County and they have three wonderful children Emma, Sophia and Aidan. Cherish is a parishioner at St. John Neumann at Catholic Church in Lilburn Georgia for the past 25 years, she has volunteered at the Special Meals Ministry and Ruth’s Table, and spoken to the Hilltoppers Ministry about aging issues.
Community Involvement + Leadership:
- Past President of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA-2018),
and is currently a board member - Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (2019)
- A founding Board Member of XPX – The Exit Planning Exchange (2019)
- Legal chapter director of What Women Want Networking (2021-present)
- Graduate of The Atlanta Catholic Charities Leadership (2021)
- Board Member of Mosaic Georgia (formerly the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy
Center)
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