Scott L. Bonder is a trial lawyer, has owned a Honda Hawk 650, Indian Chieftain (1811), and BMW R 1250 GS. He also has significant experience representing injured riders. As a lawyer, he’s represented motorcyclists (and their families/estates) hit by cars, hit by construction equipment, and who were injured due to mechanic’s negligence. His riding all started one fateful day when he was looking for a way to be cool, to get some alone time, and generally distract him from the stress of law school. A law school classmate now law partner, David Fried, was selling a Honda Hawk 650. David happily handed the keys over to Scott, who had never ridden motorcycle, for a test drive. Scott managed to get it as far as the electric gate to David’s apartment complex without a problem. Once the gate opened Scott pulled forward and stalled over the track for the gate. By the time Scott had the motorcycle started and ready to pull out, the gate had closed and was repeatedly slamming into Scott and the Honda. A bit worse for wear, Scott bought the Hawk, took a bunch of classes (and never really stopped taking classes including slow maneuvering, high speed safety, and off-road), and rode off into his future.
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After high school Scott joined the Marine Corps, painted himself green, and skulked about in various wooded areas. After his time as a grunt, Scott went to college and eventually graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1995. After that, Scott started his career at one of the world’s largest law firms, stayed long enough to be made partner, and then left to form one of Atlanta’s most respect boutique litigation firms in 2004.
Scott has regularly been named one of Atlanta’s “Super Lawyers” and one of Atlanta’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine. Scott is also routinely named as one of the Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers by Atlanta Magazine.
Scott’s experience before federal and state courts includes class actions, jury trials, bench trials and appellate matters. He has appeared in the State Courts of California, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Texas as well as federal courts in Georgia, Alabama, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska New York, Alabama, and Tennessee.
In addition to motorcycle case, Scott has represented clients in, among others, the automotive, real estate investment, credit processing, hospitality, medical product, manufacturing, textile, trucking, investment banking, securities, advertising, and distribution industries. Scott has frequently represented an international franchisor of hotels in franchise and intellectual property litigation, is the national outside coordinating counsel for litigation on behalf of a national financial institution, and regularly represents other businesses, large and small, in ongoing relationships.
Scott has also represented individuals in a wide range of business-related cases, including breach of contract, fiduciary duty, whistleblower, share and option issuance, fraudulent conveyances, and small business dissolution matters. The representation of small businesses includes incredibly diverse industries including, without limitation, medical practices, sales organizations, restaurants, office supply wholesalers, EB5 Immigration based investment brokers, hotel owner and manager groups and hydroponic farms. Scott’s broad range of experience brings a broad and knowledgeable perspective to every case.
In the community, Scott has been an active contributor in a variety of venues. Scott was an active cub scout and boy scout leader, president of his kids’ elementary school PTA, active in the formation of an educational advocacy group for DeKalb County and was a voting member to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics.
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Scott regularly returns to Emory Law School to assist new law students learn about professionalism, teach trial techniques, and appear to a variety of classes as a guest lecturer. He was also a member of the Emory Board of Visitors.
Scott has been an invited teacher on contract law to a variety of industries, such as teaching contract law at various hospitality related classes and events. Scott also taught trial evidence to other lawyers in continuing legal education classes, and his articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications to various audiences.
While attending Emory University School of Law, Scott was a national moot court champion, having won the awards for best oralist and best team at the Irving R. Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition, sponsored by Fordham Law School. Scott also won the award for best brief in the Georgia region of the National Moot Court Competition sponsored by the New York Bar Association.
BAR ADMISSIONS
· Georgia
· Northern District of Georgia
· Supreme Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
· Supreme Court
· *Not admitted in California
AREAS OF PRACTICE
· Personal Injury
· Motorcycle Injury
· Business and Commercial Litigation
· Breach of Contract Disputes
· Wrongful Interference Contracts and Business Relationships
· Consumer Fraud
· RICO
· Class Actions
· Breach of Fiduciary Duty
· Wrongful Dissolution of Partnerships and Entities
· Derivative Actions
EDUCATION
· Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, GA
· J.D. - 1995
· Honors: National Moot Court Champion
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· City University of New York at Queens, Flushing, New York
· B.A. – 1991
· Major: English/Poetry
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
· DeKalb Bar Association, Board of Directors
· DeKalb Bar Association, President (2015) & Vice President (2014)
· Georgia Bar Association, Employment and Labor Sections, member
· Emory University, Board of Visitors
· Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Law and Judiciary Committee
· Lamar Inn of Court, master member
· National Moot Court Competition for Region V, Coordinator
· Numerous Moot Court and Mock Trail Competitions, Judge
· American Association for Justice
HONORS AND AWARDS
·“Top 100: Georgia Super Lawyer”, 2010 – 2021
· Georgia Super Lawyer”, 2006 – 2021
· Named one of Atlanta’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine
· Best Oralist, Irving R. Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition by Fordham Law School
· Best Team, Irving R. Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition by Fordham Law School
· Best Brief, Georgia Region of the National Moot Court Competition, by New York Bar Association
CLASSES/SEMINARS
· Instructor, Emory Law School’s Trial Advocacy Program
· Speaker, Oral Advocacy to various Moot Court Societies
· Speaker, Emory Law School Student Professionalism Program
· Meeting Professionals International, Various Lectures
· National Association of Catering and Events, Contract Law Lecture
· Georgia State University, Guest Lecturer, Hospitality Law
· Georgia Independent Auto Dealer Association, Guest Speaker, UCC Law
· National Business Institute, Various Continuing Legal Education Classes
PAST EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS
· United States Marine Corp., Grunt
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PRO BONO ACTIVITIES
· Hands On Atlanta, Project Coordinator
· Numerous elementary school trial programs, Coordinator
· Boy Scouts of America
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