J. Patrick O’Brien

J. Patrick “Pat” O’Brien is a partner in the firm’s litigation department and one of the original founders of the firm.

Pat is a litigation and legal counselor who has represented governments, financial institutions, commercial developers and other institutional clients. He also acts as general counsel for several of his financial clients and serves as the City Attorney for the City of Norcross, Georgia.

Pat’s financial clients also rely on him for strategic, legal and business advice as general counsel which permits him to take an active role in the day-to-day operation of his financial clients’ business.

Aaron M. Kappler

Aaron tries cases. And wins.

For about twenty years, Aaron has stood in federal and state courtrooms across Georgia, Texas, and other states, representing businesses, banks, governments, developers, and professionals in high-stakes commercial disputes, class actions, constitutional challenges, real estate and development fights, guarantee and banking matters, and business torts.

Aaron makes direct examinations simple and persuasive, launches devastating cross-examinations, and gives juries and judges a clear, simple path to the right outcome. In a complex guarantee dispute representing a defendant, Aaron’s advocacy forced a mistrial when everyone thought the plaintiff was going to walk away with seven figures.  The presiding federal judge even called Aaron “a remarkable trial lawyer with the jury” on the record while the jury was deliberating.  Then, Aaron came back two months later and won the trial outright for the defense.  In the first jury trial in Georgia’s State-wide Business Court, he eviscerated the defense witnesses and handed his client a six figure jury verdict, plus attorneys’ fees.

Aaron advises and represents counties, cities, and their governing authorities on governance, zoning and land use, transactions and high-profile litigation and investigations.  He has defended counties and cities in employment and public employee matters, protected community interests through public nuisance actions, defended ordinances and resolutions from constitutional attacks, and argued and briefed multiple appeals in the Georgia Supreme Court.

Aaron cuts through the noise, exposes weakness, and delivers results.  He communicates with judges, juries, and boards in plain English.  He fights hard, but fair.

Michael B. Pugh

Michael is a shareholder in the firm’s Bankruptcy and Estate Planning & Probate practices. Michael is admitted in all Georgia state and federal courts and routinely appears before bankruptcy courts throughout the country.

Michael is a veteran restructuring attorney focusing on all aspects of bankruptcy, debtor and creditor law, workouts, and general commercial litigation. He represents secured and unsecured lenders, financial institutions, landlords, and other interested parties in complex bankruptcy cases and a variety of bankruptcy-related litigation matters. He also has significant experience representing court appointed trustees, receivers, and examiners. Michael is skilled in analyzing and litigating preference and fraudulent transfer actions, as well as director and officer litigation.

As head of the Firm’s Estate Planning & Probate group, Michael represents individuals in estate and trust administration matters with an emphasis on wealth preservation, business succession planning, and gift, tax, and charitable planning. Michael provides sophisticated estate planning advice to create a customized estate plan tailored to accomplish his clients’ personal goals. Michael’s experience includes drafting of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, business continuity plans, and advanced directives. In addition, Michael advises estate executors and administrators throughout the estate administration process and has deep experience concerning a host of estate or trust related litigation matters.

Brian D. Klein

Brian is a partner in TOKN’s real estate practice.  His practice focuses primarily on commercial and residential real estate, including all matters pertaining to residential and commercial closing transactions, foreclosures, evictions, tax sales and title curative litigation.