Beal Sutherland Berlin & Brown is proud to congratulate senior partner Drew Beal and Milinda Brown on their $11.4 million jury verdict in Wade, et al. v. Wood, et al. The verdict has been named one of the Top 50 Commercial Litigation Verdicts in the United States in 2025 by TopVerdict.com.
About the Case
Drew and Milinda represented attorney Lin Wood’s three former law firm partners, Nicole Wade, Jonathan Grunberg and Taylor Wilson who alleged that Wood failed to pay agreed-upon fees from a settlement sued Lin Wood and his firm, L. Lin Wood, P.C., for breach of contract and fraud. The case was filed in Fulton County in 2020 and included an appeal of an Interlocutory Injunction which was affirmed by the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court and created new law in Georgia, before reaching a two-week jury trial in Fulton County in 2025.
In both opening and closing, Drew stressed that amid the thousands of documents, the jury needed to focus only on 8 documents which proved the fraud. After two hours of deliberation, the jury awarded the full amount requested, which included unpaid contract damages, damages for breach of the non-disparagement clause, fraud damages, attorneys’ fees and punitive damages. Our earlier post has the full breakdown.
What This Means for Our Clients
Business disputes are rarely quick. This case took five years, multiple appeals and a trial built on documents, testimony and a clear timeline of the defendants’ intent. Drew and Milinda brought that same preparation and persistence to every stage. It’s the approach we take in every business litigation matter, from breach of contract and fraud claims to executive compensation disputes.
Please join us in congratulating Drew and Milinda, and in thanking our clients for their trust through a long road to a verdict.
In the News
- Fulton Jury Returns $11.4M Verdict Against Lawyer Lin Wood – Daily Report, May 2025
- Lin Wood Hit With $11M Verdict in Battle With Former Law Firm Partners – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 2025
- Lin Wood fined $105K for social media posts about former colleagues – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 2024
- Pro-Trump defamation attorney Lin Wood must pay former law partners $4.5 million – Law&Crime, August 2024
- Lin Wood Must Pay $2M To Ga. Court After Defamation Verdict – Law360, December 2024
Facing a Business Dispute?
If you’re dealing with a breach of contract, fraud or other complex business dispute in Georgia, contact us or call (404) 476-5305 to schedule a consultation.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. TopVerdict.com compiles its lists from verdict results and sells recognition products to listed attorneys and firms. [Add or remove per the firm’s advertising review.]