Biography

Mr. Groover practices in our Macon and Atlanta offices. His practice involves commercial/business litigation, including business torts, class actions and complex commercial cases. Over the years, he has resolved complex matters for a wide variety of businesses and public entities. Mr. Groover’s experience includes serving as lead counsel in numerous trials, arbitrations, appellate arguments, court appearances, and mediations. He has successfully prosecuted and defended a number of multi-million dollar disputes on behalf of various clients. Additionally, Mr. Groover is General Counsel for the Georgia Farm Bureau Group which entails both the largest general agricultural organization in Georgia and the largest domestic insurer in Georgia. In this position, Mr. Groover has developed expertise in both agricultural and insurance law and regulation. Mr. Groover also represents over 150 agricultural organizations throughout Georgia and has an expertise regarding issues impacting farmers and agricultural organizations. Mr. Groover is also a registered mediator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

Mr. Groover has been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers magazine and various other publications for his professionalism and expertise. He has a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent peer review rating, the highest attainable rating for this globally recognized organization.

Practice Areas

• Business and Commercial Litigation
• Insurance
• Employment Law
• Construction
• Litigation
• Agriculture Law
• Eminent Domain
• Local Government Law

Representative Matters

A selection of Mr. Groover’s recent work includes:

• Representing a commercial greenhouse operator in multiple actions against a number of landowners and successfully defended against nuisance claims for damages against the multi-million dollar greenhouse operation which involved issues of 1st impressions in Georgia.
• Representing a landowner in a negotiation of lease terms with solar development company. Advised on issues related to landowner’s use of property, potential liability, as well as crop and timber use and disposition. 
• Representing a client to a defense judgment in an Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) case which went to the Court of Appeals and was the first case in Georgia to apply the Gross Standard for ADEA Liability. 
• Representing a company purchasing a telecommunication network for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty wherein the company both retained the asset purchased as well as received a multi-million dollar settlement. 
• Representing an insurance company in an issue of first impression in Georgia establishing lead as a pollutant. Claims based on lead poisoning were excluded from a liability policy based upon pollution exclusion. 
• Representing an approved crop insurance provider regarding its denial of a claim for indemnity for cotton on break-out land wherein the third-party agent failed to get a written agreement. 
• Served as an umpire in a multi-million dollar life re-insurance dispute involving allegations of fraud and the “most favored nation” clauses prevalent in re-insurance treaties.

Professional Organizations/Activities

• State Bar of Georgia
• American Bar Association
• Macon Bar Association
• Georgia Defense Lawyers Association – Chair of Business Law Section
• William Augustus Bootle Inn of Court – Master
• Special Master for the Georgia Supreme Court
• American Farm Bureau – Legal Information and Networking Committee
• Defense Research Institute
• American Agriculture Law Association

Education

Mr. Groover attended the University of Georgia, graduating magna cum laude in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued at the University of Georgia, obtaining a Masters degree with honors in 1988. He then attended the University of Georgia Law School, graduating cum laude in 1992 with a J.D. degree. He began practice in Macon in 1992. Mr. Groover joined James-Bates-Brannan-Groover LLP as a partner in March of 2007.

Admitted

• Georgia, 1992
• Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of Georgia

Certification

Certified Civil Mediator

Administrative/Legal Assistant Contact

Name: Anne Perry
Title: Executive Assistant
Phone: 478.749.9941

Name: Sandra Horton
Title: Paralegal
Phone: 478.749.9922