November 6, 2015
HunterMaclean, a leading business law firm with offices in Savannah and Brunswick, is pleased to announce that the firm’s Savannah office has welcomed three new attorneys: Christopher H. “Smitty” Smith, Francesca Macchiaverna, and Patrick L. Barkley.
“These accomplished attorneys further strengthen HunterMaclean’s highly effective litigation practice in southeast Georgia and coastal South Carolina,” said Frank Macgill, managing partner. “They bring unique skills that will benefit our current and future clients.”
Chris “Smitty” Smith, Partner
Smitty has extensive experience in business disputes and has litigated many cases throughout the United States during his career. He concentrates his practice in the areas of health care, commercial litigation and transactions, construction, employment, insurance, catastrophic injury, and transportation/logistics law. Smitty has argued cases in State, Superior, and Federal District Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Georgia Supreme Court.
Smitty is a graduate of Leadership Savannah as well as the State Bar of Georgia’s Leadership Academy, and has served as president of the Savannah Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and as a board member of the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers. He has been included in The Best Lawyers in America, recognized as Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, and named a Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star multiple years. He has received Awards of Achievement from the Young Lawyers Divisions of the Georgia Bar Association and the American Bar Association and has been named to the American Board of Trial Advocates.
An active member of the community, Smitty has served on the board of the Boys & Girls Club, the Next Generation Advisory Board supporting the Children’s Hospital at Memorial University Medical Center, and as vice president of the Live Oak Public Libraries Foundation. Smitty received a B.S. in Kinesiology from the College of William and Mary and earned his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law.
Francesca Macchiaverna, Partner
Francesca joins HunterMaclean with over fifteen years of experience in business and commercial litigation, practicing within both state and federal courts in Georgia and South Carolina. Francesca has represented clients in matters including bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, real estate, mechanic’s liens and bonds, health care, post-judgment and foreign judgment collections, and landlord-tenant disputes. She has achieved the highest possible rating (AV) from Martindale-Hubbell in the practice areas of commercial law, litigation, and bankruptcy.
Francesca is a member of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, the South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association, and the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Sections of the State Bar of Georgia. Francesca is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court and is certified as a Circuit Court Mediator in South Carolina.
Francesca authors the legal newsletter for the Greater Savannah Apartment Association and previously served as the articles editor for the South Carolina Environmental Law Journal. She regularly presents on legal topics at professional education programs. She serves on the board of trustees of the Coastal Heritage Society and is a judge for High School Mock Trial Competitions in Georgia and South Carolina. Francesca received a B.A. from Emory University and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Patrick Barkley, Associate
Patrick practices primarily in the areas of business litigation, commercial disputes, and contract matters. He has experience helping clients develop their businesses by preparing corporate by-laws, operating agreements, employment contracts, membership and shareholder agreements, and other legal documents related to the security of company information.
Before moving to Savannah, Patrick focused his practice on civil litigation, business/transactional matters, and family law as an associate at Little, Bates, Kelehear & Toland in Dalton, Georgia. Other areas of his expertise include employment law, probate administration, and real estate.
Patrick received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Auburn University and earned his J.D. at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. During law school he served as an articles editor for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy and was a member of the Caruthers Fellows.
