James T. Brieske

Contact Information

Address:

1700 Atlanta Plaza
950 East Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30326

Phone:

(404) 870-7387

Fax:

404-870-7374

E-mail:

jbrieske@grsmb.com

Website

http://www.grsmb.com

Videos

Biography

James T. Brieske graduated from the University of Georgia of Law, Cum Laude in 1990. Since that time, he has maintained a defense oriented trial practice in the State of Georgia in both state and federal courts.

Mr. Brieske’s areas of practice are insurance defense litigation, insurance coverage advice and litigation, premises liability, commercial litigation, homeowner’s liability litigation, and employer and insurer workers’ compensation defense. Since 1992, Mr. Brieske has tried and mediated numerous cases in these areas and has obtained favorable results for his clients. Mr. Brieske has also provided coverage advice, drafted reservation of rights and coverage disclaimer letters for several insurance companies with respect to pending litigation. For example, Mr. Brieske and his partner, Michael Rust, served as southeastern coverage counsel and provided coverage advice and drafted reservation of rights and disclaimer letters to one of the firm’s insurance clients as to its potential liabilities arising out of insurance policies provided to funeral homes who had been sued as a result of the North Georgia TriState Crematory litigation. Mr. Brieske also has provided coverage advice to several of the firm’s insurance and business clients for their liability under both homeowners, business and law enforcement policies concerning their obligations arising out of litigation involving sexual abuse, harassment, molestation and other intentional torts. Last, Mr. Brieske currently serves as Georgia coverage and bad faith counsel for a national insurance client specializing in homeowners and automobile liability insurance coverage. Mr. Brieske heads our firm’s workers compensation defense team and litigates claims on behalf of employers and insurers through the State of Georgia. Mr. Brieske has also taught and chaired seminars on insurance coverage, defense of automobile liability claims, ethics, workers compensation and uninsured motorist coverage and litigation.

Mr. Brieske has lived in Atlanta, Georgia since the age of 5 and attended St. Pius X High School. Mr. Brieske and his wife, Cindy, currently live in the Northlake area of DeKalb County and have a son and daughter, Georgia and Nathan. Mr. Brieske is also active in the Atlanta Bar Association, sports leagues, and has been a member of Atlanta Bar Association’s championship teams in flag football and softball.

Current Employment Position(s):

Partner

Areas of Practice:

Automobile Liability and Uninsured Motorist Defense
Automobile, Commercial and Homeowners Insurance Coverage Disputes
Commercial, Premises and Homeowners Liability Defense
Construction Defect Litigation
Appellate Practice in State and Federal Courts
Employers and Insurers Workers’ Compensation Defense

Bar Admissions:

Georgia, 1990
Georgia Court of Appeals, 1990
U.S. District Court, 1994
Supreme Court of Georgia, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2005

Education:

University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia, 1990 J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, 1987B.A.
Major: Political Science
Major: History
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, Georgia, 1982

Representative Clients:

Metropolitan Property and Casualty – Georgia Coverage Counsel
Ohio Casualty Group
GMAC Insurance
Waste Transportation and Disposal Inc.
Peachtree Casualty Insurance Company
The Pantry, Inc. – Georgia Counsel
Selective HR Solutions

Representative Cases:

Heretyk v. PMA Cemeteries, Inc., 611 S.E.2d 744 (Georgia Court of Appeals 2005)

Manning v. USF&G Ins. Co., 589 S.E.2d 687 (Georgia Court of Appeals 2003)

Peachtree Cas. Ins. Co. v. Bhalock, 556 S.E.2d 218 (Georgia Court of Appeals 2001)

Integon Indem. Corp. v. Henry Medical Center, Inc., 508 S.E.2d 476 (Georgia Court of Appeals 1998)

Rose v. Figgie Intern., Inc., 495 S.E.2d 77 (Georgia Court of Appeals 1997)

Matjoulis v. Integon General Ins. Corp., 486 S.E.2d 684 (Georgia Court of Appeals 1997)

Drake v. Kroger Co., 443 S.E.2d 698 (Georgia Court of Appeals 1994)

Honors and Awards:

Atlanta Magazine’s Rising Stars among Super Lawyers, 2006
Atlanta Magazine’s Rising Stars among Super Lawyers, 2009

Professional Associations and Memberships:

State Bar of Georgia
Member
Atlanta Bar Association
Member
Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
Member
Atlanta Chairs Association, 2007 – 2008
Legislative Committee Chair
Atlanta Chairs Association, 2008 – 2009
Education Committee Chair

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Adjusting the Automobile Injury Claim in GA, Co-Speaker, 1999 – 2000
Uninsured Motorist Law in GA, Speaker, 1999 – 2000; 2002
Atlanta Claims Association – 2009 Ethics Seminar, Co-Chair, 2009

Fraternities/Sororities:

Pi Sigma Alpha
Phi Alpha Delta

Birth Information:

June 1, 1964, Milwaukee, Wisconsin