Drew Eckl & Farnham establishes presence in Albany, brings in two attorneys

ALBANY — The Drew Eckl & Farnham law firm announced earlier this month the expansion of its Georgia presence with the addition of two partners and an office in Albany.

Fred Lee and Dave Orlowski, formerly partners in the Lee Orlowski firm, joined Drew Eckl & Farnham as partners and opened the Drew Eckl location at 1604 W. Third Ave. on March 1.

Joe Chancey, managing partner for Drew Eckl, said the practice previously had offices only in Atlanta and Brunswick. Chancey said that while the firm is open to expansion opportunities in other cities, entering into a new market is not something it takes lightly.

On average, the firm has opened an office in a new city every 15-20 years.

“Some law firms are aggressive in growth. We have always been conservative,” Chancey said. “Our culture is that partners come in and stay a while. (We make sure) they are a good fit culturally before (a) promotion to partner.”

Lee and Chancey went to Mercer University together, and the two started conversations two months ago. Chancey said adding the Albany attorneys was a good fit.

“It was a fairly easy decision from a cultural point of view,” he said. “Albany is a good fit, and we do work throughout the state already.

“We pitched it to Fred and Dave (and we will) let them continue to do what they have been doing.”

Lee said he wanted to focus on practicing law rather than serving clients while also handling administrative duties. This transition will give much of the administrative responsibilities to Drew Eckl, so Lee can concentrate more on what he wants to do as an attorney.

“We (Chancey and myself) have known each other for a long, long time,” he said. “This is not the first time I have considered (a move like this); it was not the right fit before.

“Dave and I don’t share the same kind of practice; his work is different from mine. We both found we could use more support. I don’t like to do (administrative duties), I am not trained to do it, I (prefer) to serve clients. Drew Eckl is a firm with a great deal of resources.”

While conservative in its approach, Drew Eckl is a fast-growing firm. At the Albany location, there is plenty of office space open for more attorneys.

“If we didn’t feel like it was a good fit, we would not have made this decision,” Chancey said.

The firm had ties to Albany even before this transition. Robert Goldsmith, an associate with the firm now practicing in Atlanta, is from Albany.

“He is looking forward to rekindling some of the relationships he had down there,” Chancey said.

Lee graduated summa cum laude from Mercer in 1982, and then attended Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law, receiving his law degree, cum laude, in 1985. His early experience was primarily in litigation for insurance, health care and corporate clients; and he currently focuses his practice in the health care industry, particularly in the areas of risk management, health information, medical staff, credentialing, professional licensure and other areas relevant to the industry.

Lee also handles workers’ compensation matters. He is a member of the Dougherty Circuit Bar Association and the Georgia State Bar. He has completed the general civil mediation training and practicum at the J. W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Training at the University of Georgia and is certified as a court mediator by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

Orlowski attended Wake Forest University as a Guy T. Carswell Scholar, graduating cum laude in 1987. He then attended UGA School of Law, receiving his degree in 1991. Early in his career, workers’ compensation and insurance defense were Orlowski’s primary concentration areas.

Orlowski’s practice has been predominantly focused on the areas of banking and corporate law, creditor representation in bankruptcy matters, corporation formation and governance, business litigation, real estate, commercial transactions and workers’ compensation. He is a member of the Dougherty Circuit Bar Association and the Georgia State Bar — including its agriculture, banking, bankruptcy and workers’ compensation sections — as well as being an associate member of Georgia Bankers Association.

Drew Eckl, established in 1983, is a full-service firm that has grown to more than 115 lawyers. It serves local, regional and national clients and focuses on litigation, risk management, transactions and legal counsel to medium and large commercial, public and private companies throughout Georgia and the Southeast.

To learn more about the firm, visit www.deflaw.com.

Jennifer ParksJennifer Parks