- OVERVIEW
- THOMAS M. SHEPHERD, ESQ.
- SETH N. KATZ, ESQ.
- MARK D. OAKS, ESQ.
- ANDREW MEHLHORN, ESQ.
- CREE DANIELS
ATTORNEYS & TEAM MEMBERS
Select a name to learn more about Shepherd Law's attorney's, team members and their credentials.
THOMAS M. SHEPHERD, ESQ.
Managing Partner and Founder
I represent entrepreneurs because they inspire me. They take chances, they provide jobs, they pour their entire lives into the companies they love… I want to protect that.
Before his decade-long career as a corporate attorney, Thomas M. Shepherd spent 6 years as an accountant with an Atlanta-based residential construction company. Tom draws upon this extensive financial training when advising entrepreneurs and privately-held businesses. As a business, employment and corporate Attorney, Tom advises clients on corporate structuring, business contracts, litigation avoidance, sale of business, employment law and intellectual property protection.
The early years of Tom’s career were spent at a prominent business litigation, corporate transactional, and employment law firm located in Buckhead, Georgia. After several years, Tom left to serve as General Counsel for an Atlanta-based, international technology company. In 2009, Tom started Shepherd Law, LLC to provide the same premier legal services to privately held businesses.
Tom grew up in Atlanta, obtaining a Bachelor in Business Administration from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Majoring in Business Management, Tom concentrated his studies on entrepreneurship and small business development. During this time, Tom won several awards, including “Best New Venture” in the Robinson College of Business’s Entrepreneurship New Venture Competition.
Additionally, Tom won the Robinson College of Business’s Strategic Management Capstone Competition, and placed first overall in the B.B.A. program’s graduation exit exam.
Before law school, Tom worked as an accountant for residential development and construction company.
Tom lives with his wife, son and three daughters in the Garden Hills neighborhood located in Buckhead. He is an avid Braves, Falcons and Hawks fan and he and his family are parishioners at Christ the King Church in Buckhead.
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Georgia Superior Courts
- Georgia Courts of Appeal
- Georgia Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
MEMBERSHIPS
- American Bar Association: Business Law
- State Bar of Georgia: Corporate Counsel Section
- State Bar of Georgia: Labor and Employment Section
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce
ASSOCIATIONS AND POSITIONS
- Board Member, Garden Hills Civic Association Board of Directors
- Member, City Club of Buckhead
RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- “Evolution of a Company: A Roadmap to Success from Start-Up Phase, to Growth Phase, through Maturity Phase,” Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, May 2016
- “The Essentials of Commercial Leases”, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Building Construction, April 2016
- “Evolution of a Company: A Roadmap to Success from Start-Up Phase, to Growth Phase, through Maturity Phase,” City Club of Buckhead, January 2016
- “Commercial Contracts in Facilities Management,” International Facilities Management Association Conference, June 2015
- “Litigation Avoidance and Defense for Employers,” Peachtree Business Connections, November 2011
- “Unemployment Benefits Appeals for Employers,” Georgia Department of Labor, June 2011
- “Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls of Starting a New Business,” City Club Consortium, Atlanta Financial Center, June 2010
- “The Essentials of Drafting Contract Boilerplate,” State Bar of Georgia, CLE: Nuts and Bolts of Employment Law, March 2010
- “Choosing the Right Corporate Entity,” State Bar of Georgia, CLE: Nuts and Bolts of Employment Law, March 2009
- “Mass Layoffs and Federal WARN Act Compliance,” The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, October 2007
Seth N. Katz is a civil litigator, primarily assisting clients with business and employment disputes. He also advises employers on personnel-related issues including employee discipline, hiring and firing, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, trade secrets, business contracts, litigation avoidance, policy review and management training.
Mr. Katz is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. He is a member of both the Business Law and Employment Law Sections of the Georgia State Bar, and he served as Chairman of the Young Lawyers Division Business Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia from 2006-2010.
In 2006, Mr. Katz earned a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, he served as an intern for the National Labor Relations Board. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1998 from the University of Georgia.
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Georgia Superior Courts
- Georgia Courts of Appeal
- Georgia Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
MEMBERSHIPS
- State Bar of Georgia
EDUCATION
- Emory University School of Law, J.D., 2006
- University of Georgia, B.A., 1998
Mark D. Oaks is equally active in both the firm’s corporate transactional and litigation practice areas. Mr. Oaks focuses on helping business owners manage litigation risk throughout the risk life cycle. He helps business owners prevent litigation by thoughtfully guiding them through corporate structuring, relationships and transactions, and carefully creating the documents necessary to minimize risk along the way. Mr. Oaks helps business owners manage potential and existing litigation risk by tirelessly advocating on their behalf throughout the dispute resolution and civil litigation processes.
Mr. Oaks calls on substantial and diverse business experience to craft solutions for business owners, including positions in the retail and secondary financial markets and private equity.
Mr. Oaks is a member of the State Bars of Georgia and South Carolina. Mr. Oaks earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from John Marshall Law School, and a Bachelor of Science in Global Business/Finance from Arizona State University.
Andrew Mehlhorn is an associate at Shepherd Law, LLC. His practice encompasses client defense, contracts, collections, mergers and acquisitions, and trademark law. Andrew is also a notary public.
Prior to working at Shepherd Law, LLC, Andrew began his legal career in 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana specializing in contracts, collections, estates, and banking law. He has represented many regional and national banks during his career in a variety of litigation and has been active member of the Louisiana Banker’s Association for six years. In 2023, Andrew moved to Atlanta, Georgia and began working for Shepherd Law, LLC shortly thereafter.
During law school, Andrew worked as a student practitioner with the Workplace Justice Project at the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice. While there, Andrew gained litigation experience in a variety of claims ranging from wage disputes to Worker’s Compensation claims. His experience with labor and employment law has continued in Georgia advising businesses with employment contracts and employee disputes.
While at Shepherd Law, LLC, Andrew has been a part of several substantial mergers and acquisitions of businesses in the greater Atlanta area by providing contract drafting services, diligence, and research for clients. Andrew has also successfully filed and defended trademarks to the United States Patent and Trademark Office during his time at the firm.
Andrew earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2018. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and English in 2013 from Loyola University New Orleans.
*Andrew Mehlhorn is a Louisiana barred Attorney and his Georgia Bar licensure is pending.
