James Cullen Evans

Jake Evans is an Atlanta attorney and member of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation and Litigation and Dispute Resolution Groups. Mr. Evans represents individuals and corporate entities – from successful small companies to Fortune 100 corporations – in matters involving high-stakes complex litigation; government relations at the local, state, and national level; and general business advice and counsel.

As part of his litigation practice, Mr. Evans focuses on disputes involving breach of contract and fiduciary duties, commercial and residential real estate (including wrongful foreclosures and commercial leases), restrictive covenants, business dissolutions, partnerships and joint ventures, derivative corporate claims, note defaults and workouts, and intellectual property. Mr. Evans manages all aspects of litigation and consistently obtains favorable outcomes, from early dismissals and resolutions to verdicts. He recently first-chaired, and successfully tried a high-profile bench trial, winning every motion filed and obtaining a verdict in his client's favor.

As part of his government services practice, Mr. Evans represents companies responding to government investigations by state attorney general offices, U.S. attorney offices, and other state and federal agencies. He also represents companies and individuals before Georgia state and local government agencies, including licensing boards, state commissions, and procurement offices. Mr. Evans advises on many election law issues, and he has successfully contested an election and had a new election ordered. Mr. Evans also represents municipalities, state agencies, and community boards in federal and state courts, and in response to subpoenas and open records requests.

As part of his financial services practice, Mr. Evans serves as outside counsel for many small to midsize companies, and advises on general business issues. In this role, he has significant experience representing emerging and early-stage companies, where he carefully balances providing sufficient legal protection with ensuring adequate resources are available to push a company's product to market.

In addition to his law practice, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Mr. Evans to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission (formerly the State Ethics Commission), a quasi-judicial body overseeing the ethical and reporting compliance of candidates for state and local elected office. Three consecutive Georgia State Bar presidents have appointed Mr. Evans to bar committees, including the Georgia Civil Indigent Services Task Force, the Georgia Bar Journal Editorial Board and the Professionalism Committee.

Mr. Evans has received numerous honors and awards. He is a 2018 Georgia Super Lawyers® Rising Star honoree, a recognition given to only 2.5 percent of Georgia lawyers. The ALM Daily Report named him one of 20 Georgia attorneys in its On the Rise Class of 2018, attorneys expected to go far in their fields. James Magazine recognized Mr. Evans as one of Georgia's Most Influential Politically-Connected Attorneys, and Mr. Evans has a 10.0 out of 10.0 Avvo Rating.

In addition, Mr. Evans is an honoree in the 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 Under 40 Class, an honoree in Outstanding Atlanta's 2018 Class, a graduate of the 2018 LEAD Atlanta Class, a participant in the Republican Leadership for Georgia's 2019 Class, a graduate of the 2017 Leadership Buckhead Class, a graduate of the 2014 State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Leadership Academy, and he has been inducted into both the Lumpkin Inn of Court and the Lamar Inn of Court as a barrister.

Mr. Evans is the current president of the Atlanta Young Republicans (YR), the largest YR organization in the country. From 2015 to 2017, was chairman of the YLD Litigation Committee, the Georgia bar's largest YLD committee. He received multiple awards for his work in these roles, including the Georgia Young Republicans' (GYR) 2018 Man of the Year, the YLD's 2017 Award of Achievement, and the YLD's 2017 Winter Star of the Quarter. Under Mr. Evans' leadership, the Atlanta YR won the 2018 National Large Chapter of the Year, the 2018 Georgia Chapter of the Year, and the 2018 Event of the Year.

Mr. Evans frequently writes and speaks on legal and political issues, and he has appeared on many radio and television broadcasts, including NPR, PBS, CBS46, ABC's Channel 2, and Fox 5.

Prior to joining the firm, Jake attended the University of Georgia, graduating with summa cum laude honors and earning a perfect 4.0 GPA seven out of his eight semesters. Thereafter, he attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating with cum laude honors.