Practice areas: Personal Injury, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation; view more
Licensed in Georgia since: 2010
Education: University of San Francisco School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2018 - 2020 Call today:
404-996-1296
Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC
3301 Windy Ridge ParkwaySuite 110
Atlanta, GA 30339 Visit website
Details
Edward Piasta is the Managing Partner of Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, a law firm located in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Piasta has a nationwide trial practice, where he advocates for innocent victims and their families suffering from someone else's negligence or wrongdoing. His practice involves premises liability, insurance bad faith, motor vehicle accidents, trucking accidents, commercial accidents, workplace accidents, and other serious matters. Mr. Piasta also represents businesses in commercial disputes and business torts.
In 2018 and 2019, Mr. Piasta and his partners had back-to-back Fulton County Daily Report Top Verdicts, including the Fulton County Daily Report's Number One ranked premises liability verdict in Georgia for 2018. In that case, the defendant did not offer any money to the plaintiffs before trial. In 2022, their trial team secured another record verdict in Dooly County ($3.75M) in a case no one thought they could win. In 2023, Mr. Piasta and his partners tried a premises negligent security case where the insurer broke out the checkbook mid-trial to pay 250% of the policy limits after not offering a dime for years, and secured recoveries of $19 Million and $10 Million for clients in premises liability cases. Since 2021 alone, for Mr. Piasta's clients have amassed over $100 Million in recoveries.
Results oriented, Mr. Piasta has taken on the largest corporations and trucking companies in the nation on behalf of his clients. He believes in “swinging hard, but always fairly” and conducts himself “with the utmost sense of professionalism.” Brannen as Tr. of 1996 C. Bishop Brannen III Irrevocable Tr. v. Jackson Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 418 F. Supp. 3d 1231, 1234 (M.D. Ga. 2019), aff'd, 809 F. App'x 702 (11th Cir. 2020).
In addition to his law practice, Mr. Piasta serves in the military. Since 2006, Mr. Piasta has served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, now with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During "the Surge" in Iraq, Mr. Piasta earned the Bronze Star Medal for his efforts in support of combat operations. He also served another tour to Iraq in 2018, serving as the general counsel for the 201st Regional Support Group. There, he was responsible for supervising three legal offices at different bases located across Iraq. He currently serves as the Chief of Military Justice (or chief prosecutor) for the Georgia Army National Guard. Mr. Piasta is also attending the United States Army War College.
Mr. Piasta is an elected and voting member of the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors. He is also a graduate of the statewide leadership program, Leadership Georgia.
Mr. Piasta obtained his Juris Doctor cum laude in 2005 from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he was a member of the McAuliffe Honor Society and graduated in the top 10% of his class. For his undergraduate degree, Mr. Piasta graduated cum laude from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, majoring in history and minoring in military science and political science.
Mr. Piasta is married to Kristie Edenfield Piasta. The couple has two children, William and Joseph. The family resides in Atlanta. Kristie is also an attorney practicing at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Civil Litigation: Defense, General Litigation, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFocus areas
Assault, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Dram Shop Laws, Litigation, Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Defects, Non-Compete Agreements, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Pharmaceutical, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Trade Secret, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 50% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Business Litigation
- 10% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 10% Civil Litigation: Defense
- 10% General Litigation
- 10% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2005, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.piastawalker.com/attorneys/edward-a-piasta/
- Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia, 2024
- Leadership Georgia Graduate; https://www.leadershipgeorgia.com/ , 2022
- State Bar of Georgia, 2010
- State Bar of California, 2005
- Director of Military Affairs, State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyer's Division, 2015
- https://www.pnwlaw.com/results/
- $19,000,000.00 pretrial settlement in a mall negligent security wrongful death case. The identity of the settling parties is confidential. (State Court of Dekalb County), 2023
- Settlement $14,000,000.00. Pedestrian suffered a lower leg injury when a concrete truck struck his right foot. The investigating officer blamed the pedestrian 100% for his own injuries. Zurita vs. Ernst-Cobb Co., Inc., State Court of Cobb County, #18-A-129., 2021
- Verdict $11,250,000.00: Fulton County Daily Report's #1 Premises Liability Verdict for 2018. Code defect premises liability case against MARTA. Hicks vs. Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority, Inc., Superior Court of Fulton County, 2018CV300282. The defendant did not offer a penny before trial. An article about the case is located at: Turning a No Offer Case into a $11,250,000 Jury Verdict., 2018
- Settlement $11,000,000.00 in an out-of-state premises liability negligent security case. The identity of the parties is confidential. , 2021
- $10,000,000.00 partial-resolution in an excessive use of force wrongful death case. The identity of the settling party is confidential. (State Court of Dekalb County), 2023
- $3,499,000.00 mid-trial settlement in a negligent security action. Brandon Clark, vs. Reyan Group, LLC, State Court of Fulton County. https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2023/02/28/know-when-to-fold-em-lawyers-reach-3-49m-premise-liability-settlement-during-trial/?slreturn=20230506163910 , 2023
- Verdict $1,755,000.00 plus attorney fees: Fulton County Daily Report top five motor vehicle verdict. Client had "shoulder impingement" surgery and $60,000 in special damages. Alfred vs. Anthony P. Rulli and Power Secure, Superior Court of Gwinnett County, 17A10847-10 , 2019
- Verdict $1.4 Million in slip and fall case. Watts vs. Wal-Mart Stores, United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Client with significant pre-existing conditions suffered a shoulder injury. , 2021
- $1,250,000.00 pre-suit settlement in negligent security action. The identity of the parties is confidential. (Fulton County), 2023
- Settlement $1,000,000.00: Policy limits settlement in motor vehicle injury case. Asiel Lopez vs. Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company, et al., State Court of Gwinnett County, 20-C-02562-S3, 2020
- Settlement $1,000,000.00: Settlement for the policy limits in a negligent security case against a homeowner's association. Prince vs. Waldrop Condominium Association, Inc., et al., State Court of Dekalb County, 18A69577, 2019
- Verdict $2,225,000.00: co-counsel in knee injury commercial motor vehicle case with $89,000.00 in medical special damages. Waldrop vs. Golden Coastline Logistics, et al., United States District Court, Newnan Division, 3:13-cv-204, 2015
- Northside Youth Organization. (Head Baseball Coach, Shetland Red), 2021
- Cristo Rey Jesuit Atlanta High School. (Supporter from 2014 to present, and served as a student mentor), 2021
- Central Night Shelter. Make and donate lunches and breakfasts for a homeless shelter from my family's kitchen., 2021
- University of Georgia School of Law. Annual supporter of the Judge B. Avant Edenfield Scholarship Endowment Fund., 2021
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Since 2014, Will's Club member., 2021
- National Trial Lawyers Top 100, National Trial Lawyers, 2021
- Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, 2017
- Top 10%, McAuliffe Honor Society, University of San Francisco School of Law, McAuliffe Honor Society, University of San Francisco, 2005
- Bronze Star Medal, United States Army, 2008
- Meritorious Service Medal, United States Army and Georgia Army National Guard, 2019
- Army Commendation Medal, United States Army, 2011
- Army Commendation Medal, United States Army, 2018
- Army Commendation Medal, United States Army, 2009
- Command and General Staff College. Graduate-level leadership program focused on organizational leadership, military history, military planning, and decision-making processes. Earned"Exceeded Course Standards" rating, which rating is reserved for the top of the class. , 2017
- University of San Francisco School of Law, Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, Top 10%, McAuliffe Honor Society, 2005
- Marquette University, Bachelor of Arts (Major in History, Minors in Military Science and Political Science), Cum Laude, Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society, Number One rated Army ROTC Cadet, 2002
- Presented on how to investigate, develop, and try a negligent security case. , Speaker at "Secrets to a Successful Plaintiff's Personal Injury Practice", Preparing a Negligent Security Case for Trial, ICLE, State Bar of Georgia, Trial Advoacy, 2023
- Class on strategies and real-life application on how to use admissions, depositions, and trial testimony of adverse witnesses to win at trial. , Speaker, Cross-Examination Strategies: Shortening Trials Through Adverse Witness Testimony, ICLE, State Bar of Georgia, 2023
- Lead presenter and moderator for three-day continuing education trial practice workshop for all Judge Advocates across Georgia National Guard, Lecturer/Seminar Lead, Courts–Martial / Trial Practice Seminar, 2022
- Speaker at Georgia Trial Lawyer Association Annual Convention concerning different strategies to put pressure on insurers to do the right thing, Lecturer/Faculty, Strategic Settlement Demands, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, 2021
- Presented a CLE session on lessons learned from recent jury verdicts during a state-wide ICLE broadcast, Lecturer/Faculty, Lessons Learned from Recent Jury Verdicts, ICLE Trial Advocacy, 2020
- Led three hour CLE training for Judge Advocates state-wide, focused on professionalism and civility in the Military Justice System, Organizer, Moderator, Presenter, Protecting our System: The Role of Civility and Professional in Litigation, Georgia National Guard, 2020
- Presented course on medical privacy, attorney fees, avoiding conflict of interests, and protecting confidentiality, Lecturer/Faculty, Legal Ethics in Personal Injury Cases, NBI, Inc.-- Damages in Personal Injury, 2020
- Annual guest lecturer in my alma mater's Discovery Practice class to present a multi-hour class on discovery practice, discovery investigations, and discovery disputes, Guest Lecturer, Discovery Practice: Getting the Evidence to Use at Trial, University of San Francisco School of Law, 2020
- Presented and discussed various issues concerning a plaintiff's practice during a two-hour seminar , Guest Lecturer, Plaintiffs' Practice, University of Georgia School of Law, 2020
- Panelist to discuss premises liability trials , Panelist, The Premises Liability Trial, Atlanta Bar Association Litigation Section, 2019
- Presented on strategies and decisions made in the Hicks vs. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority , Speaker, Trial Review: Hicks vs. MARTA, Atlanta Trial Lawyers Association, 2019
- Presenter on the Alfred vs. Powersecure, Inc., et al. verdict. , Presenter, Breakfast Workshop and Webinar, Fried Rogers Goldberg, LLC, 2019
- Article on Hicks vs. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Co-Author, Turning a No Offer Case into a $11,250,000 Jury Verdict, Verdict Magazine--Georgia Trial Lawyers' Association, 2018
- Presented on the Hicks vs. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority verdict, Presenter, Breakfast Workshop and Webinar, Fried Rogers Goldberg, LLC, 2018
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Ed is smart, creative, and tireless. ”
“Ed is top-notch in everything he does. He is brilliant, personable and is a phenomenal litigator. He truly is the best of the best.”
“Ed Piasta is the best of the best. When you hear about the "good old days" when lawyers could amicably discuss cases and settle them without a lot of hoopla or zealously advocate in court and then grab a beer together and be friends, that is ed Piasta. Ed exemplifies the old ways. Ed is a real gem in a world where they are fewer and farther between than they should be. Trust me, you want Ed on your team. Ed is one of the best, most ethical and hardest working men I have ever known. Ed serves his country in the Army, and he is a family man of the highest character. ”
“Ed is an exceptional attorney. His results speak for themselves. He is very deserving of this recognition.”
“Fights ferociously for his clients with the highest ethical standards.”
“Ed Piasta is a top notch attorney who is always prepared and does a phenomenal job.”
“Ed is an exceptional advocate and consummate professional in the community.”
“Ed is an outstanding young lawyer who has made quite a name for himself in the plaintiff's personal injury practice area.”
“Ed is a fantastic attorney. Ed brings his experience as an active duty Judge Advocate attorney to the Georgia courts. He is a master of his craft. More important, Ed is ethical. You can trust Ed to do what he says and to deliver what he promises. Ed is the highest caliber of attorney, and he does honor to the profession.”
Office location for Edward Piasta
3301 Windy Ridge Parkway
Suite 110
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 404-996-1296
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2018 - 2020
