Edward Piasta

Bar / Professional Activity

• Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia. Serving as a voting board member since 2021., 2026
• Chair of Military and Veterans Law Section, State Bar of Georgia. Former Vice-Chair., 2025
• 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

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

• $20 million settlement of an excessive use of force case. , 2025
• https://www.piastawalker.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

Pro bono / Community Service

• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Since 2014, Will's Club member., 2025
• Northside Youth Organization. (Head Baseball Coach, Shetland Red), 2021

Educational Background

• Master of Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College. Distinguished Graduate (Top 10%) – "performed significantly above peers on all measures."  , 2024-2026
• 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. , 2016-2017
• University of San Francisco School of Law, Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, Top 10%, McAuliffe Honor Society, 2002-2005
• 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, 1998-2002

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• 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

Honors

• Graduated in the top 10% of his U.S. Army War College class, earning Distinguished Graduate honors at the Army's senior service college for executive and strategic leadership. His academic evaluation noted that he "performed significantly above peers on all measures.", Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Army War College, 2026
• 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, 2018
• Army Commendation Medal, United States Army, 2011
• Army Commendation Medal, United States Army, 2009
• 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

“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.”

“Ed is an outstanding young lawyer who has made quite a name for himself in the plaintiff's personal injury practice area.”

“Fights ferociously for his clients with the highest ethical standards.”

“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.”

“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.”