Winston A. Denmark

Winston began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for Judge Joseph A. Wilson, II, of the Circuit Court of South Carolina. Following his clerkship in 1997, Winston joined Haynesworth, Sinkler, Boyd, LLP, a large South Carolina law firm where he represented investor-owned electric utilities in regulatory and employment matters. In 1998, Winston served as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law where he taught legal research and writing to first year law students. Winston continued his regulated utility practice when he joined the Atlanta law office of Troutman Sanders, LLP in 1999, representing electric utility companies in regulatory proceedings at the Georgia Public Service Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. His practice also involved franchising and right-of-way acquisitions with local governments. In 2002, Winston joined the DeKalb County Attorneys office where he specialized in civil rights litigation in federal court. His work involved representing the DeKalb Sheriff and Police Department in lawsuits alleging excessive force, denial of medical care, and various constitutional violations. Winston also litigated cases involving the countys adult entertainment ordinance. Since joining Denmark Ashby LLC in 2004, Winston has honed his expertise as both a litigator and local government attorney. He routinely is lead counsel in litigation involving zoning, nuisance abatement, employment, construction, alcohol licensing, contracting and procurement, and municipal taxation. The firms government practice also involves advising clients daily on complex issues such as real estate and development, revenue bonds and public finance, negligence liability, tax anticipation notes, comprehensive plans, SPLOST, hotel-motel taxes, annexations, tax allocation districts, and stormwater utilities. For years, Winston has served as outside counsel for the Clayton County Public Schools. While varied, this representation has largely consisted of conducting due process hearings where the Superintendent is recommending termination or other discipline against certified educators under the Georgia Fair Dismissal Act. Over the years, Winston has handled numerous appeals from these hearings to the State Board of Education and to the state appellate courts. Winston is the appointed city attorney for the City of Stonecrest, the City of College Park, and the City of Lithonia. He also takes the lead in providing daily advice to the firms other municipal clients, including the City of Lake City, and the City of Jonesboro. Winston is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association, and the National Association of Bond Lawyers. Winston is a native of Charleston, South Carolina.