Smith, Shaw & Maddox, a more than century-old law firm practicing in Rome and Cedartown, announced last week a plan to restructure the company and change its name.

Effective immediately, the firm will practice under the name McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Smith & Manning LLP — named after the current senior partners.

Founded in 1899, the firm had operated for many years under the names of former longtime firm principals Oscar Smith, Charles Shaw and J.D. Maddox.

In addition to the name change, the firm has added two new full-time attorneys and taken on one of its former attorneys as counsel to the firm.

After years of affiliation with Zartic, Jackson Baldwin Harris is back working as counsel with the law firm.

“Jack Harris is a talented attorney who has had a unique career experience for our region,” said Jo H. Stegall III, partner in the firm.

Harris practiced with Smith, Shaw & Maddox for 12 years and held a partnership in it for the last seven, until he resigned in September 1990 to become general counsel at Zartic.

He served the meat processing company for more than 16 years as general counsel, chief operating officer and management counsel. Harris is also owner and CEO of Westward Professional Management LLC, a specialty practice management consulting firm.

Harris is a Rome native and graduate of Darlington School, University of Georgia and the University of Georgia School of Law. He also has a long resume of community service in Rome. He and his wife, Shields, have three grown children and reside in Rome.

The firm also announced the addition of two associate attorneys who are Rome natives and recent law school graduates.

W. Jordan Knight earned his Juris Doctor in May 2006 from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and specializes in real estate, corporate law and civil litigation. He and his wife Ann live in Rome.

Emily Smith earned her Juris Doctor in May 2006 from Regent University in Virginia. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and Blackstone Legal Fellow. Her practice areas include civil litigation, constitutional law, municipal and government law, domestic law and employment law.

http://www.smithshaw.com