Tony Ventry - Associate
ventry@elarbeethompson.com
(404) 582-8412
Download vCard
Download Profile

Practice Areas
Employer Counseling, Training & Litigation Prevention
Labor & Employment Litigation
Non-Competition/Non-Solicitation Litigation
Hospitality & Service Industries
E- Discovery

Education
J.D., summa cum laude, Georgia State University, 2004
B.B.A., magna cum laude, University of Georgia, 1999

Admitted to Practice
Georgia

Profile
Tony is an experienced litigator who understands business needs.  His practice focuses on defending employers nationwide in employment-related litigation and providing general client advice on the avoidance of employee-related problems.  Tony joined Elarbee Thompson in 2010 to devote his practice to employment litigation and advising employers on employment-related issues.  As a litigator, Tony has substantial experience defending discrimination cases, including in trial and hearing settings.  He has also successfully argued for and against the enforcement of restrictive covenants in employment agreements.

After completing law school, Tony worked with one the country’s largest law firms.  His initial role was as a transactional attorney, primarily focused on negotiating and documenting commercial loans with a specialization in loans secured by real estate assets like hotels and multifamily properties.  Tony also supervised financial transactions that provided financing to companies in the media, broadband, restaurant, and manufacturing businesses, and he gained extensive experience in matters involving international collateral and with significant bankruptcy concerns.

After several years, Tony transitioned to a litigation practice to better serve as an advocate for his client’s interests.  As a litigator, he has represented clients on a wide range of general business matters, including insurance coverage disputes, class action litigation, and securities and shareholder litigation.  Leveraging his unique combination of transactional and employment litigation experience, Tony has developed e-discovery subject matter expertise that helps clients avoid common electronic discovery pitfalls and minimizes costs arising from tasks such as massive document reviews and computer forensic analysis. 

Drawing on his early work experience in the hospitality, financial, and real estate industries, Tony represents and provides counsel to a diverse group of companies within those sectors.  While pursuing a law degree, Tony worked as an analyst for a publicly traded commercial real estate company specializing in the acquisition of distressed office, multifamily and hotel properties.  He has also performed accounting work for a major retailer and has a hands-on appreciation for the hospitality business gained from years performing jobs ranging from maintenance to the front desk at his father’s hotels.

Tony obtained his Bachelor in Business Administration magna cum laude from the University of Georgia, with High Honors from the school’s Honors Program.  Tony received his juris doctor from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2004, serving as Managing Editor of the Law Review.  He graduated law school summa cum laude and first in his class.

Tony is a member of the firm’s Hospitality and Service Industries Group.  The Group specializes in issues unique to the hospitality and service industry, including wage and hour, immigration, and harassment/discrimination litigation.

Professional Associations
Atlanta Bar Association
State Bar of Georgia - Labor and Employment Law Section

Awards & Honors
Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star 2012