Mr. Stone, a Partner in the firm, was born in 1954 in Augusta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia (A.B. 1976) and the Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University (J.D. 1979). He was a member of the Editorial Board of the Mercer Law Review. He is admitted to practice in the State and Appellate Courts of Georgia, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Along with D. Mark Baxter, he founded Stone & Baxter, LLP in 1996.

Mr. Stone’s practice concentrates in the areas of general business law, business insolvency, reorganization and bankruptcy, including representation of business debtors, secured lenders, unsecured creditors’ committees and trustees. Mr. Stone has participated in the restructure or bankruptcy reorganization of a substantial number of businesses ranging in size from small, closely held businesses to publicly-held companies. He has served as a Chapter 11 Trustee, Counsel to Official Committees of Unsecured Creditors and to Chapter 11 Debtors-in-Possession in many cases, and has served as Counsel for secured lenders. He was Founding Chairman of the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Law Institute, Inc., served as its Chairman from 1997 through 2000, and currently serves on its Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.

Mr. Stone’s practice also concentrates in business transactional matters, including the purchase, sale and refinance of businesses and business assets, and business-related litigation. Mr. Stone has extensive experience in both the prosecution and defense of lawsuits containing allegations of business fraud.

Mr. Stone’s other areas of concentration include commercial and industrial construction claims, contract management and dispute resolution, including litigation and construction arbitration. He has participated in numerous arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association.

Mr. Stone has been a frequent lecturer for the State Bar of Georgia, Lorman Education Services, and the Middle District Bankruptcy Law Institute on the topics of business insolvency, restructure or reorganization, and construction-related issues. He has been awarded an “AV” rating by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2000-2004, and is listed as a “Georgia Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics and the publishers of Atlanta Magazine.

Mr. Stone has been active in church leadership, has served as a delegate to the Georgia Republican Convention, is an active member of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, and Kiwanis International.