Allan C. Galis

Hiring Partner

200 East Saint Julian Street
PO Box 9848
Savannah, GA 31412-0048

Tel 912.236.0261
Fax 912.236.4936

Allan Galis is a partner with HunterMaclean’s litigation group. His practice focuses on commercial disputes, contract matters, and real estate disputes. Allan also serves as the Firm’s hiring partner.

Originally from Athens, Georgia, Allan graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served as the notes editor for the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law and an executive board member for the Georgia Negotiations Competition Team. He earned a B.A., magna cum laude, in 2006 from Washington and Lee University, where he double-majored in Political Science and Philosophy.


Experience

Published Opinions

  • Ricks v. Handi-House Mfg. Co., Case No. 6:17-CV-89 (S.D. Ga. Mar. 25, 2019)
  • PDVSA U.S. Litigation Trust v. Lukoil Pan Americas LLC, — F.Supp.3d — (2019)
  • Ruth, et al. v. Cherokee Funding, LLC, et al., __ S.E.2d __ (Ga. Oct. 22, 2018, No. S17G2021)
  • Goldstein, Garber & Salama, LLC v. J.B., 300 Ga. 840 (2017)
  • Douglas Asphalt Company v. Martin Marietta Aggregates et al., 339 Ga. App. 435 (2016)
  • Horton v. Maersk Line, Ltd., 603 Fed.Appx. 791 (2015)

Representative Engagements

  • Lead trial counsel and co-appellate counsel in successful defense of a class action challenging the legality of Georgia’s litigation funding industry under the Georgia Industrial Loan Act and the Georgia Payday Lending Act.
  • Defeated, on summary judgment, $32 million breach of contract claim asserted against one of the nation’s largest publicly traded suppliers of aggregates and heavy building materials.
  • Secured $8 million judgment, including client’s attorney’s fees, for large commercial landlord in lease dispute against national franchise tenant.
  • Obtained $3.5 million judgment, including client’s attorney’s fees, for commercial landlord in lease dispute against tenant.
  • Secured $200,000 judgment, including client’s attorney’s fees, for large commercial landlord in lease dispute against national franchise tenant.
  • Achieved $630,000 jury trial verdict, including client’s attorney’s fees and pre-judgment interest, for regional construction company. Case involved complex indemnification and bond issues related to federal construction projects.
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of surgeon accused of medical fraud.
  • Defense of oil company in lawsuit brought by minority shareholder alleging fraud and breaches of fiduciary duty by the company’s directors, officers, and majority shareholder, leading to favorable settlement.
  • Favorable settlement of breach of contract claim brought in federal court against Fortune 500 company by software maintenance provider that alleged the company had failed to properly terminate the parties’ contract and thus owed maintenance fees at the provider’s “full price,” which was far in excess of any fees the company had ever agreed to pay.
  • Obtained summary judgment totaling $500,000 for executor in federal lawsuit filed against beneficiary who refused to pay her share of the estate tax attributable to the estate assets she received.
  • Secured $1.6 million judgment for large commercial landlord in lease dispute against regional franchise tenant.
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of a property owner in a quiet title action against ten adverse claimants involving a 53-acre tract of land.
  • Obtained arbitration award in favor of university on all claims brought by expelled student who claimed to be aggrieved by the school’s internal review and appeal proceedings.
  • Prevailed in dispute involving $4 million appraisal award and bad faith claim in the Southern District of Georgia for insurer. Case involved claim of insurance fraud and significant sanction award against policyholder.
  • Secured judgment for national mortgage provider against Fortune 500 company. Judgment included court order of payment of client’s legal fees by losing party.
  • Succeeded in motion to dismiss based upon lack of personal jurisdiction in multimillion-dollar failed real estate development deal. After win, client was not timely sued in proper jurisdiction and thus avoided all liability in matter. Client’s partners (allegedly) paid in excess of $1 million in fees and settlement.
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of a large marine carrier in a personal injury action brought by a longshoreman.

Community Work

  • American Red Cross of Southeast and Coastal Georgia: Board of Directors, Chairman
  • Washington and Lee University: Alumni Admissions Program, Savannah-Area Committee Member
  • Leadership Savannah: Class of 2015-2016
  • Historic Savannah Foundation: 13th Colony, Past Member
  • Civitan: Past Member
  • Gridiron Society

Credentials

Education

University of Georgia School of Law: J.D., cum laude, 2010
Washington and Lee University: B.A., magna cum laude, 2006

Affiliations

  • State Bar of Georgia Leadership Academy: Class of 2013
  • American Bar Association
  • Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
  • Savannah Bar Association
  • State Bar of Georgia

Recognition

Best Lawyers in America: Insurance Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation; 2023-2024
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most highly-respected peer review guide to the legal profession worldwide. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.

Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star: Business Litigation, 2020-2023
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

GenerationNEXT: Savannah’s Rising Stars of Business, 2018
In their annual GenerationNEXT: Savannah’s Rising Stars of Business competition, Savannah Magazine and Business in Savannah recognize local business and community leaders under the age of 40. The winners are nominated and selected based upon their business accomplishments and humanitarian efforts.

Martindale-Hubbell: AV Rated
The Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ are an objective indicator of a lawyer’s high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada.

Licensed In

Georgia

Insights

Hands-Free Georgia Act

June 20, 2018

By Allan Galis, special to Business in Savannah On July 1, enforcement begins of the recently enacted Hands-Free Georgia Act, which, broadly speaking, prohibits holding or cradling a cell phone…

Hands-Free Georgia Act

June 20, 2018

By Allan Galis, special to Business in Savannah On July 1, enforcement begins of the recently enacted Hands-Free Georgia Act, which, broadly speaking, prohibits holding or cradling a cell phone…

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