Since 2013, Meredith Ragains has served as the Executive Director of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts. Meredith oversees legal services, education programs, and community relations for the statewide organization. Her duties also include long-range planning, budgetary controls, fundraising, and personnel supervision.

Prior to her work at GLA, Meredith was a litigator for 12 years at Robins Kaplan where she was in the Commercial Litigation practice group. In 2009, the State Bar of Georgia awarded Meredith its Pro Bono Project Award for her outstanding work with pro bono clients.

Meredith graduated from Emory University and Mercer Law School. After law school, Meredith clerked for the Honorable G. Ernest Tidwell of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In addition to her work at GLA, Meredith is an adjunct professor at Emory Law School where she teaches contract drafting, and she regularly guest lectures at the Georgia State University College of Law on intellectual property-related topics.

Kelly oversees the Georgia PATENTS program and manages GLA services. Kelly obtained her LLM from Vanderbilt Law School in 2016 and was the recipient of the Scholastic Excellence Award in Copyright Law. In 2016, she also attended the 17th International Copyright Law Summer Course at University of Amsterdam, Institute for Information Law. Kelly received her JD from Dalhousie University and her MBA from the University of Toronto.

Kelly has over 10 years’ experience in the film and television industry having worked for producers and international distributors of live action and animated productions. She has independently produced two feature films, both of which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Her experience also includes six years with a boutique branding, research and valuation company.

Matthew oversees the technical aspects of GLA’s operations, provides in-house legal services, and assists managing legal externs. After graduating from UGA, Matthew attended Georgia State University College of Law and studied Intellectual Property and received the Health Law Certificate. He also participated in multiple Intellectual Property competitions as a member of the Moot Court Board. Matthew now runs a solo practice, assisting early stage technology startups and other small businesses with their IP, contracts, and other business legal needs. Matthew is also Vice-Chair of the Community Outreach Committee of the GA State Bar IP Section.

Matthew has a deep passion for music that started in first grade when he began piano lessons. He later picked up the tenor saxophone and continued playing in marching band through college in the Redcoat Marching Band at the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Matthew is also a Brother of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He lives in Smyrna with his wife, Ashley, and their dog, Grady.

Jayma was born and raised in Rochester, NY. She then moved to Charleston, SC where she graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Business Administration. She co-owned and operated several businesses before attending Thomas M. Cooley Law School where she received her JD and LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law. After law school, Jayma relocated to Atlanta to focus on trademark and copyright law. She has enjoyed meeting and working with GLA’s creative clients to help them protect their intellectual property. In her free time, Jayma enjoys cooking with her family, playing tennis, and spending time with her newly-adopted cat, “Batman.”

Cole graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, and a certificate from UGA’s Music Business program. He currently attends Emory University School of Law and is focusing his  studies on Intellectual property with an emphasis in copyright and trademark law. Cole has worked previously at a record label, a radio station, and an entertainment law firm and hopes to pursue a career in the music industry. In his free time he likes to collect records, drink coffee, work out, and play guitar.

James graduated from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea with a dual degree in Biotechnology and Comparative Literature and currently attends Emory University Law School. He is focusing on intellectual property law and is looking to develop experience in the realm of public interest. He considers himself a Georgia native and spends his free time reading graphic novels, seeking out local new restaurants, and keeping up with advances in the science and technology sector.