2020 was a tumultuous year, to say the least. When Georgia went into lockdown last spring, Gary Martin Hays and his team had to get creative with how to run a law firm in the middle of a pandemic.

“As an essential service, we were fortunate enough to be able to keep our doors open and continue to serve our clients who had been injured in car wrecks or work accidents,” said Attorney Gary Martin Hays. “They still needed us and we were there for them.”

As the pandemic altered daily life, Attorney Hays, along with his partner Sarah Jett and their team of attorneys and legal professionals, connected with local people and businesses in Gwinnett who needed help getting the word out about their services.

The firm sponsored a pop-up drive-thru line at its Duluth office with visitors receiving free coffee and donuts from Simply Done Donuts. People were able to simultaneously practice distancing and enjoy a delicious morning breakfast from a local business.

Another giveaway included $1,000 worth of Strange Taco Bar gift cards to families in need.

“We love Gwinnett County. It has been my home since 1990. Times were and still are tough for a lot of people. We wanted to come up with a way for us to help our local restaurants and their employees, as well as some people that may find it difficult to put food on their table,” he recalled.

Attorney Hays also promoted a series called the Gwinnett Business Spotlight featuring interviews with local small business owners. This provided them a platform to reach other Gwinnetians and talk about what makes their services unique.

Outside of Gwinnett, Attorney Hays appeared on The Bert Show (Q997) and with Sasha over at the OG 97.9 radio stations to raise scholarship funds for the Freemont Foundation. The goal was to help support outstanding high school, college, and graduate students who wanted to attend historically Black colleges and universities but were struggling due to finances. Word spread and the fundraiser was a resounding success with more than $13,000 raised to help Georgia students.

When the 2020-2021 school year began though, many students found themselves learning from home for the first time. Gary Martin Hays & Associates saw a need to get high-quality laptops to those who most deserved it but couldn’t afford them. With help from V103, 10 lucky Georgia students nominated by friends or family won a brand-new laptop for school.

“It’s important to us to make a positive difference in our community,” explained Attorney Hays. “And we're thankfully in a position to do that. I encourage anyone who wants to make a difference here in Gwinnett or elsewhere to go out and try.”

Despite the bumpy year, Attorney Hays along with Attorney Sarah Jett released two new books, both of which were #1 bestsellers: The Authority on Tractor-Trailer Wreck Claims in Georgia and The Authority on Wrongful Death Claims in Georgia.

These legal resources provide answers to injured victims and their family members’ most common and important questions when it comes to tractor-trailer accidents and wrongful death cases.

The same spirit that moves Attorney Hays and his team to give back to Gwinnett and Georgia is also what motivates them to help injured victims.

“Our clients’ lives are turned upside down when they are injured because of someone else’s negligence. We help them put the pieces back together as we take on the insurance company and their lawyers to secure just compensation,” he explained.

The firm recently hired two additional attorneys last year to assist with handling personal injury and workers’ compensation claims: Anthony Matthews and Elliott Wersing. With their education, trial skills, and inside knowledge of the insurance industry, they are prepared to help injured victims seek just compensation.

PROVIDING CLARITY: Our firm specializes in personal injury, including car wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, sexual assaults, helping victims of violent crimes, wrongful death claims, and social security disability claims. We’ve handled tens of thousands of cases over the years, allowing us to address and answer any questions or worries our clients may have.

DELIVERING RESULTS: We understand all of the financial, emotional, and personal issues that arise after a serious injury. It’s our mission to help our clients focus on a complete recovery while also taking care of any legal concerns along the way.

LOCAL ATTORNEYS YOU CAN TRUST: Gary Martin Hays lives and works in Gwinnett. Clients have the opportunity to meet Attorney Hays and his team to discuss their claims. He’s been described as down-to-earth, personable, and understanding.

WHAT’S NEXT: The law firm will open a new location in Gainesville in February 2021. The satellite office is located just past the City Park at 1016 Thompson Bridge Rd.

Since 1993, Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C., has recovered more than $1 billion for their clients. Consultations are free and phone lines are open 24/7.