Meet the Attorneys

Christopher L. Meacham

Chris was born in New Jersey and raised both there and in Charlottesville, Virginia. He graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English. Later, he attended the University of Maryland School of Law and graduated second in his class. Subsequently, he completed a one-year course of study at the Judge Advocate General School at the University of Virginia and received the civilian equivalent of a Master of Laws degree.

Chris was commissioned in the United States Army and served in several overseas commands. His last duty assignment was the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate/Acting Staff Judge Advocate at Fort Benning, Georgia. Chris left the military for a position as Vice President and General Counsel for Martin Theaters, Inc., now known as Carmike Cinemas, Inc., a subsidiary of Fuqua Industries, Inc.

In 1984, Chris entered the private practice of law and shortly thereafter established the law firm now known as Meacham, Earley & Fowler P.C. Since that time, he has worked in numerous areas of law with an emphasis on corporate, business, employment and labor law. Chris was appointed by Governor Joe Frank Harris as Special Master to hear and adjudicate labor and employment claims filed against the State of Georgia, and was also appointed the Chairman of the Personnel Review Board for the Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia. He is presently licensed to practice law in the States of Georgia, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Chris has two children. He is a member of Saint Patrick's Catholic Church and is involved in several activities within the community. Chris is committed to using his broad range of experience and extensive community contacts to fully represent the best interests of his clients.

Email: clmeacham@mejlaw.net

Karen M. Earley

Karen was born in Aurora, Illinois, and then relocated to Moline, Illinois, as a teenager. She attended Illinois State University on an athletic scholarship, receiving her Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration in 1979. Karen later attended Depaul University College of Law in Chicago and graduated in 1982 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree.

After graduation from law school, Karen worked as an associate attorney with the firm of Guerard, Kalina, Musial, and Varchetto concentrating her practice in residential and commercial real estate. She moved to Columbus in April 1990 and joined the law firm of Meacham and Flowers, as an associate. In January 1992, she became a partner specializing in residential and commercial real estate. Karen is currently licensed to practice law in Georgia and Illinois and frequently attends continuing legal education programs in real estate and related areas.

Karen has two children. Karen and her family are members of St. Anne's Catholic Church. She is involved in the real estate community in Columbus, and she is a regular speaker and panelist for civic programs involving real estate financing and home ownership.

Email: kmearley@mejlaw.net

David A. Fowler

David was born and raised in LaGrange, Georgia. He graduated summa cum laude from LaGrange College in 1985. David graduated from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University and was admitted to practice law in Georgia in June, 1988.

David began his legal career with Stone & Christian, P.C., in Macon, Georgia, specializing in domestic relations. In 1991, he returned to his home town to practice law and in 1993 opened his own law office. In April, 2004, David merged his office with Chris Meacham and Karen Earley to form Meacham, Earley & Fowler P.C. David specializes in civil litigation, domestic relations, creditor's rights, collections, and employment law.

An active member of the community and the bar, David has been a past President of the Coweta Circuit Bar Association and Treasurer and Vice-President of the Troup County Bar Association. He has served as Chairman of the Heard County Indigent Defense Committee. David has served the City of LaGrange both as Solicitor of the Municipal Court and as Assistant Municipal Court Judge. He has also served as Assistant Solicitor-General for Troup County. David is a member of the boards of LaGrange Art Museum and the Troup County Red Cross, and he has served as a past member of the board for Twin Cedars Youth Services. David is also a member of the LaGrange Rotary Club.

David is married with two children. He and his family attend St. Mark's Episcopal Church in LaGrange.

Email: dfowler@mejlaw.net

Richard M. Kemmer

Richard M. Kemmer, III was born in Mobile, Alabama, and grew up in Phenix City. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Alabama in 2007. As an undergraduate, he was awarded the "Outstanding Undergraduate in Economics" award and was a member of the Jasons Honor Society. Richard also taught a Microeconomics course during his senior year.

Richard attended the University of Alabama School of Law. As a law student, he competed in the John T. Marshall Moot Court Competition. Richard gained a wide range of legal experience clerking for the firms of Kemmer & Kemmer, P.C. in Centreville, Alabama, and Spruell & Powell, LLC in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He joined our firm in April 2010 and maintains offices in Phenix City and Columbus.

Email: rkemmer@mejlaw.net

Matt Landreau

Matt Landreau, a native of Phenix City, Alabama, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law. While attending Loyola, Matt served as a member of the International Environmental Law Moot Court Team in Tampa, Florida, where he won Best Oralist and Best Appellant Brief. He also served as the coach of the National Moot Court Team, which competed in New York City.

During law school, Matt worked two years for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office and served an externship with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Trustee. After graduating from Loyola, Matt worked for Jones Walker in its Lafayette, Louisiana, office. He later became a founding partner in the firm Bonner Landreau Kingrea LLC in Foley, Alabama, where Matt became Regional Counsel for a Fortune 500 International diesel engine manufacturer. Matt returned home to Phenix City where he now works with Meacham, Earley & Fowler, P.C.

Matt specializes in business/corporate litigation, business entity formation and counseling, and class action litigation. Matt has recently been appointed by Governor Robert Bentley as Deputy Attorney General, serving as attorney for the Russell County Department of Human Resources. He is licensed in Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Matt is married to the former Patti Guercio of Natchez, Mississippi, and they have two children, Cydney and Jackson.

Email: mlandrea@mejlaw.net

Ray Tillery

Ray Tillery was raised in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, in a small town called Gahanna. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1986 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. In 1990, he received his Juris Doctor degree from West Virginia University College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, where he serves on the Family Law Section and Military Law Section. His military education includes graduating from the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course in 1993 and the Judge Advocate General Officer Basic Course in 1994.

Career Highlights: Ray started his military career at the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he first began specializing in family law by counseling soldiers and family members as a Legal Assistance Attorney with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. Next he served as the primary family law attorney with the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Ray completed his initial active duty as a Trial Defense Attorney at Fort Benning, Georgia. Upon leaving active duty in 1998, Ray remained in the JAG Army Reserve and went into solo practice in Atlanta, Georgia. In civilian practice, his areas of concentration were family law, multimedia law and personal injury law. Shortly after 9-11, Ray volunteered for active duty in support of the War on Terror. Following his tour of duty as an anti-terrorism attorney during 2002, he was promoted to the rank of Major in the JAG Army Reserve and became a civilian family law attorney with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Fort Benning, Georgia. Major Tillery volunteered for active duty again in 2007 and retired from the Army in the summer of 2010. In August 2011, Ray completed his career with the Army as a civilian Legal Assistance Attorney with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Fort McPherson, Georgia, where he specialized in family law.

Ray is a highly sought-after speaker and has lectured extensively on the subject of military family law throughout the Southeast United States. Ray is an avid supporter of the YMCA of Metropolitan Columbus and an active member of his church, Kingdom Metropolitan Worship Center. Ray is married to Joycelyn Michelle Tillery, formerly of Geneva, Alabama. They have three children, a son, Reginald, and two daughters, Reagan and Rhema.

Email: rtillery@mejlaw.net