Smith, Gambrell & Russell Welcomes Attorneys Jill Bechtold and Dion Bass to Firm’s Jacksonville Litigation Practice

ATLANTA (January 29, 2020) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce the addition of Jill F. Bechtold to the firm’s Jacksonville office. Ms. Bechtold joins SGR’s Litigation Practice, along with Dion K. Bass, from the Jacksonville office of Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

“We are pleased to welcome Jill and Dion to the firm,” commented SGR’s Jacksonville office Managing Partner Steven Brust. “Combined they have an extensive legal background in medical malpractice defense and bring a wealth of experience to SGR and the Litigation Practice.”

As a partner in the Litigation Practice, Jill Bechtold practices in the area of civil litigation with focus on medical and professional liability defense, employment disputes, product liability defense, business litigation, trucking litigation, and insurance defense. She is experienced in defending professional licensure actions, including defending medical physicians in Department of Health investigations and licensed companies in Department of Business and Professional Regulation actions. In 2016, Ms. Bechtold accepted her invitation as a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). She is also a Barrister of the Chester Bedell Inn of Court, a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI), and serves as the co-chair of the Women & the Law Committee for the Florida Defense Lawyer’s Association.

Ms. Bechtold has been rated a preeminent AV-rated lawyer by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, selected to the Rising Stars and Super Lawyers lists in Florida, and named an ‘Up & Comer’ by Florida Trend magazine. Additionally, she was selected as one of 2015’s Women Leaders in Law by ALM Media, in partnership with Fortune Magazine. In 2015, Ms. Bechtold was named a “Women of Influence” by the Jacksonville Business Journal for her leadership in Northeast Florida’s professional and civic community. She was appointed by the Office of the Mayor to the Jacksonville Children’s Commission (JCC) Board of Directors and is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2015. Ms. Bechtold is also past-president of the Board of Directors for Girl’s Inc. of Jacksonville, the local chapter of the national Girl’s Inc. organization. She helped create and launch the young professional’s division of the Board, G.I.R.L.S. (Girl’s Inc. Rising Leaders Society).

Dion, an associate in the Litigation Practice, also focuses his practice on medical and professional liability defense, employment disputes, product liability defense, business litigation, trucking litigation, and insurance defense. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the Jacksonville Bar Association, the Jacksonville Federal Bar Association, the DW Perkins Bar Association, as well as the Jacksonville Association of Defense Counsel and the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS). Outside of the office, Mr. Bass has been recognized by Jacksonville Area Legal Aid for his commitment to providing pro bono legal services.

About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s 250 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, construction, employment law, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Jacksonville, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Southampton, and Washington, D.C.

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