Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus Adds 5

From left: Bryan Borland, Robin Fish, Bonnie Johnson, Philip Kaplan and Nicholas Williams.

Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus P.C. has added Philip Kaplan, Bonnie Johnson, Nicholas Williams, Robin Fish and Bryan Borland to its team.

Kaplan, Johnson and Borland come to CGWG from Williams & Anderson PLC.  

Kaplan joins the law firm as of counsel, meaning he will work for CGWG but not as an associate or as a partner. He brings extensive experience in employment law, commercial litigation, family law and constitutional law.

In 1970, Kaplan began his career in class-action cases when he was appointed to represent the inmate population of the Arkansas prison system in a matter that resulted in elements of that prison system being declared unconstitutional. He has also appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resulted in a declaration establishing the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Attorney Fee Act. 

Kaplan earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and LL.B. degree from the University of Michigan.

Johnson joins the law firm as counsel. She practices education and nonprofit law, business litigation, appellate work and employment law.

Johnson is the author of the Legal Guide for Arkansas Nonprofit and Volunteer Organization. She has more than 35 years of experience, and earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration degrees with high honors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and the UALR Institute of Government. 

Williams joins CGWG as an associate attorney. He graduated from the joint program between the Bowen School of Law and the Clinton School of Public Service. Prior to entering private practice, he worked at Harvard Law School.

As a litigator, he is experienced in the defense of employers, hospitals, physicians, and insurance carriers in both state and federal courts. Williams also counsels hoteliers on employment and risk management issues.

Fish joins the firm as business manager. She comes to CGWG from Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP and also has experience as a business manager in the construction industry. 

Borland, who will serve as marketing administrator and do paralegal work for the firm, comes to CGWG with nearly two decades of paralegal experience in civil litigation, business formation and management, estate planning, employment law and nonprofit law. 

He was named 2018’s “Best Poet of Arkansas” by readers of the Arkansas Times. Borland also founded Sibling Rivalry Press.