Tricia “CK” Hoffler, CEO.
Tricia “CK” Hoffler is the CEO of The CK Hoffler Firm, an Atlanta-based law firm that specializes in representing plaintiffs in trucking accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, civil rights litigation, commercial litigation, employment discrimination, opioid litigation, global commercial transactions, and “Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)” representation. She is licensed in Georgia, Florida, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. To date, Ms. Hoffler has tried and/or settled cases on behalf of her clients worth over $850 million. Ms. Hoffler has also lectured extensively nationally and internationally on trial strategies and techniques, personal injury, medical negligence, First Amendment matters, employment discrimination, opioid litigation, and commercial matters. Ms. Hoffler brings a diverse set of skills and talents to the practice of law. She speaks French fluently and is proficient in Spanish and Portuguese.
Ms. Hoffler was previously a partner at Edmond, Lindsay & Hoffler, LLP, and at Gary, Williams et al., in Florida. While a partner at Gary Williams, she led the commercial and international litigation practice for 12 years. She is also counsel to civil rights icon The Reverend Jesse Jackson and has represented him, and the Rainbow Push and related organizations for the past 35 years
Ms. Hoffler has managed several billion-dollar commercial cases. In 2000, she co-led the trial team that won the largest medical negligence verdict ever in Roanoke, Virginia. She also co-led the trial team that, in 2012, won the largest medical negligence verdict at that time, in Gwinnett County, Georgia. She has served as a trial lawyer on various other high-profile cases, including representing the Roger Maris family against Anheuser-Bush in a breach of contract case that resulted in a $139 million-dollar verdict. She served as counsel in a class action lawsuit on behalf of 4,800 African American and Latino civil service workers against the State of New York. Better known as Simpson v. State of New York, this case resulted in a historic settlement for the plaintiffs in 2010 and forced the elimination of the “battery test” as a basis for promotion within the ranks of civil servants in New York state.
Ms. Hoffler has extensive professional experience throughout Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. She has represented foreign interests and foreign governments and lobbied on behalf of various foreign countries. She developed a new privatization practice for her firm in foreign markets, and managed the general representation of diverse local, national, and international corporations and foreign governments. She participated in her firm's efforts to advise a foreign government on reformation of its drug trafficking and money laundering laws. In addition, she has furnished advice and counsel to the nations of Angola, Guinea (Conakry) and Gabon concerning election procedures and policies and helped coordinate U.S. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) participation in elections. She also provided on-going legal counsel to numerous foreign government clients in their democratization process.
A service-oriented attorney, Ms. Hoffler’s community involvement includes active participation in pro bono law clinics, extensive lecturing on First Amendment matters, women and children issues, and international matters. She was intricately involved in the merit retention efforts related to the Florida Supreme Court and successfully co-chaired Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince's campaign for merit retention.
Ms. Hoffler has served on the boards of The Pine School (Stuart, Florida), Georgetown University Law Alumni Board (Washington, DC), Planned Parenthood of South Florida (West Palm Beach, Florida) and Women in Philanthropy (Stuart, Florida - founding member), the Washington Urban League (Washington, DC), Norfolk Airport Authority (former Commissioner, Norfolk, Virginia), Places and Programs for Children, Inc. (Norfolk, Virginia), Old Dominion University Education Foundation (Norfolk, Virginia), and Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia (Virginia Beach, Virginia). She is also an active member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA) and hosts an informal mentoring program for lawyers throughout Georgia. Ms. Hoffler is a frequent lecturer for various bar associations including the American Bar Association, GABWA, the Gate City Bar, the National Bar Association and ABOTA. She’s been an active “lifetime” member of the National Bar Association for almost three decades.
Ms. Hoffler has received numerous accolades and awards for outstanding contributions to her profession and philanthropy. She was named "Woman of the Year" for 2011-2012 by the National Association of Professional Women for her demonstrated excellence and dedication within her profession. She has also received the National Bar Association Presidential Award, the National Bar Association Governor’s Award, the Gate City Bar Association A.T. Walden “Legacy” Award, the “Esquire Award” for the Small Firms and Solo Practitioners’ Division of the National Bar Association, an award from the National Bar Judicial Council in recognition for commitment to service and outstanding fundraising in 2014, a Certificate of Silver Life Membership to the NAACP, the “Recognition of Support, Commitment, and Service” award from the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, an award for Outstanding Service and Contributions to the Theological Scholarship Foundation of the Tidewater Metro Baptist Minister’s Conference, the “Majestic Leader” Award from The Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, and a feature in the March 2012 edition of The Informer. In July 2018, she received the prestigious Leah Ward Sears Award for Distinction in the Profession Founders Award from GABWA. Ms. Hoffler also was honored by GABWA’s Foundation in December 2018 when the Foundation created a scholarship in her name. In 2019 Ms. Hoffler received the President’s Award from the Caribbean Bar Association and was inducted into the Gate City Bar Hall of Fame. She also was elected the Chairman of the Board of Rainbow Push Coalition--the first woman to ever serve in that capacity. In July 2019, she was elected President-Elect of the National Bar Association and became its 78th president in 2020. Rated a “Super Lawyer” in 2022, Ms. Hoffler also received the Randolph W. Thrower Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Bar.
Ms. Hoffler has made regular media appearances on television and radio. She hosts her own weekly radio show, “Law and Legal,” on Atlanta’s WAOK. Ms. Hoffler also is a guest host each Wednesday on the Santita Jackson show “Legal Q&A with CK”. She has also appeared and provide legal and political commentary on CNN, ABC, Court TV, MSNBC, and other entities in the Peacock Network. Ms. Hoffler will host a pilot TV legal commentary show to be released in late 2022 or early 2023.
Ms. Hoffler was educated in Switzerland (College du Leman, University of Geneva), Canada (Branksome Hall) and the United States. She received her undergraduate degree from Smith College and her law degree from Georgetown University.
