Our Team

Douglas Chandler grew up in the Northwest corner of Georgia in the small town of LaFayette, Walker County. Upon graduation from Auburn University he was commissioned as a reserve officer in the United States Navy. As a Lieutenant and Naval Flight Officer, Douglas was assigned to the Grumman E-2C “Hawkeye” Aircraft. While on reserve status, Douglas attended Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law where he served on the Board of Directors of the Cordell Hull Speakers Forum. Before entering private practice, he was the law clerk to the Honorable D. Al Crowson, State Court of Alabama, and a Law Clerk at Ferguson & Saunders, LLP of Atlanta.

Douglas began his legal career at a boutique law firm in downtown Atlanta that handled professional malpractice and estate litigation cases. As a newly minted lawyer, he had the privilege of representing twenty-six heirs who lost their family farm, the family home place, and many of the family’s heirlooms to an unscrupulous neighbor who exerted undue influence over the heirs’ elderly relative to get the relative to change her Last Will & Testament. Douglas’s firm was successful on the appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.

That case taught Douglas some hard lessons about how families need to have thorough and proper life and legacy planning in place to protect themselves and their loved ones. The lessons were particularly hard to swallow because, sadly, on retrial after their Supreme Court victory, the jury overturned the clients’ win and awarded the farm, the house and all the heirlooms to the neighbor, not the heirs.

Since representing the twenty-six heirs in his first estate litigation case 24 years ago, Chandler Law has had the privilege of handling additional estate litigation cases. Moreover, in their practice of defending lawyers charged with legal malpractice, Chandler Law attorneys have seen first-hand how estate plans can go wrong, leaving families in conflict and spending tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers and litigation expenses. Chandler Law’s attorneys definitely learned from the mistakes of their lawyer-clients and, taking those lessons, Douglas and the lawyers that work with him apply those lessons to make Chandler Law better prepared to serve its life and legacy clients.

Beyond litigation, Chandler Law also represents lawyers throughout all aspects of their legal career. Chandler Law attorneys have represented lawyers who are launching and establishing their law firms throughout all phases of a lawyer’s career to advising those lawyers who are winding down their law firms. In doing so, many lawyers asked Douglas if the firm could handle their estate planning needs but, in the past, Douglas had to refer them to other firms. Douglas didn’t always feel good about that, so Chandler Law listened to its clients. Now, based on Chandler Law attorneys’ experience and careful attention to detail, Chandler Law is able to assist lawyers as well as many other non-lawyer clients with their life and legacy planning.

Douglas is one of only three Board Certified legal malpractice specialists in Georgia certified by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. Douglas has been practicing law for 24 years. To his credit, Douglas has over 30 Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals reported opinions. Douglas is also a Co-Founder and Executive Committee Member of the State Bar of Georgia Professional Liability Section, and an active lecturer and panelist on the topics of Law Firm Risk Management, Legal Professional Ethics, and Malpractice Prevention. He has been recognized numerous years by his peers and Atlanta Magazine as a Super Lawyer—Top 100 in Georgia and Legal Elite by Georgia Trend Magazine. When not practicing law, Douglas enjoys sailing, hunting, fishing, tennis, and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of with his wife and their three children.

A native of Atlanta, Dena Stoddard grew up in Sandy Springs, Georgia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Georgia. Dena attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where she was a member of the ABA Mock Trial Team, served on the Mock Trial Board and spent her final year working at the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office. 

Dena practiced for nineteen years prior to joining Chandler Law. She has practiced in the areas of Child Advocacy, Medical Malpractice Defense and Legal Malpractice Defense.  Dena is an extremely versatile lawyer who is dedicated to her clients. Throughout her twenty plus year career, she has gained the experience and knowledge she needs to achieve results on behalf of clients.   Dena has always sought to assist those in her community and her desire to help others is expressed naturally through her estate and legacy planning practice. Dena’s experience and skill set equip her to seamlessly help Chandler Law clients navigate the estate planning process and achieve their goals. 

Dena is an active volunteer in the community and served for four years as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Charity League for her local chapter. When not practicing law, Dena also enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis, traveling and cooking.

Richard Waddington has been practicing law for over twenty-five years, advising businesses, governments, and individuals on a wide spectrum of transactional, regulatory and litigation matters.  Richard’s current practice is focused on legal malpractice, State Bar disciplinary matters, and estate planning.  Richard has significant experience litigating disputes over estates, which has shown him the importance of meticulous and informed estate planning.

Pro bono representation of underserved individuals has played an outsized role in Richard's legal career. He has secured life-changing results for a number of individuals, including victims of government repression and disabled veterans.

In his spare time, Richard enjoys fishing, hiking ,and competitive running. 

Jacqueline Brenner Berger started her life in Brooklyn, New York. She relocated to South Florida to attend Law School and stayed for almost 27 years.  She has been practicing law for over 41 years.  Jackie maintained her Florida legal practice in the areas of Real Estate, Family Law, Estate Planning and Trust and Estate Administration, and Bankruptcy.  Jackie relocated to Georgia, and in 2009 was admitted to the Georgia Bar.  She then started an Estate Planning and Administration practice, to assist both seniors and young families with their estate planning needs. Jackie’s long and extensive experience is a wonderful addition to the Chandler Law team.

Jackie is an active volunteer with Purple Pansies, Inc., a Pancreatic Cancer charity, along with various charities which support people suffering from food insecurity.  She also served for three years on her local synagogue’s Board of Directors and many years prior to that as Social Action Chairperson.

In her spare time, Jackie enjoys spending time with her family (including her 4-legged child) and friends, traveling, going to the theatre, learning and researching.

Britt Chandler brings a wide variety of experience to Chandler Law. The mother of three children, Britt has worked as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, and legal nurse consultant.

This unique skill set allows her to bring both medical and legal expertise to Chandler Law.

Britt attended University of South Alabama and graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She later pursued her Master’s degree in Nursing at University of Alabama at Birmingham.  While active in the health care setting, Britt has witnessed first hand the effects of not having advanced directives, living wills and trusts in place prior to one’s death or incapacity.  It cannot only rip families apart, but also cause lingering pain and suffering on the incapacitated loved one. With more than 30 years of patient and client experience, Britt places a high priority on understanding the needs of each client and their families.

Britt is active in her community with Atlanta Women’s Foundation Inspire Class of 2020, on the executive board of Cambridge High School’s PTSA, volunteers with her daughter’s Equestrian Team, and is a proud sponsor of the Future Farmers of America.  She enjoys her time with off her husband and family, sailing, fishing, traveling and also being a dog mom to Remy and Rigby.