About Brian
Brian Mendelsohn built a legal path that moves from law school classrooms to federal court hallways. He earned a B.A. from the University of South Carolina in 1983 and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1987. Those credentials set the stage for a practice shaped by appellate work and federal criminal defense.
Early in his career he joined the Appellate Practice and Education Resource Center in 1990. That role placed him in cases that required close attention to precedents and written persuasion. The work emphasized legal research, brief writing and oral argument — the tools appellate lawyers rely on.
In 1995 he became First Assistant and Staff Lawyer at the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Georgia. There he handled matters arising in the federal system. That position gave him day-to-day experience representing clients in trial-related and post-conviction matters. It also exposed him to the tactical demands of federal litigation and the particular procedures of the District and Circuit courts.
Over the years Mendelsohn maintained ties to appellate practice and stepped into private practice roles as well. In 2023 he joined The Mendelsohn Ertel Law Group LLC as a partner. The move formalized a practice that blends appellate litigation and federal defense strategies. He is admitted to practice in Georgia, before the Eleventh Circuit, and in the U.S. Supreme Court. He also retains membership in the State Bar of Georgia.
Colleagues describe him as steady in the courtroom and exacting on the page. His background in appellate centers and a federal defender office informs how he evaluates cases and prepares arguments. He has handled briefing and oral argument across a range of issues that arise in federal and appellate settings.
Today he works out of The Mendelsohn Ertel Law Group LLC, where his practice continues to emphasize appeals and federal criminal matters. He concentrates on appellate litigation and federal criminal defense.
