Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphy Appoints Two to Cobb Magistrate Bench

Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphy has appointed Natalie Ward and Christopher Yarbrough as part-time Magistrate judges.  They were selected after an open application and interview process from a competitive field of well-qualified candidates. 

“Excellent attorneys with respect for the law, common sense, and judicial temperaments, Natalie and Chris bring decades of private sector experience to the Magistrate Court,” said Judge Murphy, “They have already demonstrated a shared commitment to our core value of community service through volunteering at the People’s Court Pop-up Legal Clinic, providing free legal advice to those in need.”

The Magistrate Court operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with a heavy caseload of both criminal and civil matters. Known as the People’s Court, the Magistrate Court provides an easily accessible forum to resolve disputes for tens of thousands of self-represented litigants each year.  Presiding over initial hearings in most criminal cases, the Court also plays an essential role in considering both public safety and the Constitutional rights of the accused.  The Court’s 90-member team is committed to welcoming warmly, helping efficiently, and hearing fairly.

Natalie Ward

Natalie Ward began her career in nursing before pursuing a path in law.  She brings more than 20 years of combined legal and healthcare experience, including extensive work as intellectual property and corporate counsel. She has served as both in-house counsel and outside counsel with Am Law 100 law firms.

In her firm roles, Ms. Ward served as Senior Counsel for Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries—handling trademark, copyright, advertising, intellectual property, licensing, franchising, technology, risk management, and transactional matters. She has also supported intellectual property aspects of complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions.

As in-house counsel, Ms. Ward served as general counsel for a national group of healthcare and healthcare technology companies and as in-house intellectual property counsel for a leading hospitality and real estate company. She worked closely with and advised C-suite leadership on a wide range of business, compliance, finance, and risk management issues.

A graduate of the University of Florida and Howard University School of Law, Ms. Ward is active in the Junior League of Atlanta and is a member of the Cobb County Bar Association. She is a certified mediator, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a volunteer with domestic violence support services in the Cobb/Paulding area.

On a personal note, Ms. Ward finds joy on the sidelines - cheering on her son in collegiate basketball and supporting her daughters in soccer, swimming, and flag football.  She resides in Powder Springs with her family.

Christopher Yarbrough

Chris Yarbrough, a Georgia native, has been practicing law in Metropolitan Atlanta since 2009.  His private practice has primarily focused on civil litigation, landlord-tenant matters, and creditors’ rights.  Additionally, Mr. Yarbrough serves as an Adjunct Professor of Business Law at Kennesaw State University.  He is a member of the Cobb County Bar Association and the Lawyers’ Club of Atlanta.  Mr. Yarbrough volunteers with the Georgia High School Mock Trial program.  He holds a degree in Management from Georgia College & State University and graduated from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.  Mr. Yarbrough resides in Smyrna with his husband.