About
Tannen Law Group is a family law firm based in Johns Creek, Georgia, founded in 2002 by Attorney David R. Tannen. The firm handles divorce, child custody, child support, protective orders, mediation, modifications, and family law agreements for clients in Fulton, Gwinnett, and Forsyth County Superior Courts. Every case is prepared as if it will go to trial, because that preparation is what drives favorable outcomes whether the case settles or goes before a judge.
Free 30-minute consultation. No obligation. We respond within 2 hours during business hours.
About Tannen Law Group. Quick Facts
Founded: 2002 by Attorney David R. Tannen
Office: 6455 East Johns Crossing, Suite 425, Johns Creek, GA 30097
Phone: (470) 560-7798
Practice focus: Family law exclusively
Courts: Fulton County Superior Court (since 1994), Gwinnett County Superior Court, Forsyth County Superior Court
Bar memberships: State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section, Forsyth County Bar Association, State Bar of New York, Illinois State Bar Association
Free consultation: 30 minutes with an attorney, in person or Zoom
Who We Are
Tannen Law Group is a boutique family law firm. We do not practice in other areas. Every attorney, every case, every hour of preparation is focused on Georgia family law. That focus produces better results than a general practice firm that handles family law as one of a dozen practice areas.
The firm operates with three people who have direct client contact: David Tannen, who founded the firm and leads all contested litigation and complex matters; Kevin Markes, who handles family law litigation with a background as a former criminal trial attorney in Illinois; and Melissa Nalley Barker, Director of Client Relations, who manages every client’s experience from first contact through case resolution. Melissa is a former TLG client. She understands what it feels like to be on the other side of this process, and that perspective shapes how the firm treats every person who calls.
The firm serves clients primarily in Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Duluth, Suwanee, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Buford, Cumming, and the surrounding communities. Cases are filed in whichever county courthouse the client’s address requires: Pryor Street in Atlanta for Fulton County, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville for Gwinnett County, and 101 East Courthouse Square, Suite 1007 in Cumming for Forsyth County.
David R. Tannen, Founder
David Tannen graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1985 and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1994. He founded Tannen Law Group in 2002 after years of practicing in the North Atlanta area. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia Family Law Section and the Forsyth County Bar Association.
David’s approach is straightforward: prepare every case for trial, negotiate from a position of strength, and tell clients the truth about where they stand. He does not make promises about outcomes. He provides honest assessments of the facts, clear explanations of the legal standards that apply, and aggressive representation when the case requires it.
His practice spans the full range of contested and uncontested family law: high-asset divorces involving business valuations and forensic accounting, custody cases in Fulton and Gwinnett counties where both parents have genuine claims to parenting time, protective order proceedings where the stakes extend well beyond the order itself, and post-divorce modifications where the original order no longer reflects the family’s current reality.
He lives in North Atlanta, is married, and has three children, including a son who serves as an officer in the United States Armed Forces. He swims and plays golf.
Kevin E. Markes
Kevin Markes graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2009 and was licensed in Illinois the same year. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Illinois State Bar Association. Before practicing family law, he was a criminal defense attorney in Illinois handling serious felony cases including armed robbery, aggravated battery, and drug trafficking. He tried those cases to juries, and he has never lost a criminal jury trial.
That background shapes how Kevin approaches family law litigation. Cross-examining a witness who is not telling the truth, organizing complex evidence into a narrative the judge can follow, reading a courtroom in real time and adjusting strategy accordingly. These are skills built in criminal trial work that transfer directly to contested custody and high-asset divorce litigation.
Kevin moved to Georgia because the communities he grew up knowing in North Atlanta are home. He grew up in Buford, attended the University of Georgia, and came back to practice. When he represents clients in Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, or DeKalb County courts, he is representing his own community.
He handles high-asset divorce, contested child custody, enforcement and contempt actions, and modifications. He has recovered over $40,000 in unpaid child support in a single contempt proceeding by documenting hidden income and presenting a methodical case for willful noncompliance.
He plays tennis, enjoys cooking and concerts, and his wife’s research at Emory on children’s health keeps the household grounded in what actually matters for children, a perspective that informs his custody work directly.
Melissa Nalley Barker, Director of Client Relations
She is also a former TLG client. She went through her own divorce while caring for a medically fragile child and two other children, one in elementary school, managing the legal process while keeping a family’s daily life functioning. She saw what the firm did well and where family law firms typically fall short on client communication and support. She joined to be the bridge between attorneys who are focused on legal strategy and clients who need to understand what is happening and what comes next.
Melissa handles initial intake, schedules consultations, tracks deadlines and filings, answers questions during the case, and manages the day-to-day operations that keep cases moving. When clients have a question about their case status, a court date, or what they need to prepare, Melissa is who they reach. She is reachable by phone and text at (470) 560-7798.
Her Georgia Tech engineering training produced systems thinking and process optimization skills that translate directly to running a law firm: coordinating deadlines, managing communications, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks on cases that can take 6 to 12 months to resolve.
Our Philosophy
Family law practice in North Atlanta rewards preparation and familiarity. David Tannen has spent decades in Fulton, Gwinnett, and Forsyth County Superior Courts, and that experience shapes how we prepare cases, anticipate procedural questions, and give clients accurate advice about what to expect.
Direct communication.
Every client understands each stage of the process, what decisions are coming, and what the realistic range of outcomes looks like. No surprises. No unexplained bills. No waiting weeks to hear whether a filing went through.
Preparation over promises.
We do not promise outcomes. Courts decide cases, not lawyers. What we promise is preparation: thorough discovery, organized evidence, clear strategy, and honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in your position.
Trial readiness as a negotiating tool.
Most cases settle. The quality of those settlements depends on whether opposing counsel believes your attorney will actually try the case if settlement fails. David Tannen and Kevin Markes have both tried cases. That history produces different settlement conversations than attorneys who have not.
Cost proportional to stakes.
A young couple with a mortgage, two cars, and a three-year-old does not need the same approach as a business owner with a $3 million company and a contested high-asset case. We calibrate our approach to the actual financial stakes and complexity of each matter.
📅 Since 2002
24+ Years Family Law Experience
⚖️ 3 Counties
Fulton. Gwinnett. Forsyth.
Our Team
KNOWN. TRUSTED. PROVEN IN GEORGIA FAMILY LAW.
Why Choose Tannen Law Group?
Experience
Georgia family law practice since 2002, with a consistent record of results across contested divorce, custody, and high-asset cases.
Expertise
Guided by highly qualified, board-certified legal leadership with deep knowledge of Georgia family law.
Authority
Respected leaders in the family law community, recognized for professionalism and legal excellence.
Trustworthiness
A commitment to ethical practice, transparent guidance, and client-centered representation at every stage.
Flexible Payment Plans to Fit Your Needs
We understand that legal planning involves financial considerations. Tannen Law Group offers transparent billing and practical guidance so clients can move through their legal matter with confidence. With disciplined preparation and experienced representation, we focus on efficient planning and lasting outcomes.