Dax López
Bio
For nearly 11 years, Dax served as a judge on the State Court of DeKalb County where he presided over hundreds of jury trials in complex criminal and civil matters. As only the second Hispanic judge on a court of record in the history of Georgia, Dax was known to be an efficient, fair, and just jurist who earned the respect of lawyers and litigants alike.
Now as a trial lawyer, Dax uses his perspective as a former judge to fight for his clients, many of whom have been injured because of the negligence of others. Dax has been able to utilize the skills he learned while serving as a judge to obtain significant verdicts in the courtroom. Shortly after leaving the bench, Dax was hired to help with the trial of a significant medical malpractice case involving the death of a young man. Because of his unique experience and perspective, Dax, along with his co-counsel, was able to obtain the largest medical malpractice verdict in Georgia history ($77.5M) after a grueling 14 day trial. Dax’s next trial, along with his partners at DGL, resulted in a $31 million verdict in a case involving the death of a father of three who was shot and killed in his mobile home complex while trying to stop a thief from stealing his car. This verdict is most likely the largest verdict ever awarded for an undocumented immigrant’s life in the history of Georgia.
A native of Ponce Puerto Rico, Dax attended Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Law School where he was an editor on the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law and the president of the Vanderbilt Bar Association. After law school, Dax served as the law clerk for federal judge Hector M. Laffitte in the Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Throughout his legal career, Dax has received numerous recognitions. Dax has been named as one of the Top Fifty Industry Leaders by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, as among Georgia’s Legal Elite by Georgia Trend magazine, and as a Rising Star by the SuperLawyer Magazine. In 2010, Mundo Hispanico named Dax to be the Funcionario Destacado del Aňo. In 2011, Dax was named by Georgia Trend Magazine to be among the best and brightest 40 Under 40 and by The Fulton Daily Report to be among those in the legal profession who were “On the Rise.” He is also the recipient of the Justice Benham Community Service Award. After numerous years being listed as one of Georgia’s most influential Latinos, in 2022, Dax was inducted into the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Hall of Fame.
Dax served on the Board of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials for 15 years, and as President of the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association. He is also a member of the State Bar of Georgia’s Board of Governors and a member of the Standing Committee of Interpreters.
In 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Dax to a vacant seat on the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Unfortunately, Dax did not receive a hearing in the U.S. Senate and his nomination expired at the end of President Obama’s term.
Dax is married to immigration attorney and former State Representative Zulma Lopez. Together they are the proud parents of four children: Roberto Carlos, Sebastian, Elisa and Leo. In his free time, Dax enjoys watching his favorite soccer player, Leo Messi, and one of his favorite teams, Atlanta United.
"Having served in the judiciary for nearly 11 years gives me the insight and perspective that makes me an effective advocate for our community."