With over 35 years of legal expertise, Dunlop & Lakes, P.C. is deeply rooted in the communities of Georgia and Alabama. Our team comprises many Columbus natives, and we are invested in the future of our city. We’re not just lawyers; we’re your friends and neighbours. We specialize in Injury and Real Estate Law, and offer personalized services. Recognizing the critical role an experienced attorney plays in Georgia’s personal injury case, we ensure each client receives dedicated attention. Our track record speaks volumes, with millions recovered for our clients. With extensive courtroom experience, we’re committed to top-tier representation.
Attorney Jennifer Dunlap is originally from Decatur, Georgia. She completed undergraduate studies at Saint Louis University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2002. Heeding the advice of her parents and desiring to & quot; make a difference, " she decided to enroll in law school. She completed her Juris Doctorate Degree in 2004 at Georgia State University and began her career in Columbus, Georgia.
Jennifer served her community as a felony prosecutor for eight years at the Muscogee County District Attorney's Office where her work centered around asset forfeiture, completing appellate briefs before the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia and several high-profile tax prosecutions in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Her star t in private prac tice began in 2017 when she founded A Second Chance Criminal Record Relief P.C. and pursued her passion to assist those caught in the bondage of a criminal history to gain better employment and housing. Her organization has erased the ‘convic ted felon’ label for over a hundred citizens. Her most proud moments are when she makes the phone call advising that the individual is no longer considered a convicted felon. According to Jennifer: “Giving out checks that I fought for makes me feel good for a minute, but giving a person their life back makes me get up and come to work early and leave late every day.” She truly works for the people and enjoys sharing that there is still a reason to have hope for a better life.
During the founding of A Second Chance, Jennifer learned the ropes of personal injury through a three-year long tenure with Forrest B. Johnson and Associates. Of injury work she says “It ’s similar to prosecution because there’s a victim who has been wronged and has the right to be made whole, but people have to understand that insurance companies aren’t going to pay unless we make them… That ’s where I come in.” Personally, she currently attends New Birth Community Outreach Church, sits on the board of Direct Services and the Georgia State Disciplinary Board. She has three sons ages 14, 12, and 10 and has been married to Brandon Dunlap for over 17 years.
Raymond B. Lakes III is a native of Columbus, Georgia, He is a product of the Muscogee County Public School District and a graduate of the historic George Washington Carver High School. Upon graduation from high school, he went on graduate from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
Mr. Lakes had a lifelong dream to become an attorney and fervently pursued a legal education. His pursuit afforded him the opportunity to attend Cumberland School of Law at Samford University where he received a Doctorate Degree of Jurisprudence. Upon his admittance to the State Bar of Georgia, Mr. Lakes began his legal career as an Associate Attorney for the State of Georgia in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit During this 10-year span, Mr. Lakes successfully tried and disposed of hundreds of complex felony cases. This robust experience led him to enter private practice in 2018.
Mr. Lakes is well versed in all things related to finance and investments. Wanting to utilize the knowledge he gained through the study of finance, Mr. Lakes became a real estate investor focusing his investments on building and renovating affordable homes throughout Columbus, GA Mr. Lakes has a unique combination of legal and financial expertise along with practical experience which makes him well positioned to serve clients in a variety of real estate and business transactions.
In his spare time Mr. Lakes enjoys tinkering and spending time with family and friends. Together he and his wife, Sendreka, have three kids – Raymond IV an Auburn University graduate, Trinity, a student at The University of Chicago, and Raymond V (Walker), a first grader.
Most members of our staff are native to Columbus, Georgia and therefore, we have a stake in the future of this city. We raise our children here, go to church here and do our part to contribute back to our community.
Our mission is to bring tailored and individualized services to our community primarily in the areas of Injury and Real Estate Law. Our clients are our friends, neighbors and become part of our family. We raise our kids in this community, give back to this community and participate in this community.
